CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of July 15, 2009 among DUFF & PHELPS, LLC, as the Borrower, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer, and The Other Lenders Party Hereto
Published
CUSIP Number: ________________
Dated as
of July 15, 2009
among
DUFF
& XXXXXX, LLC,
as the
Borrower,
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer,
and
The Other
Lenders Party Hereto
Table
of Contents
Section
|
Page
|
||
ARTICLE
I.
|
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
|
1
|
|
1.01
|
Defined
Terms
|
1
|
|
1.02
|
Other
Interpretive Provisions
|
23
|
|
1.03
|
Accounting
Terms
|
23
|
|
1.04
|
Rounding
|
24
|
|
1.05
|
Times
of Day
|
24
|
|
1.06
|
Letter
of Credit Amounts
|
24
|
|
ARTICLE
II.
|
THE
COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
|
24
|
|
2.01
|
Committed
Loans
|
24
|
|
2.02
|
Borrowings,
Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans
|
25
|
|
2.03
|
Letters
of Credit
|
26
|
|
2.04
|
Prepayments
|
34
|
|
2.05
|
Termination
or Reduction of Commitments
|
34
|
|
2.06
|
Repayment
of Loans
|
35
|
|
2.07
|
Interest
|
35
|
|
2.08
|
Fees
|
35
|
|
2.09
|
Computation
of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable
Rate
|
36
|
|
2.10
|
Evidence
of Debt
|
36
|
|
2.11
|
Payments
Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback
|
37
|
|
2.12
|
Sharing
of Payments by Lenders
|
38
|
|
ARTICLE
III.
|
TAXES,
YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
|
39
|
|
3.01
|
Taxes.
|
39
|
|
3.02
|
Illegality
|
42
|
|
3.03
|
Inability
to Determine Rates
|
43
|
|
3.04
|
Increased
Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans
|
43
|
|
3.05
|
Compensation
for Losses
|
44
|
|
3.06
|
Mitigation
Obligations; Replacement of Lenders
|
45
|
|
3.07
|
Survival
|
45
|
|
ARTICLE
IV.
|
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
|
45
|
|
4.01
|
Conditions
of Initial Credit Extension
|
45
|
|
4.02
|
Conditions
to all Credit Extensions
|
47
|
i
ARTICLE
V.
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
47
|
|
5.01
|
Existence,
Qualification and Power
|
47
|
|
5.02
|
Authorization;
No Contravention
|
48
|
|
5.03
|
Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents
|
48
|
|
5.04
|
Binding
Effect
|
48
|
|
5.05
|
Financial
Statements; No Material Adverse Effect
|
48
|
|
5.06
|
Litigation
|
49
|
|
5.07
|
No
Default
|
49
|
|
5.08
|
Ownership
of Property; Liens
|
49
|
|
5.09
|
Environmental
Compliance
|
49
|
|
5.10
|
Insurance
|
49
|
|
5.11
|
Taxes
|
49
|
|
5.12
|
ERISA
Compliance
|
50
|
|
5.13
|
Subsidiaries;
Equity Interests
|
50
|
|
5.14
|
Margin
Regulations; Investment Company Act
|
50
|
|
5.15
|
Disclosure
|
51
|
|
5.16
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
51
|
|
5.17
|
Taxpayer
Identification Number
|
51
|
|
5.18
|
Intellectual
Property; Licenses, Etc
|
51
|
|
ARTICLE
VI.
|
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
|
51
|
|
6.01
|
Financial
Statements
|
51
|
|
6.02
|
Certificates;
Other Information
|
52
|
|
6.03
|
Notices
|
53
|
|
6.04
|
Payment
of Obligations
|
53
|
|
6.05
|
Preservation
of Existence, Etc
|
54
|
|
6.06
|
Maintenance
of Properties
|
54
|
|
6.07
|
Insurance
|
54
|
|
6.08
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
55
|
|
6.09
|
Books
and Records
|
55
|
|
6.10
|
Inspection
Rights
|
55
|
|
6.11
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
55
|
|
6.12
|
Additional
Guarantors
|
55
|
|
6.13
|
Banking
Relationship
|
56
|
ii
ARTICLE
VII.
|
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
56
|
|
7.01
|
Liens
|
56
|
|
7.02
|
Investments
|
58
|
|
7.03
|
Indebtedness
|
58
|
|
7.04
|
Fundamental
Changes
|
59
|
|
7.05
|
Dispositions
|
60
|
|
7.06
|
Restricted
Payments
|
60
|
|
7.07
|
Transactions
with Affiliates
|
61
|
|
7.08
|
Subordinated
Debt
|
61
|
|
7.09
|
Burdensome
Agreements
|
62
|
|
7.10
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
62
|
|
7.11
|
Financial
Covenants
|
62
|
|
7.12
|
Transfers
to D&P International Holdings
|
62
|
|
ARTICLE
VIII.
|
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
|
62
|
|
8.01
|
Events
of Default
|
62
|
|
8.02
|
Remedies
Upon Event of Default
|
64
|
|
8.03
|
Application
of Funds
|
65
|
|
ARTICLE
IX.
|
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT
|
66
|
|
9.01
|
Appointment
and Authority
|
66
|
|
9.02
|
Rights
as a Lender
|
66
|
|
9.03
|
Exculpatory
Provisions
|
66
|
|
9.04
|
Reliance
by Administrative Agent
|
67
|
|
9.05
|
Delegation
of Duties
|
67
|
|
9.06
|
Resignation
of Administrative Agent
|
67
|
|
9.07
|
Non-Reliance
on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders
|
68
|
|
9.08
|
No
Other Duties, Etc
|
68
|
|
9.09
|
Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim
|
68
|
|
9.10
|
Collateral
and Guaranty Matters
|
69
|
|
ARTICLE
X.
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
69
|
|
10.01
|
Amendments,
Etc
|
69
|
|
10.02
|
Notices;
Effectiveness; Electronic Communication
|
71
|
|
10.03
|
No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement
|
72
|
|
10.04
|
Expenses;
Indemnity; Damage Waiver
|
73
|
|
10.05
|
Payments
Set Aside
|
75
|
iii
10.06
|
Successors
and Assigns.
|
75
|
|
10.07
|
Treatment
of Certain Information; Confidentiality
|
78
|
|
10.08
|
Right
of Setoff
|
79
|
|
10.09
|
Interest
Rate Limitation
|
79
|
|
10.10
|
Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness
|
79
|
|
10.11
|
Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
80
|
|
10.12
|
Severability
|
80
|
|
10.13
|
Replacement
of Lenders
|
80
|
|
10.14
|
Defaulting
Lenders
|
81
|
|
10.15
|
Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Etc
|
83
|
|
10.16
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial
|
84
|
|
10.17
|
No
Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility
|
84
|
|
10.18
|
Electronic
Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents
|
84
|
|
10.19
|
USA
PATRIOT Act Notice
|
85
|
|
SIGNATURES
|
S-1
|
iv
SCHEDULES
1.01
|
Historical
EBITDA
|
1.02
|
Historical
Amounts for Consolidated Fixed Charged Coverage Ratio
|
1.03
|
Historical
Consolidated Fixed Charges
|
1.04
|
Scheduled
Permitted Acquisitions
|
2.01
|
Commitments
and Applicable Percentages
|
2.03
|
Existing
Letters of Credit
|
5.13
|
Subsidiaries;
Other Equity Investments; Equity Interests in the
Borrower
|
7.01
|
Existing
Liens
|
7.02
|
Existing
Investments
|
7.03
|
Existing
Indebtedness
|
10.02
|
Administrative
Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for
Notices
|
EXHIBITS
Form
of
|
|
A
|
Committed
Loan Notice
|
B
|
Note
|
C
|
Compliance
Certificate
|
D
|
Assignment
and Assumption
|
Guaranty
|
|
F
|
Letter
of Undertaking
|
v
This
CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is
entered into as of July 15, 2009, among DUFF & XXXXXX,
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), each
lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and
individually, a “Lender”), and BANK OF
AMERICA, N.A., as
Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.
RECITALS:
The
Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and
the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
In
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the
parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I.
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
“Act” has the meaning
specified in Section
10.19.
“Acquired EBITDA”
means, with respect to any Person acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition,
as of any date of determination, the actual reported net income of such Person
plus, to the extent deducted in calculating net income for such Person, interest
charges, provision for United States federal income taxes or other taxes
measured by net income, depreciation and amortization for the quarters prior to
the date of such Permitted Acquisition.
“Acquisition” means
any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of, or
resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or
substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of any business or division of a
Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the capital stock,
partnership interests, membership interests or equity of any Person, or (c) a
merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person (other than
a Person that is the Borrower or a Subsidiary).
“Acquisition-Related
Debt” means any consideration paid in connection with a Permitted
Acquisition that consists of required deferred purchase price payments
(including earn-outs), seller notes or similar arrangements.
“Administrative Agent”
or “Agent”
means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the
Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s
Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate,
account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or
such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time
notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative
Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied
by the Administrative Agent.
1
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common
Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate
Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.
“Agreement” means this
Credit Agreement.
“Applicable
Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage
(carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments
represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time. If the
commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to
make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if
the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each
Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender
most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent
assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set
forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in
the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party
hereto, as applicable.
“Applicable Rate”
means the following percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Total
Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received
by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section
6.02(a):
Applicable
Rate
Pricing
Level
|
Consolidated
Total
Leverage
Ratio
|
Unused
Fee
|
Eurodollar
Rate
+
––––––––––
Letters
of
Credit
|
Base
Rate
+
|
||||||||||
1
|
>1.75:1 but <2.75:1
|
0.50 | % | 2.50 | % | 2.50 | % | |||||||
2
|
>1.00:1 but <1.75:1
|
0.375 | % | 2.00 | % | 2.00 | % | |||||||
3
|
<1.00:1
|
0.25 | % | 1.75 | % | 1.75 | % |
Any
increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the
Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first
Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is
delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a);
provided, however, that if a
Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such
Section, then, upon the request of the Required Lenders, Pricing Level 1 shall
apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance
Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall remain in effect until
the date on which such Compliance Certificate is delivered; and provided further that Pricing
Level 3 shall apply as of the date hereof until the first date on which a
Compliance Certificate is required to be delivered pursuant to Section
6.02(a).
Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate
for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section
2.09(b).
“Approved Fund” means
any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a
Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages
a Lender.
2
“Approved Acquired EBITDA
Adjustments” means the total amount of adjustments or addbacks to
Acquired EBITDA recommended by the Borrower and approved by the Administrative
Agent in its reasonable discretion.
“Assignee Group” means
two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more
Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.
“Assignment and
Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender
and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by
Section
10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, and to the extent
required by this Agreement, the Borrower, in substantially the form of Exhibit D or any
other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Assumed Tax Rate”
means, for any taxable year, the highest marginal effective rate of federal,
state and local income tax applicable to an individual resident in New York, New
York (or, if higher, a corporation doing business in New York, New York), taking
into account the deductibility of state and local taxes.
“Attributable
Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of
any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet
of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in
respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the
remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance
sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such
lease were accounted for as a capital lease.
“Audited Financial
Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of DPC and its
Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, and the related
consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash
flows for such fiscal year of the DPC and its Subsidiaries, including the notes
thereto.
“Availability Period”
means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the
Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant
to Section
2.05, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to
make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions
pursuant to Section
8.02.
“Bank of America”
means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
“Base Rate” means, for
any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the
Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such
day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime
rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 0.5%. The “prime rate” is a
rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of
America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other
factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be
priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in the
Base Rate due to a change in the “prime rate” or the Federal Funds Rate shall
take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public
announcement of such change in the “prime rate” or the Federal Funds Rate,
respectively.
“Base Rate Committed
Loan” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.
“Base Rate Loan” means
a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Borrower” has the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
3
“Borrower Materials”
means all materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower
under this Agreement.
“Borrowing” means a
Committed Borrowing.
“Business Day” means
any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are
authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where
the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any
Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits
are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar
market.
“Capital Expenditures”
means as to DPC and its Subsidiaries, any expenditure for fixed or capital
assets, including, without limitation, any Capitalized Lease Obligations, all as
determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, Capital Expenditures
shall not include (a) an expenditure for fixed or capital assets to the extent
paid for or reimbursed from the proceeds of insurance, (b) interest capitalized
during construction, (c) any expenditure to the extent, for purpose of the
definition of Permitted Acquisition, such expenditure is part of the aggregate
amounts payable in connection with, or other consideration for, any Permitted
Acquisition consummated during or prior to such period, and (d) any furniture
and equipment expenditures (including, without limitation, computer equipment)
in an individual amount less than $1,000, to the extent that such expenditure
reduces Consolidated EBITDA for such period. In the event that either DPC or a
Subsidiary thereof receives reimbursement of an expenditure that has been
included as a Capital Expenditure under this definition from a lessor as an
incentive in connection with an operating lease between such Person and such
lessor, the amount of Capital Expenditures for the period in which such
reimbursement occurs shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of such
reimbursement.
“Capitalized Lease
Obligations” means all obligations or liabilities capitalized on the
balance sheet of such person in accordance with GAAP, created or arising under
any capitalized lease of real or personal property, or conditional sale or other
title retention agreement, regardless of whether the rights and remedies of the
lessor, seller, or lender are limited to repossession of the property giving
rise to the obligation or liability.
“Cash Collateralize”
has the meaning specified in Section
2.03(g).
“Cash Equivalents”
means (a) marketable obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by, and
backed by the full faith and credit of, the United States government, or in the
case of a foreign Subsidiary, marketable obligations issued or unconditionally
guaranteed by the federal government of the country under which such foreign
Subsidiary was formed or any agency thereof or instrumentality thereof or
obligations unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of such
federal government, maturing within 12 months of the date of acquisition; (b)
certificates of deposit, euro dollar time deposits, time deposits and bankers’
acceptances maturing within 12 months of the date of acquisition, and overnight
bank deposits, in each case which are issued by a commercial bank organized
under the laws of the United States or any state or district thereof, any
foreign bank, or its branches or agencies (fully protected against currency
fluctuations) rated A-1 (or better) by S&P or P-1 (or better) by Xxxxx’x at
the time of acquisition, and (unless issued by a Lender) not subject to offset
rights; (c) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for
underlying investments of the types described in clauses (a) and (b) entered
into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (b); (d)
commercial paper rated A-1 (or better) by S&P or P-1 (or better) by Xxxxx’x,
at the time of acquisition, and maturing within nine months of the date of
acquisition; and (e) shares of any money market fund that has substantially all
of its assets invested continuously in the types of investments referred to
above, has net assets of at least $500,000,000 and has the highest rating
obtainable from either Xxxxx’x or S&P.
4
“Change in Law” means
the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a)
the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any
change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration,
interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the
making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having
the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.
“Change of Control”
means an event or series of events by which:
(a) any
“person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such
person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as
trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), other than
the Permitted Investors or any “group” that includes the Permitted Investors,
becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the
equity securities of DPC entitled to vote for members of the board of directors
or equivalent governing body of DPC on a fully-diluted basis and the Permitted
Investors shall own, directly or indirectly, less than such “person” or “group”
on a fully-diluted basis;
(b) during
any period of 12 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of
directors or other equivalent governing body of DPC cease to be composed of
individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on
the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or
equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i)
above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a
majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or
nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by
individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time
of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent
governing body;
(c) DPC
ceases to be the sole Managing Member of, and to Control, Holdings;
or
(d) Holdings
ceases to own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the equity securities of the
Borrower.
“Closing Date” means
the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are
satisfied or waived in accordance with Section
10.01.
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Collateral” means any
and all assets and rights and interests in or to property of Borrower and each
of the other Loan Parties, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, in
which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to the Collateral
Documents.
