U.S. $300,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of August 24, 2007 Among THE HERSHEY COMPANY, as Borrower, and THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN, as Initial Lenders, and CITIBANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Syndication...
Exhibit
10.1
EXECUTION
COPY
U.S.
$300,000,000
Dated
as
of August 24, 2007
Among
THE
HERSHEY COMPANY,
as
Borrower,
and
THE
INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,
as
Initial Lenders,
and
CITIBANK,
N.A.,
as
Administrative Agent,
and
BANK
OF
AMERICA, N.A.,
as
Syndication Agent,
and
UBS
LOAN
FINANCE LLC,
as
Documentation Agent,
and
CITIGROUP
GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,
and
BANC
OF
AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as
Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book
Managers,
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
|
||
SECTION
1.01
|
Certain
Defined Terms
|
1
|
SECTION
1.02
|
Computation
of Time Periods
|
13
|
SECTION
1.03
|
Accounting
Terms
|
13
|
ARTICLE
II AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES
|
||
SECTION
2.01
|
The
Revolving Credit Advances
|
13
|
SECTION
2.02
|
Making
the Revolving Credit Advances
|
14
|
SECTION
2.03
|
The
Competitive Bid Advances
|
15
|
SECTION
2.04
|
Fees
|
19
|
SECTION
2.05
|
Termination
or Reduction of the Commitments
|
19
|
SECTION
2.06
|
Repayment
of Revolving Credit Advances
|
20
|
SECTION
2.07
|
Interest
on Revolving Credit Advances
|
20
|
SECTION
2.08
|
Interest
Rate Determination
|
21
|
SECTION
2.09
|
Optional
Conversion of Revolving Credit Advances
|
22
|
SECTION
2.10
|
Optional
Prepayments of Revolving Credit Advances
|
23
|
SECTION
2.11
|
Increased
Costs
|
23
|
SECTION
2.12
|
Illegality
|
24
|
SECTION
2.13
|
Payments
and Computations
|
25
|
SECTION
2.14
|
Taxes
|
25
|
SECTION
2.15
|
Sharing
of Payments, Etc.
|
27
|
SECTION
2.16
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
28
|
SECTION
2.17
|
Mandatory
Assignment by a Lender; Mitigation
|
28
|
SECTION
2.18
|
Evidence
of Debt
|
29
|
ARTICLE
III CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND
LENDING
|
i
SECTION
3.01
|
Conditions
Precedent to Effectiveness of Sections 2.01 and 2.03
|
29
|
SECTION
3.02
|
Initial
Borrowing of Each Designated Subsidiary
|
31
|
SECTION
3.03
|
Conditions
Precedent to Each Revolving Credit Borrowing
|
32
|
SECTION
3.04
|
Conditions
Precedent to Each Competitive Bid Borrowing
|
32
|
SECTION
3.05
|
Determinations
Under Section 3.01
|
33
|
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
|
||
SECTION
4.01
|
Representations
and Warranties of the Company
|
33
|
ARTICLE
V COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
|
||
SECTION
5.01
|
Affirmative
Covenants
|
36
|
SECTION
5.02
|
Negative
Covenants
|
39
|
SECTION
5.03
|
Financial
Covenant
|
40
|
ARTICLE
VI EVENTS OF DEFAULT
|
||
SECTION
6.01
|
Events
of Default
|
40
|
ARTICLE
VII GUARANTY
|
||
SECTION
7.01
|
Guaranty
|
43
|
SECTION
7.02
|
Guaranty
Absolute
|
43
|
SECTION
7.03
|
Waivers
and Acknowledgements
|
44
|
SECTION
7.04
|
Subrogation
|
44
|
SECTION
7.05
|
Continuing
Guaranty; Assignments Under the Credit Agreement
|
45
|
SECTION
7.06
|
No
Stay
|
45
|
ARTICLE
VIII THE AGENTS
|
||
SECTION
8.01
|
Authorization
and Action
|
45
|
SECTION
8.02
|
Agent’s
Reliance, Etc.
|
46
|
SECTION
8.03
|
Citibank
and Affiliates
|
46
|
SECTION
8.04
|
Lender
Credit Decision
|
47
|
ii
SECTION
8.05
|
Indemnification
|
47
|
SECTION
8.06
|
Successor
Agent
|
47
|
ARTICLE
IX MISCELLANEOUS
|
||
SECTION
9.01
|
Amendments,
Etc.
|
48
|
SECTION
9.02
|
Notices,
Etc.
|
48
|
SECTION
9.03
|
No
Waiver; Remedies
|
49
|
SECTION
9.04
|
Costs
and Expenses
|
49
|
SECTION
9.05
|
Right
of Set-off
|
51
|
SECTION
9.06
|
Binding
Effect
|
51
|
SECTION
9.07
|
Assignments,
Designations and Participations
|
51
|
SECTION
9.08
|
Designated
Subsidiaries
|
54
|
SECTION
9.09
|
Confidentiality
|
55
|
SECTION
9.10
|
Governing
Law
|
56
|
SECTION
9.11
|
Execution
in Counterparts
|
56
|
SECTION
9.12
|
Jurisdiction,
Etc.
|
56
|
SECTION
9.13
|
Patriot
Act
|
57
|
iii
SCHEDULES
|
||
Schedule
I
|
-
|
List
of Applicable Lending Offices
|
Schedule
3.01(b)
|
-
|
Disclosed
Litigation
|
Schedule
4.01(c)
|
-
|
Required
Authorizations and Approvals
|
EXHIBITS
|
||
Exhibit
A-1
|
-
|
Form
of Revolving Credit Note
|
Exhibit
A-2
|
-
|
Form
of Competitive Bid Note
|
Exhibit
B-1
|
-
|
Form
of Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing
|
Exhibit
B-2
|
-
|
Form
of Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing
|
Exhibit
C
|
-
|
Form
of Assignment and Acceptance
|
Exhibit
D
|
-
|
[Reserved]
|
Exhibit
E
|
-
|
Form
of Designation Letter
|
Exhibit
F
|
-
|
Form
of Acceptance by Process Agent
|
Exhibit
G
|
-
|
Form
of Opinion of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and
Secretary of the Company
|
Exhibit
H
|
-
|
Form
of Opinion of Counsel to a Designated
Subsidiary
|
iv
Dated
as
of August 24, 2007
THE
HERSHEY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), the banks,
financial institutions and other institutional lenders (the "Initial
Lenders") listed on the signature pages hereof, CITIBANK, N.A.
("Citibank"), as administrative agent (the "Agent") for the
Lenders (as hereinafter defined), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as syndication agent,
UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC, as documentation agent, and CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS
INC.
and BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book
managers (the "Arrangers"), agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
SECTION
1.01. Certain
Defined Terms. As used in
this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such
meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of
the
terms defined):
"Advance"
means a Revolving Credit Advance or a Competitive Bid Advance.
"Affiliate"
means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly,
controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is
a
director or officer of such Person. For purposes of this definition,
the term "control" (including the terms "controlling", "controlled by" and
"under common control with") of a Person means the possession, direct or
indirect, of the power to vote 5% or more of the Voting Stock of such Person
or
to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person,
whether through the ownership of Voting Stock, by contract or
otherwise.
"Agent's
Account" means the account of the Agent maintained by the Agent at Citibank
with its office at Xxx Xxxx'x Xxx, Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Account
No. 00000000, Attention: Bank Loan Syndications.
"Applicable
Lending Office" means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender's Domestic
Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Advance and such Lender's Eurodollar
Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance and, in the case of
a
Competitive Bid Advance, the office of such Lender notified by such Lender
to
the Agent as its Applicable Lending Office with respect to such Competitive
Bid
Advance.
2
"Applicable
Margin" means (a) for Base Rate Advances, 0% per annum and (b) for
Eurodollar Rate Advances, as of any date, a percentage per annum determined
by
reference to the Level in effect on such date as set forth below:
Level
|
Applicable
Margin for Eurodollar
Rate
Advances
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.110%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.135%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.150%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.190%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.270%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.350%
|
"Applicable
Percentage" means, as of any date, a percentage per annum determined by
reference to the Level in effect on such date as set forth below:
Xxxxx
|
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.040%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.040%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.050%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.060%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.080%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.100%
|
"Applicable
Utilization Fee" means, as of any date that the aggregate Advances exceed
50% of the aggregate Commitments, a percentage per annum determined by reference
to the Level in effect on such date as set forth below:
Level
|
Applicable
Utilization
Fee
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.025%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.025%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.050%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.050%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.100%
|
Xxxxx
0
|
0.100%
|
"Assignment
and Acceptance" means an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender
and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Agent, in substantially the form
of Exhibit C hereto.
"Base
Rate" means a fluctuating interest rate per annum in effect from time to
time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the higher
of:
"Base
Rate Advance" means a Revolving Credit Advance that bears interest as
provided in Section 2.07(a)(i).
"Borrower"
means the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, as the context
requires.
"Borrowing"
means a Revolving Credit Borrowing or a Competitive Bid Borrowing.
"Business
Day" means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized
by law to close in New York City and, if the applicable Business Day
relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advance or LIBO Rate Advance, on which dealings
are carried on in the London interbank market.
"Change
of Control" means a change in the voting power of Hershey Trust Company, as
trustee for the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx School (the "Hershey Trust"), such that
either (A) (i) it no longer controls a majority of the voting power of
the Company's Voting Stock and (ii) at the same time, another Person or
group of Persons within the meaning of Section 13 or 14 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, controls a percentage of the voting power
of
the Company's Voting Stock in excess of the percentage controlled by the Hershey
Trust or (B) it no longer controls at least 30% of the voting power of the
Company's Voting Stock.
"Commitment"
has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
"Company
Information" has the meaning specified in Section 9.09.
"Competitive
Bid Advance" means an advance by a Lender to any Borrower as part of a
Competitive Bid Borrowing resulting from the competitive bidding procedure
described in Section 2.03 and refers to a Fixed Rate Advance or a LIBO Rate
Advance.
"Competitive
Bid Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Competitive Bid
Advances from each of the Lenders whose offer to make one or more Competitive
Bid Advances as part of such borrowing has been accepted under the competitive
bidding procedure described in Section 2.03.
"Competitive
Bid Note" means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to the order of
any Lender, in substantially the form of Exhibit A-2 hereto, evidencing the
indebtedness of such Borrower to such Lender resulting from a Competitive Bid
Advance made by such Lender to such Borrower.
"Competitive
Bid Reduction" has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
4
"Consolidated"
refers to the consolidation of accounts in accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated
Interest Expense" means, for any period with respect to the Company and its
Subsidiaries, net interest expense plus capitalized interest for such
period, in each case determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP.
"Consolidated
Net Interest Expense" means, for any period with respect to the Company and
its Subsidiaries, interest expense minus capitalized interest and
interest income for such period, in each case determined on a Consolidated
basis
in accordance with GAAP.
"Convert",
"Conversion" and "Converted" each refers to a conversion of
Revolving Credit Advances of one Type into Revolving Credit Advances of the
other Type pursuant to Section 2.08 or 2.09.
"Debt"
means, with respect to any Person: (a) indebtedness for borrowed
money, (b) obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar
instruments, (c) obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property
or
services (other than trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of
business), (d) obligations as lessee under leases which shall have been or
should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases, (e) all
obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of acceptances,
letters of credit (other than trade letters of credit) or similar extensions
of
credit and (f) obligations under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of,
and obligations, contingent or otherwise, to purchase or otherwise acquire,
or
otherwise to assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or
obligations of any other Person of the kinds referred to in clauses (a) through
(d) above.
"Default"
means any Event of Default or any event that would constitute an Event of
Default but for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse or
both.
"Designated
Subsidiary" means any corporate Subsidiary of the Company designated for
borrowing privileges under this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.08.
"Designation
Letter" means, with respect to any Designated Subsidiary, a letter in the
form of Exhibit E hereto signed by such Designated Subsidiary and the
Company.
"Disclosed
Litigation" has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(b).
"Domestic
Lending Office" means, with respect to any Initial Lender, the office of
such Lender specified as its "Domestic Lending Office" opposite its name on
Schedule I hereto or, with respect to any other Lender, the office of such
Lender specified as its "Domestic Lending Office" in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other office of such
Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Company and the
Agent.
"Effective
Date" has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.
5
"Eligible
Assignee" means (a) a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender which is
principally engaged in the commercial banking business, and (b) any bank or
other financial institution, or any other Person, that has been approved in
writing by the Company (so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing) and the Agent as an Eligible Assignee for purposes of this
Agreement; provided, however, that neither the Company's nor the
Agent's approval shall be unreasonably withheld; and provided
further, however, that the Company (whether or not an Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing) may withhold its approval if the Company
reasonably believes that an assignment to such Eligible Assignee pursuant to
Section 9.07 will result in the incurrence of increased costs payable by any
Borrower pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.14.
"Environmental
Action" means any administrative, regulatory or judicial action, suit,
demand, demand letter, claim, notice, investigation, proceeding, consent order
or consent agreement relating to any Environmental Law, Environmental Permit
or
Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury to health, safety or the
environment.
"Environmental
Law" means any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, ordinance,
rule, regulation, code, order, judgment, decree or judicial or agency
interpretation, policy or guidance relating to pollution or protection of the
environment, health, safety or natural resources, including, without limitation,
those relating to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage,
disposal, release or discharge of Hazardous Materials.
"Environmental
Permit" means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other
authorization required under any Environmental Law.
"ERISA"
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from
time
to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued
thereunder.
"ERISA
Affiliate" means any Person that for purposes of Title IV of ERISA is a
member of the Company's controlled group, or under common control with the
Company, within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue
Code.
"ERISA
Event" means (a) (i) the occurrence of a reportable event, within the
meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA, with respect to any Plan unless the
30-day notice requirement with respect to such event has been waived by the
PBGC, or (ii) the requirements of subsection (1) of Section 4043(b) of ERISA
(without regard to subsection (2) of such Section) are met with a contributing
sponsor, as defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA, of a Plan, and an event
described in paragraph (9), (10), (11), (12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of
ERISA is reasonably expected to occur with respect to such Plan within the
following 30 days; (b) the application for a minimum funding waiver with
respect to a Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a
notice of intent to terminate such Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of
ERISA (including any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred
to in
Section 4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the cessation of operations at a
facility of the Company or any ERISA affiliate in the circumstances described
in
Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by the
6
Company
or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year for
which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of
ERISA; (f) the conditions for the imposition of a lien under
Section 302(f) of ERISA shall have been met with respect to any Plan;
(g) the adoption of an amendment to a Plan requiring the provision of
security to such Plan pursuant to Section 307 of ERISA; or (h) the
institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan pursuant to
Section 4042 of ERISA, or the occurrence of any event or condition
described in Section 4042 of ERISA that constitutes grounds for the
termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, such
Plan.
"Eurocurrency
Liabilities" has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time
to
time.
"Eurodollar
Lending Office" means, with respect to any Initial Lender, the office of
such Lender specified as its "Eurodollar Lending Office" opposite its name
on
Schedule I hereto or, with respect to any other Lender, the office of such
Lender specified as its "Eurodollar Lending Office" in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is
specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or such other office of such Lender
as
such Lender may from time to time specify to the Company and the
Agent.
"Eurodollar
Rate" means, for any Interest Period for each Eurodollar Rate Advance
comprising part of the same Revolving Credit Borrowing, an interest rate per
annum equal to the rate per annum (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple
of 1/16 of 1% per annum) appearing on Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750
(or
any successor page) as the London interbank offered rate for deposits in U.S.
dollars at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days prior to
the
first day of such Interest Period for a term comparable to such Interest Period
or, if for any reason such rate is not available, the average (rounded
upward to the nearest whole multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average
is
not such a multiple) of the rate per annum at which deposits in U.S. dollars
are
offered by the principal office of each of the Reference Banks in London,
England to prime banks in the London interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London
time) two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period in an
amount substantially equal to such Reference Bank's Eurodollar Rate Advance
comprising part of such Revolving Credit Borrowing to be outstanding during
such
Interest Period and for a period equal to such Interest Period. If
Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750 (or any successor page) is unavailable,
the
Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for each Eurodollar Rate Advance
comprising part of the same Revolving Credit Borrowing shall be determined
by
the Agent on the basis of applicable rates furnished to and received by the
Agent from the Reference Banks two Business Days before the first day of such
Interest Period, subject, however, to the provisions of
Section 2.08.
"Eurodollar
Rate Advance" means a Revolving Credit Advance that bears interest as
provided in Section 2.07(a)(ii).
"Eurodollar
Rate Reserve Percentage" with respect to any Lender for any Interest Period
for all Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances comprising part of
the
7
same
Borrowing means the reserve percentage applicable during such Interest Period
(or, if more than one such percentage shall be so applicable, the daily average
of such percentages for those days in such Interest Period during which any
such
percentage shall be so applicable) under regulations issued from time to time
by
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for
determining the reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any
emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) actually imposed
on such Lender with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including
Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect to any other category of liabilities
that includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Eurodollar
Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances is determined) having a term equal to such
Interest Period.
"Events
of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
"Excluded
Taxes" has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).
"Federal
Funds Rate" means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum
equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates
on
overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System
arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day
is
not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is
a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions
received by the Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing
selected by it.
"Fixed
Rate Advances" has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(a)(i).
"GAAP"
has the meaning specified in Section 1.03.
"Guaranty"
means the guaranty made by the Company to the Lenders and the Agent pursuant
to
Article VII.
"Guaranteed
Obligations" has the meaning specified in Section 7.01(a).
"Hazardous
Materials" means (a) petroleum and petroleum products, byproducts or
breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials,
polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas and (b) any other chemicals, materials
or substances designated, classified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or
as a
pollutant or contaminant under any Environmental Law.
"Insufficiency"
means, with respect to any Plan, the amount, if any, of its unfunded benefit
liabilities, as defined in Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA.
"Interest
Period" means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same
Revolving Credit Borrowing and each LIBO Rate Advance comprising part of the
same Competitive Bid Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such
Eurodollar Rate Advance or LIBO Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion
of
any Base Rate Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on the last
day of the period
8
selected
by the Borrower that requested such Borrowing pursuant to the provisions below
and, thereafter, with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances, each subsequent
period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period
and ending on the last day of the period selected by such Borrower pursuant
to
the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall
be one, two, three or six months, as the applicable Borrower may, upon notice
received by the Agent not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time)
on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period,
select; provided, however, that:
(i) such
Borrower may not select any Interest Period that ends after the Termination
Date;
(ii) Interest
Periods commencing on the same date for Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising
part
of the same Revolving Credit Borrowing or for LIBO Rate Advances comprising
part
of the same Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be of the same
duration;
(iii) whenever
the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than
a
Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur
on
the next succeeding Business Day, provided, however, that, if such
extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the
next
following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur
on
the next preceding Business Day; and
(iv) whenever
the first day of any Interest Period occurs on a day of an initial calendar
month for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month
that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months equal to
the
number of months in such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on
the
last Business Day of such succeeding calendar month.
"Internal
Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time
to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued
thereunder.
"Lenders"
means, collectively, each of the banks, financial institutions and other
institutional lenders listed on Schedule I hereto and each Eligible Assignee
that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 9.07.
"Level"
means, as of any date, the lowest of Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx 0,
Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx 5 or Level 6 then applicable to the Public Debt
Rating.
"Level 1"
means that either (a) S&P shall have assigned a rating of at least AA- or
(b) Moody's shall have assigned a rating of at least Aa3.
"Level 2"
means that either (a) S&P shall have assigned a rating lower than AA- but at
least A+ or (b) Moody's shall have assigned a rating lower than Aa3 but at
least
A1.
