U.S. $100,000,000 TERM LOAN AGREEMENT Dated as of August 27, 2007 Among APPLERA CORPORATION as Borrower THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN as Initial Lenders and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. as Administrative Agent
EXHIBIT 4.1
EXECUTION VERSION
U.S. $100,000,000
Dated as of August 27, 2007
Among
APPLERA CORPORATION
as Borrower
THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN
as Initial Lenders
and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
as Administrative Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I 1 |
||||
SECTION 1.1 |
Certain Defined Terms | 1 | ||
SECTION 1.2 |
Computation of Time Periods | 9 | ||
SECTION 1.3 |
Accounting Terms | 9 | ||
ARTICLE II 9 |
||||
SECTION 2.1 |
Term Loan | 9 | ||
SECTION 2.2 |
[reserved] | 9 | ||
SECTION 2.3 |
[reserved] | 9 | ||
SECTION 2.4 |
Fees | 10 | ||
SECTION 2.5 |
[reserved] | 10 | ||
SECTION 2.6 |
Repayment of Term Loan | 10 | ||
SECTION 2.7 |
Interest on Term Loan | 10 | ||
SECTION 2.8 |
Interest Rate Determination | 11 | ||
SECTION 2.9 |
Optional Conversion of Term Loans | 11 | ||
SECTION 2.10 |
Optional Prepayments of Term Loan | 12 | ||
SECTION 2.11 |
Increased Costs | 12 | ||
SECTION 2.12 |
Illegality | 13 | ||
SECTION 2.13 |
Payments and Computations | 13 | ||
SECTION 2.14 |
Taxes | 14 | ||
SECTION 2.15 |
Sharing of Payments, Etc. | 15 | ||
SECTION 2.16 |
Evidence of Debt | 16 | ||
SECTION 2.17 |
Use of Proceeds | 16 | ||
SECTION 2.18 |
[reserved] | 16 | ||
SECTION 2.19 |
Extension of Termination Date | 16 | ||
ARTICLE III 17 |
||||
SECTION 3.1 |
Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of this Agreement | 17 | ||
SECTION 3.2 |
Conditions Precedent to Section 2.1 | 18 | ||
SECTION 3.3 |
[reserved] | 18 | ||
SECTION 3.4 |
[reserved] | 18 | ||
SECTION 3.5 |
Determinations Under Section 3.1 | 18 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||
ARTICLE IV 19 |
||||
SECTION 4.1 |
Representations and Warranties of the Company | 19 | ||
ARTICLE V 20 |
||||
SECTION 5.1 |
Affirmative Covenants | 20 | ||
SECTION 5.2 |
Negative Covenants | 22 | ||
SECTION 5.3 |
Financial Covenant | 23 | ||
ARTICLE VI 23 |
||||
SECTION 6.1 |
Events of Default | 23 | ||
ARTICLE VII 25 |
||||
SECTION 7.1 |
[reserved] | 25 | ||
SECTION 7.2 |
[reserved] | 25 | ||
SECTION 7.3 |
[reserved] | 25 | ||
SECTION 7.4 |
[reserved] | 25 | ||
SECTION 7.5 |
[reserved] | 25 | ||
ARTICLE VIII 25 |
||||
SECTION 8.1 |
Authorization and Action | 25 | ||
SECTION 8.2 |
Agent’s Reliance, Etc. | 25 | ||
SECTION 8.3 |
Bank of America and Affiliates | 26 | ||
SECTION 8.4 |
Lender Credit Decision | 26 | ||
SECTION 8.5 |
Indemnification | 26 | ||
SECTION 8.6 |
Successor Agent | 26 | ||
SECTION 8.7 |
[reserved] | 27 | ||
SECTION 8.8 |
Other Agents | 27 | ||
SECTION 8.9 |
Exculpatory Provisions | 27 | ||
ARTICLE IX 27 |
||||
SECTION 9.1 |
Amendments, Etc. | 27 | ||
SECTION 9.2 |
Notices, Etc. | 28 | ||
SECTION 9.3 |
No Waiver; Remedies | 29 | ||
SECTION 9.4 |
Costs and Expenses | 29 | ||
SECTION 9.5 |
Right of Set-off | 30 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||
SECTION 9.6 |
Binding Effect | 30 | ||
SECTION 9.7 |
Assignments and Participations | 30 | ||
SECTION 9.8 |
Confidentiality | 32 | ||
SECTION 9.9 |
[reserved] | 33 | ||
SECTION 9.10 |
Governing Law | 33 | ||
SECTION 9.11 |
Execution in Counterparts | 33 | ||
SECTION 9.12 |
[reserved] | 33 | ||
SECTION 9.13 |
Jurisdiction, Etc. | 33 | ||
SECTION 9.14 |
Patriot Act Notice | 33 |
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Schedules
Schedule I - List of Applicable Lending Offices
Schedule 3.1(b) - Disclosed Litigation
Schedule 5.2(a) - Existing Liens
Exhibits
Exhibit A |
- | Form of Term Note | ||
Exhibit B |
- | Form of Conversion/Continuation Request | ||
Exhibit C |
- | Form of Assignment and Acceptance | ||
Exhibit D |
- | Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Borrower and the Company |
Dated as of August 27, 2007
APPLERA CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (referred to herein as the “Company” or the “Borrower”), the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders (the “Initial Lenders”) listed on the signature pages hereof, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as administrative agent (the “Agent”) for the Lenders (as hereinafter defined), agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
SECTION 1.1 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):
“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 20% 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 (a) the account of the Agent maintained by the Agent at Bank of America at its office at 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000, Account No. CO #493 A/C#0000000 (and all payments thereto shall include reference to: Bank of America, N.A., Boston, MA, ABA#000000000, for the benefit of: Applera Corporation, obligor #60484, obligations #265), and (b) , such other account of the Agent as is designated in writing from time to time by the Agent to the Company and the Lenders for such purpose.
“Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Loan and such Lender’s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“Applicable Margin” means as of any date, a percentage per annum determined by reference to the Pricing Level in effect on such date as set forth below:
Pricing Level |
Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans |
Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans | ||
Xxxxx 0 |
0.00% | 0.200% | ||
Xxxxx 0 |
0.00% | 0.240% | ||
Xxxxx 0 |
0.00% | 0.270% | ||
Xxxxx 0 |
0.00% | 0.300% | ||
Xxxxx 0 |
0.00% | 0.400% |
“Applied Biosystems Group” or “ABG” means the business division of the Company which develops and markets instrument-based systems, consumables, software and services.
“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 for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Term Loan denominated in Dollars that bears interest as provided in Section 2.7(a)(i).
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Agent’s Domestic Lending Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“Celera Group” or “CG” means the business division of the Company which focuses on molecular diagnostics.
“Confidential Information” means information that the Company furnishes to the Agent or any Lender in writing designated as confidential, but does not include any such information that is or becomes generally available to the public or that is or becomes available to the Agent or such Lender from a source other than the Company.
“Consolidated” refers to the consolidation of accounts in accordance with GAAP.
“Convert”, “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of the Term Loan, or any portion thereof, of one Type into a Term Loan, or any portion thereof, of the other Type pursuant to Section 2.8 or 2.9.
“Debt” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade payables not overdue by more than 90 days incurred in the ordinary course of such Person’s business), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (d) all obligations of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (e) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases, (f) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of acceptances, letters of credit or similar extensions of credit, (g) all obligations of such Person in respect of Hedge Agreements, (h) all Debt of others referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above or clause (i) below guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement (1) to pay or purchase such Debt or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase of such Debt, (2) to purchase, sell
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or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such Debt or to assure the holder of such Debt against loss, (3) to supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or services irrespective of whether such property is received or such services are rendered) or (4) otherwise to assure a creditor against loss, and (i) all Debt referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including, without limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Debt.
“Debt for Borrowed Money” of any Person means all Debt of such Person of the types described in clauses (a) through (e) of the definition of “Debt”, to the extent reflected on a Consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP.
“Debt Rating” means, as of any date, the Public Debt Rating in effect on such date or, if no Public Debt Rating is then in effect, the Implied Debt Rating in effect on such date.
“Debt/Total Capital Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio, expressed as a decimal fraction, of Consolidated Debt for Borrowed Money of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the sum of Consolidated Debt for Borrowed Money of the Company and its Subsidiaries plus Net Worth.
“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.
“Disclosed Litigation” has the meaning specified in Section 3.1(b).
“Dollars” and the “$” sign each means lawful currency of the United States of America.
“Domestic Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assumption Agreement or 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 3.1.
“Eligible Assignee” means (i) a Lender; (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender; and (iii) any other Person approved by the Agent and, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time any assignment is effected in accordance with Section 9.7, the Company, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, however, that neither the Company nor an Affiliate of the Company shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.
“Environmental Action” means any action, suit, demand, demand letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or violation, notice of liability or potential liability, investigation, proceeding, consent order or consent agreement relating in any way to any Environmental Law, Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the environment, including, without limitation, (a) by any governmental or regulatory authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages and (b) by any governmental or regulatory authority or any third party for damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief.
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“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 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, a Plan.
“Eurodollar Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Eurodollar Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or 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 with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Eurodollar Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be the rate at which deposits in
4
Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, subject, however, to the provisions of Section 2.8.
“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means all or any portion of the Term Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.
“Extension Date” means, in the event that the Termination Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.19, the Initial Termination Date.
“Events of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 6.1.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Agent.
“Fee Letter” means that certain Fee Letter, dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and the Agent.
“GAAP” has the meaning specified in Section 1.3.
“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.
“Hedge Agreements” means interest rate swap, cap or collar agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar agreements.
“Implied Debt Rating” means the corporate credit rating assigned by S&P to the Company’s unsecured “implied senior debt” from time to time, as published by S&P on March 9, 2005 or any subsequent publication thereof in any medium by S&P (which rating on the date hereof is A-) or, if such rating is unavailable, the equivalent rating assigned by Moody’s to the Company’s unsecured “implied senior debt”, as notified in writing to the Company by Moody’s.
“Initial Termination Date” means the day that is one (1) year after the Term Loan Drawdown Date.
“Interest Period” means, for each Eurodollar Rate Loan comprising part of the same Term Loan, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Rate Loan or the date of the
5
Conversion of any Base Rate Loan into such Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower requesting such Borrowing pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter, with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, 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 the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, two, three, or six months, or nine or twelve months if available by all Lenders, as the 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) the Borrower may not select any Interest Period that ends after the Termination Date;
(ii) 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
(iii) 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 the Initial Lenders and each Person that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 9.7.