“Collateral Documents”
means the Security Agreement, and all other agreements, instruments and
documents now or hereafter executed and delivered in connection with this
Agreement pursuant to which Liens are granted or purported to be granted to
Agent in Collateral securing all or part of the Obligations each in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
5
“Commitment” means, as
to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to the Borrower
pursuant to Section
2.01 and (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, in an aggregate
principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth
opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in
the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party
hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in
accordance with this Agreement.
“Committed Borrowing”
means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type
and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made
by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section
2.01.
“Committed Loan” has
the meaning specified in Section
2.01.
“Committed Loan
Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of
Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar
Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a),
which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit
A.
“Compliance
Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit
C.
“Consolidated Cash Interest
Charges” means, for any period, with respect to DPC and its Subsidiaries
on a consolidated basis, the Consolidated Interest Charges of such Person for
such period less the sum of, in
each case to the extent included in the definition of Consolidated Interest
Charges, (a) the amortized amount of debt discount and debt issuance costs, (b)
charges relating to write-ups or write-downs in the book or carrying value of
existing Consolidated Funded Indebtedness, (c) interest payable by addition to
the principal of the related Indebtedness and (d) other non-cash
interest.
“Consolidated EBITDA”
means, for any period, for DPC and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an
amount equal to (a) the Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the sum
of, in each case to the extent deducted in the calculation of such Consolidated
Net Income but without duplication, (i) any provision for United States federal
income taxes or other taxes measured by net income (including any provision for
distributions in respect of any such taxes), (ii) Consolidated Interest Charges,
amortization of debt discount and commissions and other fees and charges
associated with Indebtedness, (iii) any loss from extraordinary items and any
other non-recurring loss, (iv) any depreciation, depletion and amortization
expense, (v) any aggregate net loss on the Sale of property (other than accounts
(as defined under the applicable Uniform Commercial Code) and inventory) outside
the ordinary course of business, (vi) all non-cash impairment charges (to the
extent not captured in amortization), (vii) all underfunded pension expenses to
the extent constituting non-cash charges, (viii) all non-cash expenses resulting
from the grant of stock and stock options and other compensation to personnel of
DPC or any Group Member pursuant to a written plan or agreement or the treatment
of such options under variable plan accounting, (ix) for a period of 12 months
after a Lift-out Acquisition, expenses (including, without limitation, sign-on
bonus and related cash payments in connection with the initial hiring of the
applicable professionals) incurred with respect to such Lift-out Acquisition, in
an aggregate amount not to exceed the lesser of (A) $500,000 times the number of
professionals hired in such Lift-out Acquisition and (B) $3,000,000, for such
12-month period, (x) all severance costs to the extent not paid in cash, (xi)
any fees, expenses or charges related to any equity offering, permitted
investment, disposal or Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement (whether or not
successful), (xii) the amount of any non-cash non-controlling interest expense
deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, and (xiii) any other non-cash
expenditure, charge or loss for such period (other than any non-cash
expenditure, charge or loss relating to write-offs, write-downs or reserves with
respect to accounts and inventory), including the amount of any compensation
deduction as the result of any Equity Interests to employees, officers,
directors or consultants; minus (c) the sum of, in each case to the extent
included in the calculation of such Consolidated Net Income and without
duplication, (i) any credit for United States federal income taxes or other
taxes measured by net income, (ii) any interest income, (iii) any gain from
extraordinary items and any other non-recurring gain, (iv) any aggregate net
gain from the Sale of property (other than accounts (as defined in the
applicable Uniform Commercial Code) and inventory) out of the ordinary course of
business by such Person, and (v) any other non-cash gain, including any reversal
of a charge referred to in clause (b)(vi) above by reason of a decrease in the
value of any Equity Interests. Consolidated EBITDA for the three (3)
fiscal quarters most recently ended prior to the Closing Date for which
financial statements are available is set forth on Schedule
1.01. Consolidated EBITDA shall not include Acquired EBITDA or
Approved Acquired EBITDA Adjustments.
6
“Consolidated Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a)
Consolidated EBITDA minus, without duplication, (i) Capital Expenditures, (ii)
United States federal income taxes or other taxes measured by net income paid by
Holdings and its Subsidiaries and distributions made to the holders of Equity
Interests of Holdings for the payment of such taxes and (iii) up to
$10,000,000 in cash Restricted Payments to Persons other than another Group
Member (other than Restricted Payments described in part (ii) above), in each
case for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such date, to (b) Consolidated Fixed
Charges for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such
date. The amounts described in clauses (a)(i), (a)(ii), and (a)(iii)
above for the three (3) fiscal quarters most recently ended prior to the Closing
Date for which financial statements are available are set forth on Schedule
1.02. For purposes of calculating the Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio for any four fiscal quarter period which includes the
second fiscal quarter of 2009, the following shall be excluded: (i) Restricted
Payments consisting of the redemption by Holdings of 4,550,000 of its New Class
A Units which occurred in May of 2009 and (ii) the repayment in full on or about
May 22, 2009 of all principal amounts outstanding under the Amended and Restated
Credit Agreement, dated as of July 30, 2008, among the Borrower, Holdings, the
lenders and L/C issuers party thereto and General Electric Capital Corporation
as administrative agent and collateral agent.
“Consolidated Fixed
Charges” means, for any period, for DPC and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, the sum for such period of (a) Consolidated Cash Interest
Charges for such period, (b) the principal amount of Consolidated Funded
Indebtedness of such Person and its Subsidiaries permanently repaid (other than
pursuant to a refinancing) during such period, and (c) all cash Restricted
Payments to Persons other than another Group Member in excess of $10,000,000
(other than Restricted Payments described in part (a)(ii) of the definition of
“Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio”) during such
period. Consolidated Fixed Charges for the three (3) fiscal quarters
most recently ended prior to the Closing Date for which financial statements are
available are set forth on Schedule
1.03.
“Consolidated Funded
Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for DPC and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, (a) Indebtedness of any general
partnership or joint venture (other than joint venture that is itself a
corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company) in which DPC or a
Subsidiary thereof is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such
Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to DPC or such Subsidiary, (b) the
principal amount of Indebtedness (or Attributable Indebtedness, as applicable)
pursuant to clauses (a), (b), (d) and (f) of “Indebtedness,” and, without
duplication, (c) all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the
types specified therein of Persons other than DPC or any Subsidiary, other than
Guarantees by a Group Member in respect of travel and other reimbursable
business expenses incurred by employees of such Group Member in the ordinary
course of business.
7
“Consolidated Interest
Charges” means, for any period, for DPC and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, (i) the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt
discount, fees, charges and related expenses of DPC and its Subsidiaries in
connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection
with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated
as interest in accordance with GAAP, (b) all fees, charges, commissions,
discounts and other similar obligations (other than reimbursement obligations)
with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees, banker’s acceptances, surety
bonds and performance bonds (whether or not matured) payable by DPC and its
Subsidiaries during such period and (c) the portion of rent expense of DPC and
its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under Capital Lease Obligations
that are treated as interest in accordance with GAAP less (ii) interest income
for such period.
“Consolidated Net
Income” means, for any period, for DPC and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, the net income (or loss) of DPC and its Subsidiaries
(excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses) for that period as
shown on an income statement as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that the
following shall be excluded: (a) the net income of any other Person
in which DPC or one of its Subsidiaries has a joint interest with a third-party
(which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be
consolidated into the net income of DPC and its Subsidiaries), except to the
extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid to DPC or a Subsidiary
thereof and (b) the net income of any direct or indirect Subsidiary of DPC that
is, on the last day of such period, subject to any restriction or limitation
(other than statutory capital requirements) on the payment of dividends or the
making of other distributions, to the extent of such restriction or
limitation.
“Consolidated Net
Worth” means, as of any date of determination, for DPC and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, Shareholders’ Equity of DPC and its
Subsidiaries on that date.
“Consolidated Total Leverage
Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a)
Consolidated Funded Indebtedness minus cash and Cash Equivalents on hand in
excess of $5,000,000 as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA
plus Acquired EBITDA plus Approved Acquired EBITDA Adjustments for the period of
the four fiscal quarters most recently ended.
“Contractual
Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued
by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which
such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is
bound.
“Control” means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability
to exercise at least 10% of the voting stock, by contract or
otherwise. “Controlling” and
“Controlled”
have meanings correlative thereto.
“Credit Extension”
means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit
Extension.
“D&P International
Holdings” means D&P International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company and wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Debtor Relief Laws”
means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation,
conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors,
moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar
debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from
time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors
generally.
“Default” means any
event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving
of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of
Default.
8
“Default Excess” has
the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Default Period” has
the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Default Rate” means
(a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an
interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the
Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per
annum; provided, however, that with
respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate
equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable
to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of
Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per
annum.
“Defaulted Loan” has
the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Defaulted Payment”
has the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Defaulting Lender”
has the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Distress Event” has
the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Distressed Person”
has the meaning specified in Section
10.14(b).
“Disposition” or
“Dispose” means
the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and
leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale,
assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes
or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated
therewith.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money
of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary”
means a United States person within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the
Code, excluding, however, (a) any such Person that both (i) is not properly
classified for federal income tax purposes as a corporation and (ii) holds
primarily Equity Interests of one or more controlled foreign corporations within
the meaning of Section 957 of the Code (“CFCs”) and/or business assets,
activities or operations, directly or indirectly, through Subsidiaries of such
Person, located outside of the United States (including, for these purposes,
cash or other liquid assets held for investment in such CFCs or business assets,
activities or operations) and (b) D&P International Holdings and, for the
avoidance of doubt, its Subsidiaries.
“DPC” means Duff &
Xxxxxx Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
“Eligible Assignee”
means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section
10.06(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such
consents, if any, as may be required under Section
10.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws”
means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws,
regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits,
concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental
restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the
release of any materials into the environment, including those related to
hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public
systems.
9
“Environmental
Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any
liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or
indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective
Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation
of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation,
storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any
Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous
Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other
consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with
respect to any of the foregoing.
“Equity Interests”
means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or
other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants,
options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of
shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such
Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of
capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or
warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of
such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit
interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests
therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants,
options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of
determination.
“ERISA” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate”
means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control
with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and
Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to
Section 412 of the Code).
“ERISA Event” means
(a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of
ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in
Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as
such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial
withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or
notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a
notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a
termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of
proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e)
an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for
the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension
Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title
IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section
4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
“Eurodollar Rate”
means,
(a) with
respect to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, for any Interest Period with respect to a
Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers
Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”), as
published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing
quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to
time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the
first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest
Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason,
then the “Eurodollar Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum
determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in
Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds
in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or
converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period
would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London
interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London
time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period;
and
10
(b) for
any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan, the rate per annum
equal to (i) BBA LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time on the date of
determination (provided that if such day is not a Business Day, the next
preceding Business Day) for Dollar deposits
being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month
commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time
for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be
the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination
in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made or
maintained by Bank of America and with a term equal to one month would be
offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London
interbank eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of
determination.
“Eurodollar Rate Loan”
means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate determined by reference to
subsection (a)
of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”
“Eurodollar Reserve
Percentage” means, for any day during any Interest Period, the reserve
percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in
effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations
issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve
requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve
requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as
“Eurocurrency liabilities”). The Eurodollar Rate for each outstanding
Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of
any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.
“Event of Default” has
the meaning specified in Section
8.01.
“Excess Cash” means,
as of the date of any subject Acquisition, cash on the balance sheet of any
Group Member that is a Domestic Subsidiary in excess of $5,000,000.
“Excluded Subsidiary”
means (A) Duff & Xxxxxx Securities, LLC, (B) any Subsidiary that is not a
Domestic Subsidiary and (C) any Domestic Subsidiary that is not a Material
Subsidiary; provided, however,
that at no time shall 10% or more of the book value of assets of DPC and its
Subsidiaries be held by Subsidiaries which would otherwise constitute Excluded
Subsidiaries under part (C) of the definition hereof, and provided further
that, if 10% or more of the book value of assets of DPC and its Subsidiaries is
(or becomes) held by Subsidiaries which would otherwise constitute Excluded
Subsidiaries under part (C) of the definition hereof, then a sufficient number
of Excluded Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be Material Subsidiaries for
purposes of, and shall comply with, Section 6.12 hereof
in order that all other Domestic Subsidiaries that are Excluded Subsidiaries
under part (C) of the definition hereof hold, in the aggregate, less than 10% of
the book value of the assets of DPC and its Subsidiaries.
“Excluded Taxes”
means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or
any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation
of the Borrower hereunder, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income
(however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income
taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the
Laws of which such recipient is organized or in which such recipient is
conducting business or its principal office is located or, in the case of any
Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch
profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any
other jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) in which the Borrower
is conducting business or has its principle office located, (c) any backup
withholding tax that is required by the Code to be withheld from amounts payable
to a Lender that has failed to comply with Section 3.01(e), and
(d) in the case of a Lender that is not a United States person within the
meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code (other than an assignee pursuant to a
request by the Borrower under Section 10.13), any
United States withholding tax that (i) is required to be imposed on amounts
payable to such Lender pursuant to the applicable Laws in force at the time such
Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office), except to
the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time
of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional
amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii)
or (ii) is attributable to such Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a
result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section
3.01(e).
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“Existing Letters of
Credit” means the letters of credit issued by one or more of the Lenders
hereunder for the account of the Borrower as described on Schedule 2.03
hereto.
“Federal Funds Rate”
means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the
rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such
day; provided
that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day
shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so
published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so
published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such
day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple
of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as
determined by the Administrative Agent.
“Fee Letter” means the
letter agreement, dated July 15, 2009, among the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent.
“FRB” means the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“Fund” means any
Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making,
purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar
extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“GAAP” means (i)
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of
the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be
approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United
States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of
determination, consistently applied; provided, however, that, with respect to
any Person organized or incorporated outside of the United States, “GAAP” shall
mean such other applicable accounting standards in the applicable jurisdiction
of organization or incorporation for such Person or (ii) if (x) the SEC requires
or permits United States reporting companies to utilize IFRS in lieu of GAAP for
reporting purposes and (y) DPC adopts IFRS with the agreement of its independent
public accountants, IFRS from and after the date of adoption.
“Governmental
Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation,
or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or
administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any
supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central
Bank).
“Group Members” means
Holdings and its Subsidiaries.
12
“Guarantee” means, as
to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person
guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness by
another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i)
to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of)
such Indebtedness, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services
for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the
payment or performance of such Indebtedness , (iii) to maintain working capital,
equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level
of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of
assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the
payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in
respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such
Person securing any Indebtedness, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by
such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such
Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee
shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of
the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such
Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably
anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing
Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a
corresponding meaning.
“Guarantors” means,
collectively, Holdings, Rash & Associates, L.P., a Texas limited
partnership, Xxxxxx Capital Partners LLC, a California limited liability
company, each Subsidiary of the Borrower listed on Schedule 5.13 that is
not an Excluded Subsidiary and each other Person joined to the Guaranty pursuant
to the terms of Section 6.12 hereof,
and “Guarantor” means any one of them.
“Guaranty” means the
Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit
E.
“Hazardous Materials”
means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or
toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum
distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated
biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or
wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Holdings” means Duff
& Xxxxxx Acquisitions, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company.
“IFRS” means
International Financial Reporting Standards set by the International Accounting
Standards Board as in effect from time to time.