9
"Level 3"
means that either (a) S&P shall have assigned a rating lower than A+ but at
least A or (b) Moody's shall have assigned a rating lower than A1 but at least
A2.
"Level 4"
means that either (a) S&P shall have assigned a rating lower than A but at
least A- or (b) Moody's shall have assigned a rating lower than A2 but at least
A3.
"Level 5"
means that either (a) S&P shall have assigned a rating lower than A- but at
least BBB+ or (b) Moody's shall have assigned a rating lower than A3 but at
least Baa1.
"Level
6" means that the Company has not met the criteria for Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx 0,
Xxxxx 0, Xxxxx 4 and Level 5.
"LIBO
Rate" means, for any Interest Period for all LIBO Rate Advances comprising
part of the same Competitive Bid Borrowing, an interest rate per annum equal
to
the rate per annum (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple of 1/16 of
1%
per annum) appearing on Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750 (or any successor
page) as the London interbank offered rate for deposits in U.S. dollars at
approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days prior to the first
day
of such Interest Period for a term comparable to such Interest Period or, if
for
any reason such rate is not available, the average (rounded upward to the
nearest whole multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum, or if there is no nearest whole
multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum, then rounded upward to the nearest whole
multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) of
the
rate per annum at which deposits in U.S. dollars are offered by the principal
office of each of the Reference Banks in London, England to prime banks in
the
London interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days
before the first day of such Interest Period in an amount substantially equal
to
the amount that would be such Reference Bank's respective ratable share of
such
Borrowing if such Borrowing were to be a Revolving Credit Borrowing to be
outstanding during such Interest Period and for a period equal to such Interest
Period. If Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750 (or any successor
page) is unavailable, the LIBO Rate for any Interest Period for each LIBO Rate
Advance comprising part of the same Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be
determined by the Agent on the basis of applicable rates furnished to and
received by the Agent from the Reference Banks two Business Days before the
first day of such Interest Period, subject, however, to the
provisions of Section 2.08.
"LIBO
Rate Advances" has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(a)(i).
"Lien"
means any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest, conditional sale or other
title retention agreement or other similar charge or encumbrance.
"Majority
Lenders" means at any time Lenders owed at least 51% of the then aggregate
unpaid principal amount of the Revolving Credit Advances owing to Lenders,
or,
if no such principal amount is then outstanding, Lenders having at least 51%
of
the Commitments.
10
"Material
Adverse Change" means any material adverse change in the business, financial
condition, operations, performance or principal manufacturing properties of
the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
"Material
Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on (a) the business,
financial condition, operations, performance or principal manufacturing
properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the
rights and remedies of the Agent or the Lenders under this Agreement or any
Note
or (c) the ability of any Borrower to perform its obligations (other than
payment obligations) under this Agreement or any Note.
"Material
Subsidiary" means, at any date of determination, a Subsidiary of the Company
that, either individually or together with its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
has total assets exceeding $300,000,000 on such date.
"Moody's"
means Xxxxx'x Investors Service, Inc., or its successor.
"Multiemployer
Plan" means a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA, to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an
obligation to make contributions, or has within any of the preceding five plan
years made or accrued an obligation to make contributions.
"Multiple
Employer Plan" means a single employer plan, as defined in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of
the Company or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other than the
Company and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of
which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under
Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be
terminated.
"Note"
means a Revolving Credit Note or a Competitive Bid Note.
"Notice
of Revolving Credit Borrowing" has the meaning specified in
Section 2.02(a).
"Notice
of Competitive Bid Borrowing" has the meaning specified in
Section 2.03(a).
"Other
Taxes" has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(b).
"PBGC"
means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any successor).
"Permitted
Liens" means such of the following as to which no enforcement, collection,
execution, levy or foreclosure proceeding shall have been
commenced: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments and governmental
charges or levies to the extent not required to be paid under
Section 5.01(b) hereof; (b) Liens imposed by law, such as
materialmen's, mechanics', carriers', workmen's and repairmen's Liens and other
similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business; (c) pledges or
deposits to secure obligations under workers' compensation laws or similar
legislation or to secure public or
11
statutory
obligations; (d) easements, rights of way and other encumbrances on title
to real property that do not render title to the property encumbered thereby
unmarketable or materially adversely affect the use of such property for its
present purposes; (e) Liens arising under leases or subleases granted to others
that would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (f) Liens granted in connection
with any interest rate or foreign currency options, commodity contracts, futures
or similar agreements entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
in
the ordinary course of business; and (g) Liens granted in connection with
corporate-owned life insurance programs of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
"Person"
means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust),
joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, limited liability
company or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency
thereof.
"Plan"
means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan.
"Pre-Tax
Income from Continuing Operations" means, for any period with respect to the
Company and its Subsidiaries, net income (or net loss) from operations
(determined without giving effect to extraordinary or non-recurring gains or
losses) plus the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Interest Expense, (b) income
tax expense and (c) non-recurring non-cash charges (including the cumulative
effect of accounting changes, restructuring charges and gains or losses from
the
sale of businesses), in each case determined on a Consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that the LIFO adjustment
to the determination of Pre-Tax Income from Continuing Operations for purposes
of the quarterly financial statements and the compliance certificate delivered
pursuant to Section 5.01(h)(i) shall be made in accordance with the Company's
best estimation.
"Process
Agent" has the meaning specified in Section 9.12(a).
"Public
Debt Rating" means, as of any date, the lowest rating that has been most
recently and officially announced by either S&P or Xxxxx'x, as the case may
be, for any class of non-credit enhanced long-term senior unsecured debt issued
by the Company. For purposes of the foregoing, (a) if only one
of S&P and Xxxxx'x shall have in effect a Public Debt Rating for the
Company, the Applicable Margin, the Applicable Percentage and the Applicable
Utilization Fee shall be determined by reference to the available rating;
(b) if neither S&P nor Xxxxx'x shall have in effect a Public Debt
Rating for the Company, the Applicable Margin, the Applicable Percentage and
the
Applicable Utilization Fee will be set in accordance with Level 6 under the
definition of "Applicable Margin", "Applicable Percentage" or
"Applicable Utilization Fee", as the case may be; (c) if the ratings
established by S&P and Xxxxx'x shall fall within different levels, the
Applicable Margin, the Applicable Percentage and the Applicable Utilization
Fee
shall be based upon the higher rating, provided that if the lower of such
ratings is more than one level below the higher of such ratings, the Applicable
Margin, the Applicable Percentage and the Applicable Utilization Fee shall
be
determined by reference to the level that is one level above such lower rating;
(d) if any rating established by S&P or Xxxxx'x shall be changed, such
change shall be effective as of the date on which such change is
first
12
announced
publicly by the rating agency making such change (regardless of the effective
date thereof); and (e) if S&P or Xxxxx'x shall change the basis on
which ratings are established, each reference to the Public Debt Rating
announced by S&P or Xxxxx'x, as the case may be, shall refer to the then
equivalent rating by S&P or Xxxxx'x, as the case may be.
"Reference
Banks" means Citibank, Bank of America, N.A. and UBS AG, Stamford Branch,
or, in the event that less than two of such Lenders remain Lenders hereunder
at
any time, any other commercial bank designated by the Company and approved
by
the Majority Lenders as constituting a "Reference Bank" hereunder.
"Register"
has the meaning specified in Section 9.07(d).
"Revolving
Credit Advance" means an advance by a Lender to any Borrower as part of a
Revolving Credit Borrowing by such Borrower and refers to a Base Rate Advance
or
a Eurodollar Rate Advance (each of which shall be a "Type"
of Revolving Credit Advance).
"Revolving
Credit Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving
Credit Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders pursuant to
Section 2.01.
"Revolving
Credit Note" means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to the order of
any Lender, delivered pursuant to a request made under 2.18(a) in substantially
the form of Exhibit A-1 hereto, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of
such Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Revolving Credit Advances made
by such Lender to such Borrower.
"S&P"
means Standard & Poor's Rating Services, a division of the XxXxxx-Xxxx
Companies, Inc., or its successor.
"Single
Employer Plan" means a single employer plan, as defined in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of
the Company or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than the Company and
the
ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4069 of
ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.
"Subsidiary"
of any Person means any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
trust or estate of which (or in which) more than 50% of (a) the issued and
outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority
of
the Board of Directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the
time
capital stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall or might
have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency), (b) the interest
in the capital or profits of such limited liability company or partnership
or
(c) the beneficial interest in such trust or estate is at the time directly
or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person, by such Person and one or
more
of its other Subsidiaries or by one or more of such Person's other
Subsidiaries.
13
"Taxes"
has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).
"Termination
Date" means the earlier of (a) August 22, 2008 or (b) the date of
termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05(a),
2.05(b) or 6.01.
"Voting
Stock" means capital stock issued by a corporation, or equivalent interests
in any other Person, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of
contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons
performing similar functions) of such Person, even if the right so to vote
has
been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.
"Withdrawal
Liability" has the meaning specified in Part I of Subtitle E of
Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION
1.02. Computation
of Time Periods. In this Agreement in the computation of periods
of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word
"from" means "from and including" and the words "to" and "until" each
mean "to but excluding".
SECTION
1.03. Accounting
Terms. All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall
be construed in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in
the
United States consistent with those applied in the preparation of the financial
statements referred to in Section 4.01(e) ("GAAP").
ARTICLE
II
AMOUNTS
AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES
SECTION
2.01. The
Revolving Credit Advances. Each Lender severally agrees, on the
terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make Revolving Credit Advances
to
any Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the
Effective Date until the Termination Date in an aggregate amount for all
Borrowers not to exceed at any time outstanding (a) the amount set forth
opposite such Lender's name on Schedule I hereto or (b) if such Lender has
entered into any Assignment and Acceptance, the amount set forth for such Lender
in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.07(d), in
each case as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 2.05(a) or (b)
(such Lender's "Commitment"), provided that the aggregate amount
of the Commitments of the Lenders shall be deemed used from time to time to
the
extent of the aggregate amount of the Competitive Bid Advances then outstanding
and such deemed use of the aggregate amount of the Commitments shall be
allocated among the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments
(such deemed use of the aggregate amount of the Commitments being a
"Competitive Bid Reduction"). Each Revolving Credit Borrowing
shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, an aggregate amount equal to the
amount by which the aggregate amount of a proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing
requested by any Borrower exceeds the aggregate amount of Competitive Bid
Advances offered to be made by the Lenders and accepted by such Borrower in
respect of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, if such Competitive Bid Borrowing
is
made on the same date and by the same Borrower as such Revolving Credit
Borrowing) and shall consist of Revolving Credit Advances of the same Type
made
on the same
14
day
by
the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments. Within
the limits of each Lender's Commitment, any Borrower may borrow under this
Section 2.01, prepay pursuant to Section 2.10 and reborrow under this
Section 2.01.
SECTION
2.02. Making
the Revolving Credit Advances. (a) Each Revolving
Credit Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later than
(i) 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day
prior to the date of the proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing in the case of
a
Revolving Credit Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances or (ii) 11:00
A.M. (New York City time) on the day of the proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing
in the case of a Revolving Credit Borrowing consisting of Base Rate Advances,
by
any Borrower to the Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof
by telecopier. Each such notice of a Revolving Credit Borrowing (a
"Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing") shall be by telephone, confirmed
immediately in writing, or telecopier in substantially the form of
Exhibit B-1 hereto, specifying therein the requested (w) date of such
Revolving Credit Borrowing, (x) Type of Advances comprising such Revolving
Credit Borrowing, (y) aggregate amount of such Revolving Credit Borrowing,
and (z) in the case of a Revolving Credit Borrowing consisting of
Eurodollar Rate Advances, initial Interest Period for each such Revolving Credit
Advance. Each Lender shall, before (i) in the case of a Eurodollar
Rate Advance, 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) or (ii) in the case of a
Base Rate Advance, 1:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of such Revolving
Credit Borrowing, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending
Office to the Agent at the Agent's Account, in same day funds, such Lender's
ratable portion of such Revolving Credit Borrowing. After the Agent's
receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set
forth in Article III, the Agent will make such funds available to the
Borrower requesting the Revolving Credit Borrowing at the Agent's address
referred to in Section 9.02.
(b) Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, a Borrower may not select Eurodollar
Rate Advances for any Revolving Credit Borrowing if the obligation of the
Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances shall then be suspended pursuant to
Section 2.08 or 2.12.
(c) Each
Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing of any Borrower shall be irrevocable and
binding on such Borrower. In the case of any Revolving Credit
Borrowing that the related Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing specifies is
to
be comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Borrower requesting such Revolving
Credit Borrowing shall indemnify each Lender, after receipt of a written request
by such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for such request,
against any loss, cost or expense actually incurred by such Lender as a result
of any failure by such Borrower to fulfill on or before the date specified
in
such Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing for such Revolving Credit Borrowing
the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, including, without
limitation, any loss (other than loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense
actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits
or
other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Revolving Credit Advance to
be
made by such Lender as part of such Revolving Credit Borrowing when such
Revolving Credit Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on such
date.
(d) Unless
the Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any
Revolving Credit Borrowing comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances or prior to
the
time of the proposed disbursement of any Revolving Credit Borrowing comprised
of
Base Rate
15
Advances
that such Lender will not make available to the Agent such Lender's ratable
portion of such Revolving Credit Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such
Lender has made such portion available to the Agent on the date of such
Revolving Credit Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this
Section 2.02 and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make
available to the Borrower requesting such Revolving Credit Borrowing on such
date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender
shall not have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent, such Lender
and such Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent forthwith on demand
such
corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the
date
such amount is made available to such Borrower until the date such amount is
repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of such Borrower, the interest rate
applicable at the time to Revolving Credit Advances comprising such Revolving
Credit Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds
Rate. If such Lender shall repay to the Agent such corresponding
amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender's Revolving Credit
Advance as part of such Revolving Credit Borrowing for purposes of this
Agreement.
(e) The
failure of any Lender to make the Revolving Credit Advance to be made by it
as
part of any Revolving Credit Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of
its
obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Revolving Credit Advance on the date
of such Revolving Credit Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for
the
failure of any other Lender to make the Revolving Credit Advance to be made
by
such other Lender on the date of any Revolving Credit Borrowing.
SECTION
2.03. The
Competitive Bid Advances. (a) Each Lender severally
agrees that any Borrower may make Competitive Bid Borrowings under this
Section 2.03 from time to time on any Business Day during the period from
the date hereof until the date occurring 30 days prior to the Termination Date
in the manner set forth below; provided that, following the making of
each Competitive Bid Borrowing, the aggregate amount of the Advances then
outstanding shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments of the
Lenders (computed without regard to any Competitive Bid Reduction).
(i) A
Borrower may request a Competitive Bid Borrowing under this Section 2.03 by
delivering to the Agent, by telecopier, a notice of a Competitive Bid Borrowing
(a "Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing"), in substantially the form of
Exhibit B-2 hereto, specifying therein the requested (u) date of such
proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing, (v) aggregate amount of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, (w) interest rate basis (LIBO Rate or fixed rate)
to
be offered by the Lenders, (x) in the case of a Competitive Bid Borrowing
consisting of LIBO Rate Advances, Interest Period of each Competitive Bid
Advance to be made as part of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, or in the case
of
a Competitive Bid Borrowing Consisting of Fixed Rate Advances, maturity date
for
repayment of each Fixed Rate Advance to be made as part of such Competitive
Bid
Borrowing (which maturity date may not be earlier than the date occurring 7
days
after the date of such Competitive Bid Borrowing or later than the earlier
of
(I) 180 days after the date of such Competitive Bid Borrowing and
(II) the Termination Date), (y) interest payment date or dates
relating thereto, and (z) other terms (if any) to be applicable to such
Competitive Bid Borrowing, not later than 10:00 A.M. (New York City
time) (A) at least one Business Day prior to the date of the proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, if such Borrower shall specify in the Notice of
Competitive
16
Bid
Borrowing that the rates of interest to be offered by the Lenders shall be
fixed
rates per annum (the Advances comprising any such Competitive Bid Borrowing
being referred to herein as "Fixed Rate Advances") and (B) at least
four Business Days prior to the date of the proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing,
if such Borrower shall instead specify in the Notice of Competitive Bid
Borrowing that the rates of interest to be offered by the Lenders are to be
based on the LIBO Rate (the Advances comprising such Competitive Bid Borrowing
being referred to herein as "LIBO Rate Advances"). Each Notice
of Competitive Bid Borrowing of a Borrower shall be irrevocable and binding
on
such Borrower. Any Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing by a
Designated Subsidiary shall be given to the Agent in accordance with the
preceding sentence through the Company on behalf of such Designated
Subsidiary. The Agent shall in turn promptly notify each Lender of
each request for a Competitive Bid Borrowing received by it from a Borrower
by
sending such Lender a copy of the related Notice of Competitive Bid
Borrowing.
(ii) Each
Lender may, if, in its sole discretion, it elects to do so, irrevocably offer
to
make one or more Competitive Bid Advances to the Borrower proposing the
Competitive Bid Borrowing as part of such proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing
at
a rate or rates of interest specified by such Lender in its sole discretion,
by
notifying the Agent (which shall give prompt notice thereof to such Borrower),
before 9:30 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, in the case of a Competitive Bid Borrowing consisting
of Fixed Rate Advances and before 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) three Business
Days before the date of such proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing, in the case
of
a Competitive Bid Borrowing consisting of LIBO Rate Advances, of the minimum
amount and maximum amount of each Competitive Bid Advance which such Lender
would be willing to make as part of such proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing
(which amounts may, subject to the proviso to the first sentence of this
Section 2.03(a), exceed such Lender's Commitment, if any), the rate or
rates of interest therefor and such Lender's Applicable Lending Office with
respect to such Competitive Bid Advance; provided that if the Agent in
its capacity as a Lender shall, in its sole discretion, elect to make any such
offer, it shall notify such Borrower of such offer at least 30 minutes before
the time and on the date on which notice of such election is to be given to
the
Agent by the other Lenders. If any Lender shall elect not to make
such an offer, such Lender shall so notify the Agent, before 10:00 A.M.
(New York City time) on the date on which notice of such election is to be
given to the Agent by the other Lenders, and such Lender shall not be obligated
to, and shall not, make any Competitive Bid Advance as part of such Competitive
Bid Borrowing; provided that the failure by any Lender to give such
notice shall not cause such Lender to be obligated to make any Competitive
Bid
Advance as part of such proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing.
(iii) The
Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid Borrowing shall, in turn, before
10:30 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, in the case of a Competitive Bid Borrowing consisting
of Fixed Rate Advances and before 11:00 A.M. (New York City time)
three Business Days before the date of such proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing,
in the case of a Competitive Bid Borrowing consisting of LIBO Rate Advances,
either:
17
(x) cancel
such Competitive Bid Borrowing by giving the Agent notice to that effect,
or
(y) accept
one or more of the offers made by any Lender or Lenders pursuant to paragraph
(ii) above, in its sole discretion, by giving notice to the Agent of the amount
of each Competitive Bid Advance (which amount shall be equal to or greater
than
the minimum amount, and equal to or less than the maximum amount, notified
to
such Borrower by the Agent on behalf of such Lender for such Competitive Bid
Advance pursuant to paragraph (ii) above) to be made by each Lender as part
of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, and reject any remaining offers made by
Lenders pursuant to paragraph (ii) above by giving the Agent notice to that
effect; provided, however, that such Borrower shall not accept any
offer in excess of the requested bid amount for any maturity. Such
Borrower shall accept the offers made by any Lender or Lenders to make
Competitive Bid Advances in order of the lowest to the highest rates of interest
offered by such Lenders. If two or more Lenders have offered the same
interest rate, the amount to be borrowed at such interest rate will be allocated
among such Lenders in proportion to the amount that each such Lender offered
at
such interest rate.