“Lien” means any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential arrangement, including, without limitation, the lien or retained security title of a conditional vendor.
“Material Adverse Change” means any material adverse change in the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, financial condition or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the rights and remedies of the Agent or any Lender under this Agreement or any Term Note.
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“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
6
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.
“Net Worth” means stockholders’ equity of the Company.
“Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, signed into law October 26, 2001.
“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 5.1(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 securing obligations that are not overdue for a period of more than 60 days or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (c) pledges or deposits to secure obligations under workers’ compensation laws, unemployment insurance or similar legislation or to secure public or statutory obligations or to secure performance or other similar obligations arising in the ordinary course of business (other than in respect of indebtedness for borrowed money); and (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.
“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, 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.
“Pricing Level” means, as of any date the level set forth below as then in effect for the Company, as determined in accordance with the following provisions of this definition:
Level 1: Debt Rating of not lower than A by S&P or not lower than A2 by Moody’s or, if no Debt Rating is available from S&P or Moody’s, Debt/Total Capital Ratio of not more than 0.35:1.00.
Level 2: Debt Rating of lower than Level 1 but not lower than A- by S&P or A3 by Moody’s or, if no Debt Rating is available from S&P or Moody’s, Debt/Total Capital Ratio of not more than 0.40:1.00.
Level 3: Debt Rating of lower than Level 2 but not lower than BBB+ by S&P or Baa1 by Moody’s or, if no Debt Rating is available from S&P or Moody’s, Debt/Total Capital Ratio of not more than 0.45:1.00.
Level 4: Debt Rating of lower than Level 3 but not lower than BBB by S&P or Baa2 by Moody’s or, if no Debt Rating is available from S&P or Moody’s, Debt/Total Capital Ratio of not more than 0.50:1.00.
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Level 5: Debt Rating of lower than Level 4 or, if no Debt Rating is available from S&P or Moody’s, Debt/Total Capital Ratio of more than 0.50:1.00.
For purposes of the foregoing, (a) if only one of S&P and Moody’s shall have in effect a Debt Rating, the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the available rating; (b) if the ratings established by S&P and Moody’s shall fall within different levels, the Pricing Level shall be based upon the higher rating unless such ratings differ by two or more levels, in which case the applicable level will be deemed to be one level below the higher of such levels; and (c) if no Debt Rating is then available (x) any change in the Pricing Level determined by reference to the Company’s Debt/Total Capital Ratio shall be effective on the date that the financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(h)(i) and (ii) are delivered or deemed delivered in accordance with such Section and (y) the Pricing Level shall be at Level 5 for so long as the Company has not delivered the information described in clause (c)(x) above as and when required under Section 5.1(h)(i) or (ii), as the case may be.
“Public Debt Rating” means, as of any date, the lowest rating that has been most recently announced by either S&P or Moody’s, 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 any rating established by S&P or Moody’s shall be changed, such change shall be effective as of the date on which such change is first announced publicly by the rating agency making such change; and (b) if S&P or Moody’s shall change the basis on which ratings are established, each reference to the Public Debt Rating announced by S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, shall refer to the then equivalent rating by S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 9.7(d).
“Required Lenders” means at any time Lenders owed at least a majority in interest of the then aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan owing to Lenders.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc.
“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, joint venture, 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, partnership or joint venture 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.
“Termination Date” means the later of (a) the Initial Termination Date and (b) if the Initial Termination Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.19, such extended termination date as determined pursuant to such Section.
8
“Term Loan” means an extension of credit by any Lender to the Borrower under Article II.
“Term Loan Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make the Term Loan on the Term Loan Drawdown Date to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1. Each Lender’s Term Loan Commitment is set forth opposite such Lender’s name on the signature pages hereto.
“Term Loan Drawdown Date” means the Business Day during the Term Loan Draw Period on which the Term Loan is made to the Borrower pursuant to a written request of the Borrower delivered to the Agent by 11:00 a.m.(ET) on the date on which the Term Loan is to be made if the request is for a Base Rate Loan or at least two (2) days prior to the date on which the Term Loan is to be made if the request is for a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“Term Loan Draw Period” means the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the sixtieth (60th) day thereafter.
“Term Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the order of any Lender, delivered pursuant to a request made under Section 2.16 in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Term Loan made by such Lender to the Borrower.
“Type” means, as to any Term Loan, its nature as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“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.
SECTION 1.2 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 1.3 Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistent with those applied in the preparation of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.1(e) (“GAAP”).
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES
SECTION 2.1 Term Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make a Term Loan to the Borrower on the Term Loan Drawdown Date in an aggregate amount not to exceed such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment. No amount of the Term Loan repaid or prepaid by the Borrower may be reborrowed hereunder. The failure of any Lender to make the Term Loan on the Term Loan Drawdown Date to be made by such Lender shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation hereunder to make the Term Loan to be made by such other Lender on the Term Loan Drawdown Date.
SECTION 2.2 [reserved]
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SECTION 2.3 [reserved]
SECTION 2.4 Fees. The Company shall pay to the Agent for its own account the fees specified in the Fee Letter and such other fees as may from time to time be agreed to between the Company and the Agent.
SECTION 2.5 [reserved]
SECTION 2.6 Repayment of Term Loan.
(a) In the event that the Termination Date is not extended pursuant to Section 2.19, the Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders on the Initial Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan made to it and then outstanding.