“Indebtedness” means,
as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the
following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance
with GAAP:
(a) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar
instruments;
(b) all
direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit
(including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties,
surety bonds and similar instruments;
(c) net
obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;
(d) all
obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or
services (other than accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of
business);
13
(e) indebtedness
(excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or
being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional
sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness
shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) capital
leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;
(g) all
obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise
make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other
Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater
of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and
unpaid dividends; and
(h) all
Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.
For all
purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness
of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a
corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general
partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made
non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under
any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value
thereof as of such date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic
Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable
Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.
“Indemnified Taxes”
means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the
meaning specified in Section
10.04(b).
“Information” has the
meaning specified in Section
10.07.
“Intellectual
Property” means all intellectual property, including (a) all issued
patents in the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other country, all
applications for issuance of patents in the United States or the equivalent
thereof in any other country, and all reissues, continuations, divisions,
continuations-in-part, or extensions thereof, and the patentable inventions
claimed therein; (b) all trademarks, service marks, trade names, corporate
names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade dress,
logos, other source or business identifiers, all registrations and applications
for registration thereof, including registrations and registration applications
in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any similar offices in any
State of the United States or any other country or any political subdivision
thereof, and all renewals thereof, and all goodwill associated with or
symbolized by the foregoing; (c) all copyrights in any work subject to the
copyright laws of the United States or any other country, and all registrations
and applications for registration of any such copyright in the United States or
any other country, including registrations and pending applications for
registration in the United States Copyright Office; (d) all trade secrets, and
(e) all rights in any of the foregoing.
“Interest Payment
Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last
Business Day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity
Date; provided,
however, that
if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the
respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such
Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base
Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December,
and the Maturity Date.
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“Interest Period”
means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such
Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar
Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three, or six months thereafter, as
selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice or such nine-month period
requested by the Borrower and consented to by all the Lenders; provided
that:
(i) any
Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on
the next preceding Business Day;
(ii) any
Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on
a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month
at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the
calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(iii) no
Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Investment” means, as
to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person,
whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or
other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution
to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any
other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any
partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement
pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or
(c) an Acquisition; provided, however, that Swap Contracts and investments made
by a Group Member at the direction of a Group Member employee under the Duff
& Xxxxxx Deferred Compensation Plan (or any similar deferred compensation
plan) or a “rabbi trust” formed in connection with such plans shall not
constitute “Investments” for purposes of this Agreement. For purposes
of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount
actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in
the value of such Investment.
“IRS” means the United
States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISP” means, with
respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998”
published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or
such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of
issuance).
“Issuer Documents”
means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application,
and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer
and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating
to such Letter of Credit.
“Laws” means,
collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes,
treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative
or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or
administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the
enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable
administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and
permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case
whether or not having the force of law.
“L/C Advance” means,
with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any
L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
“L/C Borrowing” means
an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which
has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed
Borrowing.
15
“L/C Credit Extension”
means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension
of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.
“L/C Issuer” means
Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any
successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“L/C Obligations”
means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be
drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of
all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes
of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the
amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section
1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of
determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may
still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP,
such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so
remaining available to be drawn.
“Lender” has the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Lending Office”
means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such
in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices
as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent.
“Letter of Credit”
means any letter of credit issued hereunder and shall include the
Existing Letters of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial
letter of credit or a standby letter of credit.
“Letter of Credit
Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or
amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C
Issuer.
“Letter of Credit Expiration
Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in
effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business
Day).
“Letter of Credit Fee”
has the meaning specified in Section
2.03(i).
“Letter of Credit
Sublimit” means an amount equal to $10,000,000. The Letter of
Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate
Commitments.
“Lien” means any
mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance,
lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security
interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any
kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to
real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic
effect as any of the foregoing).
“Lift-out Acquisition”
means the hiring by any Person of five (5) or more professionals within a three
month period (in one or a series of related transactions); provided, however,
that such professionals were employed by the same employer or its Affiliates
immediately prior to being hired by such Person, so long as no accounts
receivables accrued prior to the time of consummation of such hiring are
purchased by or transferred to such Person and no liabilities are assumed by
such Person, in connection with such hiring.
“Loan” means an
extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the
form of a Committed Loan.
16
“Loan Documents” means
this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, the Fee Letter, the Guaranty
and each Collateral Document.
“Loan Parties” means,
collectively, the Borrower, each Guarantor and each Person (other than Agent,
the L/C Issuer or any Lender) executing a Loan Document, and “Loan Party”
means any one of them.
“Xxxxxx” means,
collectively, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Partners LLC, together with its Affiliates and
partners and, in the case of any such Person who is an individual, the immediate
family members of such Person and trusts for the benefit of such Person and/or
his or her immediate family members.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse
effect upon, the operations, business, properties or financial condition of the
Group Members taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any
Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a
party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding
effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it
is a party.
“Material Subsidiary”
means any Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) the book value of the
assets of which equals 5% or more individually of the book value of the assets
of DPC and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as reflected in the
financial statements for such period delivered by the Borrower to the
Administrative Agent pursuant to Section
6.01.
“Maturity Date” means
July 15, 2012; provided, however, that if such
date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding
Business Day.
“Maximum Rate” has the
meaning specified in Section
10.09.
“Xxxxx’x” means
Xxxxx’x Investors Services, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Multiemployer Plan”
means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA, to which any Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to
make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been
obligated to make contributions.
“Note” means a
promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made
by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit
B.
“Obligations” means
all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of,
any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any
Loan, Letter of Credit or Related Credit Arrangements, whether direct or
indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due
or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and
fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any
Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such
Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and
fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“Organization
Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or
articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable
constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with
respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of
formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any
partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the
partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or
organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect
thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the
applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or
organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or
organization of such entity.
17
“Other Taxes” means
all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property
taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or
under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of,
or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document,
excluding, however, such taxes imposed as a result of an assignment (other than
an assignment pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section
10.13).
“Outstanding Amount”
means (i) with respect to Committed Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding
principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments
or repayments of Committed Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date;
and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C
Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension
occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C
Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the
Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.
“Participant” has the
meaning specified in Section
10.06(d).
“PBGC” means the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Plan” means
any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of
ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA
and is sponsored or maintained by a Group Member or any ERISA Affiliate or to
which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to
contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in
Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the
immediately preceding five plan years.
“Permitted
Acquisition” means any Acquisition by a Group Member that meets the
following criteria:
(a) the
business or division acquired is for use, or the Person acquired is engaged, in
the businesses engaged in by the Loan Parties on the Closing Date or any
business substantially related, incidental or ancillary thereto;
(b) in
the case of the Acquisition of any Person, the board of directors, shareholders
or similar governing body of such Person has approved the
Acquisition;
(c) immediately
after giving effect to such Acquisition, the Borrower shall be in compliance
with all of the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11 on a pro
forma basis, provided, however, that the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio on a
pro forma basis shall be no more than (x) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio
permitted by Section
7.11 less (y) 0.25;
(d) as
of the closing of the transactions in connection with the Acquisition, no
Default or Event of Default shall be in existence;
(e) in
the case of any Acquisition resulting in a Subsidiary required to be joined
pursuant to Section
6.12, the Borrower and such Subsidiary shall comply with the requirements
of Section
6.12;
18
(f) prior
to such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall have received a copy of the
acquisition summary with respect to the Person and/or business or division to be
acquired presented (or to be presented) to the Board of Directors of
DPC;
(g) after
the closing of such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall have received
complete executed or conformed copies of each material document, instrument and
agreement executed in connection with such Acquisition; and
(h) after
giving effect to such Acquisition, the aggregate consideration paid (including
Indebtedness assumed by any Group Member) in connection with all Acquisitions
closed (i) during the calendar year in which such Acquisition closes shall not
exceed $50,000,000 (subject to the proviso set forth below) and (ii) during the
term of this Agreement shall not exceed $150,000,000; provided, however, that
notwithstanding (h)(i) above, if in connection with an Acquisition (x) no Loans
are outstanding immediately prior to or after giving effect to such Acquisition
and (y) the only consideration paid in connection with such Acquisition consists
of Excess Cash, Equity Interests, or Acquisition-Related Debt, the consideration
paid in connection with any such single
Acquisition, or series thereof in any calendar year, may be up to $100,000,000;
provided further that consideration paid in respect of the Acquisitions listed
on Schedule
1.04 hereto shall not be included in calculating the baskets under this
clause (h).
“Permitted Investors”
means, collectively Xxxxxx, Vestar and Shinsei.
“Permitted Liens”
means any Lien permitted under Section 7.01
hereof.
“Permitted
Refinancing” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, any refinancings,
refundings, renewals or extensions for which (i) the amount of such Indebtedness
is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or
extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable
amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such
refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized
thereunder and (ii) the terms relating to principal amount, amortization,
maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material
terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or
extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument
issued in connection therewith, are no less favorable in any material respect to
the Loan Parties than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the
Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and the interest
rate applicable to any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending
Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest
rate.
“Person” means any
natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture,
association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other
entity.
“Plan” means any
“employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA)
established by any Group Member or, with respect to any such plan that is
subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA
Affiliate.
“Platform” means
IntraLinks or another similar electronic system.
“Register” has the
meaning specified in Section
10.06(c).
“Related Credit
Arrangements” means, collectively, Related Swap Contracts and Related
Treasury Management Arrangements.
19
“Related Parties”
means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners,
directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and
of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Related Swap
Contract” means each Swap Contract entered into or maintained by or for
the benefit of any Loan Party with a Related Swap Contract Provider and is not
prohibited by the express terms of the Loan Documents.
“Related Swap Contract
Provider” means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Related
Swap Contract, is (a) a Lender or (b) an Affiliate of a Lender that has executed
and delivered a letter of undertaking in the form of Exhibit F hereto to
the Agent, provided that, at any time such Person ceases to be a Lender or an
Affiliate of a Lender hereunder, such Person shall no longer be considered a
“Related Swap Contract Provider”.
“Related Treasury Management
Arrangement” means an arrangement for the delivery of treasury management
services to or for the benefit of any Loan Party which is entered into or
maintained with a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender and which is not prohibited by
the express terms of the Loan Documents; provided that, at any time the provider
of such treasury management services ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a
Lender hereunder, such arrangements shall no longer be considered “Related
Treasury Management Arrangements”.
“Reportable Event”
means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events
for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.
“Request for Credit
Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or
continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice and (b) with respect to
an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application.
“Required Lenders”
means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having at such time in excess of
50% of the sum of the aggregate Total Outstandings then in effect, ignoring, in
such calculation, the amounts held by any Defaulting Lender.
“Responsible Officer”
means the chief executive officer, president, executive vice president, chief
financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller, secretary or
assistant secretary of a Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder
that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively
presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or
other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall
be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan
Party.
“Restricted Payment”
means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other
property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of any
Group Member or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or
other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of
the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination
of any such capital stock or other Equity Interest, or on account of any return
of capital to a Group Member’s stockholders, partners or members (or the
equivalent Person thereof).
“Restricted Share Awards
Agreements” means those certain Restricted Stock Award Agreements and
Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements granted to specific employees of Group
Members in connection with Duff & Xxxxxx Corporation 2007 Omnibus Stock
Incentive Plan.
20
“S&P” means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of the XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies,
Inc., and any successor thereto.
“Sale” means, with
respect to any property, the sale, conveyance, transfer, assignment, licensing,
leasing or other disposal of, any interest therein or to permit any Person to
acquire any such interest, including, in each case, through a Sale and Leaseback
Transaction or through a sale, factoring at maturity, or other disposal, with or
without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable.
“Sale and Leaseback
Transaction” means, with respect to any Person (the “obligor”), any
contractual obligation or other arrangement with any other Person (the “counterparty”)
consisting of a lease by such obligor of any property that, directly or
indirectly, has been or is to be sold by the obligor to such counterparty or to
any other Person to whom funds have been advanced by such counterparty based on
a Lien on, or an assignment of, such property or any obligations of such obligor
under such lease.
“SEC” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to
any of its principal functions.
“Security Agreement”
means that certain Security Agreement dated as of the date hereof, duly executed
by the Borrower and each Guarantor and granting to the Agent, for the benefit of
the Lenders, the Agent and the other parties secured thereunder, of a security
interest in the property of the Borrower and each Guarantor, and any joinder
agreement thereto executed and delivered to the Agent pursuant
thereto.
“Shareholders’ Equity”
means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of DPC
and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“Shinsei” means,
collectively, Shinsei Bank, Ltd. together with its Affiliates and partners and,
in the case of any such Person who is an individual, the immediate family
members of such Person and trusts for the benefit of such Person and/or his or
her immediate family members.
“Solvent” means, with
respect to any Person as of any date of determination, that, as of such date,
(a) the value of the assets of such Person (both at fair value and present fair
saleable value) is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including
contingent and unliquidated liabilities) of such Person, (b) such Person is able
to pay all liabilities of such Person as such liabilities mature and (c) such
Person does not have unreasonably small capital. In computing the
amount of contingent or unliquidated liabilities at any time, such liabilities
shall be computed at the amount that, in light of all the facts and
circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably
be expected to become an actual or matured liability.
“Subordinated Debt”
means Indebtedness which is subordinated to the payment of all of the
Obligations pursuant to a written subordination agreement in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“Subsidiary” of a
Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities
or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or
other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only
by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned,
or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless
otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to
“Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the
Borrower.
21
“Swap Contract” means
(a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative
transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options,
forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or
bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price
or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign
exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar
transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions,
currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any
combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of
the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to
any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the
related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or
governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps
and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master
Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together
with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”),
including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master
Agreement.
“Swap Termination
Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking
into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to
such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts
have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance
therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date
referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the xxxx-to-market
value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more
mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized
dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a
Lender).
“Synthetic Lease
Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a
so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an
agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not
appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or
bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such
Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
“Tax Receivable
Agreement” means the tax receivable agreement, dated as of October 3,
2007, by and among DPC, Holdings, and each of the members party thereto (as in
effect on the date hereof), as such agreement may be amended from time to time
with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent; provided that the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent shall not be required with
respect to amendments that could not reasonably be expected to materially
adversely affect the Lenders.
“Taxes” means all
present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings
(including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by
any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or
penalties applicable thereto.
“Threshold Amount”
means $7,500,000.
“Total Outstandings”
means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C
Obligations.
“Type” means, with
respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar
Rate Loan.
“Unfunded Pension
Liability” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under
Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s
assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the
Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan
year.
22
“United States” and
“U.S.” mean the
United States of America.
“Unreimbursed Amount”
has the meaning specified in Section
2.03(c)(i).
“Vestar” means,
collectively, Vestar Capital Partners IV, L.P. together with its Affiliates and
partners and, in the case of any such Person who is an individual, the immediate
family members of such Person and trusts for the benefit of such Person and/or
his or her immediate family members.
1.02 Other Interpretive
Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other
Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan
Document:
(a) The
definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms
of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun
shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter
forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be
deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word
“will” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless
the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document)
shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document
as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any
restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein
or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be
construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words
“herein,”
“hereof” and
“hereunder,”
and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed
to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular
provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections,
Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of,
and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references
appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory
provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any
reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to
such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time,
and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all
tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities,
accounts and contract rights.
(b) In
the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified
date, the word “from” means “from and including;”
the words “to”
and “until”
each mean “to but
excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and
including.”
(c) Section
headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of
reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any
other Loan Document.
1.03 Accounting
Terms. (a) Generally. All
accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be
construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios
and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this
Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent
basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that
used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise
specifically prescribed herein.
(b) Changes in
GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP (including the
adoption of IFRS by DPC) would affect the computation of any financial ratio or
requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the
Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the
Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to
preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to
the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so
amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in
accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall
provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and
other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested
hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or
requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in
GAAP.