(iv) If
the
Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid Advance notifies the Agent that such
Competitive Bid Borrowing is cancelled pursuant to paragraph (iii)(x)
above, the Agent shall give prompt notice thereof to the Lenders and such
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall not be made.
(v) If
the
Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid Advance accepts one or more of the offers
made by any Lender or Lenders pursuant to paragraph (iii)(y) above, the
Agent shall in turn promptly notify (A) each Lender that has made an offer
as described in paragraph (ii) above, of the date and aggregate amount of
such Competitive Bid Borrowing and whether or not any offer or offers made
by
such Lender pursuant to paragraph (ii) above have been accepted by such
Borrower, (B) each Lender that is to make a Competitive Bid Advance as part
of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, of the amount of each Competitive Bid Advance
to be made by such Lender as part of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, and
(C) each Lender that is to make a Competitive Bid Advance as part of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing, upon receipt, that the Agent has received forms
of
documents appearing to fulfill the applicable conditions set forth in Article
III. Each Lender that is to make a Competitive Bid Advance as part of
such Competitive Bid Borrowing shall, before 12:00 Noon (New York City
time) on the date of such Competitive Bid Borrowing specified in the notice
received from the Agent pursuant to clause (A) of the preceding sentence or
any later time when such Lender shall have received notice from the Agent
pursuant to clause (C) of the preceding sentence, make available for the
account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent's Account,
in
same day funds, such Lender's portion of such Competitive Bid
Borrowing. Upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in
Article III and after receipt by the Agent of such funds, the Agent will make
such funds available to such Borrower at the Agent's address referred to in
Section 9.02. Promptly after each Competitive Bid Borrowing the
Agent will notify each Lender of the amount of the
18
Competitive
Bid Borrowing, the consequent Competitive Bid Reduction and the dates upon
which
such Competitive Bid Reduction commenced and will terminate.
(vi) If
the
Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid Advance notifies the Agent that it
accepts one or more of the offers made by any Lender or Lenders pursuant to
paragraph (iii)(y) above, such notice of acceptance shall be irrevocable
and binding on such Borrower. Such Borrower shall indemnify each
Lender, after receipt of a written request by such Lender setting forth in
reasonable detail the basis for such request, against any loss, cost or expense
actually incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure by such Borrower
to
fulfill on or before the date specified in the related Notice of Competitive
Bid
Borrowing for such Competitive Bid Borrowing the applicable conditions set
forth
in Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (other than loss of
anticipated profits), cost or expense actually incurred by reason of the
liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender
to fund the Competitive Bid Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing when such Competitive Bid Advance, as a result of
such
failure, is not made on such date.
(b) Each
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or
an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and, following the making
of
each Competitive Bid Borrowing, the Borrower that has borrowed through such
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be in compliance with the limitation set forth
in the proviso to the first sentence of subsection (a) above.
(c) Within
the limits and on the conditions set forth in this Section 2.03, each
Borrower may from time to time borrow under this Section 2.03, repay or
prepay pursuant to subsection (d) below, and reborrow under this
Section 2.03.
(d) Each
Borrower that has borrowed through a Competitive Bid Borrowing shall repay
to
the Agent for the account of each Lender that has made a Competitive Bid
Advance, on the maturity date of such Competitive Bid Advance (such maturity
date being that specified by such Borrower for repayment of such Competitive
Bid
Advance in the related Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing delivered pursuant
to
subsection (a)(i) above and provided in the Competitive Bid Note evidencing
such Competitive Bid Advance), the then unpaid principal amount of such
Competitive Bid Advance. A Borrower shall have no right to prepay any
principal amount of any Competitive Bid Advance without the consent of the
Lender that has made such Competitive Bid Advance or as is specified in the
Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing.
(e) Each
Borrower that has borrowed through a Competitive Bid Borrowing shall pay
interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Competitive Bid Advance from
the
date of such Competitive Bid Advance comprising such Competitive Bid Borrowing
to the date the principal amount of such Competitive Bid Advance is repaid
in
full, at the rate of interest for such Competitive Bid Advance specified by
the
Lender making such Competitive Bid Advance in its notice with respect thereto
delivered pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) above, payable on the interest
payment date or dates specified by such Borrower for such Competitive Bid
Advance in the related Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing delivered pursuant
to
subsection (a)(i) above,
19
as
provided in the Competitive Bid Note evidencing such Competitive Bid
Advance. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event
of Default under Section 6.01(a), each Borrower that has borrowed through a
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall pay interest on the amount of unpaid principal
of and interest on each Competitive Bid Advance comprising such Competitive
Bid
Borrowing that is owing to a Lender, payable in arrears on the date or dates
interest is payable thereon, at a rate per annum equal at all times to
2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such
Competitive Bid Advance under the terms of the Competitive Bid Note evidencing
such Competitive Bid Advance unless otherwise agreed in such Competitive Bid
Note.
(f) The
indebtedness of any Borrower resulting from each Competitive Bid Advance made
to
such Borrower as part of a Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be evidenced by
a
separate Competitive Bid Note of such Borrower payable to the order of the
Lender making such Competitive Bid Advance.
SECTION
2.04. Fees. (a) Facility
Fee. The Company agrees to pay to the Agent for the account of
each Lender a facility fee on the aggregate amount of such Lender's Commitment
from the date hereof in the case of each Initial Lender and from the effective
date specified in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became
a
Lender in the case of each other Lender until the Termination Date at a rate
per
annum equal to the Applicable Percentage in effect from time to time, payable
in
arrears quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and December,
commencing September 30, 2007, and on the Termination Date.
(b) Agent's
Fees. The Company shall pay to the Agent for its own account such
fees as may from time to time be agreed in writing between the Company and
the
Agent.
SECTION
2.05. Termination
or Reduction of the Commitments. (a) Termination or
Ratable Reduction by the Company. The Company shall have the
right, upon at least three Business Days' notice to the Agent, to terminate
in
whole or reduce ratably in part the unused portions of the respective
Commitments of the Lenders, provided that each partial reduction shall be
in the aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000
in
excess thereof and provided, further, that the aggregate amount of
the Commitments of the Lenders shall not be reduced to an amount that is less
than the aggregate principal amount of the Competitive Bid Advances then
outstanding. The aggregate amount of the Commitments, once reduced or
terminated as provided in this Section 2.05(a), may not be reinstated, except
as
provided in Section 2.05(c) below.
(b) Termination
by the Majority Lenders upon Change of Control. In the event that
a Change of Control occurs, (i) the Agent shall at the request, or may with
the consent, of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Company given not later
than 10 Business Days after receipt by the Lenders and the Agent of notice
from
the Company of such Change of Control pursuant to Section 5.01(h)(iv), declare
the Commitments (determined without giving effect to any Competitive Bid
Reduction) to be terminated in whole, effective as of the date set forth in
such
notice, provided, however, that such date shall be no earlier than
10 Business Days after the Company's receipt of such notice of termination
and
(ii) each Borrower's right to make a Borrowing under this Agreement shall
thereupon be suspended and shall remain suspended until
20
10
Business Days after receipt by the Lenders and the Agent of notice from the
Company of such Change of Control pursuant to Section 5.01(h)(iv) unless the
Majority Lenders shall have exercised their right to terminate the Commitments
as provided in clause (i) of this Section 2.05(b), in which case each Borrower's
right to make a Borrowing under this Agreement shall remain suspended until
the
effective date of such termination. A notice of termination pursuant
to this Section 2.05(b) shall have the effect of accelerating the outstanding
Advances of the Lenders and the Notes of the Lenders and each Borrower shall,
on
or prior to the effective date of the termination of the Commitments, prepay
or
cause to be prepaid the outstanding principal amount of all Advances owing
by
any such Borrower to the Lenders, together with accrued interest thereon to
the
date of such payment, any facility fees or other fees payable to the Lenders
pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.04, and all other amounts payable to
the
Lenders under this Agreement (including, but not limited to, any increased
costs
or other amounts owing under Section 2.11 and any indemnification for Taxes
under Section 2.14). Upon such prepayment and the termination of the
Commitments in accordance with this Section 2.05(b), the obligations of the
Lenders under this Agreement shall, by the provisions hereof, be released and
discharged.
SECTION 2.06. Repayment
of Revolving Credit Advances. Each Borrower shall repay to the
Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders on the Termination Date the
aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Advances then outstanding
in
respect of such Borrower.
SECTION 2.07. Interest
on Revolving Credit Advances. (a) Scheduled
Interest. Each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid
principal amount of each Revolving Credit Advance owing by such Borrower to
each
Lender from the date of such Revolving Credit Advance until such principal
amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:
(i) Base
Rate Advances. During such periods as such Revolving Credit
Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the
sum
of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the
Applicable Margin in effect from time to time plus (z) the
Applicable Utilization Fee, if any, in effect from time to time, payable in
arrears quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and December
during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted
or
paid in full.
(ii) Eurodollar
Rate Advances. During such periods as such Revolving Credit
Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during
each Interest Period for such Revolving Credit Advance to the sum of
(x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such Revolving Credit
Advance plus (y) the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time
plus (z) the Applicable Utilization Fee, if any, in effect from time
to time, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if
such
Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that
occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of
such
Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted
or paid in full.
(b) Default
Interest. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an
Event of Default under Section 6.01(a), each Borrower shall pay interest on
(i) the unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Credit Advance owing by
such Borrower to each Lender, payable in arrears on the dates referred to in
clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, at a rate per annum equal at
all
21
times
to
2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Revolving
Credit Advance pursuant to clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above and (ii) to
the fullest extent permitted by law, the amount of any interest, fee or other
amount payable hereunder by such Borrower that is not paid when due, from the
date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable
in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at
a
rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum
required to be paid on Base Rate Advances pursuant to clause (a)(i)
above.
(c) Additional
Interest on Eurodollar Rate Advances. The applicable Borrower
shall pay to each Lender, so long as such Lender shall be required under
regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to maintain
reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including
Eurocurrency Liabilities, additional interest on the unpaid principal amount
of
each Eurodollar Rate Advance of such Lender to such Borrower, from the date
of
such Advance until such principal amount is paid in full, at an interest rate
per annum equal at all times to the remainder obtained by subtracting (i) the
Eurodollar Rate for the applicable Interest Period for such Advance from (ii)
the rate obtained by dividing such Eurodollar Rate by a percentage equal to
100%
minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage of such Lender for such
Interest Period, payable on each date on which interest is payable on such
Advance. Such additional interest shall be determined by such Lender
and notified in reasonable detail to such Borrower through the
Agent.
SECTION
2.08. Interest
Rate Determination. (a) Each Reference Bank agrees to
furnish to the Agent timely information for the purpose of determining each
Eurodollar Rate and each LIBO Rate. If any one or more of the
Reference Banks shall not furnish such timely information to the Agent for
the
purpose of determining any such interest rate, the Agent shall determine such
interest rate on the basis of timely information furnished by the remaining
Reference Banks. The Agent shall give prompt notice to the relevant
Borrowers and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the
Agent for purposes of Section 2.07(a)(i) or (ii), and the rate, if any,
furnished by each Reference Bank for the purpose of determining the interest
rate under Section 2.07(a)(ii).
(b) If,
with
respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Majority Lenders notify the Agent
that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Advances will not
adequately reflect the cost to such Majority Lenders of making, funding or
maintaining their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period
(which cost each such Lender reasonably determines in good faith is material),
the Agent shall forthwith so notify each Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon
(i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the
then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and
(ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Revolving Credit
Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent
shall
notify each Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such
suspension no longer exist.
(c) If
any
Borrower, in requesting a Revolving Credit Borrowing comprised of Eurodollar
Rate Advances, shall fail to select the duration of the Interest Period for
such
Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the
definition of "Interest Period" in Section 1.01, the Agent will forthwith
so notify such Borrower and the
22
Lenders
and such Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing
Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(d) On
the
date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurodollar Rate Advances
comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or
otherwise, to less than $5,000,000, such Advances shall automatically, on the
last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate
Advances.
(e) Upon
the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, (i) each
Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing
Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (ii) the
obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar
Rate
Advances shall be suspended.
(f) If
Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750 is unavailable and fewer than two Reference
Banks furnish timely information to the Agent for determining the Eurodollar
Rate or LIBO Rate for any Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances, as
the
case may be, such Eurodollar Rate or LIBO Rate shall be the interest rate per
annum determined by the Agent to be the offered rate per annum at which deposits
in U.S. dollars for a maturity comparable to the Interest Period for such
Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances, as the case may be, appears
on
the Telerate Page 3750 (or any successor page) as of 11:00 A.M. (London time)
two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period (the
"Telerate"); provided that if the Telerate is not then
available:
(i) the
Agent
shall forthwith notify the relevant Borrower and the Lenders that the interest
rate cannot be determined for such Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate
Advances, as the case may be;
(ii) with
respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances, each such Advance will automatically,
on
the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a
Base
Rate Advance (or if such Advance is then a Base Rate Advance, will continue
as a
Base Rate Advance); and
(iii) the
obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances
or to Convert Revolving Credit Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall
be
suspended until the Agent shall notify each Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
SECTION
2.09. Optional
Conversion of Revolving Credit Advances. Any Borrower may on any
Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent not later than 11:00 A.M.
(New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the
proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.08 and
2.12, Convert all Revolving Credit Advances of one Type comprising the same
Borrowing into Revolving Credit Advances of the other Type; provided,
however, that any Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Advances into Base
Rate
Advances shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period for such
Eurodollar Rate Advances. Each such notice of a Conversion shall,
within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such
Conversion, (ii) the Revolving Credit Advances to be Converted, and
(iii) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Advances, the duration of
the initial Interest Period for each
23
such
Advance. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding
on the relevant Borrower.
SECTION
2.10. Optional
Prepayments of Revolving Credit Advances. Any Borrower may, upon
notice to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount
of
the prepayment, given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the
second Business Day prior to the date of such proposed prepayment, in the case
of Eurodollar Rate Advances, and not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time)
on the day of such proposed prepayment, in the case of Base Rate Advances,
and,
if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal
amount of the Revolving Credit Advances comprising part of the same Revolving
Credit Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest
to
the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided,
however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate
principal amount of $10,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess
thereof and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate
Advance, such Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect
thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(d). Each notice of prepayment
by a Designated Subsidiary shall be given to the Agent through the
Company.
SECTION
2.11. Increased
Costs. (a) If, after the date hereof, due to either
(i) the introduction of or any change (other than any change by way of
imposition or increase of reserve requirements included in the Eurodollar Rate
Reserve Percentage) in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation or
(ii) the compliance with any guideline or request from any central bank or
other governmental authority having jurisdiction over any Lender (whether or
not
having the force of law), there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender
(which cost such Lender reasonably determines in good faith is material) of
agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Advances
or
LIBO Rate Advances (excluding for purposes of this Section 2.11 any such
increased costs resulting from (i) Taxes or Other Taxes (as to which Section
2.14 shall govern) and (ii) Excluded Taxes), then the Borrower of such Advances
shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender made not later than 60
days
after such Lender obtains knowledge of such increased costs (with a copy of
such
demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender additional
amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender for such increased
cost. Each Lender agrees that if such Lender requests compensation
for any amounts owing from a Borrower for such increased cost under this Section
2.11(a), such Lender shall, prior to a Borrower being required to pay such
increased costs, furnish to such Borrower a certificate of a senior financial
officer of such Lender verifying that such increased cost was actually incurred
by such Lender and the amount of such increased cost and setting forth in
reasonable detail the basis therefore (with a copy of such certificate to the
Agent); provided, however, that such certificate shall be
conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If,
after
the date hereof, any Lender determines that compliance with any law or
regulation or any guideline or request from any central bank or other
governmental authority having jurisdiction over any Lender (whether or not
having the force of law) affects or would affect the amount of capital required
or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any corporation controlling
such
Lender and that the amount of such capital is increased by or based upon the
existence of such Lender's commitment to lend hereunder and other commitments
of
this type, then, upon demand by such Lender made not later than 60 days after
such Lender
24
obtains
knowledge of such increase in capital (with a copy of such demand to the Agent),
the Company shall pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender, from time
to
time as specified by such Lender, additional amounts sufficient to compensate
such Lender or such corporation in the light of such circumstances, to the
extent that such Lender reasonably determines such increase in capital to be
allocable to the existence of such Lender's commitment to lend
hereunder. Each Lender agrees that if such Lender requests
compensation for any amounts owing from the Company for such increase in capital
under this Section 2.11(b), such Lender shall, prior to a Borrower being
required to compensate such Lender for such increase in capital, furnish to
the
Company a certificate of a senior financial officer of such Lender verifying
that such increase in capital was actually required by such Lender and the
amount of such increase in capital and setting forth in reasonable detail the
basis therefore (with a copy of such certificate to the Agent); provided,
however, that such certificate shall be conclusive and binding for
all
purposes, absent manifest error.
(c) No
Borrower shall be obligated to pay under this Section 2.11 any amounts which
relate to costs or increases of capital incurred prior to the 12 months
immediately preceding the date of demand for payment of such amounts, unless
the
applicable law, regulation, guideline or request resulting in such costs or
increases of capital is imposed retroactively. In the case of any
law, regulation, guideline or request which is imposed retroactively, the Lender
making demand for payment of any amount under this Section 2.11 shall notify
the
related Borrower not later than 12 months from the date that such Lender should
reasonably have known (but promptly upon gaining knowledge of such increase)
of
such law, regulation, guideline or request and such Borrower's obligation to
compensate such Lender for such amount is contingent upon such Lender's so
notifying such Borrower; provided, however, that any failure by
such Lender to provide such notice shall not affect such Borrower's obligations
under this Section 2.11 with respect to amounts resulting from costs or
increases of capital incurred after the date which occurs 12 months immediately
preceding the date on which such Lender notified such Borrower of such law,
regulation, guideline or request.
(d) If
any
Lender shall subsequently recoup any costs (other than from a Borrower) for
which such Lender has theretofore been compensated by a Borrower under this
Section 2.11, such Lender shall remit to such Borrower an amount equal to the
amount of such recoupment as reasonably determined by such Lender.
SECTION
2.12. Illegality. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall after the date
hereof, notify the Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the
interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank
or other governmental authority having jurisdiction over any Lender asserts
that
it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform
its
obligations hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances
or
to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances hereunder,
(i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance or LIBO Rate Advance, as the case may be,
will automatically, upon such demand, Convert into a Base Rate Advance or an
Advance that bears interest at the rate set forth in Section 2.07(a)(i), as
the case may be, and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar
Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances or to Convert Revolving Credit Advances
into
Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify each
Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no
longer exist.
25
SECTION
2.13. Payments
and Computations. (a) Each Borrower shall make each
payment hereunder and relating to the Advances not later than 1:00 P.M.
(New York City time) on the day when due in U.S. dollars to the Agent at
the Agent's Account in same day funds. The Agent will promptly
thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of
principal or interest or facility fees ratably (other than amounts payable
pursuant to Section 2.03, 2.05(c), 2.07(c), 2.11, 2.14 or 9.04(d)) to the
Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and
like
funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to
such
Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be
applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon its
acceptance of an Assignment and Acceptance and recording of the information
contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 9.07(c), from and
after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Acceptance, the Agent
shall make all payments hereunder and relating to the Advances in respect of
the
interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties
to
such Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate adjustments in such
payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between
themselves.