(b) In the event that the Termination Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.19, the Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders quarterly installments in respect of the Term Loan on (i) the last day of the calendar month (the “First Amortization Payment Date”) immediately following the month in which the Initial Termination Date occurred and (ii) the last day of each three (3) calendar month period following the First Amortization Payment Date, in an amount equal to 3% of the original principal amount of the Term Loan, with a final payment equal to the remaining unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan due and payable in full on the Termination Date.
SECTION 2.7 Interest on Term Loan.
(a) Scheduled Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan made to it and owing to each Lender from the Term Loan Drawdown Date until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:
(i) Base Rate Loans. During such periods as such Term Loan, or any portion thereof, is a Base Rate Loan, 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, 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 Loan shall be Converted or paid in full.
(ii) Eurodollar Rate Loans. During such periods as such Term Loan, or any portion thereof, is a Eurodollar Rate Loan, a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Term Loan to the sum of (x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such Term Loan plus (y) the Applicable Margin 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 Loan shall be Converted or paid in full.
(b) Default Interest. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 6.1(a), the Borrower shall pay interest on (i) the unpaid principal amount of each Term Loan owing 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 times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Term Loan 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 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
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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 Loan pursuant to clause (a)(i) above.
SECTION 2.8 Interest Rate Determination.
(a) The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Company and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent for purposes of Section 2.7(a)(i) or (ii).
(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Required Lenders notify the Agent that (i) they are unable to obtain matching deposits in the London inter-bank market at or about 11:00 A.M. (London time) on the second Business Day before a Conversion in sufficient amounts to maintain their respective Eurodollar Rate Loan during its Interest Period or (ii) the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan will not adequately reflect the cost to such Required Lenders of maintaining their respective Eurodollar Rate Loan for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Company and the Lenders, whereupon (A) the Borrower will, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, either (1) prepay such Eurodollar Rate Loan or (2) Convert such Eurodollar Rate Loan into Base Rate Loans and (B) the obligation of the Lenders to Convert the Term Loan into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
(c) If the Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Loan in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.1, the Agent will forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders and such Eurodollar Rate Loan will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Loan.
(d) On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $5,000,000, such Eurodollar Rate Loans shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Loans.
(e) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default under Section 6.1(a), (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, be Converted into Base Rate Loans and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to Convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended.
(f) If the relevant Reuters page is unavailable to the Agent for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any Eurodollar Rate Loans,
(i) the Agent shall forthwith notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the interest rate cannot be determined for such Eurodollar Rate Loans,
(ii) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, each such Eurodollar Rate Loan will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Loan, and
(iii) the obligation of the Lenders to Convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
SECTION 2.9 Optional Conversion of Term Loans. The 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
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prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.8 and 2.12, Convert all Term Loans of one Type into Term Loans of the other Type; provided, however, that any Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans into Base Rate Loans shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loans and any Conversion of Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in an amount not less than $5,000,000. Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Dollar denominated Term Loans to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Loans, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Eurodollar Rate Loan. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower giving such notice and shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
SECTION 2.10 Optional Prepayments of Term Loan. The Borrower may, upon notice at least two Business Days’ prior to the date of such prepayment, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, and not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such prepayment, in the case of Base Rate Loans, to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given the Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan 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 not less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.4(c). Each prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.10 shall be applied to the remaining scheduled installments of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.6(b), in each case, as directed by the Borrower, or absent such direction, pro rata (based on the principal amount then remaining unpaid of each of the scheduled installments of the Term Loans).
SECTION 2.11 Increased Costs.
(a) If, due to either (i) the introduction of or any change 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 including, without limitation, any agency of the European Union or similar monetary or multinational authority (whether or not having the force of law), there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Loans (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) changes in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or by the foreign jurisdiction or state under the laws of which such Lender is organized or has its Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof), then the Company shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender (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. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, submitted to the Company and the Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If any Lender determines that compliance with any law or regulation or any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority (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 (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
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of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to the Company and the Agent by such Lender shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.11 for any amounts incurred more than six months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Company of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that, if the circumstances giving rise to such claim have a retroactive effect, then such six-month period shall be extended to include the period of such retroactive effect.
SECTION 2.12 Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall 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 asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender to perform its obligations hereunder to make or to fund or to maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans, (a) each Eurodollar Rate Loan will automatically, upon such demand be Converted into a Base Rate Loan or a Term Loan that bears interest at the rate set forth in Section 2.7(a)(i) and (b) the obligation of the Lenders to Convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
SECTION 2.13 Payments and Computations.
(a) The Borrower shall make each payment hereunder, irrespective of any right of counterclaim or set-off, not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Agent by deposit of such funds to the applicable 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 ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.11, 2.14 or 9.4(c)) 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 9.7(c), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Acceptance, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the Term Notes 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, all computations of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds Rate and of 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 under the Term Notes 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; provided, however, that, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Loans to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.
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(d) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the time on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that the 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 the 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 the Borrower hereunder or under the Term Notes 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 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 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 or any other jurisdiction that is imposed on the Agent or any Lender as a result of a present or former connection between the Agent or such Lender and such jurisdiction (other than any such connection arising solely from the Agent or such Lender having executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received a payment under, or enforced, this Agreement or the Term Notes) (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities in respect of payments hereunder or under the Term Notes being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”). If the Borrower shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or under any Term Note to any Lender or the Agent, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions 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) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Company shall 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 under the Term Notes or from the execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or the Term Notes (hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and the Agent for and hold it harmless against the full amount of Taxes or Other Taxes (including, without limitation, taxes of any kind 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 (including penalties, interest and 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.