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(c) Consolidation of Variable
Interest Entities. All references herein to consolidated
financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the
determination of any amount for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to
include each variable interest entity that the Borrower is required to
consolidate pursuant to FASB Interpretation No. 46 –
Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities: an interpretation of ARB
No. 51 (January 2003) as if such variable interest entity were a
Subsidiary as defined herein.
1.04 Rounding. Any
financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other
component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by
which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the
nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 Times of
Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to
times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as
applicable).
1.06 Letter of Credit
Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a
Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such
Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with
respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer
Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the
stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be
the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all
such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such
time.
ARTICLE
II.
THE
COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 Committed
Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,
each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to
the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability
Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount
of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after
giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not
exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of
the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, shall
not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each
Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the
Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay
under Section
2.04, and reborrow under this Section
2.01. Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar
Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
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2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and
Continuations of Committed Loans.
(a) Each
Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the
other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the
Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by
telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative
Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested
date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans
or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and
(ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans;
provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans
having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration
as provided in the definition of “Interest Period”, the applicable notice must
be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business
Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation,
whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of
such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable
to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before
the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by
telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by
all the Lenders. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to
this Section
2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative
Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by
a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion
to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of
$1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess
thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c),
each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a
principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess
thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written)
shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a
conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of
Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or
continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the
principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv)
the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans
are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period
with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of
Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a
timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable
Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate
Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be
effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect
to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a
Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any
such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be
deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.
(b) Following
receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly
notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable
Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is
provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of
the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the
preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each
Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the
Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative
Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the
applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable
conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if
such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the
Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower
in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting
the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of
such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with
instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent
by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on
the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by
the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such
Borrowing, first, shall be
applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, shall be made
available to the Borrower as provided above.
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(c) Except
as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or
converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate
Loan. During the existence an Event of Default, no Loans may be
requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the
consent of the Required Lenders.
(d) The
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the
interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon
determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans
are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the
Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the
Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such
change.
(e) After
giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans
from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same
Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect
to Committed Loans.
2.03
Letters of
Credit.
(a) The Letter of Credit
Commitment.
(i) Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in
reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1)
from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date
until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the
account of the Borrower or any Group Member, and to amend or extend Letters of
Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2)
to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally
agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower
or any Group Member and any drawings thereunder; provided that after
giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit,
(x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the
aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations shall not
exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C
Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each
request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit
shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit
Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to
the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to
the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of
Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the
foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that
have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. All
Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto,
and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the
terms and conditions hereof.
(ii) The
L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:
(A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii),
the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve
months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders
have approved such expiry date; or
(B) the
expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of
Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry
date.
26
(iii) The
L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit
if:
(A) any
order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by
its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter
of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with
jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer
refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of
Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such
Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the
L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing
Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense
which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good
xxxxx xxxxx material to it;
(B) the
issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C
Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;
(C) except
as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter
of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000, in the case of a
commercial Letter of Credit, or $250,000, in the case of a standby Letter of
Credit;
(D) such
Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than
Dollars;
(E) such
Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the
stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or
(F) a
default of any Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.03(c)
exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the
L/C Issuer has entered into satisfactory arrangements with the Borrower or such
Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such
Lender.
(iv) The
L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the
L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit
in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such
Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of
Credit.
(v)
The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders
with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated
therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A)
provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with
respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection
with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer
Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term
“Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included
the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally
provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.
27
(b) Procedures for Issuance and
Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of
Credit.
(i)
Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case
may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a
copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application,
appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the
L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two
Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the
L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to
the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may
be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of
Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail
satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested
Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C)
the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof;
(E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing
thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such
beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the
requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may
reasonably require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any
outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in
form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be
amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business
Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as
the L/C Issuer may reasonably require. Additionally, the Borrower
shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other
documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance
or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the
Administrative Agent may require.
(ii) Promptly
after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm
with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the
Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application
from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative
Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written
notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one
Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the
applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in
Article IV
shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof,
the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the
account of the Borrower (or the applicable Group Member) or enter into the
applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the
L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon
the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a
risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of
such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of
such Letter of Credit.
(iii) If
the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C
Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of
Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of
Credit”); provided that any
such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any
such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the
date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the
beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice
Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time
such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C
Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C
Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of
Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may
not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at
any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date;
provided, however, that the L/C
Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined
that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to
issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms
hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or
otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in
writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the
Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required
Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative
Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions
specified in Section
4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C
Issuer not to permit such extension.
28
(iv) If
the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C
Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of
Credit that permits the automatic reinstatement of all or a portion of the
stated amount thereof after any drawing thereunder (each, an “Auto-Reinstatement Letter of
Credit”). Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the
Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer to
permit such reinstatement. Once an Auto-Reinstatement Letter of
Credit has been issued, except as provided in the following sentence, the
Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer
to reinstate all or a portion of the stated amount thereof in accordance with
the provisions of such Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if such Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit permits the L/C Issuer to
decline to reinstate all or any portion of the stated amount thereof after a
drawing thereunder by giving notice of such non-reinstatement within a specified
number of days after such drawing (the “Non-Reinstatement
Deadline”), the L/C Issuer shall not permit such reinstatement if it has
received a notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day
that is five Business Days before the Non-Reinstatement Deadline (A) from the
Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such
reinstatement or (B) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower
that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not
then satisfied (treating such reinstatement as an L/C Credit Extension for
purposes of this clause) and, in each case, directing the L/C Issuer not to
permit such reinstatement.
(v) Promptly
after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of
Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof,
the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a
true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.
(c) Drawings and Reimbursements;
Funding of Participations.
(i) Upon
receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing
under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date
of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an
“Honor Date”),
the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in
an amount equal to the amount of such drawing (which reimbursement may be made
through a Committed Borrowing). If the Borrower fails to so reimburse
the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each
Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed
Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage
thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have
requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor
Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the
minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the
principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized
portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other
than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by
the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i)
may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the
lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or
binding effect of such notice.
29
(ii) Each
Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i)
make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C
Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable
Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business
Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to
the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii),
each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base
Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The
Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C
Issuer.
(iii) With
respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed
Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot
be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have
incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed
Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable
on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default
Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative
Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii)
shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing
and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its
participation obligation under this Section
2.03.
(iv) Until
each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to
reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit,
interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall
be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.
(v) Each
Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C
Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c),
shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any
circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or
other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or
any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of
a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not
similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each
Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is
subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other
than delivery by the Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice). No such
making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the
Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the
L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided
herein.
(vi) If
any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account
of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by
the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii),
the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the
Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the
period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment
is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the
greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in
accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any
administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer
in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount
(with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such
Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C
Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may
be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through
the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause
(vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
30
(d) Repayment of
Participations.
(i) At
any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and
has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such
payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if
the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment
in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether
directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral
applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will
distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as
those received by the Administrative Agent.
(ii) If
any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C
Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is
required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05
(including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its
discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account
of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the
Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the
date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the
Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of
the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the
Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e) Obligations
Absolute. The obligation of the
Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of
Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and
irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:
(i) any
lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or
any other Loan Document;
(ii) the
existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the
Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any
transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary
or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person,
whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby
or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or
any unrelated transaction;
(iii) any
draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of
Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect
or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss
or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to
make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;
(iv) any
payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a
draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter
of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to
any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession,
assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other
representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such
Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under
any Debtor Relief Law; or
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(v) any
other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a
defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any
Subsidiary.
The
Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each
amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of
noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the
Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall
be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and
its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
(f) Role of L/C
Issuer. Each
Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of
Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document
(other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by
the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy
of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any
such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any
of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or
assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action
taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of
the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or
omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the
due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or
instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The
Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or
transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this
assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing
such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at
law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the
Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any
correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or
responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e);
provided, however, that
anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have
a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to a Group
Member, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to
consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by a Group Member which such Group
Member proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross
negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit
after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and
certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of
Credit. In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept
documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for
further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary,
and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of
any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a
Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in
whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any
reason.
(g) Cash
Collateral. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, (i)
if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any
Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if,
as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason
remains outstanding, the Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash
Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C
Obligations. Sections 2.04 and
8.02(c) set
forth certain additional requirements to deliver Cash Collateral
hereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.03, Section 2.04 and Section 8.02(c),
“Cash
Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the
Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as
collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances pursuant to
documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and
the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the
Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding
meanings. The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for
the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, a security interest in all such
cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the
foregoing. Cash Collateral shall be maintained in blocked,
non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America.
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(h) Applicability of ISP and
UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and
the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement
applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall
apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform
Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the
International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance shall apply to each
commercial Letter of Credit.
(i) Letter of Credit
Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for
the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter
of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to
the Applicable Rate times the daily
amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For
purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of
Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance
with Section
1.06. Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on
the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and
December, commencing with the
first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the
Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a
quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable
Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each
Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate
separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in
effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all
Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.
(j) Fronting Fee and Documentary
and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay
directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee (i) with respect
to each commercial Letter of Credit, at the rate specified in the Fee Letter,
computed on the amount of such Letter of Credit, and payable upon the issuance
thereof, (ii) with respect to any amendment of a commercial Letter of Credit
increasing the amount of such Letter of Credit, at a rate separately agreed
between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, computed on the amount of such
increase, and payable upon the effectiveness of such amendment, and (iii) with
respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the
Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter
of Credit and on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee
shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March,
June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly
period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with
the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the
Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For
purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of
Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance
with Section
1.06. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C
Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and
other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer
relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such
customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and
are nonrefundable.
(k) Conflict with Issuer
Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms
hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall
control.
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(l) Letters of Credit Issued for
Group Members. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued
or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the
account of, a Group Member, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C
Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of
Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters
of Credit for the account of Group Member inures to the benefit of the Borrower,
and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the
businesses of such Group Member.
2.04
Prepayments.
(a) The
Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time
to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium
or penalty; provided that (i)
such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00
a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate
Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans; (ii) any
prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000
or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of
Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole
multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire
principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall
specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed
Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be repaid, the Interest
Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly
notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such
Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is
given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment
amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified
therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be
accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any
additional amounts required pursuant to Section
3.05. Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed
Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable
Percentages.
(b) If
for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate
Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans and/or
Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such
excess; provided, however, that the
Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations
pursuant to this Section 2.04(c)
unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed
the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.
2.05
Termination
or Reduction of Commitments. The Borrower may, upon notice to
the Administrative Agent (which may be revoked up to one Business Day before the
date of termination or reduction), terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from
time to time permanently partially reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any
such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00
a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any
such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any
whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not
terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto
and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed
the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of
the Aggregate Commitments or the Letter of Credit Sublimit exceeds the amount of
the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the
amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify
the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate
Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be
applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable
Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any
termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of
such termination.
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2.06
Repayment of
Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity
Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such
date.
2.07
Interest.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall
bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest
Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period
plus the
Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on
the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a
rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable
Rate.
(b) (i) If
any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any
applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or
otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest
rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) If
any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any
Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace
periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon
the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest
at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate
to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Upon
the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, the
Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding
Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times
equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
Laws.
(iv) Accrued
and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due
interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest
on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date
applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified
herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance
with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the
commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.08
Fees. In addition
to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of Section
2.03:
(a) Unused
Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for
the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, an
unused fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the difference
between (i) the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Commitments then in effect
(or, if terminated, in effect immediately prior to such termination) and (ii)
the Total Outstandings on each day. The unused fee shall be due and
payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June,
September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the
Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The
unused fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears and if there is any change
in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount shall be computed
and multiplied by the Applicable Rate for each period during which such
Applicable Rate was in effect. The unused fee shall accrue at all
times, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not
met.
35
(b) Other
Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for
its own account, and the account of the Lenders, as applicable, fees in the
amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall
be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason
whatsoever.
2.09
Computation
of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable
Rate. (a) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans
when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made
on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days
elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on
the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees
or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a
365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on
which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof,
for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any
Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.11(a), bear
interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent
of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If,
as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial
statements of the Borrower or for any other reason, the Borrower or the Lenders
determine that (i) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as calculated by the
borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation
of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing
for such period, the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated
to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or
the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative
Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for
relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United
States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent,
any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of
interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of
interest and fees actually paid for such period. This paragraph shall
not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer,
as the case may be, under Section 2.03(c)(iii),
2.03(i) or
2.07(b) or
under Article
VIII. The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall
survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment of all
other Obligations hereunder.
2.10
Evidence of Debt.
(a) The
Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts
or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the
ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by
the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest
error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower
and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or
any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the
obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the
Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and
records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the
Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the
Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest
error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative
Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the
Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in
addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach
schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount
and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
(b) In
addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender
and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender
of participations in Letters of Credit. In the event of any conflict
between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the
accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and
records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest
error.
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2.11
Payments
Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a) General. All
payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction
for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as
otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder
shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective
Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in
Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date
specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute
to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided
herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such
Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative
Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business
Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If
any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a
Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such
extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case
may be.
(b) (i)
Funding by Lenders;
Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative
Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any
Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed
Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed
Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent
such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may
assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance
with Section
2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that
such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time
required by Section
2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the
Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not
in fact made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to the
Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally
agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding
amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from
and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but
excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of
a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a
rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry
rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative processing or similar
fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the
foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the
Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the
Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for
the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit
to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such
period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed
Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute
such Lender’s Committed Loan included in such Committed
Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to
any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make
such payment to the Administrative Agent.
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(ii) Payments by Borrower;
Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the
Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the
date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of
the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such
payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such
payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such
assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the
amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such
payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be,
severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the
amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available
funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such
amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the
Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate
determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules
on interbank compensation.
A notice
of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any
amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest
error.
(c) Failure to Satisfy
Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the
Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in
the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such
funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because
the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not
satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative
Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to
such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations of Lenders
Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make
Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and to make
payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are
several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any
Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under
Section
10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other
Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender
shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its
Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section
10.04(c).
(e) Funding
Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender
to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to
constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain
the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.12
Sharing
of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any
right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any
principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, or the
participations in L/C Obligations held by it resulting in such Lender’s
receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Committed
Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as
provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a)
notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face
value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C
Obligations of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be
equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the
Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and
accrued interest on their respective Committed Loans and other amounts owing
them, provided
that:
(i) if
any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any
portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or
subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the
extent of such recovery, without interest; and
38
(ii) the
provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment
made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of
this Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the
assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or
subparticipations in L/C Obligations to any assignee or participant, other than
to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this
Section 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.
ARTICLE
III.
TAXES,
YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01
Taxes.
(a) Payments Free of Taxes;
Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
(i) Subject
to clause (ii) below, any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of
the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and
clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes.
(ii) If
the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by applicable Laws to
withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent
shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative
Agent to be required based upon, if applicable, the information and
documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the
Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to
the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, and (C)
to the extent that the withhold or deduction is made on account of Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as
necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required
deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under
this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may
be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such
withholding or deduction been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by
the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of subsection
(a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws.
(c) Tax
Indemnifications.