(b) All
computations of interest based on the Base Rate shall be made by the Agent
on
the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations
of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds Rate and of
facility fees shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days,
in
each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding
the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or facility fees
are payable. Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate
hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest
error.
(c) Whenever
any payment hereunder or relating to the Advances shall be stated to be due
on a
day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding
Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in
the
computation of payment of interest or facility fee, as the case may be;
provided, however, that, if such extension would cause payment of
interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances or LIBO Rate Advances
to be
made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the
next preceding Business Day.
(d) Unless
the Agent shall have received notice from a Borrower prior to the date on which
any payment is due to the Lenders from such Borrower hereunder that such
Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that such
Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender
on
such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If
and to the extent such Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full
to
the Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount
distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from
the
date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays
such amount to the Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.
SECTION
2.14. Taxes. (a) Any
and all payments by each Borrower hereunder or relating to the Advances shall
be
made, in accordance with Section 2.13, free and clear of and without
deduction for any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, deductions,
charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto,
excluding, in the case of each Lender and
26
the
Agent, taxes imposed on its overall net income, and franchise taxes imposed
on
it in lieu of net income taxes, by the jurisdiction under the laws of which
such
Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) is organized or any political
subdivision thereof or by any jurisdiction in which such Lender or the
Agent (as the case may be) is doing business that is unrelated to
this Agreement and such net income taxes or franchise taxes that would not
have
been imposed if such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) had not been
conducting such unrelated business and, in the case of each Lender, taxes
imposed on its overall net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it in lieu
of
net income taxes, by the jurisdiction of such Lender's Applicable Lending Office
or any political subdivision thereof (all such excluded taxes being hereinafter
referred to as "Excluded Taxes" and all such non-excluded taxes, levies,
imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities in respect of
payments hereunder or relating to the Advances being hereinafter referred to
as
"Taxes"). If any Borrower shall be required by law to deduct
any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or relating to the
Advances to any Lender or the Agent, (i) the sum payable shall be increased
as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions for Taxes
(including deductions for Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under
this
Section 2.14) such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) receives an
amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been
made,
(ii) such Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) such Borrower
shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other
authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In
addition, each Borrower agrees to pay any present or future stamp or documentary
taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that
arise from any payment made hereunder or relating to the Advances or from the
execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with
respect to, this Agreement or relating to the Advances (hereinafter referred
to
as "Other Taxes").
(c) Each
Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and the Agent for the full amount of Taxes
or Other Taxes (including, without limitation, any taxes imposed by any
jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.14) imposed on or paid
by such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) and any liability for
penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect
thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the
date such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand
therefor; provided that such Lender shall, prior to a Borrower being
required to indemnify such Lender pursuant to this Section 2.14(c), furnish
to
such Borrower a certificate of a senior financial officer of such Lender
verifying that such Taxes or Other Taxes were actually incurred by such Lender
and the amount of such Taxes or Other Taxes and setting forth in reasonable
detail the basis therefor (with a copy of such certificate to the Agent),
provided, however, that such certificate shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(d) Within
30
days after the date of any payment of Taxes, each Borrower shall furnish to
the
Agent, at its address referred to in Section 9.02, the original or a
certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof. In the case
of any payment hereunder or relating to the Advances by or on behalf of any
Borrower through an account or branch outside the United States or by or on
behalf of any Borrower by a payor that is not a United States person, if such
Borrower determines that no Taxes are payable in respect thereof, such Borrower
shall furnish, or shall cause such payor to furnish, to the Agent, at such
address, an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Agent stating that such payment
is exempt from Taxes. For purposes of this
27
subsection
(d) and subsection (e), the terms "United States" and "United States
person" shall have the meanings specified in Section 7701 of the
Internal Revenue Code.
(e) Each
Lender organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States,
on
or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the
case
of each Initial Lender and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant
to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other Lender, and from time
to
time thereafter as requested in writing by any Borrower (but only so long as
such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide the Agent and each
Borrower with two original Internal Revenue Service forms 8ECI or 8BEN, as
appropriate, or any successor or other form prescribed by the Internal Revenue
Service, certifying that such Lender is exempt from or entitled to a reduced
rate of United States withholding tax on payments pursuant to this Agreement
or
relating to the Advances. If the forms provided by a Lender at the
time such Lender first becomes a party to this Agreement indicates a United
States interest withholding tax rate in excess of zero, withholding tax at
such
rate shall be considered excluded from Taxes unless and until such Lender
provides the appropriate forms certifying that a lesser rate applies, whereupon
withholding tax at such lesser rate only shall be considered excluded from
Taxes
for periods governed by such form; provided, however, that, if at
the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which a Lender assignee
becomes a party to this Agreement, the Lender assignor was entitled to payments
under subsection (a) in respect of United States withholding tax with
respect to interest paid at such date, then, to such extent, the term Taxes
shall include (in addition to withholding taxes that may be imposed in the
future or other amounts otherwise includable in Taxes) United States withholding
tax, if any, applicable with respect to the Lender assignee on such
date.
(f) For
any
period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide each Borrower with
the appropriate form described in Section 2.14(e) (other than
if such failure is due to a change in law occurring subsequent to the date
on
which a form originally was required to be provided, or if such form otherwise
is not required under the first sentence of subsection (e) above), such
Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification under Section 2.14(a) or
(c) with respect to Taxes imposed by the United States by reason of such
failure; provided, however, that should a Lender become subject to
Taxes because of its failure to deliver a form required hereunder, each Borrower
agrees to take such steps as such Lender shall reasonably request to assist
such
Lender to recover such Taxes.
(g) If
any
Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has actually and finally
realized, by reason of a refund, deduction or credit of any Taxes or Other
Taxes
paid or reimbursed by a Borrower pursuant to subjection (a) or (c) above in
respect of payments under the Credit Agreement or relating to the Advances,
a
current monetary benefit that it would otherwise not have obtained, and that
would result in the total payments under this Section 2.14 exceeding the amount
needed to make such Lender whole, such Lender shall pay to such Borrower, with
reasonable promptness following the date on which it actually realizes such
benefit, an amount equal to the lesser of the amount of such benefit or the
amount of such excess, in each case net of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
in securing such refund, deduction or credit.
SECTION
2.15. Sharing
of Payments, Etc. If any Lender shall obtain any payment (whether
voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off,
or
28
otherwise)
on account of the Revolving Credit Advances owing to it (other than pursuant
to
Section 2.05(c), 2.07(c), 2.11, 2.14 or 9.04(d)) in excess of its ratable share
of payments on account of the Revolving Credit Advances obtained by all the
Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such
participations in the Revolving Credit Advances owing to them as shall be
necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably
with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion
of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender,
such
purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to
the
purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together
with an amount equal to such Lender's ratable share (according to the proportion
of (i) the amount of such Lender's required repayment to (ii) the
total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other
amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount
so recovered. Each Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a
participation from another Lender pursuant to this Section 2.15 may, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including
the right of set-off) with respect to such participation as fully as if such
Lender were the direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such
participation.
SECTION
2.16. Use
of
Proceeds. The proceeds of the Advances shall be available (and
each Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) solely (i) for general
corporate purposes of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) for
acquisitions by such Borrower that have been approved by the Board of Directors
(or comparable governing group) of the Person that is to be acquired by such
Borrower.
SECTION
2.17. Mandatory
Assignment by a Lender; Mitigation. If any Lender requests from a
Borrower either payment of additional interest on Eurodollar Rate Advances
pursuant to Section 2.07(c), or reimbursement for increased costs pursuant
to
Section 2.11, or payment of or reimbursement for Taxes pursuant to Section
2.14,
or if any Lender notifies the Agent that it is unlawful for such Lender or
its
Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder pursuant to
Section 2.12, (i) such Lender will, upon three Business Days' notice by such
Borrower to such Lender and the Agent, to the extent not inconsistent with
such
Lender's internal policies and applicable legal and regulatory restrictions,
use
reasonable efforts to make, fund or maintain its Eurodollar Rate Advances
through another Eurodollar Lending Office of such Lender if (A) as a result
thereof the additional amounts required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.07(c),
2.11 or 2.14, as applicable, in respect of such Eurodollar Rate Advances would
be materially reduced or the provisions of Section 2.12 would not apply to
such
Lender, as applicable, and (B) as determined by such Lender in good faith but
in
its sole discretion, the making or maintaining of such Eurodollar Rate Advances
through such other Eurodollar Lending Office would not otherwise materially
and
adversely affect such Eurodollar Rate Advances or such Lender and (ii) unless
such Lender has therefore taken steps to remove or cure, and has removed or
cured (to the extent not inconsistent with internal policies and applicable
legal and regulatory restrictions), the conditions creating such obligation
to
pay such additional amounts or the circumstances described in Section 2.12,
such
Lender will, upon at least five Business Days' notice from the Company to such
Lender and the Agent, assign, pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions
of Section 9.07, to one or more Eligible Assignees designated by the Company
all, but not less than all, of the Revolving Credit Advances then owing to
such
Lender and all, but not less than all, of such Lender's rights and obligations
hereunder (other than rights in respect of such Lender's outstanding Competitive
Bid
29
Advance),
without recourse to or warranty by, or expense to, such Lender, for a purchase
price equal to the outstanding principal amount of each such Advance then owing
to such Lender plus any accrued but unpaid interest thereon and any
accrued but unpaid facility fees owing thereto and, in addition, all additional
costs reimbursements, expense reimbursements and indemnities, if any, owing
in
respect of such Lender's Commitment hereunder at such time shall be paid to
such
Lender.
SECTION
2.18. Evidence
of Debt. (a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance
with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness
of
each Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Revolving Credit Advance owing
to such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and
interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder in respect
of Revolving Credit Advances. Each Borrower agrees that upon
reasonable notice by any Lender to such Borrower (with a copy of such notice
to
the Agent) to the effect that a Revolving Credit Note is required or appropriate
in order for such Lender to evidence (whether for purposes of pledge,
enforcement or otherwise) the Revolving Credit Advances owing to, or to be
made
by, such Lender, such Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver to such Lender
a Revolving Credit Note payable to the order of such Lender in a principal
amount up to the Commitment of such Lender.
(b) The
Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.07(d) shall include
a control account, and a subsidiary account for each Lender, in which accounts
(taken together) shall be recorded (i) the date and amount of each
Borrowing made hereunder, the type of Advances comprising such Borrowing and,
if
appropriate, the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the terms of each
Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it, (iii) the amount
of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from
such Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iv) the amount of any sum
received by the Agent from each Borrower hereunder and each Lender's share
thereof.
(c) Entries
made in good faith by the Agent in the Register pursuant to subsection (b)
above, and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to
subsection (a) above, shall be prima facie evidence of the
amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable
from each Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and, in the
case
of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement, absent manifest
error; provided, however, that the failure of the Agent or such
Lender to make an entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the
Register or such account or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the
obligations of any Borrower under this Agreement.
ARTICLE
III
CONDITIONS
TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING
SECTION
3.01. Conditions
Precedent to Effectiveness of Sections 2.01 and
2.03. Sections 2.01 and 2.03 of this Agreement shall become
effective on and as of the first date (the "Effective Date") on which the
following conditions precedent have been satisfied:
30
(a) There
shall have occurred no Material Adverse Change since December 31, 2006
except as disclosed by the Company in writing to the Lenders prior to the date
of execution of this Agreement.
(b) There
shall exist no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending or threatened before any court,
governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) would be reasonably likely to
have a Material Adverse Effect other than the matters described on
Schedule 3.01(b) hereto (the "Disclosed Litigation") or
(ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or any Note or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, and there shall have been no material adverse change in the status,
or
financial effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, of the
Disclosed Litigation from that described on Schedule 3.01(b)
hereto.
(c) All
governmental and third party consents and approvals necessary in connection
with
the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained (without the
imposition of any conditions that are not acceptable to the Lenders) and shall
remain in effect, and no law or regulation shall be applicable in the reasonable
judgment of the Lenders that restrains, prevents or imposes materially adverse
conditions upon the transactions contemplated hereby.
(d) The
Company shall have notified the Agent in writing as to the proposed Effective
Date.
(e) The
Company shall have paid all accrued fees and expenses of the Agent and the
Lenders that shall have been invoiced as of the Effective Date (including the
accrued fees and expenses of counsel to the Agent), in each case solely to
the
extent such fees and expenses are required by other provisions of this Agreement
to be so paid.
(f) On
the
Effective Date, the following statements shall be true and the Agent shall
have
received for the account of each Lender a certificate signed by a duly
authorized officer of the Company, dated the Effective Date, stating
that:
(i) The
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01 are
correct on and as of the Effective Date, and
(ii) No
event
has occurred and is continuing that constitutes a Default.
(g) The
Agent
shall have received on or before the Effective Date the following, each dated
such day, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and (except
for the Revolving Credit Notes) in sufficient copies for each
Lender:
(i) The
Revolving Credit Notes of the Company to the order of the Lenders, respectively,
to the extent requested by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.18.
(ii) Certified
copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company approving
this Agreement and the Notes of the Company, and of all
31
documents
evidencing other necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if
any,
with respect to this Agreement and such Notes.
(iii) A
certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company certifying
the names and true signatures of the officers of the Company authorized to
sign
this Agreement and the Notes of the Company and the other documents to be
delivered hereunder.
(iv) A
favorable opinion of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Senior Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary of the Company, substantially in the form of Exhibit G hereto
and as to such other matters as any Lender through the Agent may reasonably
request.
(v) A
favorable opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Agent, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.
(vi) Such
other approvals, opinions or documents as any Lender, through the Agent, may
reasonably request prior to the Effective Date.
SECTION
3.02. Initial
Borrowing of Each Designated Subsidiary. The obligation of each
Lender to make an initial Advance to each Designated Subsidiary following any
designation of such Designated Subsidiary as a Borrower hereunder pursuant
to
Section 9.08 is subject to the Agent's receipt on or before the date of such
Initial Advance of each of the following, in form and substance satisfactory
to
the Agent and dated such date, and (except for the Revolving Credit Notes)
in
sufficient copies for each Lender:
(a) The
Revolving Credit Notes of such Borrower to the order of the Lenders,
respectively, to the extent requested by any Lender pursuant to Section
2.18.
(b) Certified
copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of such Borrower approving
this Agreement and the Notes of such Borrower, and of all documents evidencing
other necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if any, with
respect to this Agreement and such Notes.
(c) A
certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Borrower
certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of such Borrower
authorized to sign this Agreement and the Notes of such Borrower and the other
documents to be delivered hereunder.
(d) A
certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company, dated as of
the
date of such initial Advance, certifying that such Borrower shall have obtained
all governmental and third party authorizations, consents, approvals (including
exchange control approvals) and licenses required under applicable laws and
regulations necessary for such Borrower to execute and deliver this Agreement
and the Notes of such Borrower and to perform its obligations
thereunder.
(e) The
Designation Letter of such Designated Subsidiary, substantially in the form
of
Exhibit E hereto.
32
(f) With
respect to each Designated Subsidiary that has its principal place of business
outside of the United States of America, evidence of the Process Agent's
acceptance of its appointment pursuant to Section 9.12(a) as the agent of such
Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto.
(g) A
favorable opinion of counsel to such Designated Subsidiary, dated the date
of
such Initial Advance, substantially in the form of Exhibit H
hereto.
(h) Such
other approvals, opinions or documents as any Lender, through the Agent, may
reasonably request.
SECTION
3.03. Conditions
Precedent to Each Revolving Credit Borrowing. The obligation of
each Lender to make a Revolving Credit Advance on the occasion of each Revolving
Credit Borrowing shall be subject to the conditions precedent that the Effective
Date shall have occurred and on the date of such Revolving Credit Borrowing
the
following statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable
Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing and the acceptance by the Borrower
requesting such Revolving Credit Borrowing of the proceeds of such Revolving
Credit Borrowing shall constitute a representation and warranty by such Borrower
that on the date of such Borrowing such statements are true):
(i) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 4.01(except the representations set forth in the last sentence of
subsection (e) thereof and in subsection (f) thereof (other than
clause (i)(B) thereof)) are correct on and as of the date of such Revolving
Credit Borrowing, before and after giving effect to such Revolving Credit
Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made
on
and as of such date, and, if such Borrower is a Designated Subsidiary, the
representations and warranties of such Borrower contained in its Designation
Letter are correct on and as of the date of such Revolving Credit Borrowing,
before and after giving effect to such Revolving Credit Borrowing and to the
application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date,
and
(ii) no
event
has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Revolving Credit
Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes
a
Default.
SECTION
3.04. Conditions
Precedent to Each Competitive Bid Borrowing. The obligation of
each Lender that is to make a Competitive Bid Advance on the occasion of a
Competitive Bid Borrowing to make such Competitive Bid Advance as part of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing is subject to the conditions precedent that
(a) the Agent shall have received the written confirmatory Notice of
Competitive Bid Borrowing with respect thereto, (b) on or before the date
of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, but prior to such Competitive Bid Borrowing,
the Agent shall have received a Competitive Bid Note payable to the order of
such Lender for each of the one or more Competitive Bid Advances to be made
by
such Lender as part of such Competitive Bid Borrowing, in a principal amount
equal to the principal amount of the Competitive Bid Advance to be evidenced
thereby and otherwise on such terms as were agreed to for such Competitive
Bid
Advance in accordance with Section 2.03, and (c) on the date of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing the following statements shall be true (and each
of
the giving
33
of
the
applicable Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing and the acceptance by the
Borrower requesting such Competitive Bid Borrowing of the proceeds of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall constitute a representation and warranty by
such
Borrower that on the date of such Competitive Bid Borrowing such statements
are
true):
(i) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01
(except the representations set forth in the last sentence of
subsection (e) thereof and in subsection (f) thereof (other than
clause (i)(B) thereof)) are correct on and as of the date of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing, before and after giving effect to such Competitive
Bid Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made
on and as of such date, and, if such Borrower is a Designated Subsidiary, the
representations and warranties of such Borrower contained in its Designation
Letter are correct on and as of the date of such Competitive Bid Borrowing,
before and after giving effect to such Competitive Bid Borrowing and to the
application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such
date,
(ii) no
event
has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Competitive Bid
Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes
a
Default, and
(iii) no
event
has occurred and no circumstance exists as a result of which the information
concerning such Borrower that has been provided to the Agent and each Lender
by
such Borrower in connection herewith would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact or any fact necessary to make
the statements contained therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
SECTION
3.05. Determinations
Under Section 3.01. For purposes of determining compliance with
the conditions specified in Section 3.01, each Lender 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 the Lenders unless an officer of the Agent responsible for
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have received notice
from
such Lender prior to the date that the Company, by notice to the Lenders,
designates as the proposed Effective Date, specifying its objection
thereto. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of the
occurrence of the Effective Date.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
SECTION
4.01. Representations
and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and
warrants as follows:
(a) The
Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the
Notes of the Company to be delivered by it, and the consummation of
the
34
transactions
contemplated hereby, are within the Company's corporate powers, have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not contravene (i) the
Company's charter or by-laws or (ii) any law or any contractual restriction
binding on or affecting the Company, except where such contravention would
not
be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) No
authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with,
any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is
required for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
this
Agreement or the Notes of the Company to be delivered by it, except for those
authorizations, approvals, actions, notices and filings (i) listed on
Schedule 4.01(c) hereto, all of which have been duly obtained, taken, given
or made and are in full force and effect and (ii) where the Company's failure
to
receive, take or make such authorization, approval, action, notice or filing
would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) This
Agreement has been, and each of the Notes of the Company to be delivered by
it
when delivered hereunder will have been, duly executed and delivered by the
Company. This Agreement is, and each of the Notes of the Company when
delivered hereunder will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium
or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles
of
equity.