(d) Within 30 days after the date of any payment of Taxes, the Borrower shall furnish to the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 9.2, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing such payment. In the case of any payment hereunder or under the Term Notes by or on behalf of the Borrower through an account or branch outside the United States or by or on behalf of the Borrower by a payor that is not a United States person, if the Borrower determines that no Taxes are
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payable in respect thereof, the 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 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 the Company (but only so long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide each of the Agent and the Company with two original Internal Revenue Service forms W-8BEN or W-8ECI, 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 the Term Notes. If the form 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. If any form or document referred to in this subsection (e) requires the disclosure of information, other than information necessary to compute the tax payable and information required on the date hereof by Internal Revenue Service form W-8BEN or W-8ECI, that the Lender reasonably considers to be confidential, the Lender shall give notice thereof to the Company and shall not be obligated to include in such form or document such confidential information.
(f) For any period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide the Company 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 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, the Company shall take such steps as the Lender shall reasonably request to assist the Lender to recover such Taxes.
(g) Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.14 agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Eurodollar Lending Office if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.
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 otherwise) on account of the Term Loan owing to it (other than pursuant to Section 2.11, 2.14 or 9.4(c)) in excess of its ratable share of payments on account of the Term Loan obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Term Loan 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
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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. The 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 the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
SECTION 2.16 Evidence of Debt.
(a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Term Loan 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 the Term Loan. The Borrower agrees that upon notice by any Lender to the Borrower (with a copy of such notice to the Agent) to the effect that a Term Note is required or appropriate in order for such Lender to evidence (whether for purposes of pledge, enforcement or otherwise) the Term Loan owing to, or to be made by, such Lender, the Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver to such Lender a Term Note payable to the order of such Lender in a principal amount up to the Term Loan Commitment of such Lender.
(b) The Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.7(d) shall include a control account, and a subsidiary account for each Lender, in which accounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i) the amount of the Term Loan made hereunder, the Type of Term Loan 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 the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iv) the amount of any sum received by the Agent from the 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 the 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 the Borrower under this Agreement.
SECTION 2.17 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Term Loan shall be available (and the Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) for the general corporate purposes of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
SECTION 2.18 [reserved]
SECTION 2.19 Extension of Termination Date.
(a) Extension. Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in paragraph (b) of this Section, the Termination Date shall automatically be extended on the Initial Termination Date
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for an additional two (2) years such that the Termination Date shall be the date which is three (3) years after the Term Loan Drawdown Date.
(b) Conditions to Effectiveness of Extensions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the extension of the Termination Date pursuant to this Section shall not be effective unless:
(i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Initial Termination Date (immediately before and after giving effect to such extension);
(ii) the Agent shall have received from the Borrower no later than sixty (60) days prior to the Termination Date, written notice of its request to the extension provided in this Section 2.19; and
(iii) the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Initial Termination Date and after giving effect to such extension, as though made on and as of such date (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date).
(c) Conflicting Provisions. Notwithstanding Section 9.1(d), the effectiveness of this Section shall not require the written consent of all Lenders.
ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING
SECTION 3.1 Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective on and as of the first date (the “Effective Date”) on which the following conditions precedent have been satisfied:
(a) Except as disclosed in the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 4.1(e) or in any public filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company prior to the date of this Agreement, there shall have occurred no Material Adverse Change since June 30, 2006.
(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) could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect other than the matters described on Schedule 3.1(b) hereto (the “Disclosed Litigation”) or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any Term Note or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(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.
(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 (including the accrued fees and expenses of counsel to the Agent).
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(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 contained in Section 4.1 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 satisfactory to the Agent:
(i) The Term Notes to the order of the Lenders to the extent requested by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16.
(ii) Certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company approving the entering into of this Agreement and the Term Loan by the Company, and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if any, with respect to this Agreement and the Term Notes.
(iii) A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company certifying (a) the formation documents and governing documents of the Company and (b) the names and true signatures of the officers of the Company authorized to sign this Agreement and the Term Notes and the other documents to be delivered by it hereunder.
(iv) A favorable opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, counsel for the Company and the Company, substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto and as to such other matters as any Lender through the Agent may reasonably request.
(h) Such other approvals, opinions or documents as any Lender, through the Agent, may reasonably request.
SECTION 3.2 Conditions Precedent to Section 2.1. Section 2.1 of this Agreement and the obligation of each Lender to make the Term Loan on the Term Loan Drawdown Date shall be subject to the conditions precedent that the Effective Date shall have occurred and on the Term Loan Drawdown Date the following statements shall be true:
(a) the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.1 are correct in all material respects on and as of such date (except as such representations and warranties expressly relate to another date, in which case such representations and warranties are correct as of such other date), before and after giving effect to the making of the Term Loan, as though made on and as of the Term Loan Drawdown Date, and
(b) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from the making of the Term Loan that constitutes a Default.
SECTION 3.3 [reserved]
SECTION 3.4 [reserved]
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SECTION 3.5 Determinations Under Section 3.1. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 3.1, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with each document, condition 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 4.1 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 any Term Notes to be delivered by it, and the consummation of the 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) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting the Company.