(i) Without
limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, the Borrower shall, and
does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer,
and shall make payment in respect thereof within 30 days after demand therefor,
for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to
amounts payable under this Section) withheld or deducted by the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent or paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses
arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes
or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant
Governmental Authority. The Borrower shall also, and does hereby
indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payable in respect thereof
within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which the Administrative
Agent is not compensated by a Lender or the L/C Issuer as required by clause
(ii) of this subsection (whether through setoff or otherwise); provided,
however, that the Borrower shall be subrogated to the rights of the
Administrative Agent with respect to amounts paid by the Borrower to the
Administrative Agent pursuant to this sentence. A certificate as to
the amount of any such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a
Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the
Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C
Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
39
(ii) Without
limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, each Lender and the L/C
Issuer shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand
therefor, against any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims,
liabilities, penalties, interest and expenses (including the fees, charges and
disbursements of any counsel for the Borrower or the Administrative Agent)
incurred by or asserted against the Borrower or the Administrative Agent by any
Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy,
inadequacy or deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such
Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (e). Each Lender and the
L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any
and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case
may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due
to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii). The agreements in
the clause (ii) shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the
Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a
Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the
repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
(d) Evidence of
Payments. Upon request of the Borrower or the Administrative
Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Administrative
Agent or by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the
Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower or the Borrower shall deliver
to the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, the original or a certified
copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment,
a copy of any tax return required by applicable Laws to report such payment or
other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent, as the case may be.
(e) Status of Lenders; Tax
Documentation.
(i) Each
Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, on or
prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement
(and at the time or times prescribed by applicable Laws, when any such form or
certification expires or becomes obsolete, upon the occurrence of any event
requiring a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered
by it pursuant to this Section 3.01(e) or
when reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), such
properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Laws or
by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably
requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent,
as the case may be, to determine (A) whether or not payments made hereunder or
under any other Loan Document are subject to Taxes, (B) if applicable, the
required rate of withholding or deduction, and (C) such Lender’s entitlement to
any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable Taxes in respect of
all payments to be made to such Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax
purposes in the applicable jurisdiction.
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(ii) Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, as long as the Borrower is resident
for tax purposes in the United States:
(A) Any
Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to each of the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent two properly completed executed originals of Internal
Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed
by applicable Laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative
Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may
be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or
information reporting requirements; and
(B) Each
Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code that is entitled under the Code or any applicable treaty
to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments
hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to each of the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent (but only if such Lender is legally entitled to do
so) two properly completed executed originals of whichever of the following is
applicable:
(I) Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax
treaty to which the United States is a party,
(II) Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(III) Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8IMY and all required supporting
documentation;
(IV) in
the case of a Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio
interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that
such Lender is not (A) a “bank” described in section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code,
(B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section
881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in
section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN,
or
(V) any
other form prescribed by applicable Laws as a basis for claiming exemption from
or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax together with such
supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Laws to permit
the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or
deduction required to be made.
(iii) Each
Lender shall promptly (A) notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of
any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed
exemption or reduction, and (B) take such steps as shall not be materially
disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be
reasonably necessary (including the re-designation of its Lending Office) to
avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any jurisdiction that the Borrower
or the Administrative Agent make any withholding or deduction for taxes from
amounts payable to such Lender.
41
(f) Treatment of Certain
Refunds. If the Borrower in good faith determines that the
Administrative Agent, the Lender or the L/C Issuer is entitled to receive any
refund, offset, reduction or credit in respect of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to
which the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may
be, has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower
has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, the
Borrower may request that the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, apply for such refund, offset, reduction or
credit. If the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer,
as the case may be, agrees that it is entitled to such refund, offset, reduction
or credit, and that application therefor is not unduly burdensome in light of
the expected benefit, the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer,
as the case may be, agrees to cooperate with the Borrower in making application
therefor, at the sole cost and expense of the Borrower; provided, however, that
none of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may
be, shall be required to initiate or maintain any legal or administrative
proceeding in connection with such application. If the Administrative
Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines, in its sole discretion, that it
has received a refund, offset, reduction or credit (which credit produces a
current tax benefit) of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been
indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid
additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall promptly notify the
Borrower of receipt of such refund, offset, reduction or credit and shall
promptly pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund, offset, reduction
or credit (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional
amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section with respect to the Taxes or
Other Taxes giving rise to such refund, offset, reduction or credit), net of all
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the
L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest
paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund, offset,
reduction or credit), provided that the
Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any
penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental
Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the
case may be, in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C
Issuer is required to repay such refund, offset, reduction or credit to such
Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to
require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available
its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems
confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
(g) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the Borrower’s obligations with
respect to indemnification for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes withheld or
deducted, or obligations with respect to compensation for taxes resulting from
Change in Law, shall be governed exclusively by Section 3.01 and
Section
3.04(a), respectively.
3.02
Illegality. If any
Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental
Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable
Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to determine
or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental
Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to
purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank
market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the
Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue
Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Committed Loans to Eurodollar Rate
Loans shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and
the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer
exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, upon demand
from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if
applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans,
either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may
lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or
immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such
Eurodollar Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the
Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or
converted.
42
3.03 Inability to Determine
Rates. If the Required Lenders determine that for any reason
in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or
continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in
the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest
Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not
exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with
respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan , or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any
requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does
not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan,
the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each
Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain
Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent (upon
the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon
receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a
Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing
that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a
Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified
therein.
3.04 Increased
Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.
(a) Increased Costs
Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose,
modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan,
insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for
the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any
reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C
Issuer;
(ii) subject
any Lender or the L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to
this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or
any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments
to such Lender or the L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except for Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the
imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such
Lender or the L/C Issuer); or
(iii) impose
on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other
condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans
made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation
therein;
and the
result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of
making or maintaining any Eurodollar Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation
to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer
of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of
maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit),
or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the
L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then,
upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such
Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts
as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such
additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
43
(b) Capital
Requirements. If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that
any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office
of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any,
regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate
of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such
Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this
Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or
participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of
Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the
L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have
achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or
the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s
holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the
Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such
additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or
such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction
suffered.
(c) Certificates for
Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer
setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the
L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in
subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be
conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender
or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such
certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in
Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the
L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right
to demand such compensation, provided that the
Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or
reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or
the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law
giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the
L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the
Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive,
then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the
period of retroactive effect thereof).
(e) Reserves on Eurodollar Rate
Loans. The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such
Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or
assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently
known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid
principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such
reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in
good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and
payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower
shall have received at least 30 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the
Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such
Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice 30 days prior to the
relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and
payable 30 days from receipt of such notice.
3.05 Compensation for
Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the
Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate
such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense
incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any
continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base
Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan
(whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or
otherwise);
(b) any
failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to
make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base
Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower;
or
44
(c) any
assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the
Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to
Section
10.13;
including
any loss or expense (but not including any loss of anticipated profits) arising
from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such
Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were
obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative
fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
For
purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under
this Section
3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate
Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a
matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market
for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such
Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement
of Lenders.
(a) Designation of a Different
Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under
Section 3.04,
or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, the L/C
Issuer or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C
Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if
any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then
such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts
(consistent with legal and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different
Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its
rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or
affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, such
designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant
to Section 3.01
or 3.04, as the
case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to
Section 3.02,
as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C
Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not
otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may
be. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and
expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such
designation or assignment.
(b) Replacement of
Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if
the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any
Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the
Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section
10.13.
3.07 Survival. All of
the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall
survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other
Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE
IV.
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit
Extension. The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to
make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the
following conditions precedent:
(a) The
Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be
originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise
specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan
Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of
governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent:
45
(i)
executed counterparts of this Agreement, the Guaranty, and each Collateral
Document, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent,
each Lender and the Borrower;
(ii) a
Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a
Note;
(iii) such
certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or
other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the
Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity
of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer
in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such
Loan Party is a party;
(iv) such
documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require
to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed and in good
standing in its jurisdiction of organization and, with respect to the Borrower,
in the State of New York;
(v) a
favorable opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, counsel to
the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form
and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;
(vi) a
certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower either (A) attaching copies
of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties and the validity against
each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents,
licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no
such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;
(vii) a
certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) that
the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and
(b) have been
satisfied and (B) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of
the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to
have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect.
(viii) a
duly executed deposit account control agreement by and among the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent, and Bank of America, as the depositary
institution;
(ix) evidence
that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents has
been obtained and is in effect;
(x)
evidence that all outstanding Liens other than Permitted Liens have been or
concurrently with the Closing Date are being terminated; and
(xi) such
other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Required Lenders reasonably may
require.
(b) Any
fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been
paid.
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(c) Unless
waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all reasonable
fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly
to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced
prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees,
charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such
fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the
closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a
final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent).
(d) The
Closing Date shall have occurred on or before July 15, 2009.
Without
limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for
purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each
Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to,
approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter
required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or
satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received
notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its
objection thereto.
4.02 Conditions to all Credit
Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request
for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a
conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar
Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) The
representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party
contained in Article
V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document
furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be
true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Credit
Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties
specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and
correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for
purposes of this Section 4.02, the
representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be
deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a)
and (b), respectively, of Section
6.01.
(b) No
Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from
the application of the proceeds thereof.
(c) The
Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer shall have received a
Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements
hereof.
Each
Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only
a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of
Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and
(b) have been
satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE
V.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
The
Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and
Power. Each Group Member (a) is duly organized or formed,
validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power
and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents
and approvals to (i) own, lease, license or otherwise use its assets and carry
on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the
Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed
and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where
its ownership, lease, license or use or operation of properties or the conduct
of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case
referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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5.02 Authorization; No
Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each
Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not
and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization
Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the
creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) under, or require any payment
to be made under (i) any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is
a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its
Subsidiaries or (ii) any material order, injunction, writ or decree of any
Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its
property is subject; or (c) violate any material Law.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other
Consents. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or
other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any
other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery
or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or
any other Loan Document, other than (a) with respect to the Loan Documents, the
filings required to perfect the Liens created by the Loan Documents, (b) those
that have been, or will be obtained or made prior to the Closing Date, and each
of which on the Closing Date will be in full force and effect and (c) those
that, if not obtained, could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.04 Binding
Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document,
when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each
Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and
each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and
binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that
is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by
general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in
equity or at law).
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material
Adverse Effect.
(a) The
Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise
expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition of DPC and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their
results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise
expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other
liabilities, direct or contingent, of DPC and its Subsidiaries as of the date
thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and
Indebtedness.
(b) The
unaudited consolidated balance sheet of DPC and its Subsidiaries dated March 31,
2009, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations,
shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date
(i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the
period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, (ii) fairly
present in all material respects the financial condition of DPC and its
Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the
period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the
absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments, and (iii) show
all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of DPC
and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes,
material commitments and Indebtedness.
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(c) Since
the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or
circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The
Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are Solvent on a consolidated
basis.
5.06 Litigation. There
are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the
knowledge of any Group Member, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in
arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a)
purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or
any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) either individually or in
the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
5.07 No Default. No
Group Member is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation
that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is
continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.08 Ownership of Property;
Liens. Each Group Member has good record and marketable title
in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary
or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in
title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of each Group Member is
subject to no Liens, other than Permitted Liens.
5.09 Environmental
Compliance. The operations of each Group Member are in
compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, except for any non-compliance
which could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.10 Insurance. The
properties of the Group Members are insured with financially sound and reputable
insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts (after
giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards),
with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by
companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in
localities where each applicable Loan Party operates.
5.11 Taxes. The Borrower
and the other Group Members have filed all federal, state and other material tax
returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and
other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or
imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and
payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been
provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment
against the Borrower or any other Group Member that would, if made, have a
Material Adverse Effect. No Group Member is party to any tax sharing
agreement other than the Tax Receivable Agreement.
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5.12 ERISA
Compliance.
(a) Each
Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of
ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws, except where noncompliance
could not reasonably be expected result in a Material Adverse
Effect. Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of
the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an
application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with
respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of each Group Member, nothing has
occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification, except
where such failures could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect. The Group Members and each ERISA Affiliate have made
all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and
no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period
pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan,
except where such failures could not reasonably be expected result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(b) There
are no pending or, to the best knowledge of each Group Member, threatened
claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with
respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the
fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or
could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) Except
as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect: (i)
no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension
Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability; (iii) neither any Group Member nor any
ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability
under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums
due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) neither a Group Member
nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any
liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under
Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Section 4201 or
4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (v) neither a Group
Member nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be
subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.
5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity
Interests. Set forth in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 is a
complete and accurate list showing, as of the Closing Date, for each Group
Member (other than Holdings), its jurisdiction of organization or incorporation,
the number of shares of each class of Equity Interests authorized (if
applicable) and outstanding, and then number and percentage of the outstanding
Equity Interests owned directly or indirectly by Borrower or
Holdings. All of the outstanding Equity Interests in the Group
Members (other than Holdings) have been validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable and are owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified on Part (a)
of Schedule
5.13 free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted
Liens). The Borrower has no equity investments in any other
corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part (b) of
Schedule
5.13. The Group Members constituting Material Subsidiaries as
of the Closing Date are listed on Part (c) of Schedule
5.13. As of the Closing Date, the assets of D&P
International Holdings consist of only the Equity Interests described on Schedule 5.13 and
other de minimis assets.
5.14 Margin
Regulations; Investment Company Act.
(a) The
Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its
important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for
the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the
application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of
Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower
only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) within the
scope of Section
8.01(e) will be margin stock.
(b) None
of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Group Member is or
is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment
Company Act of 1940.
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5.15 Disclosure. Each
Group Member has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
(including, without limitation, through XXXXX) all agreements, instruments and
corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is
subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. No report, financial statement, certificate or other written
information furnished by or on behalf of any Group Member to the Administrative
Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and
the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan
Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so
furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with
respect to projected and pro forma financial information, the Borrower
represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon
assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time in light of the conditions
existing at the time and represented, at the time of delivery, the Borrower’s
best estimate of DPC’s and its Subsidiaries’ future financial condition and
performance; and provided further that such financial information, as it relates
to future events is not to be viewed as fact and that actual results during the
periods covered by such financial information may differ from the projected
results therein by a material amount.
5.16 Compliance with
Laws. Each Group Member is in compliance in all material
respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions
and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in
which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b)
the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.17 Taxpayer Identification
Number. Each Group Member’s true and correct U.S. taxpayer
identification number is set forth on Schedule
5.13.
5.18 Intellectual Property; Licenses,
Etc. Each Group Member owns, or possesses the right to use,
Intellectual Property that is reasonably necessary for the operation of its
business except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. As of the Closing Date, to the best knowledge of each Group
Member, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method,
substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be
employed, by any Group Member in the conduct of its business infringes upon any
Intellectual Property held by any other Person. No claim or
litigation alleging any of the foregoing is pending or, to the best knowledge of
each Group Member, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate,
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
ARTICLE
VI.
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
So long
as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation
hereunder (other than (x) contingent indemnification obligations and (y)
obligations and liabilities under Related Credit Arrangements as to which
arrangements satisfactory to the applicable secured party have been made) shall
remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding
unless Cash Collateralized as required hereunder, each Group Member shall
(except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, and 6.03 for which the
Borrower shall):
6.01 Financial
Statements. Deliver to the Administrative Agent, in form and
detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:
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(a) as
soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal
year of DPC commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2009, a
consolidated balance sheet of DPC and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such
fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations,
changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting
forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year,
all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and
accompanied by (i) a report and opinion of KPMG or another independent certified
public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance
with GAAP and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification
or exception (other than a “going concern” qualification or like qualification
in the audit relating solely to the fact that the Maturity Date is in the next
fiscal year), provided that electronic filing of such consolidated statements
through XXXXX shall constitute delivery for purposes of this Section
6.01(a);
(b) as
soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the
first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of DPC (commencing with the
fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2009), a consolidated balance sheet of DPC and its
Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated
statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion
of DPC’s fiscal year then ended, and the related consolidated statements of
changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for the portion of DPC’s fiscal
year then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form, as applicable,
the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and
the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail,
certified by the chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the
Borrower as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial
condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of DPC and
the Group Members in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit
adjustments and the absence of footnotes, provided that electronic filing of
such consolidated statements through XXXXX shall constitute delivery for
purposes of this Section 6.01(b);(and,
for the avoidance of doubt, no separate certification by a financial officer
shall be necessary if the financial statements are delivered through XXXXX);
and
(c) as
soon as available, but in any event within 60 days after the beginning of each
fiscal year of DPC, an annual budget prepared by management of the Borrower or
DPC of projected consolidated balance sheets and statements of income or
operations and cash flows of DPC (on a consolidated basis) (together with any
narratives prepared with respect thereto), in each case on a quarterly basis for
such fiscal year (including the fiscal year in which the Maturity Date
occurs).