(e) The
Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at December
31, 2006, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, prepared in
accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, accompanied
by an
opinion of KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, and the Consolidated
condensed balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at July 1, 2007,
and the related Consolidated statements of income and condensed cash flows
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries for the six months then ended, including all
adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary
for a fair presentation prepared in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and duly certified by
the
chief financial officer of the Company, copies of which have been furnished
to
each Lender, fairly present, subject, in the case of said balance sheet as
at
July 1, 2007, and said statements of income and cash flows for the six months
then ended, to audit adjustments, the Consolidated financial condition of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as at such dates and the Consolidated results
of
the operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on
such
dates. Since December 31, 2006, there has been no Material Adverse
Change.
(f) (i)
There
is no pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened action, suit,
investigation, litigation or proceeding, including, without limitation, any
Environmental Action, affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries before
any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (A) would be reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Litigation)
or (B) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or any Note or the consummation of the
35
transactions
contemplated hereby, and (ii) there has been no adverse change in the status,
or
financial effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, of the
Disclosed Litigation from that described on Schedule 3.01(b)
hereto.
(g) No
proceeds of any Advance will be applied in any manner that will violate or
cause
any Lender to violate Regulation U or Regulation G issued by the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(h) The
Company is not, and immediately after the application by the Company of the
proceeds of each Advance will not be, an "investment company", or a company
"controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(i) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable
laws,
rules, regulations and orders, including, without limitation, ERISA and
Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits, except where the failure to so
comply would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(j) To
the
Company's knowledge, (i) all past non-compliance with any Environmental Laws
and
Environmental Permits has been resolved without ongoing obligations or costs
except where the failure to so comply would not be reasonably likely to have
a
Material Adverse Effect and (ii) no circumstances exist that would be reasonably
likely to (A) form the basis of an Environmental Action against the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties that would be reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or (B) cause any such property to
be subject to any restrictions on ownership, occupancy, use or transferability
under any Environmental Law that would be reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(k) No
ERISA
Event that would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect has
occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
Plan.
(l) Schedule
B (Actuarial Information) to the most recent annual report (Form 5500 Series)
for each Plan whose "funded current liability percentage" is less than 90%
and
whose "unfunded current liability" exceeds $5,000,000 (as such terms are defined
in Section 302(d)(8) of ERISA), copies of which have been filed with the
Internal Revenue Service and furnished to the Lenders, is complete and accurate
and fairly presents in all material respects the funding status of such
Plan.
(m) Neither
the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has outstanding liability with respect
to,
or is reasonably expected to incur any Withdrawal Liability to, any
Multiemployer Plan that would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(n) Neither
the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a
Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or has
been
terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, and no such
Multiemployer Plan is reasonably expected to be in reorganization or to be
terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, where such
reorganization or termination would be reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
36
(o) Except
as
set forth in the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(e) and in
Section 5.01(h), the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole have no
material liability with respect to "expected post retirement benefit
obligations" within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 106.
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
OF THE COMPANY
SECTION
5.01. Affirmative
Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid or any
Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Company will:
(a) Compliance
with Laws, Obligations, Etc. Comply, and cause each of its
Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects, with all applicable laws,
rules, regulations and orders, such compliance to include, without limitation,
compliance with ERISA and Environmental Laws as provided in
Section 5.01(i), except where the failure to so comply would not be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Payment
of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge, and cause each of its
Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent
if
the failure to so pay and discharge would be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect, (i) all taxes, assessments and governmental
charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property and (ii) all lawful
claims that, if unpaid, will by law become a Lien upon its property;
provided, however, that neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or discharge any such tax, assessment,
charge or claim that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings
and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained.
(c) Maintenance
of Insurance. Maintain, and cause each of its Material
Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible and reputable insurance
companies or associations (or continue to maintain self-insurance) in such
amounts and covering such risks as is usually carried by companies engaged
in
similar businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas
in
which the Company or such Subsidiary operates.
(d) Preservation
of Corporate Existence, Etc. Preserve and maintain, and cause
each of its Subsidiaries to preserve and maintain, its corporate existence,
rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided, however,
that the Company and its Subsidiaries may consummate any merger or consolidation
permitted under Section 5.02(b) and provided further that
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve
any right or franchise if the Board of Directors of the Company or such
Subsidiary shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable
in the conduct of the business of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case
may be, and that the loss thereof would not be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Authorizations. Obtain,
and cause each Designated Subsidiary with a principal place of business outside
the United States to obtain, at any time and from time
37
to
time
all authorizations, licenses, consents or approvals (including exchange control
approvals) as shall now or hereafter be necessary or desirable under applicable
law or regulations in connection with such Designated Subsidiary's making and
performance of this Agreement and, upon the request of any Lender, promptly
furnish to such Lender copies thereof.
(f) Keeping
of Books. Keep, and cause each of its Material Subsidiaries with
a principal place of business in the United States to keep, proper books of
record and account, in which full and correct entries in all material respects
shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of
the
Company and each such Subsidiary in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in effect from time to time.
(g) Maintenance
of Properties, Etc. Maintain and preserve, and cause each of its
Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of its properties that are used
in
the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear
and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so would not be reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Reporting
Requirements. Furnish to the Lenders:
(i) as
soon
as available and in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first
three quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, Consolidated condensed
balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter
and Consolidated statements of income and Consolidated condensed statements
of
cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period commencing at
the
end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, duly
certified (subject to audit adjustments) by the chief financial officer of
the
Company as having been prepared in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and certificates of the
chief financial officer of the Company as to compliance with the terms of this
Agreement;
(ii) as
soon
as available and in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year
of the Company, a copy of the annual report for such year for the Company and
its Subsidiaries, containing Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and
its
Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and Consolidated statements
of
income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year,
in each case accompanied by an opinion of KPMG LLP or other nationally
recognized independent public accountants;
(iii) as
soon
as possible and in any event within five days after the occurrence of each
Default continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of the chief
financial officer of the Company setting forth the details of such Default
and
the action that the Company has taken and proposes to take with respect
thereto;
38
(iv) as
soon
as possible and in any event within three days after the occurrence of a Change
of Control, notice of such Change of Control setting forth the details of such
Change of Control;
(v) promptly
after the sending or filing thereof, copies of all reports that the Company
sends to any of its public securityholders, and copies of all reports and
registration statements that the Company or any Subsidiary files with the
Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities
exchange;
(vi) (a)
promptly and in any event within 20 days after the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate has actual knowledge that an event that is an ERISA Event that has
resulted or that would be reasonably likely to result in a liability of the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate in an amount in excess of $25,000,000 has
occurred, a statement of the chief financial officer or other authorized officer
of the Company describing such ERISA Event and the action, if any, that the
Company or such ERISA Affiliate has taken and proposes to take with respect
thereto and (b) on the date any records, documents or other information must
be
furnished to the PBGC with respect to any Plan pursuant to Section 4010 of
ERISA, a copy of such records, documents and information;
(vii) promptly
and in any event within three Business Days after receipt thereof by the Company
or any ERISA Affiliate, copies of each notice from the PBGC stating its
intention to terminate any Plan or to have a trustee appointed to administer
any
Plan, where such notice, termination or appointment has resulted or would be
reasonably likely to result in a liability of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate
in an amount in excess of $25,000,000;
(viii) promptly
and in any event within 30 days after filing thereof with the Internal Revenue
Service, copies of each Schedule B (Actuarial Information) to the annual report
(Form 5500 Series) with respect to each Plan whose "funded current liability
percentage" is less than 90% and whose "unfunded current liability" exceeds
$5,000,000 (as such terms are defined in Section 302(d)(8) of
ERISA);
(ix) promptly
and in any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by the Company
or any ERISA Affiliate from the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan, copies of
each
notice concerning (A) the imposition of Withdrawal Liability by any such
Multiemployer Plan, (B) the reorganization or termination, within the
meaning of Title IV of ERISA, of any such Multiemployer Plan or
(C) the amount of liability incurred, or that may be incurred, by the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate in connection with any event described in
clause (A) or (B), where such imposition, reorganization or termination has
resulted or would be reasonably likely to result in a liability of the Company
or any ERISA Affiliate in an amount exceeding $25,000,000;
39
(x) promptly
after the commencement thereof, notice of all actions and proceedings before
any
court, governmental agency or arbitrator affecting the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 4.01(f); and
(xi) such
other information respecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as any
Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request.
(i) Compliance
with Environmental Laws. Comply, and cause each of its
Subsidiaries and all lessees and other Persons operating or occupying its
properties, to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental
Permits except where the failure to so comply would not be reasonably likely
to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.02. Negative
Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid or any
Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Company will not:
(a) Liens,
Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries
to create or suffer to exist, any Lien on or with respect to any of its
properties, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign, or permit any
of
its Subsidiaries to assign, any right to receive income, other
than:
(i) Permitted
Liens,
(ii) purchase
money Liens upon or in any real property or equipment acquired or held by the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business
to
secure the purchase price of such property or equipment or to secure Debt
incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property
or
equipment, or Liens existing on such property or equipment at the time of its
acquisition (other than any such Liens created in contemplation of such
acquisition that were not incurred to finance the acquisition of such property)
or extensions, renewals or replacements of any of the foregoing for the same
or
a lesser amount, provided, however, that no such Lien shall extend
to or cover any properties of any character other than the real property or
equipment being acquired, and no such extension, renewal or replacement shall
extend to or cover any properties not theretofore subject to the Lien being
extended, renewed or replaced,
(iii) any
assignment of any right to receive income existing on the Effective Date and
any
Liens existing on the Effective Date,
(iv) Liens
on
property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or
consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or becomes a
Subsidiary of the Company; provided that such Liens do not extend to any
assets other than those of the Person so merged into or consolidated with the
Company or such Subsidiary or acquired by the Company or such
Subsidiary,
40
(v) other
Liens or any other assignment of any right to receive income (in addition to
the
Liens and assignments permitted under clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (vi))
securing Debt in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $450,000,000,
and
(vi) the
replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien or any assignment of any right
to
receive income permitted by clause (iii) or (iv) above upon or in the same
property theretofore subject thereto or the replacement, extension or renewal
(without increase in the amount or change in any direct or contingent obligor)
of the Debt secured thereby.
(b) Mergers,
Etc. Merge or consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer,
lease or otherwise 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, any Person, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do
so,
except that (i) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge or consolidate with
or
into, or dispose of assets to, any other Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any
Subsidiary of the Company may merge into or dispose of assets to the Company
and
(iii) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may merge with any other Person
so
long as the Company or such Subsidiary is the surviving entity, provided,
in each case, that no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the
time
of such proposed transaction or would result therefrom.
(c) Change
in Nature of Business. Make, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to
make, any material change in the nature of its business as carried on at the
date hereof.
SECTION
5.03. Financial
Covenant. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid or any
Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Company shall maintain, as
of
the end of each fiscal quarter, a ratio of (a) Pre-Tax Income from
Continuing Operations for the four fiscal quarters then ended to
(b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such four fiscal quarters of not less
than 2.0 to 1.0.
ARTICLE
VI
EVENTS
OF
DEFAULT
SECTION
6.01. Events
of Default. If any of the following events ("Events of
Default") shall occur and be continuing:
(a) Any
Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Advance within one Business
Day
after the same becomes due and payable; or any Borrower shall fail to pay any
interest on any Advance or make any other payment of fees or other amounts
payable under this Agreement or any Note within three Business Days after the
same becomes due and payable; or
(b) Any
representation or warranty made by any Company herein or, if such Borrower
is a
Designated Subsidiary, in such Borrower's Designation Letter, or by any Borrower
in connection with this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any
material respect when made; or
41
(c) (i) The
Company shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement
contained in Section 5.01(d) or (h)(iii), (iv) or (vi)-(ix), 5.02 or 5.03,
or (ii) the Company or any other Borrower shall fail to perform or observe
any
term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.01(h)(i), (ii), (v), (x)
or
(xi) if such failure shall remain unremedied for 10 days after written notice
thereof shall have been given to the relevant Borrower by the Agent or any
Lender, or (iii) the Company or any other Borrower shall fail to perform or
observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement on
its
part to be performed or observed if such failure shall remain unremedied for
30
days after written notice thereof shall have been given to the relevant Borrower
by the Agent or any Lender; or
(d) Any
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall fail to pay any principal of or
premium or interest on any Debt that is outstanding in a principal or notional
amount of at least $125,000,000 in the aggregate (but excluding Debt outstanding
hereunder) of such Borrower or such Subsidiary (as the case may be), when the
same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required
prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue
after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or
instrument relating to such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition
shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt and
shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such
agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to
accelerate the maturity of such Debt; or any such Debt shall be declared to
be
due and payable, or required to be prepaid or redeemed (other than by a
regularly scheduled required prepayment or redemption), purchased or defeased,
or an offer to prepay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required
to be made, in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof, unless the event
giving rise to such prepayment, redemption, purchase or defeasance is not
related directly to any action taken by, or the condition (financial or
otherwise) or operations of, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of
their respective properties; or
(e) Any
Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall generally not pay its debts
as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its
debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of
creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against any Borrower
or
any of its Material Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or
insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any
law
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors,
or
seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver,
trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial
part
of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against
it
(but not instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed
or
unstayed for a period of 60 days, or any of the actions sought in such
proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry of an order for relief
against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar
official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur;
or
any Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action
to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e);
or
42
(f) Any
judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of $125,000,000 shall
be
rendered against any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and there shall be
any
period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such
judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be
in
effect; or
(g) The
Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall incur, or, in the reasonable opinion of
the
Majority Lenders, shall be reasonably likely to incur liability in excess of
$125,000,000 in the aggregate as a result of one or more of the
following: (i) the occurrence of any ERISA Event; (ii) the
partial or complete withdrawal of the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates
from a Multiemployer Plan; or (iii) the reorganization or termination of a
Multiemployer Plan; or
(h) Any
ERISA
Event shall have occurred with respect to a Plan and the sum (determined as
of
the date of occurrence of such ERISA Event) of the Insufficiency of such Plan
and the Insufficiency of any and all other Plans with respect to which an ERISA
Event shall have occurred and then exist (or the liability of the Company and
the ERISA Affiliates related to such ERISA Event) exceeds $125,000,000;
or
(i) The
Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have been notified by the sponsor of a
Multiemployer Plan that it has incurred Withdrawal Liability to such
Multiemployer Plan in an amount that, when aggregated with all other amounts
required to be paid to Multiemployer Plans by the Company and the ERISA
Affiliates as Withdrawal Liability (determined as of the date of such
notification), exceeds $125,000,000; or
(j) The
Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have been notified by the sponsor of a
Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or is
being
terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, and as a result of
such reorganization or termination the aggregate annual contributions of the
Company and the ERISA Affiliates to all Multiemployer Plans that are then in
reorganization or being terminated have been or will be increased over the
amounts contributed to such Multiemployer Plans for the plan years of such
Multiemployer Plans immediately preceding the plan year in which such
reorganization or termination occurs by an amount exceeding $125,000,000 in
the
aggregate;
then,
and
in any such event, the Agent (i) shall at the request, or may with the
consent, of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Company and each other
Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to be
terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) shall at
the request, or may with the consent, of the Majority Lenders, by notice to
the
Company and each other Borrower, declare the Advances, all interest thereon
and
all other amounts payable under this Agreement to be forthwith due and payable,
whereupon the Advances, all such interest and all such amounts shall become
and
be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further
notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers;
provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry
of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy
Code, (A) the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to such Borrower
(or, if such event has occurred in respect of the Company, to make Advances
to
any Borrower) shall automatically be terminated and (B) the Advances, all
such interest and all such amounts owing by such Borrower
43
(or,
if
such event has occurred in respect of the Company, owing by all of the
Borrowers) shall automatically become and be due and payable, without
presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby
expressly waived by the Borrowers.
ARTICLE
VII
GUARANTY
SECTION 7.01. Guaranty. For
valuable consideration, receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and to induce
each Lender to make Advances to the Designated Subsidiaries and to induce the
Agent to act hereunder, the Company hereby unconditionally and irrevocably
guarantees to each Lender and the Agent the punctual payment when due, whether
at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of all obligations of the
Designated Subsidiaries now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or the
Notes, whether for principal, interest, fees, indemnities, expenses or otherwise
(such obligations being the "Guaranteed Obligations"), and agrees to pay
any and all reasonable and documented expenses (including reasonable counsel
fees and expenses) incurred by the Agent or any Lender in enforcing any rights
under this Guaranty. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Company's liability shall extend to all amounts that constitute
part of the Guaranteed Obligations and that would be owed by any Designated
Subsidiary to the Agent or any Lender under this Agreement and the Notes but
for
the fact that such Guaranteed Obligations are unenforceable or not allowable
due
to the existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving
such Designated Subsidiary.
SECTION 7.02. Guaranty
Absolute. The Company guarantees that the Guaranteed Obligations
will be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement regardless
of any law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction
affecting any of such terms or the rights of the Agent or any Lender with
respect thereto. The obligations of the Company under this Guaranty
are independent of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other obligations of any
Designated Subsidiary under this Agreement and the Notes, and a separate action
or actions may be brought and prosecuted against the Company to enforce the
obligations of the Company under this Guaranty, irrespective of whether any
action is brought against any Borrower or whether any Borrower is joined in
any
such action or actions. The liability of the Company under this
Guaranty shall be irrevocable, absolute and unconditional irrespective of,
and
the Company hereby irrevocably waives any defenses it may now or hereafter
have
in any way relating to, any or all of the following:
(a) any
lack
of validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Notes, or any other
agreement or instrument relating thereto;
(b) any
change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of,
all
or any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other obligations of any Designated
Subsidiary under this Agreement or the Notes, or any other amendment or waiver
of or any consent to departure from this Agreement or any Note, including,
without limitation, any increase in the Guaranteed Obligations resulting from
the extension of additional credit to any Designated Subsidiary or any of its
Subsidiaries or otherwise;
44
(c) any
taking, release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from any
other
guaranty, for all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(d) any
change, restructuring or termination of the corporate structure or existence
of
any Designated Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries;
(e) any
failure of the Agent or any Lender to disclose to the Company or any Designated
Subsidiary any information relating to the financial condition, operations,
properties or prospects of any Designated Subsidiary now or in the future known
to the Agent or such Lender, as the case may be (the Company waiving any duty
on
the part of the Agent or the Lenders to disclose such information);
or
(f) any
other
circumstance (including, without limitation, any statute of limitations) or
any
existence of or reliance on any representation by the Agent or any Lender that
might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any
Designated Subsidiary or the Company or any other guarantor or
surety.
This
Guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be,
if
at any time any payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or
must otherwise be returned by the Agent or any Lender upon the insolvency,
bankruptcy or reorganization of any Designated Subsidiary or otherwise, all
as
though such payment had not been made.
SECTION
7.03. Waivers
and Acknowledgments. (a) The Company hereby waives
promptness, diligence, notice of acceptance and any other notice with respect
to
any of the Guaranteed Obligations and this Guaranty and any requirement that
the
Agent or any Lender exhaust any right or take any action against any Designated
Subsidiary or any other Person, and all other notices and demands
whatsoever.
(b) The
Company hereby waives any right to revoke this Guaranty, and acknowledges that
this Guaranty is continuing in nature and applies to all Guaranteed Obligations,
whether existing now or in the future.
(c) The
Company acknowledges that it will receive substantial direct and indirect
benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Agreement and
the
Notes and that the waivers set forth in this Section 7.03 are knowingly made
in
contemplation of such benefits.