(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 any Term Notes to be delivered by it.
(d) This Agreement has been, and each of the Term Notes, if any, 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 Term Notes when delivered hereunder will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).
(e) The Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at June 30, 2006, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, accompanied by an opinion of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and the Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at March 31, 2007, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the nine months then ended, duly certified by the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company, copies of which have been made available to each Lender, fairly present in all material respects, subject, in the case of said balance sheet as at March 31, 2007, and said statements of income and cash flows for the nine months then ended, to year-end 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, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied. Except as disclosed in the financial statements delivered pursuant to this subsection (e) or in any public filing made
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with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company prior to the date of this Agreement, since June 30, 2006, there has been no Material Adverse Change.
(f) There is no pending or 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 (i) could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Litigation) or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any Term Note.
(g) Following application of the Term Loan, not more than 25 percent of the value of the assets (of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 5.2(a) or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Company and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Debt and within the scope of Section 6.1(d) will be margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).
(h) The Company is not an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
SECTION 5.1 Affirmative Covenants. So long as the Term Loan shall remain unpaid, the Company will:
(a) Compliance with Laws, 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.
(b) Payment of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent, (i) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property and (ii) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might 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 Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations 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; provided, however, that the Company and its Subsidiaries may self-insure to the same extent as other companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas in which the Company or such Subsidiary operates and to the extent consistent with prudent business practice.
(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 5.2(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
20
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 is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(e) Visitation Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to time, permit the Agent or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any of the Lenders, or any agents or representatives thereof, to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries with any of their officers or directors and with their independent certified public accountants.
(f) Keeping of Books. Keep, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to keep, proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries 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 or useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
(h) Reporting Requirements. Furnish to the Lenders (which, to the extent any of the following are publicly filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in electronic format (XXXXX), shall be deemed so furnished upon such filing):
(i) as soon as available and in any event within 60 days after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, the Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and Consolidated statements of income and 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 year-end audit adjustments) by the chief financial officer of the Company as having been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and certificates of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.3, provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Company shall also provide, if necessary for the determination of compliance with Section 5.3, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP;
(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 100 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 the audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and audited Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each case accompanied by a report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of nationally recognized standing, provided that in the event of any change in GAAP used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Company shall also provide, if necessary for the determination of compliance with Section 5.3, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP;
(iii) as soon as possible and in any event within five Business Days after the occurrence of each Default continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of the chief
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financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company setting forth details of such Default and the action that the Company has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;
(iv) 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 that the Company or any Subsidiary files with the Securities and Exchange Commission;
(v) 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 4.1(f)(ii);
(vi) so long as no Public Debt Rating is then in effect, within five Business Days after receipt thereof by the Company, copies of each notice from S&P (or Xxxxx’x, if S&P has ceased to provide the Implied Debt Rating) indicating any change in the Implied Debt Rating; and
(vii) such other information respecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as any Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request.
SECTION 5.2 Negative Covenants. So long as the Term Loan shall remain unpaid, 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 fixed or capital assets acquired or held by the Company or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business to secure the purchase price of such assets or to secure Debt incurred for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such assets, or Liens existing on such assets 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 assets) 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 assets of any character other than the assets 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, provided further that the aggregate principal amount of the indebtedness secured by the Liens referred to in this clause (ii) shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding,
(iii) the Liens existing on the Effective Date and described on Schedule 5.2(a) hereto,
(iv) other Liens securing Debt in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding an amount equal to 5% of the Consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries at the time of incurrence, and
(v) the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (iii) or (iv) above upon or in the same property theretofore subject thereto or the replacement,
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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 any Subsidiary of the Company may merge or consolidate with or into, or dispose of assets to, any other Subsidiary of the Company, and except that any Subsidiary of the Company may merge into or dispose of assets to the Company and the Company may merge with any other Person so long as the Company is the surviving corporation, provided, in each case, that no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such proposed transaction or would result therefrom.
SECTION 5.3 Financial Covenant. So long as the Term Loan shall remain unpaid, the Company will maintain a Debt/Total Capital Ratio of not more than 0.50:1.00.
ARTICLE VI
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
SECTION 6.1 Events of Default. If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:
(a) The Company shall fail to pay any principal of the Term Loan when the same becomes due and payable; or the Company shall fail to pay any interest on the Term Loan or make any other payment of fees or other amounts payable under this Agreement or any Term Note within five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or
(b) Any representation or warranty made by the Company herein or by the Company (or any of its respective officers) in connection with this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made; or
(c) (i) The Company shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.1(d), 5.1(h)(iii), 5.1(h)(v), 5.1(h)(vi), 5.2 or 5.3, or (ii) the Company 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 Company by the Agent or any Lender; or
(d) The Company 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 $50,000,000 in the aggregate (but excluding Debt outstanding hereunder) of the Company 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, or to permit the acceleration of, 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; or
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(e) The Company or any of its 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 the Company or any of its 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 the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or
(f) Judgments or orders for the payment of money in excess of $50,000,000 in the aggregate shall be rendered against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and either (i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 10 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; provided, however, that any such judgment or order shall not be an Event of Default under this Section 6.1(f) if and for so long as (i) the amount of such judgment or order is covered by a valid and binding policy of insurance between the defendant and the insurer covering payment thereof and (ii) such insurer, which shall be rated at least “A-” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of, and has not disputed the claim made for payment of, the amount of such judgment or order; or
(g) (i) Any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of Voting Stock of the Company (or other securities convertible into such Voting Stock) representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of all Voting Stock of the Company; or (ii) the board of directors of the Company shall for any reason cease to consist of a majority of the directors of the Company on the Effective Date and each other director whose nomination for election to the board of directors of the Company is recommended by at least a majority of the directors of the board of directors of the Company on the Effective Date and directors so recommended; or (iii) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired by contract or otherwise, or shall have entered into a contract or arrangement that, upon consummation, will result in its or their acquisition of the power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of the Company; or
(h) The Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates shall incur, or shall be reasonably likely to incur liability in excess of $50,000,000 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
(i) any provision of Article VII shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on or enforceable against the Company, or the Company shall so state in writing;
(j) then, and in any such event, the Agent shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Company, declare the Term Loan, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the Term Loan, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable,
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without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, the Term Loan, all such interest and all such amounts 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 Borrower.