As to any
information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(c), the
Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under
clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the
obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in
clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.
6.02 Certificates; Other
Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent in form and
detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:
(a) a
duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of DPC (commencing
with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2009) and within 45 days after the end
of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of DPC
(commencing with the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2009);
(b) promptly
after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of any
detailed audit reports, submitted in writing to the board of directors (or the
audit committee of the board of directors) of DPC by independent accountants in
connection with the accounts or books of DPC or any Group Member, or any audit
of any of them, provided that electronic filing of such reports, letters or
recommendations through XXXXX shall constitute delivery for purposes of this
Section 6.02(b);
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(c) promptly,
and in any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by DPC or any
other Group Member, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from
the SEC Division of Enforcement (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S.
jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation by such
agency regarding financial or other operational results of DPC or any Group
Member; and
(d) promptly,
such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate
affairs of DPC or the Group Members, or compliance with the terms of the Loan
Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time
reasonably request.
Documents
required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or
(b) or Section 6.02(c) (to
the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the
SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to
have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents,
or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the
website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or
(ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet
or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent
have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by
the Administrative Agent). 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.
6.03 Notices. Promptly
notify the Administrative Agent (following knowledge thereof):
(a) of
the occurrence of any Default;
(b) of
any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, including (i) breach or non-performance of, or any
default under, a Contractual Obligation of any Group Member; (ii) any dispute,
litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between a Group Member and
any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material
development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting a Group Member, including
pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;
(c) the
occurrence of any ERISA Event which could reasonable be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect; and
(d) of
any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by
any Group Member, including any determination by the Borrower referred to in
Section
2.09(b).
Each
notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be
accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting
forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the
Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each
notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall
describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any
other Loan Document that have been breached.
6.04 Payment of
Obligations. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due
and payable (i) all material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental
charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and
adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the applicable
Group Member and (ii) all other obligations and liabilities, except to the
extent that nonpayment of such obligations and liabilities could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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6.05 Preservation of Existence,
Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect
its legal existence and, with respect to each Loan Party, its good standing
under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction
permitted by Section
7.04 or 7.05; (b) take all
reasonable action to maintain all of its rights, privileges, permits, licenses
and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business,
except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) maintain in effect or renew all of its
registered patents, trademarks, copyrights and service marks if the
non-preservation or non-renewal of such could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 Maintenance of
Properties. (a) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its
material tangible properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its
business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted;
(b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof
except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the
industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.
6.07 Insurance.
(a) Maintain
with financially sound and reputable insurance companies which are not
Affiliates of the Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and
business (including all Collateral) against loss or damage of the kinds
customarily insured against by Persons of like size and type engaged in the same
or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to
any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily
carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons, which insurance
policies shall (i) provide for not less than 30 days’ prior notice to the
Administrative Agent of termination, lapse, or cancellation of such insurance
(other than with respect to non-payment, as to which such policies shall provide
for at least ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent)
and (ii) name the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, as loss
payee and the Administrative Agent and Lenders as parties insured thereunder in
respect of any claim for payment; provided that, if any Group Member shall fail
to maintain, or fail to cause to be maintained, the full insurance coverage
required hereunder, the Administrative Agent may, upon prior notice to the
Borrower (but shall be under no obligation to), without waiving Default or Event
of Default hereunder, contract for the required policies of insurance and pay
the premiums on the same or make any required repairs, renewals and
replacements; and all sums so disbursed by Administrative Agent shall be subject
to repayment and reimbursement pursuant to the terms hereof,
(b) Make,
constitute and appoint the Administrative Agent (and all officers, employees or
agents designated by the Administrative Agent), for the benefit of the Lenders,
as such Group Member’s true and lawful attorney (and agent-in-fact) for the
purpose of making, settling and adjusting claims under such policies of
insurance, endorsing the name of such Group Member on any check, draft,
instrument or other item or payment for the proceeds of such policies of
insurance and for making all determinations and decisions with respect to such
policies of insurance, which appointment is coupled with an interest and is
irrevocable; provided, however, that the powers pursuant to such appointment
shall be exercisable only upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an
Event of Default, and
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(c) In
case of any material claim on any insurance policy, provide prompt notice
thereof to the Administrative Agent, which notice shall describe generally the
nature and extent of such claim, provided, however, that no Group Member shall
have any authorization to adjust or compromise any loss under any such insurance
relating to claims made directly against the Administrative Agent or any Lender
as to which any insurance policy described herein is applicable.
6.08 Compliance with
Laws. Comply with the requirements of all Laws and all orders,
writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property,
except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ,
injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.09 Books and
Records. (a) Maintain proper books of record and
account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP
consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters
involving the assets and business of the Borrower or any other Group Member, as
the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material
conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having
regulatory jurisdiction over the Borrower or any other Group Member, as the case
may be.
6.10 Inspection
Rights. Permit representatives of the Administrative Agent to
visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and
operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to
discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and
independent public accountants, and the Loan Parties shall be afforded the
opportunity to participate in any discussions with such directors, officers and
independent public accountants, at such reasonable times during normal business
hours but not more frequently than once each fiscal year, upon reasonable
advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that absent
an Event of Default the Borrower shall not be required to pay the expenses
related thereto more frequently than once each fiscal year; and provided further
that, during the existence and continuance of an Event of Default, the
Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives
or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the
Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance
notice.
6.11 Use of
Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions for
working capital, for general corporate purposes not in contravention of any Law
or of any Loan Document and for Permitted Acquisitions.
6.12 Additional
Guarantors. To the extent not delivered to the Administrative
Agent on or before the Closing Date (including with respect to after-acquired
property, Persons that become Subsidiaries of any Loan Party after the Closing
Date, any assets or Subsidiaries (or Equity Interests thereof) acquired in
connection with a Permitted Acquisition), notify the Administrative Agent at the
time that any Person becomes a Material Subsidiary and promptly thereafter (and
in any event within 30 days), cause such Person to (a) become a Guarantor by
executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a counterpart of the
Guaranty, a joinder agreement to the Guaranty, or such other documents as the
Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose, (b) deliver to the
Administrative Agent documents of the types referred to in clauses (iii) and
(iv) of Section
4.01(a) and, at the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, a
favorable opinion of counsel to such Person (which shall cover, among other
things, the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the
documentation referred to in clause (a)), all in form, content and scope
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (c) take all other
actions necessary or reasonably advisable to ensure the validity or continuing
validity of the Guaranty.
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6.13 Banking
Relationship. Maintain Bank of America as the Borrower’s
principal depositary bank in the United States, including for the maintenance of
operating, business, administrative, cash management, collection and other
deposit accounts for the conduct of the Group Members’ business, except to the
extent that DPC reasonably determines that the exercise of its fiduciary
obligations requires otherwise.
ARTICLE
VII.
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
So long
as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation
hereunder (other than (x) contingent indemnification obligations and (y)
obligations and liabilities under Related Credit Arrangements as to which
arrangements satisfactory to the applicable secured party have been made) shall
remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding,
unless Cash Collateralized as provided hereunder, no Group Member shall,
directly or indirectly:
7.01 Liens. Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or
revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the
following:
(a) Liens
pursuant to any Loan Document;
(b) Liens
existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any
renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the
property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured or benefited
thereby is not increased except as contemplated by Section 7.03(b),
(iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed,
and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited
thereby is permitted by Section
7.03(b);
(c) Liens
for taxes, tax assessments or governmental levies (i) not yet due or
(ii) which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
diligently conducted with adequate reserves maintained with respect thereto on
the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
(d) carriers’,
warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens
arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of
more than 60 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate
proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are
maintained on the books of the applicable Person;
(e) pledges
or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation,
other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;
(f) deposits
to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than
Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds
and other obligations of a like nature;
(g) Liens
(i) arising by reason of easements, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions, minor
defects in title and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which,
in the aggregate, do not in any case materially detract from the value of the
property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of
the business of the applicable Person and (ii) consisting of leases,
licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted by a lessor, licensor or sublessor on
its property (in each case other than capital leases) otherwise permitted under
Section
7.05;
56
(h) Liens
securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default
under Section
8.01(h) and pledges or cash deposits made in lieu thereof, or to secure
the performance of, judgments or appeal bonds in respect of such judgments or
proceedings;
(i)
Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e);
provided that
such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property
financed by such Indebtedness;
(j)
Liens existing on properties at the time of the acquisition thereof by Group
Members (other than Holdings) which (i) do not extend to or cover any properties
of such Group Member other than the property being acquired, (ii) are not
created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition and (iii) do
not materially interfere with the use, occupancy and operation of any property
of such Group Member;
(k) Liens of landlords and mortgagees of landlords (i)
arising by statute or under any lease or related Contractual Obligation entered
into in the ordinary course of business, (ii) on fixtures and movable tangible
property located on the real property leased or subleased from such landlord,
(iii) for amounts not yet due or that are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and (iv) for which adequate
reserves or other appropriate provisions are maintained on the books of such
Person in accordance with GAAP;
(l)
the title and interest of a lessor, licensor, sublicensor or sublessor in
and to personal property leased, licensed, sublicensed or subleased (other than
through a capital lease), in each case extending only to such personal
property;
(m) Liens
in favor of Related Swap Contract Providers, to the extent the Related Swap
Contract is permitted pursuant to Section
7.03(d);
(n) Liens
of a collection bank on items in the course of collection arising under Section
4-210 of the UCC as in effect in the State of New York or any similar section
under any applicable UCC or any similar Law of any foreign
jurisdiction;
(o) Liens
that are statutory, common law or contractual rights of setoff relating to
deposit accounts;
(p) Liens
created pursuant to Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted pursuant to Section
7.05(b)(ii);
(q) Liens
on the property of Group Members (other than Holdings) securing a Permitted
Refinancing of any Indebtedness secured by Liens on such property without any
change in the property subject to such Liens; and
(r) Liens
on the property of any foreign Subsidiary of Holdings securing Indebtedness
permitted hereunder in reliance upon Section 7.03(i);
(s) Liens
on specified equipment, fixtures and/or real property (and proceeds thereof and
property rights relating thereto) and securing Indebtedness assumed or incurred
in connection with a Permitted Acquisition; provided, however, that
(i) such Liens are not created in contemplation or in connection with such
Permitted Acquisition, (ii) such Liens shall be created no later than the
date of the assumption of such Indebtedness and (iii) such Liens do not at
any time encumber any property other than the property subject thereto
immediately prior to such Permitted Acquisition; and
57
(t) Liens
in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate.
7.02 Investments. Make
any Investments, except:
(a) Investments
listed on Schedule
7.02;
(b) Investments
held by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of Cash
Equivalents;
(c) Loans
or advances (i) to officers, directors and employees of the Holdings and its
Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding,
and (ii) to direct or indirect equity holders of Holdings made with the proceeds
of amounts distributed to Holdings as permitted by Section 7.06(d)(ii)
or constituting payments on behalf of such equity holders of withholding
taxes;
(d) Investments
consisting of (i) extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable
or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary
course of business, (ii) Investments received in satisfaction or partial
satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent
reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss and (iii) endorsements
for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business;
(e) Guarantees
permitted by Section
7.03;
(f) Investments
made or acquired as part of a Permitted Acquisition;
(g) Investments
by any Loan Party in any other Loan Party (other than Holdings);
(h) Investments
by any Group Member that is not a Loan Party in any Person that is, or as a
result of such Investment becomes, a Group Member (other than Holdings) or in
any joint venture;
(i) Investments
by any Loan Party (other than Holdings) in any Person that is, or as a result of
such Investment becomes, a Group Member that is not a Loan Party or in any joint
venture or other similar minority interest investments; provided, however, that
(A) the aggregate amount of Investments permitted pursuant to this Section 7.02(i) shall
not at any time exceed the greater of (I) 35% of the Consolidated Net Worth of
DPC as determined
on the date made from the most recent financial statements delivered to the
Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.01 and (II)
$75,000,000;
(j) Purchases
of the Equity Interests of DPC permitted by Section 7.06;
and
(k) other
Investments in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 in the
aggregate.
7.03 Indebtedness. Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness
under the Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness
outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.03
(including Subordinated Debt) and any Permitted Refinancings
thereof;
(c) Guarantees
by a Group Member in respect of Indebtedness of any Group Member (other than
Holdings) otherwise permitted hereunder;
58
(d) obligations
(contingent or otherwise) of a Group Member existing or arising under any Swap
Contract, provided that such
obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person for the purpose of
directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments,
assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Person, or changes in
the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of
speculation or taking a “market view”;
(e) Indebtedness
in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations (other than relating to Sale and
Leaseback Transactions), Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money
obligations for fixed or capital assets within the limitations set forth in
Section
7.01(i); provided, however, that the
aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness at any one time outstanding shall not
exceed $5,000,000;
(f) Capitalized
Lease Obligations with respect to Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted
pursuant to Section
8.4(b)(ii);
(g) intercompany
loans between Group Members to the extent permitted by Section
7.02;
(h) Subordinated
Debt in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed
$150,000,000;
(i) Indebtedness
of any foreign Subsidiary of Holdings; provided, however, that the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed
$5,000,000;
(j) Guarantees
by a Group Member in respect of any travel and other reimbursable business
expenses incurred by employees of any Group Member in the ordinary course of
business;
(k) Other
Indebtedness of any Group Member; provided, however, that the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed
$10,000,000 at any time and no more than $5,000,000 in principal amount of such
Indebtedness may be secured at any time; and
(l) Acquisition-Related
Debt.
7.04 Fundamental
Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into
another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of
transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or
hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except, so long as no Default
exists or would result therefrom:
(a) any
Group Members may consummate Permitted Acquisitions;
(b) any
Group Member may dissolve, liquidate, merge or consolidate into any Loan
Party;
(c) any
Group Member which is not a Loan Party may dissolve, liquidate, merge or
consolidate with any other Group Member which is not a Loan Party;
(d) any
Group Member may make Dispositions permitted by Section
7.05;
(e) the
Borrower may contribute all of its Equity Interests in Duff & Xxxxxx
Securities Ltd., a company formed under England and Wales, to D&P
International Holdings; and
(f) any
Group Member (other than Holdings) may merge or consolidate for the sole
purpose, and with the sole material effect, of changing its state of
organization within the United States;
59
provided,
however, that in any merger or consolidation involving the Borrower, the
Borrower shall be the surviving party and in any merger or consolidation
involving any other Loan Party, a Loan Party shall be the surviving
party.