SECTION
7.04. Subrogation. The
Company will not exercise any rights that it may now or hereafter acquire
against any Designated Subsidiary or any other insider guarantor that arise
from
the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of the Company's obligations
under this Guaranty or any provision of this Agreement or the Notes, including,
without limitation, any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration,
contribution or indemnification and any right to participate in any claim or
remedy of the Agent or any Lender against such Designated Subsidiary or any
other insider guarantor or any collateral, whether or not such claim, remedy
or
right arises in equity or under contract, statute or common law, including,
without limitation, the right to take or receive from such Designated Subsidiary
or any other insider guarantor, directly or indirectly, in cash or other
property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security on account
of
such claim, remedy or right, unless and until all of the Guaranteed Obligations
and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty shall have been
45
paid
in
full in cash and the Commitments shall have expired or terminated. If
any amount shall be paid to the Company in violation of the preceding sentence
at any time prior to the later of the payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed
Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty and the
Termination Date, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of the
Agent and Lenders and shall forthwith be paid to the Agent to be credited and
applied to the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this
Guaranty, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and any Notes, or to be held as collateral for any Guaranteed
Obligations or other amounts payable under this Guaranty thereafter
arising. If (i) the Company shall make payment to the Agent or
any Lender of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, (ii) all of
the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty
shall be paid in full in cash and (iii) the Termination Date shall have
occurred, the Agent and the Lenders will, at the Company's request and expense,
execute and deliver to the Company appropriate documents, without recourse
and
without representation or warranty, necessary to evidence the transfer by
subrogation to the Company of an interest in the Guaranteed Obligations
resulting from such payment by the Company.
SECTION
7.05. Continuing
Guaranty; Assignments Under the Credit Agreement. This Guaranty is a continuing guaranty and shall
(a) remain in full force and effect until the later of the payment in full
in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this
Agreement and the Termination Date, (b) be binding upon the Company,
its successors and assigns and (c) inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by the Agent and the Lenders and their respective successors,
transferees and assigns. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing clause (c), any Lender may assign or otherwise transfer all or
any portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including,
without limitation, all or any portion of its Commitment, the Advances owing
to
it and any Note or Notes held by it) to any other Person, and such other Person
shall thereupon become vested with all the benefits in respect thereof granted
to such Lender herein or otherwise, in each case as and to the extent provided
in Section 9.07 of this Agreement.
SECTION
7.06. No
Stay. The Company agrees that, as between (a) the Company and (b)
the Lenders and the Agent, the Guaranteed Obligations of any Designated
Subsidiary guaranteed by the Company hereunder may be declared to be forthwith
due and payable as provided in Article VI hereof for purposes of this Guaranty
by declaration to the Company as guarantor notwithstanding any stay, injunction
or other prohibition preventing such declaration as against such Designated
Subsidiary and that, in the event of such declaration to the Company as
guarantor, such Guaranteed Obligations (whether or not due and payable by such
Designated Subsidiary), shall forthwith become due and payable by the Company
for purposes of this Guaranty.
ARTICLE
VIII
THE
AGENT
SECTION
8.01. Authorization
and Action. Each Lender hereby appoints and authorizes the Agent
to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and
discretion under this Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms
hereof, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental
thereto. As to any matters not expressly
46
provided
for by this Agreement (including, without limitation, enforcement or collection
of the Advances), the Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion
or
take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and
shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the
instructions of the Majority Lenders, and such instructions shall be binding
upon all Lenders and all holders of Advances; provided, however,
that the Agent shall not be required to take any action that exposes the Agent
to personal liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or applicable
law. The Agent agrees to give to each Lender prompt notice of each
notice given to it by any Borrower pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement.
SECTION
8.02. Agent's
Reliance, Etc. Neither the Agent nor any of its directors,
officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or omitted
to
be taken by it or them under or in connection with this Agreement, except for
its or their own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Without
limitation of the generality of the foregoing, the
Agent: (a) may treat the Lender that made any Advance as the
holder of the Debt resulting therefrom until the Agent receives and accepts
an
Assignment and Acceptance entered into by such Lender, as assignor, and an
Eligible Assignee, as assignee, as provided in Section 9.07; (b) may
consult with legal counsel (including counsel for any Borrower), independent
public accountants and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable
for
any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance
with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts; (c) makes no
warranty or representation to any Lender and shall not be responsible to any
Lender for any statements, warranties or representations (whether written or
oral) made in or in connection with this Agreement; (d) shall not have any
duty to ascertain or to inquire as to the performance or observance of any
of
the terms, covenants or conditions of this Agreement on the part of any Borrower
or to inspect the property (including the books and records) of any Borrower;
(e) shall not be responsible to any Lender for the due execution, legality,
validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement
or
any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; and (f) shall
incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement by acting upon any
notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which may be by
telecopier) believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent by the proper party
or parties.
SECTION
8.03. Citibank
and Affiliates. With respect to its Commitment, the Advances made
by it and the Note issued to it, Citibank shall have the same rights and powers
under this Agreement as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though
it
were not the Agent; and the term "Lender" or "Lenders" shall, unless otherwise
expressly indicated, include Citibank in its individual
capacity. Citibank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend
money to, act as trustee under indentures of, accept investment banking
engagements from and generally engage in any kind of business with, the Company,
any of its Subsidiaries and any Person who may do business with or own
securities of the Company or any such Subsidiary, all as if Citibank were not
the Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the
Lenders. The Agent shall have no duty to disclose any information
obtained or received by it or any of its Affiliates relating to the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries to the extent such information was obtained or received
in any capacity other than as Agent. In the event that Citibank or
any of its Affiliates shall be or become an indenture trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 (as amended, the “Trust Indenture Act”) in respect
of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company, the parties hereto
acknowledge and agree that any payment or property received in satisfaction
of
or in respect of any obligation of the Company hereunder or under any Note
by
or
47
on
behalf
of Citibank in its capacity as the Agent for the benefit of any Lender under
this Agreement or any Note (other than Citibank or an Affiliate of Citibank)
and
which is applied in accordance with this Agreement shall be deemed to be exempt
from the requirements of Section 311 of the Trust Indenture Act pursuant to
Section 311(b)(3) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION
8.04. Lender
Credit Decision. Each Lender acknowledges that it has,
independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender and based
on the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01 and such other
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also
acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent
or
any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking
or
not taking action under this Agreement.
SECTION
8.05. Indemnification. The
Lenders agree to indemnify the Agent (to the extent not reimbursed by a
Borrower), ratably according to the respective principal amounts of the
Revolving Credit Notes then held by each of them (or if no Revolving Credit
Notes are at the time outstanding or if any Revolving Credit Notes are held
by
Persons that are not Lenders, ratably according to the respective amounts of
their Commitments), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations,
losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or
disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever that may be imposed on, incurred
by, or asserted against the Agent in any way relating to or arising out of
this
Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Agent under this Agreement,
provided that no Lender shall be liable for any portion of such
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits,
costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from the Agent's gross negligence
or
willful misconduct. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender
agrees to reimburse the Agent promptly upon demand for its ratable share of
any
out-of-pocket expenses (including counsel fees) incurred by the Agent in
connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration,
modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal
proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or
responsibilities under, this Agreement, to the extent that the Agent is not
reimbursed for such expenses by a Borrower.
SECTION
8.06. Successor
Agent. The Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice
thereof to the Lenders and each Borrower and may be removed at any time with
or
without cause by the Majority Lenders and such resignation or removal shall
be
effective upon the appointment of a successor Agent. Upon any such
resignation or removal, the Majority Lenders shall have the right to appoint
a
successor Agent, subject to the Company's approval (which shall not be
unreasonably withheld). If no successor Agent shall have been so
appointed by the Majority Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment,
within 30 days after the retiring Agent's giving of notice of resignation or
the
Majority Lenders' removal of the retiring Agent, then the retiring Agent may,
on
behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent, which shall be a commercial
bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or of any State
thereof and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $250,000,000,
subject to the Company's approval (which shall not be unreasonably
withheld). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Agent hereunder
by a successor Agent, such successor Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become
vested with all the rights, powers, discretion, privileges and duties of the
retiring Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties
and
obligations under
48
this
Agreement. After any retiring Agent's resignation or removal
hereunder as Agent, the provisions of this Article VIII shall inure to its
benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent
under this Agreement.
ARTICLE
IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION
9.01. Amendments,
Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or
the Revolving Credit Notes, nor consent to any departure by any Borrower
therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing
and signed by the Majority Lenders, and then such waiver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which
given; provided, however, that no amendment, waiver or consent
shall, unless in writing and signed by all the Lenders, do any of the
following: (a) increase the Commitment of any Lender or subject any
Lender to any additional monetary obligations, (b) reduce the principal of,
or interest on, the Revolving Credit Notes or any fees or other amounts payable
hereunder, (c) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or
interest on, the Revolving Credit Notes or any fees or other amounts payable
hereunder, (d) release the Company from any of its obligations under Article
VII
or limit the liability of the Company thereunder or (e) amend or waive this
Section 9.01 or the definition of "Majority Lenders"; and provided
further that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing
and signed by the Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such
action, affect the rights or duties of the Agent under this Agreement or any
Note.
SECTION
9.02. Notices,
Etc. (a) All notices and other communications provided for
hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopier communication) and mailed,
telecopied or delivered, if to the Company or to any Designated Subsidiary,
at
the Company's address at Corporate Headquarters, 000 Xxxxxxx X Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000, Attention: Treasury Department, Fax No.
(000) 000-0000; if to any Initial Lender, at its Domestic Lending Office
specified opposite its name on Schedule I hereto; if to any other Lender,
at its Domestic Lending Office specified in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which it became a Lender; and if to the Agent, at its address at
Xxx
Xxxx'x Xxx, Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Bank Loan
Syndications, Fax No. (000) 000-0000; or, as to any Borrower or the Agent,
at
such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice
to
the other parties and, as to each other party, at such other address as shall
be
designated by such party in a written notice to the Company and the Agent;
provided that materials as may be agreed between the Borrowers and the
Agent may be delivered to the Agent in accordance with clause (b)
below. All such notices and communications shall, when mailed or
telecopied, be effective when deposited in the mails or telecopied,
respectively, except that notices and communications to the Agent pursuant
to
Article II, III or VIII shall not be effective until received by the
Agent. Delivery by telecopier of an executed counterpart of any
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes or of any
Exhibit hereto to be executed and delivered hereunder shall be effective as
delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.
(b) So
long as Citibank or any of its Affiliates is the Agent, such materials as may
be
agreed between the Borrowers and the Agent may be delivered to the Agent in
an
49
electronic
medium in a format acceptable to the Agent and the Lenders by e-mail at
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx. The Borrowers agree that the Agent may
make such materials (collectively, the "Communications") available to the
Lenders by posting such notices on Intralinks or a substantially similar
electronic system (the "Platform"). The Borrowers acknowledge that
(i) the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily
secure and that there are confidentiality and other risks associated with such
distribution, (ii) the Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" and
(iii)
neither the Agent nor any of its Affiliates warrants the accuracy, adequacy
or
completeness of the Communications or the Platform and each expressly disclaims
liability for errors or omissions in the Communications or the
Platform. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory,
including, without limitation, 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 the Agent or any of its Affiliates
in
connection with the Platform.
(c) Each
Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) (a
"Notice") specifying that any Communications have been posted to the
Platform shall constitute effective delivery of such information, documents
or
other materials to such Lender for purposes of this Agreement; provided
that if requested by any Lender the Agent shall deliver a copy of the
Communications to such Lender by email or telecopier. Each Lender
agrees (i) to notify the Agent in writing of such Lender's e-mail address to
which a Notice may be sent by electronic transmission (including by electronic
communication) on or before the date such Lender becomes a party to this
Agreement (and from time to time thereafter to ensure that the Agent has on
record an effective e-mail address for such Lender) and (ii) that any Notice
may
be sent to such e-mail address.
SECTION
9.03. No
Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of any Lender or the
Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under
any
Note shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise
of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise
of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and
not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
SECTION
9.04. Costs
and Expenses. (a) The Company agrees to pay or cause
to be paid on demand all reasonable and documented costs and expenses of the
Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration,
modification and amendment of this Agreement, the Notes and the other documents
to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, (A) all due
diligence, syndication (including printing, distribution and bank meetings),
transportation, computer, duplication, messenger costs and expenses and
(B) the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent with respect
thereto and with respect to advising the Agent as to its rights and
responsibilities under this Agreement. The Company further agrees to
pay or cause to be paid on demand all reasonable and documented costs and
expenses of the Agent and the Lenders, if any (including, without limitation,
reasonable counsel fees and expenses), in connection with the enforcement
(whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this
Agreement, the Notes and the other documents to be delivered hereunder,
including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for
the
Agent and each Lender in connection with the enforcement of rights under this
Section 9.04(a).
50
(b) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent and each Lender and
each
of their Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and
advisors (each, an "Indemnified Party") from and against any and all
claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including, without
limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) that may be incurred by
or
asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out
of
or in connection with or by reason of, or in connection with the preparation
for
a defense of, any investigation, litigation or proceeding arising out of,
related to or in connection with the Notes, this Agreement, any of the
transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds
of the Advances whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding
is
brought by any Borrower or the directors, shareholders or creditors of any
Borrower or an Indemnified Party or any other Person or any Indemnified Party
is
otherwise a party thereto and whether or not the transactions contemplated
hereby are consummated, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability
or expense results from such Indemnified Party's gross negligence or willful
misconduct.
(c) Promptly
after receipt by an Indemnified Party of notice of the commencement of any
action or proceeding involving any claim, damage, loss or liability referred
to
in paragraph (b) above, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against any Borrower, give written notice to such Borrower
of the commencement of such action; provided that the failure of any
Indemnified Party to give notice as provided in this Section 9.04(c) shall
not
relieve such Borrower of its obligations under paragraph (b) above, except
only
to the extent that such Borrower actually suffers damage solely as a result
of
such failure to give notice. In the event that any such action or
proceeding is brought against an Indemnified Party, unless in such Indemnified
Party's sole judgment (based on advise of counsel) a conflict of interest
between such Indemnified Party and a Borrower may exist in respect thereof,
such
Borrower shall be entitled to participate in and to assume the defense thereof
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party. After
notice from such Borrower to such Indemnified Party of its election to assume
the defense thereof, such Borrower shall not be liable to such Indemnified
Party
for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party
in connection with the defense thereof (other than reasonable costs of
investigation). No Borrower shall consent to the entry of any
dismissal or judgment, or enter into any settlement of any pending or threatened
action or proceeding against any Indemnified Party that is or could have been
a
party and for whom indemnity could have been sought under paragraph (b) above
without the consent of such Indemnified Party unless such judgment, dismissal
or
settlement includes as an unconditional term thereof the giving of a
release from all liability in respect of such action or proceeding to such
Indemnified Party; provided that each Indemnified Party agrees that, if a
Borrower reconfirms to such Indemnified Party that it is indemnified from all
liability in respect of any such action or proceeding referred to in the
preceding sentence, such Indemnified Party will not enter into any settlement
of
any such action or proceeding without the consent of such Borrower (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition to the
foregoing, each Borrower shall not, in assuming the defense of any Indemnified
Party, agree to any dismissal or settlement without the prior written consent
of
such Indemnified Party if such dismissal or settlement (A) would require any
admission or acknowledgement of culpability or wrongdoing by such Indemnified
Party or (B) would provide for any nonmonetary relief to any Persons to be
performed by such Indemnified Party.
51
(d) If
any
payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar Rate Advance or LIBO
Rate Advance is made by any Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other
than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of
(i) a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.03(d), 2.10 or 2.12,
(ii) acceleration of the maturity of the Advances pursuant to Section 6.01
or for any other reason, or (iii) by an Eligible Assignee to a Lender other
than
on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance upon an assignment
of
rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.07(a) as
a
result of a demand by the Company pursuant to Section 2.17, such Borrower
shall, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent),
pay
to the Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate
such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably
and actually incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including, without
limitation, any loss (other than loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense
incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other
funds
acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Advance.
(e) Without
prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of any Borrower hereunder,
the
agreements and obligations of such Borrower contained in Sections 2.11,
2.14 and 9.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and
all
other amounts payable hereunder and relating to the Advances.
SECTION
9.05. Right
of Set-off. Upon (a) the occurrence and during the
continuance of any Event of Default and (b) the making of the request or
the granting of the consent specified by Section 6.01 to authorize the
Agent to declare the Advances due and payable pursuant to the provisions of
Section 6.01, each Lender is hereby authorized at any time and from time to
time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and
all
deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final but excluding
trust accounts) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by
such Lender to or for the credit or the account of any Borrower against any
and
all of the obligations of such Borrower now or hereafter existing under this
Agreement and the Note of such Borrower held by such Lender, whether or not
such
Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or such
Note. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the relevant Borrower
after any such set-off and application, provided that the failure to give
such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in
addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other
rights of set-off) that such Lender may have.
SECTION
9.06. Binding
Effect. This Agreement shall become effective (other than
Sections 2.01 and 2.03, which shall only become effective upon satisfaction
of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.01) when it shall have
been executed by the Company and the Agent and when the Agent shall have been
notified by each Initial Lender that such Initial Lender has executed it and
thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of each Borrower,
the
Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns, except that
no Borrower shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest
herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.
SECTION
9.07. Assignments,
Designations and Participations. (a) Each Lender may
at any time, and if demanded by the Company pursuant to Section 2.17, shall
assign to one
52
or
more
Persons all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Commitment, the
Revolving Credit Advances owing to it and the Revolving Credit Note or Notes
held by it); provided, however, that (i) each such assignment
shall be of a constant, and not a varying, percentage of all rights and
obligations under this Agreement (other than any right to make Competitive
Bid
Advances, Competitive Bid Advances owing to it and Competitive Bid Notes),
(ii) except in the case of an assignment to a Person that, immediately
prior to such assignment, was a Lender or an assignment of all of a Lender's
rights and obligations under this Agreement, the amount of the Commitment of
the
assigning Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined
as
of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment)
shall in no event be less than $10,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000
in excess thereof, (iii) each such assignment shall be to an Eligible
Assignee, (iv) each such assignment made as a result of a demand by the Company
pursuant to Section 2.17 shall be arranged by the Company after consultation
with the Agent and shall be either an assignment of all of the rights and
obligations of the assigning Lender under this Agreement or an assignment of
a
portion of such rights and obligations made concurrently with another such
assignment or other such assignments that together cover all of the rights
and
obligations of the assigning Lender under this Agreement, (v) no Lender
shall be obligated to make any such assignment as a result of a demand by the
Company pursuant to Section 2.17 (A) so long as a Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, (B) unless and until such Lender shall have
received one or more payments from either the Company, any other Borrower or
one
or more Eligible Assignees in an aggregate amount at least equal to the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Advances owing to such Lender,
together with accrued interest thereon to the date of payment of such principal
amount and all other amounts payable to such Lender under this Agreement
(including, but not limited to, any amounts owing under Section 2.11 and Section
2.14), and the Company shall have satisfied all of its other obligations under
this Agreement as of the effective date of the assignment and (C) if any such
Eligible Assignee is not an existing Lender, the Company shall have paid to
the
Agent a processing and recordation fee of $1,000, (vi) the parties to each
such assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent, for its acceptance
and
recording in the Register, an Assignment and Acceptance, together with any
Revolving Credit Note subject to such assignment and, if such assignment does
not occur as a result of a demand by the Company pursuant to Section 2.17 (in
which case the Company shall pay the fee required by clause (v)(C) of this
Section 9.07(a)), a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, and (vii) in
the
case of an assignment to any Affiliate of such Lender that is engaged in the
business of commercial banking, notice thereof shall have been given to the
Company and the Agent. Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and
recording, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and
Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the
extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant
to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender
hereunder and (y) the Lender assignor thereunder shall, to the extent that
rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such
Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and
Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Lender's rights
and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party
hereto).