ARTICLE VII
[RESERVED]
SECTION 7.1 [reserved]
SECTION 7.2 [reserved]
SECTION 7.3 [reserved]
SECTION 7.4 [reserved]
SECTION 7.5 [reserved]
ARTICLE VIII
THE AGENT
SECTION 8.1 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 provided for by this Agreement (including, without limitation, enforcement or collection of the Term Notes), 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 Required Lenders, and such instructions shall be binding upon all Lenders and all holders of Term Notes; 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 the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
SECTION 8.2 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: (i) may treat the Lender that made any Term Loan 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 9.7; (ii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel for the Company), 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; (iii) 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; (iv) shall not have any duty to ascertain or to inquire as to the performance, observance or satisfaction of any of the terms, covenants or conditions of this Agreement on the part of the Company or the existence of any Default or to inspect the property (including the books and records) of the Company; (v) shall not be responsible to any Lender for the due execution, legality,
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validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; and (vi) 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 or telegram) believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent by the proper party or parties.
SECTION 8.3 Bank of America and Affiliates. With respect to its Term Loan Commitment, the Term Loan made by it and the Term Note issued to it, Bank of America 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 Bank of America in its individual capacity. Bank of America 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 Bank of America 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.
SECTION 8.4 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 4.1 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 8.5 Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify the Agent (to the extent not reimbursed by the Company), ratably according to the respective principal amounts of the Term Loan then owed to each of them, 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 (collectively, the “Indemnified Costs”), provided that no Lender shall be liable for any portion of the Indemnified Costs 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 reasonable 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 the Company. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Costs, this Section 8.5 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by the Agent, any Lender or a third party.
SECTION 8.6 Successor Agent. The Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders and the Company and may be removed at any time with or without cause by the Required Lenders. Upon any such resignation or removal, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Agent. If no successor Agent shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Agent’s giving of notice of resignation or the Required 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
26
$500,000,000. 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 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.
SECTION 8.7 [reserved]
SECTION 8.8 Other Agents. Each Lender hereby acknowledges that no Lender designated as an “Agent” on the signature pages hereof, if any, has any liability hereunder other than in its capacity as a Lender.
SECTION 8.9 Exculpatory Provisions. The Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in this Agreement and in the Term Notes. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agent:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated this Agreement or by the Term Notes that the Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the Term Notes), provided that the Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Agent to liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or the Term Notes or applicable law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement and in the Term Notes, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The Agent shall not be liable to any Lender for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 9.1 and 6.1) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.
The Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or the Term Notes, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, the Term Notes or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Agent.
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ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Term Notes, nor consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Required 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 each Lender directly affected thereby, do any of the following: (a) waive any of the conditions specified in Section 3.1, (b) subject the Lenders to any additional obligations, (c) reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Term Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, (d) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Term Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, (e) change the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Term Loan, or the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder, (f) change the manner of application of any payments made under this Agreement or the Term Notes or (g) amend this Section 9.1; 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 Term Note.
SECTION 9.2 Notices, Etc.
(a) All notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be either (x) in writing (including telecopier or telegraphic communication) and mailed, telecopied, telegraphed or delivered or (y) as and to the extent set forth in Section 9.2(b) and in the proviso to this Section 9.2(a), if to the Company, at the Company’s address at 000 Xxxxxxx 0, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Treasurer; 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 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxxx E.C. Alto; or, as to the Company 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 required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(h)(i), (ii) or (iv) shall be delivered to the Agent as specified in Section 9.2(b) or as otherwise specified to the Company by the Agent. All such notices and communications shall, when mailed, telecopied or telegraphed, be effective when deposited in the mails, telecopied, delivered to the telegraph company or confirmed by e-mail, 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 or other electronic transmission of an executed counterpart of any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Term 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 Bank of America or any of its Affiliates is the Agent, materials required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(h)(i), (ii) and (iv) shall be delivered to the Agent in an electronic medium in a format acceptable to the Agent and the Lenders by e-mail at xxxxx.x.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx. The Company agrees that the Agent may make such materials, as well as any other written information, documents, instruments and other material relating to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any other materials or matters relating to this Agreement, the Term Notes or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (collectively, the “Communications”) available to the Lenders by posting such notices on Intralinks or a substantially similar electronic system (the “Platform”). The Company acknowledges that (i) the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not
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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 9.3 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 Term 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 9.4 Costs and Expenses.