7.05 Dispositions. Make
any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition,
except:
(a) Dispositions
of (i) obsolete or worn out property, (ii) sales of Cash Equivalents, (iii) Intellectual
Property that is not necessary to the conduct of such Group Member’s business,
(iv) licenses and sublicenses of Intellectual Property and
(v) equipment which is no longer used or useful in such Group Member’s
business;
(b) (i)
a true lease or sublease of real property not constituting Indebtedness and not
entered into as part of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction and (ii) a Sale
pursuant to a Sale and Leaseback Transaction; provided, however, that the
aggregate fair market value (measured at the time of the applicable transaction)
of all property covered by any outstanding Sale and Leaseback Transaction at any
time shall not exceed $5,000,000 during the term of this Agreement, commencing on the
Closing Date;
(c) (i)
Dispositions of property by any Group Member to any other Group Member (other
than Holdings) or by Holdings to the Borrower, in each case to the extent any
resulting Investment constitutes an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02, (ii)
any Restricted Payment by any Group Member (other than Holdings) permitted
pursuant to Section
7.06 and (iii) any distribution by Holdings of the proceeds of Restricted
Payments from any other Group Member to the extent permitted by Section
7.06;
(d) Dispositions
of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged
for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii)
the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase
price of such replacement property; and
(e) Dispositions
by any Group Member (other than Holdings) not otherwise permitted under this
Section 7.05;
provided that
(i) at the time of such Disposition, no Default shall exist or would result from
such Disposition and (ii) the aggregate book value of all property Disposed of
in reliance on this clause (e) in any fiscal year shall not exceed $5,000,000,
provided, however, that any
Disposition to a third party pursuant to clause (e) shall be for fair market
value.
7.06 Restricted
Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any
Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so,
except:
(a) any
Restricted Payments by a Group Member to another Group Member (other than
Holdings), provided however that any Restricted Payments from a Loan Party
pursuant to this clause (a) may only be made to another Loan Party (other than
Holdings);
(b) dividend
payments or other distributions by any Group Member payable solely in the common
stock or other common Equity Interests of such Person;
(c) any
Restricted Payment made for (or deemed to be made) by a Group Member in
connection with the Restricted Share Awards Agreements; and
(d) Restricted
Payments to Holdings from Group Members (and from Holdings to the holders of its
Equity Interests) for the following purposes:
60
(i) payments
by Holdings of actual and estimated taxes (including withholding taxes)
currently payable by Holdings including by virtue of its direct or indirect
ownership of any other Group Members;
(ii) payments
by Holdings to the holders of its Equity Interests to permit the direct and
indirect beneficial owners of its Equity Interests to receive amounts not to
exceed (A) the Assumed Tax Rate multiplied by (B) the net taxable income
attributable to the direct or indirect beneficial ownership of equity interests
in Holdings (including by virtue of Holdings’ direct or indirect ownership of
any other Group Members), and at such times so as to permit such beneficial
owners to meet their currently payable estimated income tax obligations as well
as actual income tax obligations;
(iii) “Tax
Benefit Payments” by DPC to “Exchanging Members”, under and as each such term is
defined in the Tax Receivable Agreement;
(iv) ordinary
operating expenses of Holdings and DPC to the extent such expenses arise
pursuant to obligations and activities permitted hereunder; and
(v) any
other distributions so long as at the time such distributions are declared, such
distributions are not specifically prohibited hereunder, no Default or Event of
Default then exists or would result therefrom, and after giving effect thereto
the Borrower remains in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in
Section 7.11 on
a pro forma basis.
7.07 Transactions with
Affiliates. Except as otherwise permitted herein, enter into
any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower that is not a
Loan Party, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on
fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such
Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time
in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,
provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to (a) transactions
between or among the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries or between and among
any Subsidiaries, (b) Restricted Payments, the proceeds of which, if received by
Holdings, are used as required by Section 7.06, (c) reasonable
salaries and other reasonable director or employee compensation to officers and
directors of any Group Member, and (d) licenses and sublicenses of Intellectual
Property.
7.08 Subordinated
Debt. (a) Prepay, redeem, purchase or satisfy any Subordinated
Debt prior to the scheduled maturity thereof; reserve or set apart property for
such purpose; or make any payment in violation of any subordination terms or any
Subordinated Debt (including any subordination agreement with the Administrative
Agent relating thereto); provided, however, that (i) any Group Member may make
regularly scheduled or otherwise required repayments or redemptions of
Subordinated Debt to the extent permitted by the subordination provisions
thereof or any subordination agreement with the Administrative Agent relating
thereto and (ii) any Group Member that is not a Loan Party may prepay, redeem,
purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof
any Indebtedness owing to any other Group Member.
(b) waive
or otherwise modify any term of any Subordinated Debt if the effect thereof if
the effect thereof is to (i) increase the interest rate, (ii) change the due
dates for principal or interest, other than to extend such dates, (iii) modify
any default or event of default, other than to delete it or make it less
restrictive, (iv) add any covenant with respect thereto, (v) modify any
subordination provision, (vi) modify any redemption or prepayment provision,
other than to extend the dates therefor or to reduce the premiums payable in
connection therewith or (vii) materially increase any obligation of any Group
Member or confer additional material rights to the holder of such Subordinated
Debt in a manner adverse to any Group Member or any Lender.
61
7.09 Burdensome
Agreements. Enter into any Contractual Obligation other than
(i) this Agreement or any other Loan Document that (a) limits the ability (x) of
any Group Member to make Restricted Payments to any Loan Party or to otherwise
transfer property to the Loan Parties, (y) of any Group Member to Guarantee the
Obligations or (z) of any Group Member to create, incur, assume or suffer to
exist Liens on property of such Person; provided, however, that this
clause (z) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor
of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e)
solely to the extent any such negative pledge relates to the property financed
by or the subject of such Indebtedness and, provided, further, that, this
Section shall not prohibit Group Member from entering into licenses for
Intellectual Property containing customary anti-assignment provisions; or (b)
requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien is
granted to secure another obligation of such Person, (ii) limits on Liens (other
than those securing any Obligation) on, or sales of, any property whose
acquisition, repair, improvement or construction is financed with purchase money
Indebtedness, Capitalized Lease Obligations, Permitted Refinancing or Guarantee
Obligations and (iii) Contractual Obligations governing Indebtedness permitted
hereunder.
7.10 Use of
Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether
directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to
purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB)
or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin
stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such
purpose.
7.11 Financial
Covenants.
(a) Consolidated Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of DPC to be less than
2.00:1.00.
(b) Consolidated Total Leverage
Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the
last day of any fiscal quarter of DPC to be greater than (i) for the last day of
each fiscal quarter of DPC through and including June 30, 2010, 2.75:1.00 and
(ii) for the last day of each fiscal quarter of DPC thereafter,
2.50:1.00.
7.12 Transfers to D&P International
Holdings. Transfer to D&P International Holdings any
assets other than (i) Equity Interests in one or more CFCs, (ii) business
assets, activities or operations, directly or indirectly through its
Subsidiaries, located outside of the United States, (iii) cash or other liquid
assets to be invested in the assets described in clauses (i) and/or (ii) above
or (iv) de minimis assets to the extent not described in clauses (i) through
(iii) above.
ARTICLE
VIII.
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 Events of
Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of
Default:
(a) Non-Payment. The
Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of
principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within three Business Days
after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation,
or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five Business Days after the same
becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan
Document; or
62
(b) Specific
Covenants. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to
perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in (i) Section 6.01 and such
failure continues for five Business Days or (b) Sections 6.02, 6.03, 6.05, 6.11 or 6.12 or Article VII, or any
Guarantor fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained
in the Guaranty; or
(c) Other
Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other
covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained
in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure
continues for 30 days after the earlier of (i) the date on which a Responsible
Officer of a Loan Party becomes aware of such failure and (ii) the date on which
notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent
and the Required Lenders; or
(d) Representations and
Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or
statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any
other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document
delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect in any material
respect when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i)
Any Group Member (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled
maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of
any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap
Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or
available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any
combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount,
and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, or
(B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any
such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing,
securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which
default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such
Indebtedness or the beneficiary (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder
or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice
if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be
repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an
offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made,
prior to its stated maturity; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an
Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any
event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any
Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any
Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the
Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either
event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a
result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or
(f) Insolvency Proceedings,
Etc. Any Group Member institutes or consents to the
institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an
assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the
appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator,
rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its
property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator,
rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent
of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60
calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any
such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without
the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar
days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts;
Attachment. (i) Any Group Member becomes unable or admits in
writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or
(ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued
or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person
and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or
levy; or
63
(h) Judgments. There
is entered against any Group Member (i) one or more final judgments or orders
for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or
orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent
third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or
(ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor
upon such judgment or order and have not been stayed, or (B) there is a period
of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by
reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i)
An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which
has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect, or (ii) any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after
the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with
respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a
Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan
Documents; Subordination Agreements. Any material provision of
any Loan Document or any Subordination Agreement, at any time after its
execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted
hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases
to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests
in any manner the validity or enforceability of any material provision of any
Loan Document or any Subordination Agreement; or any Loan Party denies that it
has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports
to revoke, terminate or rescind any provision of any Loan Document;
or
(k) Change of
Control. There occurs any Change of Control.
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of
Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the
Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the
Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(a) declare
the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer
to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and
obligation shall be terminated;
(b) declare
the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and
unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any
other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly
waived by the Borrower;
(c) require
that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to
the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and
(d) exercise
on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies
available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan
Documents;
64
provided, however, that upon
the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect
to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation
of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C
Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of
all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall
automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash
Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become
effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any
Lender.
8.03 Application of
Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or
after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the
L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as
set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any
amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the
Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of
that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and
other amounts (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel
to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable
to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of
that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts
(other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the
Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements
of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including reasonable
fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of any Lender or the
L/C Issuer) and amounts payable under Article III), ratably
among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause
Second payable
to them;
Third, to payment of
that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit
Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably
among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts
described in this clause Third payable to
them;
Fourth, to payment of
that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and
L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to
the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by
them;
Fifth, to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize
that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of
Letters of Credit;
Sixth, to payment of
that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid amounts with respect to
Related Credit Arrangements, ratably among Related Swap Contract Providers and
Lenders providing Related Treasury Management Arrangements; and
Last, the balance, if
any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the
Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject
to Section
2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount
of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be
applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they
occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all
Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount
shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth
above.
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ARTICLE
IX.
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT
9.01 Appointment and
Authority. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby
irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative
Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the
Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such
powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or
thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental
thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower shall
not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such
provisions.
9.02 Rights as a
Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent
hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as
any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the
Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise
expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person
serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual
capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from,
lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity
for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any
Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the
Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the
Lenders.
9.03 Exculpatory
Provisions. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties
or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan
Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Administrative Agent:
(a) shall
not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a
Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall
not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary
powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or
by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to
exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or
percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the
other Loan Documents), provided that the
Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its
opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to
liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law;
and
(c) shall
not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have
any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any
information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is
communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or
any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The
Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it
(i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other
number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the
Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the
circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and
8.02) or (ii)
in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The
Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless
and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by
the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.
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The
Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain
or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in
connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of
any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or
in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any
of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or
therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability,
effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any
other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition
set forth in Article
IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly
required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
9.04 Reliance by Administrative
Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely
upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request,
certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing
(including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other
distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or
otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative
Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and
believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any
liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any
condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of
Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or
the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is
satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent
shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer
prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of
Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who
may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts
selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it
in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or
experts.
9.05 Delegation of
Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of
its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan
Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the
Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent
may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or
through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions
of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of
the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their
respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit
facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative
Agent.
9.06 Resignation of Administrative
Agent. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of
its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower. Upon
receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the
right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be
a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank
with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have
been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such
appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice
of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the
Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the
qualifications set forth above; provided that if the
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no
qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall
nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring
Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations
hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any
collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or
the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative
Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a
successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments,
communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the
Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C
Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor
Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the
acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such
successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers,
privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the
retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and
obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already
discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees
payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as
those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower
and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s
resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this
Article and Section
10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring
Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in
respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the
retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
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Any
resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section
shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer. Upon the
acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a)
such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights,
powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer, (b) the retiring L/C
Issuer shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations
hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer
shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any,
outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements
satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of
the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent
and Other Lenders. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges
that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or
any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and
information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and
decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer
also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the
Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and
based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem
appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action
under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related
agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties,
Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
arranger or book manager listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers,
duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan
Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a
Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs
of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any
Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party,
the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or
L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by
declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent
shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by
intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(a) to
file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing
and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations
that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary
or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the
Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the
Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other
amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and
(j), 2.08 and 10.04) allowed in
such judicial proceeding; and
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(b) to
collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any
such claims and to distribute the same;
and any
custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other
similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each
Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and,
in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such
payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the
Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and
counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.08 and
10.04.
Nothing
contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C
Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition
affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to
authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender
or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.
9.10
Collateral and Guaranty
Matters. The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize
the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,
(a) to
release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent
under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and
payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification
obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other
than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall have been made), (ii) that is sold
or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale permitted hereunder or
under any other Loan Document, or (iii) subject to Section 10.01, if
approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required
Lenders;
(b) to
subordinate or release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the
Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such
property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i);
and
(c) to
release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person
ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted
hereunder.
Upon
request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will
confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or
subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release
any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section
9.10.
ARTICLE
X.
MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 Amendments, Etc. No
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan
Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required
Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and
acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall
be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for
which given; provided, however, that no such
amendment, waiver or consent shall:
69
(a) waive
any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a)
without the written consent of each Lender;
(b) extend
or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated
pursuant to Section
8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;
(c) postpone
any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of
principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them)
hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each
Lender directly affected thereby;
(d) reduce
the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C
Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any
fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document,
without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only
the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the
definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay
interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any
financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the
effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or
L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(e) change
Section 2.12 or
Section 8.03 in
a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby
without the written consent of each Lender;
(f) change
any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any
other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required
to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any
determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of
each Lender; or
(g) release
all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty or release all or
substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related
transactions without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent
the release of any Guarantor is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in
which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting
alone);
and,
provided further, that (i) no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C
Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of
the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any
Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or
consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in
addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the
Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iii)
the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a
writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to
approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any
amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all
Lenders may be effected with the consent of all Lenders other than Defaulting
Lenders), except that (i) the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender may not be
increased or extended, the principal of or (except as provided in the proviso
clause (d) above) the rate of interest for Loans of such Defaulting Lender or
fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to such
Defaulting Lender may not be reduced without the consent of such Defaulting
Lender, (ii) any amendment, waiver or consent may not postpone any date fixed by
this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal,
interest, fees or other amounts due to the Defaulting Lender without the consent
of such Defaulting Lender, (iii) any amendment, waiver or consent requiring the
consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any
Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the
consent of such Defaulting Lender, (iv) no amendment to the exception of which
this clause (iv) is a part shall be effective without the consent of each
Defaulting Lender, and (v) any amendment of, or consent or waiver with respect
to, Section 10.14 shall require the consent of the Required Lenders and each
Defaulting Lender.
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10.02
Notices; Effectiveness;
Electronic Communication.
(a) Notices
Generally. Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as
provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided
for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight
courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as
follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder
to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as
follows:
(i) if
to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, to the address,
telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for
such Person on Schedule 10.02;
and
(ii) if
to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address
or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices
sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered
mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by
telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not
given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have
been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the
recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications to
the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in
such subsection (b).
(b) Electronic
Communications. Notices and other communications to the
Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic
communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to
procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the
foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to
Article II if
such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative
Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic
communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its
discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by
electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that
approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or
communications.
Unless
the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other
communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the
sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by
the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other
written acknowledgement), provided that if such
notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of
the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at
the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii)
notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be
deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail
address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such
notice or communication is available and identifying the website address
therefor.