(b) By
executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the Lender assignor
thereunder and the assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other
and
the
53
other
parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such
Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation or
warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements,
warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement
or
the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency
or
value of this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant
hereto; (ii) such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and
assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any
Borrower or the performance or observance by any Borrower of any of its
obligations under this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished
pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy
of this Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred
to
in Section 4.01(e), the most recent financial statements referred to in
Section 5.01(h) and such other documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such
Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will, independently and
without reliance upon the Agent, such assigning Lender or any other Lender
and
based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the
time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action
under this Agreement; (v) such assignee confirms that it is an Eligible
Assignee; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such
action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under
this Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof, together
with
such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and
(vii) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their
terms all of the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are required
to
be performed by it as a Lender.
(c) Upon
its
receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and
an
assignee representing that it is an Eligible Assignee, together with any
Revolving Credit Note or Notes subject to such assignment, the Agent shall,
if
such Assignment and Acceptance has been completed and is in substantially the
form of Exhibit C hereto, (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance,
(ii) record the information contained therein in the Register and
(iii) give prompt notice thereof to each Borrower.
(d) The
Agent
shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.02 a copy of each
Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and a register for
the
recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders and the Commitment of,
and
principal amount of the Advances owing to, each Lender from time to time (the
"Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive
and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and each Borrower, the
Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the
Register as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this
Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by any
Borrower or any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon
reasonable prior notice.
(e) Each
Lender may sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other
than any Borrower or any of its Affiliates) in or to all or a portion of its
rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation,
all
or a portion of its Commitment, the Advances owing to it and any Note or Notes
held by it); provided, however, that (i) such Lender's
obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitment
to any Borrower hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall
remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of
such obligations, (iii) such
54
Lender
shall remain the holder of any such Note for all purposes of this Agreement,
(iv) each Borrower, the Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal
solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights
and
obligations under this Agreement and (v) no participant under any such
participation shall have any right to approve any amendment or waiver of any
provision of this Agreement or any Note, or any consent to any departure by
any
Borrower therefrom, except to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent
would reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Advances or any fees or
other
amounts payable hereunder, in each case to the extent subject to such
participation, or postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of,
or
interest on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, in
each case to the extent subject to such participation. Each Lender
agrees that, promptly upon selling any such participation in accordance with
this Section 9.07(e), such Lender shall deliver written notice thereof to the
Company.
(f) Any
Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed
assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 9.07, disclose to the
assignee, or participant or proposed assignee, or participant, any information
relating to the Company or any other Borrower furnished to such Lender by or
on
behalf of such Borrower; provided that, prior to any such disclosure, the
assignee, or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall agree to
preserve the confidentiality of any Company Information relating to such
Borrower received by it from such Lender.
(g) Notwithstanding
any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time
create a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this
Agreement (including, without limitation, the Advances owing to it and any
Note
or Notes held by it) in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with
Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.
SECTION
9.08. Designated
Subsidiaries. (a) Designation. The
Company may at any time, and from time to time, upon not less than 15 Business
Days’ notice, notify the Agent that the Company intends to designate a
Subsidiary as a "Designated Subsidiary" for purposes of this
Agreement. On or after the date that is 15 Business Days after such
notice, upon delivery to the Agent and each Lender of a
Designation Letter duly executed by the Company and the respective Subsidiary
and substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto, such Subsidiary shall
thereupon become a "Designated Subsidiary" for purposes of this Agreement and,
as such, shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Borrower
hereunder. The Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the
Company’s notice of such pending designation by the Company and the identity of
the respective Subsidiary. Following the giving of any notice
pursuant to this Section 9.08(a), if the designation of such Designated
Subsidiary obligates the Agent or any Lender to comply with "know your customer"
or similar identification procedures in circumstances where the necessary
information is not already available to it, the Company shall, promptly upon
the
request of the Agent or any Lender, supply such documentation and other evidence
as is reasonably requested by the Agent or any Lender in order for the Agent
or
such Lender to carry out and be satisfied it has complied with the results
of
all necessary "know your customer" or other similar checks under all applicable
laws and regulations.
If
the
Company shall designate as a Designated Subsidiary hereunder any Subsidiary
not
organized under the laws of the United States or any State thereof, any
Lender
55
may,
with
notice to the Agent and the Company, fulfill its Commitment by causing an
Affiliate of such Lender organized in the same jurisdiction as such Designated
Subsidiary or another foreign jurisdiction agreed to by such Lender and the
Company, to act as the Lender in respect of such Designated Subsidiary, and
such
Lender shall, to the extent of Advances made to such Designated Subsidiary,
be
deemed for all purposes hereof to have satisfied its Commitment hereunder in
respect of such Designated Subsidiary.
As
soon
as practicable after receiving notice from the Company or the Agent of the
Company's intent to designate a Subsidiary as a Designated Subsidiary, and
in
any event no later than five Business Days after the delivery of such notice,
for a Designated Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction
other than of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, any Lender
that may not legally lend to, establish credit for the account of and/or do
any
business whatsoever with such Designated Subsidiary directly or through an
Affiliate of such Lender as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph
(a
"Protesting Lender") shall so notify the Company and the Agent in
writing. With respect to each Protesting Lender, the Company shall,
effective on or before the date that such Designated Subsidiary shall have
the
right to borrow hereunder, either (A) notify the Agent and such Protesting
Lender that the Commitments of such Protesting Lender shall be terminated;
provided that such Protesting Lender shall have received payment of an
amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Advances, accrued interest
thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the
assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest
and
fees) or the Company or the relevant Designated Subsidiary (in the case of
all
other amounts), or (B) cancel its request to designate such Subsidiary as a
"Designated Subsidiary" hereunder.
(b) Termination. Upon
the payment and performance in full of all of the indebtedness, liabilities
and
obligations under this Agreement and relating to the Advances of any Designated
Subsidiary then, so long as at the time no Notice of Revolving Credit Borrowing
or Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing in respect of such Designated Subsidiary
is outstanding, such Subsidiary's status as a "Designated Subsidiary" shall
terminate upon notice to such effect from the Agent to the Lenders (which notice
the Agent shall give promptly upon its receipt of a request therefor from the
Company). Thereafter, the Lenders shall be under no further
obligation to make any Advance hereunder to such Designated
Subsidiary.
SECTION
9.09. Confidentiality. Each
of the Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the
Company Information (as defined below), and agrees that it shall only use such
Company Information in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and not disclose such information other than (a) to its
Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective managers, administrators,
trustees, partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and other
representatives on a need to know basis that are expected to be involved in
the
evaluation of such information in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure
is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Company Information
and instructed to keep such Company Information confidential in accordance
with
the terms hereof), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority
having jurisdiction over it or its Affiliates (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 provided that the Person making such
disclosures shall, to the extent permitted by law and to the
56
extent
practicable, provide the Company with advance notice thereof, (d) to any
other party hereto, (e) subject to an agreement for the benefit of the
Company 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 party (or its managers, administrators,
trustees, partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and other
representatives) to any swap or derivative or similar transaction under which
payments are to be made by reference to the Borrowers and their obligations,
this Agreement or payments hereunder, (iii) any rating agency, or (iv) the
CUSIP
Service Bureau or any similar organization, (f) with the written consent of
the Company or (g) to the extent such Company Information (x) becomes
publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or
(y) becomes available to the Agent, any Lender or any of their respective
Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the
Company.
For
purposes of this Section, “Company Information” means all information
received from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, other than any
such information that is available to the Agent or any Lender on a
nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of
Company 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 Company Information
as
such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
SECTION
9.10. Governing
Law. This Agreement and the Notes shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York.
SECTION
9.11. Execution
in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each
of
which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an
executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier or
other electronic communication shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION
9.12. Jurisdiction,
Etc. (a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably
and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction only of any
New York State court or federal court of the United States of America
sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any
action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes,
or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties
hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect
of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined only in any such
New York State court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal
court. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, 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. Each Designated Subsidiary that
has its principal place of business outside of the United States of America
hereby agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may
be
made upon the Company at its offices specified in Section 9.02 (the "Process
Agent") and each such Designated Subsidiary hereby irrevocably appoints the
Process
57
Agent
its
authorized agent to accept such service of process, and agrees that the failure
of the Process Agent to give any notice of any such service shall not impair
or
affect the validity of such service or of any judgment rendered in any action
or
proceeding based thereon. Each Borrower hereby further irrevocably
consents to the service of process in any action or proceeding in such courts
by
the mailing thereof by any parties hereto by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid, to such Borrower at its address set forth in Section
9.02. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any party
may otherwise have to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by
law. To the extent that any Designated Subsidiary has or hereafter
may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal
process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment,
attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to itself
or its property, such Designated Subsidiary hereby irrevocably waives such
immunity in respect of its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Each
of
the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent
it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter
have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of
or
relating to this Agreement or the Notes in any New York State or federal
court of the United States of America sitting in New York
City. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the
maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
SECTION
9.13. Patriot
Act. Each Lender hereby notifies each 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 each borrower, guarantor or
grantor (the "Loan Parties"), which information includes the name and address
of
each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify
such Loan Party in accordance with the Act.
[THE
REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
58
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
by
their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above
written.
THE
HERSHEY COMPANY
|
|
By:
/s/ X. X. Xxxxx
|
|
Title: Vice
President, Treasurer
|
|
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|
Title: Senior
Vice President,
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
CITIBANK,
N.A.,
As
Administrative Agent
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxx
|
|
Title: Vice
President
|
|
Lenders
|
|
CITIBANK,
N.A.,
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxx
|
|
Title: Vice
President
|
|
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.
By:
/s/ J. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Title: Vice
President
|
|
UBS
LOAN FINANCE LLC
By:/s/
Xxxx X. Xxxx
|
|
Title: Associate
Director
|
|
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|
Title: Director
|
SCHEDULE
I TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT
COMMITMENTS
AND APPLICABLE LENDING OFFICES
Name
of Initial Lender
|
Commitment
|
Domestic
Lending Office
|
Eurodollar
Lending Office
|
Bank
of America, N.A.
|
$100,000,000
|
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
T: (000)
000-0000
F: (000)
000-0000
|
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
T: (000)
000-0000
F: (000)
000-0000
|
Citibank,
N.A.
|
$100,000,000
|
Xxx
Xxxxx Xxx
Xxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Bank
Loan Syndications
T: (000)
000-0000
F: (000)
000-0000
|
Xxx
Xxxxx Xxx
Xxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Bank
Loan Syndications
T: (000)
000-0000
F: (000)
000-0000
|
UBS
Loan Finance LLC
|
$100,000,000
|
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx.
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
T: (000)
000-0000
F: (203)
719-3888
|
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx.
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
T: (000)
000-0000
F: (000)
000-0000
|
TOTAL
OF
COMMITMENTS
|
$300,000,000
|
SCHEDULE
3.01(b)
DISCLOSED
LITIGATION
NONE
SCHEDULE
4.01(c)
REQUIRED
AUTHORIZATIONS AND APPROVALS
NONE
EXHIBIT
A-1 - FORM OF
REVOLVING
CREDIT
PROMISSORY
NOTE
U.S.$_______________ |
Dated:
August 24, 2007
|
FOR
VALUE
RECEIVED, the undersigned, [NAME OF BORROWER], a _________________________
corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
_________________________ (the "Lender") for the account of its
Applicable Lending Office on the Termination Date (each as defined in the Credit
Agreement referred to below) the principal sum of U.S.$[amount of the Lender's
Commitment in figures] or, if less, the aggregate principal amount of the
Revolving Credit Advances (as defined in the Credit Agreement referred to below)
made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement dated as
of
August 24, 2007 among The Hershey Company, the Lender and certain other lenders
party thereto, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent (the "Agent") for
the Lender and such other lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent,
UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation agent, and Citigroup Global Markets
Inc.
and Banc America Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book managers
(as amended or modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"; the
terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), outstanding on
the
Termination Date.
The
Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each
Revolving Credit Advance from the date of such Revolving Credit Advance until
such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates, and payable
at
such times, as are specified in the Credit Agreement.
Both
principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the United States of
America to Citibank, N.A., as Agent, at the Agent's Account in same day
funds. Each Revolving Credit Advance owing to the Lender by the
Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and all payments made on account
of
principal thereof, shall be recorded by the Lender and, prior to any transfer
hereof, endorsed on the grid attached hereto which is part of this Promissory
Note.
This
Promissory Note is one of the Revolving Credit Notes referred to in, and is
entitled to the benefits of, the Credit Agreement. The Credit
Agreement, among other things, (i) provides for the making of Revolving
Credit Advances by the Lender to the Borrower and each other "Borrower"
thereunder from time to time in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time
outstanding the U.S. dollar amount first above mentioned, the indebtedness
of
the Borrower resulting from each such Revolving Credit Advance being evidenced
by this Promissory Note, and (ii) contains provisions in Sections 6.01 and
2.10, respectively, for acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening
of certain stated events and also for prepayments on account of principal hereof
prior to the maturity hereof upon the terms and conditions therein
specified.
The
Borrower hereby waives presentment, demand, protest and notice of any
kind. No failure to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any rights
hereunder on the part of the holder hereof shall operate as a waiver of such
rights.
2
This
promissory note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the
laws
of the State of New York.
[NAME
OF BORROWER]
By_____________________
|
Title:
|
ADVANCES
AND PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL
Date
|
Amount
of
Advance
|
Interest
Rate
|
Interest
Period
|
Amount
of
Principal
Paid
or
Prepaid
|
Unpaid
Principal
Balance
|
Notation
Made
By
|
EXHIBIT
A-2 - FORM OF
COMPETITIVE
BID
PROMISSORY
NOTE
U.S.$_______________ |
Dated: _______________
|
FOR
VALUE
RECEIVED, the undersigned, [NAME OF BORROWER], a _________________________
corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
_________________________ (the "Lender") for the account of its
Applicable Lending Office (as defined in the Credit Agreement dated as of August
24, 2007 among The Hershey Company, the Lender and certain other lenders party
thereto, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent (the "Agent") for the
Lender and such other lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent,
UBS
Loan Finance LLC, as documentation agent, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
and
Banc America Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book managers
(as
amended or modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"; the terms
defined therein being used herein as therein defined)), on _______________,
the
principal amount of U.S.$_______________.
The
Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount hereof from
the
date hereof until such principal amount is paid in full, at the interest rate
and payable on the interest payment date or dates provided below:
Interest
Rate: _____% per annum (calculated on the basis of a year of _____ days for
the
actual number of days elapsed).
Both
principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the United States of
America to Citibank, N.A. for the account of the Lender at the Agent's Account
in same day funds.
This
Promissory Note is one of the Competitive Bid Notes referred to in, and is
entitled to the benefits of, the Credit Agreement. The Credit
Agreement, among other things, contains provisions in Section 6.01 for
acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated
events.
The
Borrower hereby waives presentment, demand, protest and notice of any
kind. No failure to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any rights
hereunder on the part of the holder hereof shall operate as a waiver of such
rights.
This
Promissory Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
laws
of the State of New York.
[NAME
OF BORROWER]
By_____________________
|
Title:
|
EXHIBIT
B-1 - FORM OF NOTICE OF
REVOLVING
CREDIT BORROWING
Citibank,
N.A., as Agent
for
the Lenders party
to
the Credit Agreement
referred
to below
Two
Penn’s Way
New
Castle, Delaware
19720 [Date]
Attention: Bank
Loan Syndications
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
The
undersigned, [Name of Borrower], refers to the Credit Agreement, dated as of
August 24, 2007 (as amended or modified from time to time, the "Credit
Agreement", the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined),
among The Hershey Company, certain Lenders party thereto, Citibank, N.A., as
administrative agent (the "Agent") for said Lenders, Bank of America,
N.A., as syndication agent, UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation agent, and
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Banc America Securities LLC, as joint lead
arrangers and joint book managers, and hereby gives you notice, irrevocably,
pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Credit Agreement that the undersigned
hereby requests a Revolving Credit Borrowing under the Credit Agreement, and
in
that connection sets forth below the information relating to such Revolving
Credit Borrowing (the "Proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing") as required
by Section 2.02(a) of the Credit Agreement:
(i)
The
Business Day of the Proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing is
_______________.
(ii)
The
Type of Advances comprising the Proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing is [Base
Rate Advances] [Eurodollar Rate Advances].
(iii)
The
aggregate amount of the Proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing is
$_______________.
[(iv)
The
initial Interest Period for each Eurodollar Rate Advance made as part of the
Proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing is _____ month[s].]
The
undersigned hereby certifies that the following statements are true on the
date
hereof, and will be true on the date of the Proposed Revolving Credit
Borrowing:
(A)
the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01 of
the Credit Agreement (except the representations set forth in the last sentence
of subsection (e) thereof and in subsection (f) thereof (other than
clause (i)(B) thereof) are correct, before and after giving effect to the
Proposed Revolving Credit Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds
therefrom, as though made on and as of such date*[and the
* This
language
should be added only if the Borrower is a Designated
Subsidiary.
representations
and warranties contained in the Designation Letter of the undersigned is
correct, before and after giving effect to the Proposed Revolving Credit
Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made
on
and as of such date]; and
(B)
no
event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Proposed
Revolving Credit Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom,
that constitutes a Default.
EXHIBIT
B-2 - FORM OF NOTICE OF
COMPETITIVE
BID BORROWING
Citibank,
N.A., as Agent
for
the Lenders party
to
the Credit Agreement
referred
to below
Two
Penn’s Way
New
Castle, Delaware
19720 [Date]
Attention: Bank
Loan Syndications
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
The
undersigned, [Name of Borrower], refers to the Credit Agreement, dated as of
August 24, 2007 (as amended or modified from time to time, the "Credit
Agreement", the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined),
among The Hershey Company, certain Lenders party thereto, Citibank, N.A., as
administrative agent (the "Agent") for said Lenders, Bank of America,
N.A., as syndication agent, UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation agent, and
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Banc America Securities LLC, as joint lead
arrangers and joint book managers, and hereby gives you notice, irrevocably,
pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Credit Agreement that the undersigned
hereby requests a Competitive Bid Borrowing under the Credit Agreement, and
in
that connection sets forth the terms on which such Competitive Bid Borrowing
(the "Proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing") is requested to be
made:
(A)
|
Date
of Competitive Bid Borrowing
|
__________________________
|
(B)
|
Principal
Amount
of
Competitive Bid Borrowing
|
__________________________
|
(C)
|
[Maturity
Date] [Interest Period]*
|
__________________________
|
(D)
|
Interest
Rate Basis
(LIBO
Rate or Fixed Rate)
|
__________________________
|
(E)
|
Interest
Payment Date(s)
|
__________________________
|
(F)
|
_________________________
|
__________________________
|
(G)
|
_________________________
|
__________________________
|
(H)
|
_________________________
|
__________________________
|
* Which
shall be
subject to the definition of "Interest Period" and end on or before the
Termination Date.