(a) The Company agrees to pay on demand all costs and expenses of the Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement, the Term 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, appraisal, consultant, and audit 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 on demand all 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 Term 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 9.4(a).
(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) incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including, without limitation, in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding or preparation of a defense in connection therewith) (i) the Term Notes, this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Term Loan or (ii) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous Materials on any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Environmental Action relating in any way to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense results from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to
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which the indemnity in this Section 9.4(b) applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by the Company, its directors, shareholders or creditors 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. The Company also agrees not to assert any claim for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages against the Agent, any Lender, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys and agents, on any theory of liability, arising out of or otherwise relating to the Term Notes, this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Term Loan.
(c) If any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar Rate Loan is made by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan, as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.8(d) or (e), 2.9, 2.10 or 2.12, acceleration of the maturity of the Term Notes pursuant to Section 6.1 or for any other reason or by an Eligible Assignee to a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.7 as a result of a demand by the Company pursuant to Section 9.7(a), the 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 incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss (excluding 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 Eurodollar Rate Loan.
(d) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Borrower contained in Sections 2.11, 2.14 and 9.4 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the Term Notes.
SECTION 9.5 Right of Set-off. Upon (i) the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default and (ii) the making of the request or the granting of the consent specified by Section 6.1 to authorize the Agent to declare the Term Loan due and payable pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, each Lender and each of its Affiliates 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) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement and the Term Note held by such Lender, whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or such Term Note and although such obligations may be unmatured. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the 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 and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) that such Lender and its Affiliates may have.
SECTION 9.6 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective (other than Section 2.1, which shall only become effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.1) 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 the Company, the Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns, except that the Company shall not have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.
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SECTION 9.7 Assignments and Participations.
(a) Each Lender may, with the consent of the Agent and the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and, if demanded by the Company (following a demand by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.14, a notice by such Lender under Section 2.12 or the failure of such Lender to perform its obligations hereunder) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, upon at least five Business Days’ notice to such Lender and the Agent, will assign to one or more Persons all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Term Loan owing to it and the Term Note or Term 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, (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 Term Loan 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 $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) each such assignment shall be to an Eligible Assignee, (iv) 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 Term Note subject to such assignment and a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 payable by the parties to each such assignment, provided, however, that in the case of an assignment made as a result of a demand by the Company, such recordation fee shall be payable by the Company except that no such recordation fee shall be payable in the case of an assignment made at the request of the Company to an Eligible Assignee that is an existing Lender, and (v) any Lender may, without the approval of the Company or the Agent, assign all or a portion of its rights to any of its Affiliates. 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 (other than its rights under Sections 2.11, 2.14 and 9.4 to the extent any claim thereunder relates to an event arising prior to such assignment) and be released from its obligations (other than its obligations under Section 8.4 to the extent any claim thereunder relates to an event arising prior to such assignment) 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 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 the Company or the performance or observance by the Borrower of any of their 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 4.1 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
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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 Term Note or Term 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 the Company.
(d) The Agent shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.2 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 outstanding Term Loans of 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 the 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 the Company 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 the Company 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 Term Loans owing to it and any Term Note or Term Notes held by it); provided, however, that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, (iii) such Lender shall remain the holder of any such Term Note for all purposes of this Agreement, (iv) the 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 Term Note, or any consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, except to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Term Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, release any guaranty given to support the obligations of the Borrower hereunder or amend this Section 9.7(e), or postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Term Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, in each case to the extent subject to such participation.
(f) Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 9.7, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information relating to the Borrower furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the 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 Confidential Information relating to the 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 Term Loans owing to it and any Term Note or Term Notes held by it) in favor of
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any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
SECTION 9.8 Confidentiality. Neither the Agent nor any Lender shall disclose any Confidential Information to any other Person without the consent of the Company, other than (a) to the Agent’s or such Lender’s Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and advisors and, as contemplated by Section 9.7(f), to actual or prospective assignees and participants, and then only on a confidential basis, (b) as required by any law, rule or regulation or judicial process and (c) as requested or required by any state, federal or foreign authority or examiner regulating banks or banking.
SECTION 9.9 [reserved]
SECTION 9.10 Governing Law. This Agreement and the Term Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, including, without limitation, New York General Obligations Law Sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 (but giving effect to Federal laws relating to national banks).
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 transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.12 [reserved]
SECTION 9.13 Jurisdiction, Etc.
(a) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction 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 Term 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 in any such New York State court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. The 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 the Borrower at the Company’s address specified pursuant to Section 9.2. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the Term Notes in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(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 Term Notes in any New York State or federal court. 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.
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SECTION 9.14 Patriot Act Notice. Each Lender and the Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Company that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act. The Borrower shall provide, to the extent commercially reasonable, such information and take such actions as are reasonably requested by the Agent or any Lenders in order to assist the Agent and the Lenders in maintaining compliance with the Patriot Act.
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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.
APPLERA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Title: | Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx | |
Title: | Vice President and Treasurer |
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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Agent | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X.X. Alto | |
Name: | Xxxxx E.C. Alto | |
Title: | Senior Vice President |
Initial Lenders
Commitment | |||
$ | 100,000,000 |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X.X. Alto | |
Name: | Xxxxx E.C. Alto | |
Title: | Senior Vice President |
$ | 100,000,000 | Total of the Commitments |
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