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(c) The
Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS
AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE
ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE
PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE
BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR
STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER
CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER
MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent
or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have
any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person
for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in
tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative
Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the
extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined
by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to
have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent
Party; provided, however, that in no
event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the
L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential
or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
(d) Change of Address,
Etc. Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the
L/C Issuer may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices
and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties
hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or
telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer. In addition,
each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to
ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address,
contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to
which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire
instructions for such Lender.
(e) Reliance by Administrative
Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative
Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any
notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on
behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner
specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other
form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the
recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall
indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related
Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities
resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by
or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other
telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the
Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such
recording.
10.03
No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. No failure by any
Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by
any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder
shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of
any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further
exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or
privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein
provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and
privileges provided by law.
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Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the
authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively
in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement
shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in
accordance with Section 8.02 for the
benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the
foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its
own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its
capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents,
(b) the L/C Issuer from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its
benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer, as the case may be) hereunder and
under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in
accordance with Section 10.08
(subject to the terms of Section 2.12), or (d)
any Lender form filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its
own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under
any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at
any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under
the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights
otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii)
in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the
preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.12, any
Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and
remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
10.04
Expenses;
Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) Costs and
Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates
(including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of internal and
external counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the
syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation,
negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the
provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable and documented
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the
issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand
for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the
Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges
and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the
L/C Issuer), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be
employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, in
connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection
with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under
this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit
issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any
workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of
Credit.
(b) Indemnification by the
Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative
Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each
Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an
“Indemnitee”)
against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and
disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold
harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements (which
shall, with respect to clause (i) below, be reasonable and documented) for
attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or
asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower or any
other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the
execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any
agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the
parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or, in the case
of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties
only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents
(including in respect of any matters addressed by Section 3.01), (ii)
any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds
therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment
under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such
demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii)
any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any
property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any
Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation
or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort
or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any
other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto;
provided that
such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined
by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have
resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or
(y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party against
an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder
or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower or such other Loan Party has
obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
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(c) Reimbursement by
Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails
to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this
Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof),
the L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender
severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the
L/C Issuer or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense
or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the
unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related
expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the
Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the L/C Issuer in its capacity
as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the
Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or L/C Issuer in connection with
such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection
(c) are subject to the provisions of Section
2.11(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential
Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable
Law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any
Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or
punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in
connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or
any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds
thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be
liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any
information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such
Indemnitee 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 other than for
direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence of willful
misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(e) Payments. All
amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days
after written demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The
agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Administrative
Agent and the L/C Issuer, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the
Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the
other Obligations.
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10.05
Payments Set
Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the
Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or
the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of
setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is
subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside
or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the
Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be
repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of
such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be
satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such
payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender
and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon
demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered
from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date
of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the
Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of
the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall
survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this
Agreement.
10.06
Successors and
Assigns.
(a) Successors and Assigns
Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents 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 or thereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with
the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by
way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions
of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or
transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this
Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person
(other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns
permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this
Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of
each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this
Agreement.
(b) Assignments by
Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more
assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement
and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and
the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C
Obligations) at the time owing to it); provided that any
such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum
Amounts.
(A) in
the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning
Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an
assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum
amount need be assigned; and
(B) in
any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate
amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding
thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal
outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such
assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect
to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date”
is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not
be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as
no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise
consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that
concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent
assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or
to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a
single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has
been met.
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(ii) Proportionate
Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an
assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and
obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment
assigned.
(iii) Required
Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment
except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in
addition:
(A) 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) such assignment is to a Lender,
an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;
(B) the
consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any
Revolving Credit Commitment if such assignment is to be a Person that is not a
Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such
Lender; and
(C) the
consent of the L/C Issuer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of
the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit
(whether or not then outstanding).
(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 in the amount of $3,500 and any tax documents
and forms required to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.01(e);
provided, however, 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.
(v) No Assignment to
Borrower. No such assignment shall be made to the Borrower or
any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
(vi) No Assignment to Certain
Other Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) any
Defaulting Lender or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates that are Distressed Persons
or (B) a natural person.
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Subject
to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to
subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in
each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this
Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and
Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement,
and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest
assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations
under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering
all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such
Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to
the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to
facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such
assignment. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute
and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer
by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply
with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale
by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance
with subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. The
Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the
Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each
Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of
the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal
amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the
terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The
entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is
recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for
all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the
contrary. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the
Register the designation, and revocation or designation, of any Lender as a
Defaulting Lender of which it has received notice. 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 the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or
Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all
or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such
Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations) owing to it); provided that (i)
such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such
Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the
performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative
Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly
with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under
this Agreement.
Any
agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation
shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this
Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of
any provision of this Agreement; provided that such
agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the
consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification
described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that
affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section,
the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of
Sections 3.01,
3.04 and 3.05 to the same
extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted
by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as
though it were a Lender, provided such
Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.12 as
though it were a Lender and further provided that
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant prior to
the Participant receiving any benefits of Section
10.08.
(e) Limitations upon Participant
Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any
greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the
applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the
participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to
such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A
Participant that would be subject to the provisions of clause (B) of Section 3.01(e)(ii)
if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant complies, for the benefit of the Borrower, with Section 3.01(e) as
though it were a Lender.
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(f) Certain
Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a
security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement
(including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender,
including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve
Bank; provided
that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender
as a party hereto.
(g) Resignation as L/C Issuer
after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment
and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, upon 30 days’
notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer. In the
event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall be entitled to
appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer hereunder; provided, however, that no
failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the
resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer. If Bank of America
resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and
duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit
outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all
L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders
to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed
Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)).
Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer, (a) such successor shall succeed
to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of
the retiring L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer
shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any,
outstanding at the time of such successor or make other arrangements
satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of
America with respect to such Letters of Credit.
10.07
Treatment of
Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of the
Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the
confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information
may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective
partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and
representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is
made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and
instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested
by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including
any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or
by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in
connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan
Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other
Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject
to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this
Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee
of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or
(ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or
derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with
the prior written consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information
(x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this
Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the
L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from
a source other than the Borrower.
For
purposes of this Section, “Information” means
all non-public information received
from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary
or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is
available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a
nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of
Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied
with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of
care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would
accord to its own confidential information.
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Each of
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a)
the Information may include material non-public information concerning the
Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance
procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will
handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law,
including United States Federal and state securities Laws.
10.08
Right of
Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates
is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general
or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any
time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such
Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account
of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or
hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such
Lender or the L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or the L/C
Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan
Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or
unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or the L/C Issuer
different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such
indebtedness. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their
respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and
remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or
their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer
agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any
such setoff and application, provided that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and
application.
10.09
Interest Rate
Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan
Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted
by applicable Law (the “Maximum
Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall
receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest
shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid
principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the
interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a
Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by
applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an
expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments
and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in
equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated
term of the Obligations hereunder.
10.10
Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement and the other Loan
Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This
Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the
parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous
agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter
hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall become effective when they shall
have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent
shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the
signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an
executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement and any other Loan
Document by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as
delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents.
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10.11
Survival of Representations and
Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder
and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or
thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and
delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have
been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender,
regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any
Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit
Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or
any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter
of Credit shall remain outstanding.
10.12
Severability. If
any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be
illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability
of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall
not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good
faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions
with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to
that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The
invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or
render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
10.13
Replacement
of Lenders. If (i) any Lender requests compensation under
Section 3.04,
(ii) if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or
any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii)
any Lender is not obligated to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Loans, or
to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, (iv) any
Lender’s consent is required but is not obtained in connection with any proposed
amendment, modification, waiver or termination pursuant to Section 10.01 for
which the consent of the Required Lenders has been obtained, or (v) any Lender
is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort,
upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to
assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the
restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all
of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related
Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee
may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided
that:
(a) the
Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee
specified in Section
10.06(b);
(b) such
Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding
principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees
and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
(including any amounts under Section 3.05) from
the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest
and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(c) in
the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under
Section 3.04 or
payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such
assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments
thereafter; and
(d) such
assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.
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A Lender
shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior
thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances
entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to
apply.
10.14
Defaulting
Lenders.
(a) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender
(defined below), then, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(i) during
any Default Period (defined below) with respect to such Defaulting Lender, such
Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or
consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section
10.01;
(ii) until
such time as the Default Excess (defined below) with respect to such Defaulting
Lender shall have been reduced to zero, any prepayment of the Loans shall, if
the Borrower so directs at the time of making such prepayment, be applied to the
Loans of other Lenders as if such Defaulting Lender had no Loans
outstanding;
(iii) until
such time as all Defaulted Payments (defined below) with respect to such
Defaulting Lender shall have been paid, the Administrative Agent may (in its
discretion) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent
for the account of such Defaulting Lender to satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s
obligations to make such Defaulted Payments until such Defaulted Payments have
been fully paid;
(iv) with
respect to any Defaulting Lender with one or more Defaulted Loans, such
Defaulting Lender shall not be entitled to receive any fees pursuant to Section 2.08 for any
Default Period with respect to such 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 such Defaulting Lender);
(v) at
the request of the Borrower, any Defaulting Lender may be replaced in accordance
with Section
10.13; and
(vi) no
assignments otherwise permitted by Section 10.06 shall
be made to a Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates that are
Distressed Persons (as defined below).
(b) As
used in this Agreement:
“Default Excess”
means, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, the excess, if any, of such
Defaulting Lender’s ratable portion of the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the
Loans of all Lenders (calculated as if all Defaulting Lenders had funded all of
their respective Defaulted Loans) over the aggregate outstanding principal
amount of all Loans of such Defaulting Lender.
“Default Period”
means, with respect to any Defaulting Lender,
(i) in
the case of any Defaulted Loan, the period commencing on the date the applicable
Defaulted Loan was required to be extended to the Borrower under this Agreement
and ending on the earlier of the
following: (x) the date on which (A) the Default Excess with respect to such
Defaulting Lender has been reduced to zero (whether by the funding of any
Defaulted Loan by such Defaulting Lender or by the non-pro-rata application of
any prepayment pursuant to Section 10.14(a)(ii))
and (B) such Defaulting Lender shall have delivered to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent a written reaffirmation of its intention to honor its
obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitment; and (y) the date on which
the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders (and not
including such Defaulting Lender in any such determination, in accordance with
Section
10.14(a)(i)) waive the application of this Section 10.14 with
respect to such Defaulted Loans of such Defaulting Lender in
writing;
81
(ii) in
the case of any Defaulted Payment, the period commencing on the date the
applicable Defaulted Payment was required to have been paid to the
Administrative Agent or other Lenders under this Agreement and ending on the
earlier of the
following: (x) the date on which (A) such Defaulted Payment has been paid to the
Administrative Agent or other Lenders, as applicable, together with (to the
extent that such Person has not otherwise been compensated by the Borrower for
such Defaulted Payment) interest thereon for each day from and including the
date such amount is paid but excluding the date of payment, at the greater of
the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in
accordance with its then-applicable policies regarding interbank compensation
(whether by the funding of any Defaulted Payment by such Defaulting Lender or by
the application of any amount pursuant to Section
10.14(a)(iii)) and (B) such Defaulting Lender shall have delivered to the
Administrative Agent or other Lenders, as applicable, a written reaffirmation of
its intention to honor its obligations hereunder with respect to such payments;
and (y) the date on which the Administrative Agent and any such other
Lenders waive the application of this Section 10.14 with
respect to such Defaulted Payments of such Defaulting Lender in writing;
and
(iii) in
the case of any Distress Event determined by the Administrative Agent (in its
good faith judgment) or the Required Lenders (in their respective good faith
judgment) to exist, the period commencing on the date of the applicable Distress
Event was so determined to exist and ending on the earlier of the
following: (x) the date on which (A) such Distress Event is determined by the
Administrative Agent (in its good faith judgment) or the Required Lenders (in
their respective good faith judgment) to no longer exist and (B) such
Defaulting Lender shall have delivered to the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent a written reaffirmation of its intention to honor its obligations
hereunder with respect to its Commitment; and (y) such date as the Borrower and
the Administrative Agent mutually agree, in their sole discretion, to waive the
application of this Section 10.14 with
respect to Distress Event of such Defaulting Lender.
“Defaulted Loan” has
the meaning specified in the definition of “Defaulting Lender”.
“Defaulted Payment”
has the meaning specified in the definition of “Defaulting Lender”.
“Defaulting Lender”
means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Loans required
to be funded by it hereunder (each such Loan, a “Defaulted Loan”)
within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder,
(b) has otherwise failed to pay over to Administrative Agent or any other
Lenders any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (each such payment,
a “Defaulted
Payment”) within three Business Days of the date when due, unless the
subject of a good faith dispute, or (c) as to which a Distress Event has
occurred, in each case in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, for so
long as the applicable Default Period is in effect.
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“Distress Event”
means, with respect to any Person (each, a “Distressed Person”),
(i) a voluntary or involuntary case (or comparable proceeding) has been
commenced with respect to such Person under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) a
custodian, conservator, receiver or similar official has been appointed for such
Person or for any substantial part of such Person’s assets, or (iii) such Person
has made a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or has otherwise been
adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory
authority over such Person or its assets to be, (a) insolvent or bankrupt or (b)
deficient in meeting any capital adequacy or liquidity requirement of any
Governmental Authority applicable to such Person and as a result of such
deficiency is no longer permitted by such Governmental Authority to continue
operations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to a Lender
which as of the date hereof is already majority owned by a Governmental
Authority or instrumentality, if such Governmental Authority increases its
ownership interest in such Lender, such event alone will not trigger clause
(iii)(a) above and for purposes of clarity clause (iii)(a) is not intended to
cover such event.
“Distressed Person”
has the meaning specified in the definition of “Distress Event”.
10.15
Governing Law; Jurisdiction;
Etc.
(a) GOVERNING
LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
(b) SUBMISSION TO
JURISDICTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND
UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE
JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY
AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK,
AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING
OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR
RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO
IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH
ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT
OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL
COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY
SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY
LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL
AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY PARTY MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR
PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY
PARTY HERETO OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c) WAIVER OF
VENUE. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY
WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT
MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY
COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE
PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY
APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH
ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
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(d) SERVICE OF
PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF
PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION
10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY
PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
LAW.
10.16
Waiver of Jury
Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER
THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE,
AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE,
THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE
THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO
HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY,
AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS
SECTION.
10.17
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 that: (i) (A) the
arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the
Administrative Agent are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the
Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, on
the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting,
regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) 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; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent 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 and (B) the
Administrative Agent has no 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 Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may be engaged in a board range of
transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and
its Affiliates, and the Administrative Agent has no 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 the Administrative Agent with respect to any breach or
alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any
transaction contemplated hereby.
10.18
Electronic
Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The
words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any
Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof
(including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic
signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be
of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed
signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be,
to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal
Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State
Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on
the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
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10.19
USA PATRIOT Act
Notice. Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter
defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any
Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the
USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001))
(the “Act”), it
is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the
Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and
other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as
applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The
Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any
Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative
Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations
under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and
regulations, including the Act.
85
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date
first above written.
DUFF
& XXXXXX, LLC
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||
By:
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/s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
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Name:
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Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Title:
|
Executive
Vice
President
|
S -
1
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as
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||
Administrative
Agent
|
||
By:
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/s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
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Name:
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Title:
|
Senior
Vice
President
|
S -
2
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as a Lender and L/C
Issuer
|
||
By:
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/s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
|
Senior
Vice
President
|
S -
3