2
The
undersigned hereby certifies that the following statements are true on the
date
hereof, and will be true on the date of the Proposed Competitive Bid
Borrowing:
(a) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01
(except the representations set forth in the last sentence of subsection (e)
thereof and in subsection (f) thereof (other than clause (i)(B) thereof)) are
correct, before and after giving effect to the Proposed Competitive Bid
Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made
on
and as of such date†[and
the representations and warranties contained in the Designation Letter of the
undersigned is correct, before and after giving effect to the Proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom,
as
though made on and as of such date];
(b) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from
the Proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds
therefrom, that constitutes a Default;
(c) no
event has occurred
and no circumstance exists as a result of which the information concerning
the
undersigned that has been provided to the Agent and each Lender by the
undersigned in connection with the Credit Agreement would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact or any fact
necessary to make the statements contained therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(d) the
aggregate amount of the Proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing and all other
Borrowings to be made on the same day under the Credit Agreement is within
the
aggregate amount of the unused Commitments of the Lenders.
The
undersigned hereby confirms that the Proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing is
to be
made available to it in accordance with Section 2.03(a)(v) of the Credit
Agreement.
Very
truly yours,
|
[NAME
OF BORROWER]
By_____________________
|
Title:
|
EXHIBIT
C
- FORM OF
ASSIGNMENT
AND ACCEPTANCE
[Date]
Reference
is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of August 24, 2007 (as amended or
modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") among The Hershey
Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), the Lenders (as defined
in the Credit Agreement), Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent (the
"Agent") for the Lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent,
UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation agent, and Citigroup Global Markets
Inc.
and Banc America Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book
managers. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with
the same meaning.
The
"Assignor" and the "Assignee" referred to on Schedule I hereto agree as
follows:
1. The
Assignor hereby sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby
purchases and assumes from the Assignor, an interest in and to the Assignor's
rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement as of the date hereof (other
than in respect of Competitive Bid Advances and Competitive Bid Notes) equal
to
the percentage interest specified on Schedule 1 hereto of all outstanding rights
and obligations under the Credit Agreement (other than in respect of Competitive
Bid Advances and Competitive Bid Notes). After giving effect to such
sale and assignment, the Assignee's Commitment and the amount of the Revolving
Credit Advances owing to the Assignee will be as set forth on Schedule 1
hereto.
2. The
Assignor (i) represents and warrants that it is the legal and beneficial
owner of the interest being assigned by it hereunder and that such interest
is
free and clear of any adverse claim; (ii) makes no representation or
warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements,
warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement
or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency
or value of the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished
pursuant thereto; (iii) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no
responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any Borrower or the
performance or observance by any Borrower of any of its obligations under the
Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto;
and (iv) attaches each Revolving Credit Note of a Borrower held by the
Assignor and requests that the Agent exchange each Revolving Credit Note for
a
new Revolving Credit Note of such Borrower payable to the order of the Assignee
in an amount equal to the Commitment assumed by the Assignee pursuant hereto
or
new Revolving Credit Notes of such Borrower payable to the order of the Assignee
in an amount equal to the Commitment assumed by the Assignee pursuant hereto
and
the Assignor in an amount equal to the Commitment retained by the Assignor
under
the Credit Agreement, respectively, as specified on Schedule 1
hereto.
3. The
Assignee (i) represents and warrants that it is legally authorized to enter
into this Assignment and Acceptance; (ii) confirms that it has received a copy
of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements
referred to in Section 4.01(e) thereof, the most recent financial
statements referred to in Section 5.01(h) thereof and such other
2
documents
and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis
and
decision to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance; (iii) agrees that it
will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, the Assignor or any
other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking
or
not taking action under the Credit Agreement; (iv) confirms that it is an
Eligible Assignee; (v) appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such
action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under
the Credit Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms thereof,
together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto;
(vi) agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the
obligations that by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be
performed by it as a Lender; and (vii) attaches any U.S. Internal Revenue
Service forms required under Section 2.14 of the Credit
Agreement.
4. Following
the execution of this Assignment and Acceptance, it will be delivered to the
Agent for acceptance and recording by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.07 of
the
Credit Agreement. The effective date for this Assignment and
Acceptance (the "Effective Date") shall be the date of acceptance hereof
by the Agent, unless otherwise specified on Schedule 1 hereto.
5. Upon
such acceptance and recording by the Agent, from and after the Effective Date,
(i) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and, to the
extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and
obligations of a Lender thereunder and (ii) the Assignor shall, to the
extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and
be
released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement.
6. Upon
such acceptance and recording by the Agent, from and after the Effective Date,
the Agent shall make all payments under the Credit Agreement and the Revolving
Credit Notes in respect of the interest assigned hereby (including, without
limitation, all payments of principal, interest and facility fees with respect
thereto) to the Assignee. The Assignor and Assignee shall make all
appropriate adjustments in payments under the Credit Agreement and the Revolving
Credit Notes for periods prior to the Effective Date directly between
themselves.
7. This
Assignment and Acceptance shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of New York.
8. This
Assignment and Acceptance may be executed in any number of counterparts and
by
different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so
executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together
shall
constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed
counterpart of Schedule 1 to this Assignment and Acceptance by telecopier shall
be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment
and Acceptance.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Assignor and the Assignee have caused Schedule 1 to
this Assignment and Acceptance to be executed by their officers thereunto duly
authorized as of the date specified thereon.
Schedule
1
to
Assignment
and Acceptance
Percentage
interest assigned:
|
__________%
|
|||||
Assignee’s
Commitment:
|
$_______________
|
|||||
Aggregate
outstanding principal amount of Revolving Credit Advances
assigned:
|
$_______________
|
|||||
Principal
amount of Revolving Credit Note payable to Assignee:
|
$_______________
|
|||||
Principal
amount of Revolving Credit Note payable to Assignor:
|
$_______________
|
|||||
Effective
Date*:
|
_______________
|
|||||
[NAME
OF ASSIGNOR], as Assignor
|
||||||
By
_________________________________
|
||||||
Title:
|
||||||
Dated:
_____________________
|
||||||
[NAME
OF ASSIGNEE], as Assignee
|
||||||
By
_________________________________
|
||||||
Title:
|
||||||
Dated:
_____________________
|
||||||
Domestic
Lending Office:
[Address]
|
||||||
Eurodollar
Lending Office:
[Address]
|
* This
date
should be no earlier than five Business Days after the delivery of this
Assignment and Acceptance to the Agent.
2
Accepted
and Approved this
__________
day of _______________
|
CITIBANK,
N.A., as Agent
By:
___________________________
|
Title:
|
Approved
this __________ day
of
_______________
|
THE
HERSHEY COMPANY
By:
___________________________
|
Title:
|
EXHIBIT
D
[Reserved]
EXHIBIT
E
- FORM OF
DESIGNATION
LETTER
[DATE]
To
Citibank, N.A.,
as
Agent for the Lenders
party
to the Credit Agreement
referred
to below
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Reference
is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of August 24, 2007 (the "Credit
Agreement") among The Hershey Company (the "Company"), the Lenders
named therein, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent (the "Agent") for
said Lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent, UBS Loan Finance
LLC,
as documentation agent, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Banc America
Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book managers. For
convenience of reference, terms used herein and defined in the Credit Agreement
shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Credit
Agreement.
Please
be
advised that the Company hereby designates its undersigned Subsidiary,
____________ (the "Designated Subsidiary"), as a "Designated Subsidiary"
under and for all purposes of the Credit Agreement.
The
Designated Subsidiary, in consideration of each Lender's agreement to extend
credit to it under and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Credit
Agreement, does hereby assume each of the obligations imposed upon a "Designated
Subsidiary" and a "Borrower" under the Credit Agreement and agrees to be bound
by the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement. In furtherance
of the foregoing, the Designated Subsidiary hereby represents and warrants
to
each Lenders as follows:
1. The
Designated Subsidiary is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing
and
in good standing under the laws of __________________ and is duly qualified
to
transact business in all jurisdictions in which such qualification is
required.
2. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Designated Subsidiary of this
Designation Letter, the Credit Agreement and the Notes of such Designated
Subsidiary, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby,
are
within the Designated Subsidiary's corporate powers, have been duly authorized
by all necessary corporate action, and do not and will not contravene (i) the
charter or by-laws of the Designated Subsidiary or (ii) law or any contractual
restriction binding on or affecting the Designated Subsidiary.
3. This
Designation Agreement and each of the Notes of the Designated Subsidiary, when
delivered, will have been duly executed and delivered, and this Designation
Letter, the Credit Agreement and each of the Notes of the Designated Subsidiary,
when delivered, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of
the
Designated Subsidiary enforceable against the Designated Subsidiary in
accordance with
2
their
respective terms except to the extent that such enforcement may be limited
by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and other similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally.
4. There
is no pending or threatened action, suit, investigation, litigation or
proceeding including, without limitation, any Environmental Action, affecting
the Designated Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries before any court,
governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) could be reasonably likely to have
a
Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) purports to effect the legality, validity
or
enforceability of this Designation Letter, the Credit Agreement, any Note of
the
Designated Subsidiary or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby.
5. No
authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with,
any governmental authority or administrative or regulatory body or any other
third party are required in connection with the execution, delivery or
performance by the Designated Subsidiary of this Designation Letter, the Credit
Agreement or the Notes of the Designated Subsidiary except for such
authorizations, consents, approvals, licenses, filings or registrations as
have
heretofore been made, obtained or effected and are in full force and
effect.
6. The
Designated Subsidiary is not, and immediately after the application by
the
Designated Subsidiary of the proceeds of each Advance will not be, an
"investment company", or an "affiliated person" of, or "promotor" or "principal
underwriter" for, an "investment company", as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
|
Very
truly yours,
|
THE
HERSHEY COMPANY
By
________________________
|
|
Title:
|
[THE
DESIGNATED SUBSIDIARY]
By
________________________
|
|
Title:
|
EXHIBIT
F
- FORM OF
ACCEPTANCE
BY COMPANY AS PROCESS AGENT
[Date]
To
each
of the Lenders party
to
the
Credit Agreement (as defined
below)
and to Citibank, N.A.,
as
Agent
for said Lenders
[Name
of Designated Subsidiary]
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Reference
is made to (i) that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of August 24, 2007,
among
The Hershey Company (the "Company"), the Lenders named therein, Citibank,
N.A., as administrative agent (the "Agent") for said Lenders, Bank of
America, N.A., as syndication agent, UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation
agent, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Banc America Securities LLC, as
joint lead arrangers and joint book managers (as hereafter amended, supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"; the
terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), and (ii) to
the Designation Letter, dated _________, pursuant to which __________ has become
a Borrower under the Credit Agreement.
Pursuant
to Section 9.12(a) of the Credit Agreement, __________ has appointed the Company
(with an office on the date hereof at Corporate Headquarters, 000 Xxxxxxx X
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx) as Process Agent to
receive on behalf of ______________ service of copies of the summons and
complaint and any other process which may be served in any action or proceeding
in any New York State or Federal court of the United States of America sitting
in New York City arising out of or relating to the Credit
Agreement.
The
Company hereby accepts such appointment as Process Agent and agrees with each
of
you that (i) the undersigned will not terminate or abandon the undersigned
agency as such Process Agent without at least six months' prior notice to the
Agent (and hereby acknowledges that the undersigned has been retained for its
services as Process Agent through __________), (ii) the undersigned will
maintain an office in the United States through such date and will give the
Agent prompt notice of any change of address of the undersigned, (iii) the
undersigned will perform its duties as Process Agent to receive on behalf of
______________ service of copies of the summons and complaint and any other
process which may be served in any action or proceeding in any New York State
or
Federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City arising
out of or relating to the Credit Agreement and (iv) the undersigned will
forward forthwith to ______________ at its address at ________________ or,
if
different, its then current address, copies of any summons, complaint and other
process which the undersigned receives in connection with its appointment as
Process Agent.
2
This
acceptance and agreement shall be binding upon the undersigned and all
successors of the undersigned.
Very
truly yours,
|
|
THE
HERSHEY COMPANY
By
________________________
|
|
Title:
|
EXHIBIT
G
- FORM OF
OPINION
OF XXXXXX X. XXXXXX, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
GENERAL
COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
OF
THE
COMPANY
[Effective
Date]
To
each
of the Lenders party
to
the Credit Agreement referred
to
below and to Citibank, N.A., as
Agent
for such Lenders
The
Hershey Company
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
This
opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 3.01(g)(iv) of the Credit
Agreement, dated as of August 24, 2007 (the "Credit Agreement"), among
The Hershey Company (the "Company"), the Lenders party thereto, Citibank,
N.A., as administrative agent (the "Agent") for said Lenders, Bank of
America, N.A., as syndication agent, UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation
agent, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Banc America Securities LLC, as
joint lead arrangers and joint book managers. Terms defined in the
Credit Agreement are used herein as therein defined.
I
am the
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, and I
have
acted as counsel for the Company in connection with the preparation, execution
and delivery of the Credit Agreement.
In
that
connection, I have examined:
(1) the
Credit Agreement and the Revolving Credit Notes of the Company;
(2) the
documents furnished by the Company pursuant to Article III of the Credit
Agreement;
(3) the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and all
amendments thereto (the "Charter"); and
(4) The
by-laws of the Company and all amendments thereto (the
"By-laws").
I
have
also examined the originals, or copies certified to my satisfaction, of such
other corporate records of the Company, certificates of public officials and
of
officers of the Company, and agreements, instruments and other documents, as
I
have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In
making such examinations, I have assumed the
2
genuineness
of all signatures (other than those on behalf of the Company), the authenticity
of all documents submitted to me as originals and the conformity to authentic
original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified, conformed
or
photographic copies. As to questions of fact material to such
opinions, I have, when relevant facts were not independently established by
me,
relied upon certificates of the Company or its officers or of public officials
and as to questions of fact and law, on opinions or statements by other lawyers
reporting to me. I have assumed the due execution and delivery,
pursuant to due authorization, of the Credit Agreement by the Initial Lenders
and the Agent.
My
opinions expressed below are limited to the law of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, and, where applicable, the General Corporation Law of the State
of
Delaware and the Federal law of the United States.
Based
upon the foregoing and upon such investigation as I have deemed necessary,
I am
of the following opinion:
1. The
Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware.
2. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Credit Agreement
and
the Notes, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, are
within the Company's corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action, and do not contravene (i) the Charter or the
By-laws or (ii) any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company
(including, without limitation, Regulation X of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System) or (iii) any contractual or legal restriction
binding on or affecting the Company or, to the best of my knowledge, contained
in any other similar document, except where such contravention would not be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Credit
Agreement and the Revolving Credit Notes of the Company have been duly executed
and delivered on behalf of the Company.
3. No
authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with,
any
governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required
for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Credit
Agreement and the Notes, or for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby, except for the authorizations, approvals, actions, notices
and filings (i) listed on Schedule 4.01(c) to the Credit Agreement, all of
which have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and
effect and (ii) where the Company's failure to receive, take or make such
authorization, approval, action, notice or filing would not have a Material
Adverse Effect.
4. There
(i) are no pending or, to the best of my knowledge, threatened actions,
investigations, litigations or proceedings against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (a) would
be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed
Litigation) or (b) purport to affect the legality, validity, binding effect
or
enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any of the Notes or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated
3
thereby,
and (ii) there has been no adverse change in the status, or financial effect
on
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, of the Disclosed Litigation
from that described on Schedule 3.01(b) thereto.
This
opinion letter may be relied upon by you only in connection with the transaction
being consummated pursuant to the Credit Agreement and may not be used or relied
upon by any other person for any other purpose.
Very
truly yours,
EXHIBIT
H
- FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL
TO
A
DESIGNATED SUBSIDIARY
[Date]
To
each
of the Lenders party
to
the
Credit Agreement
referred
to below,
and
to
Citibank, N.A., as Agent
for
said
Lenders
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
In
my
capacity as counsel to _____________________ ("Designated Subsidiary"),
I have reviewed that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of August 24, 2007
(the
"Credit Agreement"), among The Hershey Company (the "Company"),
the Lenders party thereto, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent (the
"Agent") for said Lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent,
UBS Loan Finance LLC, as documentation agent, and Citigroup Global Markets
Inc.
and Banc America Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book
managers. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein as
therein defined. In connection therewith, I have also examined the
following documents:
(i) The
Designation Letter (as defined in the Credit Agreement) executed by the
Designated Subsidiary.
[such
other documents as counsel may wish to refer to]
I
have
also reviewed such matters of law and examined the original, certified,
conformed or photographic copies of such other documents, records, agreements
and certificates as I have considered relevant hereto. As to
questions of fact material to such opinions, we have, when relevant facts were
not independently established by us, relied upon certificates of the Designated
Subsidiary or of its officers or of public officials and as to questions of
fact
and law, on opinions or statements by other lawyers reporting to
me. I have assumed (i) the due execution and delivery, pursuant
to due authorization, of each of the documents referred to above by all parties
thereto other than the Designated Subsidiary, (ii) the authenticity of all
such documents submitted to us as originals and (iii) the conformity to
originals of all such documents submitted to me as certified, conformed or
photographic copies.
My
opinions expressed below are limited to ________________ and the State of New
York.
Based
upon the foregoing, and upon such investigation as I have deemed necessary,
I am
of the following opinion:
2
1. The
Designated Subsidiary (a) is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of _________________________, (b) is
duly qualified in each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property
or
in which the conduct of its business requires it to so qualify or be licensed
and (c) has all requisite corporate power and authority to own or lease and
operate its properties and to carry on its business as now conducted and as
proposed to be conducted.
2. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Designated Subsidiary of its
Designation Letter, the Credit Agreement and its Revolving Credit Notes, and
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, are within the Designated
Subsidiary's corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action, and do not contravene (i) any provision of the charter or
by-laws or other constituent documents of the Designated Subsidiary,
(ii) any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Designated Subsidiary or
(iii) any contractual or legal obligation or restriction binding on or
affecting the Designated Subsidiary, except where such contravention would
not
be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. The
Designation Letter and each Revolving Credit Note of the Designated Subsidiary
has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Designated
Subsidiary.
3. The
Designation Letter of the Designated Subsidiary, the Credit Agreement and the
Revolving Credit Notes of the Designated Subsidiary are, and each other Note
of
the Designated Subsidiary when executed and delivered under the Credit Agreement
will be, legal, valid and binding obligations of the Designated Subsidiary
enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except as the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
or moratorium or other similar laws relating to the enforcement of creditors'
rights generally or by the application of general principles of equity
(regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law), and except that I express no opinion as to (i) the
subject matter jurisdiction of the District Courts of the United States of
America to adjudicate any controversy relating to the Credit Agreement, the
Designation Letter of the Designated Subsidiary or the Notes of the Designated
Subsidiary or (ii) the effect of the law of any jurisdiction (other than the
State of New York) wherein any Lender or Applicable Lending Office may be
located or wherein enforcement of the Credit Agreement, the Designation Letter
of the Designated Subsidiary or the Notes of the Designated Subsidiary may
be
sought which limits rates of interest which may be charged or collected by
such
Lender.
4. There
is no pending, or to the best of my knowledge, threatened action, investigation,
litigation or proceeding at law or in equity against the Designated Subsidiary
before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that would be reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or that purports to affect the
legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of the Designation Letter
of the Designated Subsidiary, the Credit Agreement or any Revolving Credit
Note
of the Designated Subsidiary, or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby.
3
5. No
authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with,
any
governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required
for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Designated Subsidiary
of
its Designation Letter, the Credit Agreement or the Notes of the Designated
Subsidiary except for such authorizations, consents, approvals, actions, notices
or filings as have heretofore been made, obtained or affected and are in full
force and effect.
This
opinion letter may be relied upon by you only in connection with the transaction
being consummated pursuant to the Credit Agreement and may not be used or relied
upon by any other person for any other purpose.
Very
truly yours,