CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of November 15, 2013 among INTL FCSTONE LTD., as the Borrower, and INTL GLOBAL CURRENCIES LTD AND ANY OTHER SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER THAT BECOME PARTY HERETO, as the Guarantors, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative...
Dated as of November 15, 2013
among
INTL FCSTONE LTD.,
as the Borrower,
and
INTL GLOBAL CURRENCIES LTD AND ANY OTHER
SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER THAT BECOME PARTY HERETO,
SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER THAT BECOME PARTY HERETO,
as the Guarantors,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,
and
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED,
as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager
Table of Contents
Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS 1
1.01Defined Terms. 1
1.02Other Interpretive Provisions. 17
1.03Times of Day. 18
ARTICLE II COMMITMENTS AND BORROWINGS 18
2.01Revolving Borrowings. 18
2.02Notice of Borrowing; Advances. 18
2.03Prepayments. 19
2.04Termination or Reduction of Commitments. 20
2.05Repayment of Loans. 20
2.06Interest and Default Rate. 20
2.07Fees. 21
2.08Computation of Interest and Fees. 21
2.09Evidence of Debt. 21
2.10Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback. 22
2.11Sharing of Payments by Lenders. 24
2.12Defaulting Lenders. 24
2.13Increase in Commitments. 26
ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY 27
3.01Taxes. 27
3.02Illegality. 31
3.03Inability to Determine Rates. 32
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3.04Increased Costs. 32
3.05Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. 33
3.06Survival. 33
ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO BORROWINGS 33
4.01Conditions of Initial Borrowing. 33
4.02Conditions to all Borrowings. 35
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 35
5.01Existence, Qualification and Power. 35
5.02Authorization; No Contravention. 36
5.03Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. 36
5.04Binding Effect. 36
5.05Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect. 36
5.06Litigation. 37
5.07No Default. 37
5.08Ownership of Property. 37
5.09Environmental Compliance. 37
5.10Insurance. 38
5.11Taxes. 38
5.12Pensions. 38
5.13Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. 38
5.14Disclosure. 38
5.15Compliance with Laws. 39
5.16Insolvency. 39
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5.17Casualty, Etc. 39
5.18Responsible Officers. 39
5.19Subsidiaries; Equity Interests; Loan Parties. 39
5.20Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. 39
5.21Labor Matters. 40
5.22Representations as to Foreign Obligors. 40
5.23Sanctions. 41
5.24Parent Credit Agreement Representations and Warranties. 41
ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 41
6.01Financial Statements. 41
6.02Certificates; Other Information. 42
6.03Notices. 44
6.04Payment of Obligations. 44
6.05Preservation of Existence, Etc. 44
6.06Maintenance of Properties. 45
6.07Maintenance of Insurance. 45
6.08Compliance with Laws. 45
6.09Books and Records. 45
6.10Inspection Rights. 45
6.11Use of Proceeds. 46
6.12Covenant to Guarantee Obligations. 46
6.13Further Assurances. 46
6.14Pari Passu Ranking. 47
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6.15Collection Account and Disbursement Account. 47
6.16Anti-corruption law 47
ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS 47
7.01Liens. 47
7.02Indebtedness. 48
7.03Investments. 50
7.04Fundamental Changes. 50
7.05Dispositions. 51
7.06Restricted Payments. 52
7.07Change in Nature of Business. 52
7.08Transactions with Affiliates. 52
7.09Burdensome Agreements. 52
7.10Use of Proceeds. 53
7.11Amendments of Organization Documents; Fiscal Year; Legal Name, State of Formation; Form of Entity and Accounting Changes. 53
7.12Sale and Leaseback Transactions. 53
7.13Sanctions. 53
7.14Insolvency. 54
7.15Anti-corruption law 54
7.16Consolidated Tangible Net Worth 54
ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES 54
8.01Events of Default. 54
8.02Remedies upon Event of Default. 56
8.03Application of Funds. 56
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ARTICLE IX ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT 57
9.01Appointment and Authority. 57
9.02Rights as a Lender. 57
9.03Exculpatory Provisions. 58
9.04Reliance by Administrative Agent. 59
9.05Delegation of Duties. 59
9.06Resignation of Administrative Agent. 59
9.07Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. 60
9.08No Other Duties, Etc. 60
9.09Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding. 60
9.10Guaranty Matters. 61
ARTICLE X CONTINUING GUARANTY 61
10.01Guaranty. 61
10.02Rights of Lenders. 62
10.03Certain Waivers. 62
10.04Obligations Independent. 62
10.05Subrogation. 62
10.06Termination; Reinstatement. 63
10.07Stay of Acceleration. 63
10.08Condition of Borrower. 63
10.09Appointment of Borrower. 63
10.10Right of Contribution. 64
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS 64
11.01Amendments, Etc. 64
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11.02Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications. 65
11.03No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. 67
11.04Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. 67
11.05Payments Set Aside. 69
11.06Successors and Assigns. 69
11.07Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. 73
11.08Right of Setoff. 74
11.09Interest Rate Limitation. 74
11.10Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. 75
11.11Survival of Representations and Warranties. 75
11.12Severability. 75
11.13Replacement of Lenders. 76
11.14Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. 76
11.15Waiver of Jury Trial. 78
11.16No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. 78
11.17Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. 78
11.18USA PATRIOT Act Notice. 79
11.19Time of the Essence. 79
11.20Judgment Currency. 79
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BORROWER PREPARED SCHEDULES
Schedule 1.01(c) Responsible Officers
Schedule 5.19(a) | Subsidiaries, Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Other Equity Investments |
Schedule 7.09 Burdensome Agreements
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PREPARED SCHEDULES
Schedule 1.01(a) Certain Addresses for Notices
Schedule 1.01(b) Initial Commitments and Applicable Percentages
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A Form of Administrative Questionnaire
Exhibit B Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit C Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit D Form of Joinder Agreement
Exhibit E Form of Loan Notice
Exhibit F Form of Revolving Note
Exhibit G Form of Officer’s Certificate
Exhibit H Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates
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This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of November 15, 2013, among INTL FCSTONE LTD., a company formed under the laws of England and Wales with a registration number of 5616586 (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors (defined herein), the Lenders (defined herein), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS:
WHEREAS, the Loan Parties (as hereinafter defined) have requested that the Lenders make loans and other financial accommodations to the Loan Parties in an aggregate amount of up to $25,000,000.
WHEREAS, the Lenders have agreed to make such loans and other financial accommodations to the Loan Parties on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Accounting Principles” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United Kingdom, including IFRS.
“Acquisition” means, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of either (a) all or any substantial portion of the property of, or a line of business or division of, another Person or (b) at least a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 1.01(a) or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate Commitments” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments at such time.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.12. If the Commitment of all of the Lenders to make Loans have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, or if the Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender in respect of the Aggregate Commitments shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender in respect of the Aggregate Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The Applicable Percentage of each Lender in respect of the Aggregate Commitments is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1.01(b) or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto or in any documentation executed by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.13 as applicable.
“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
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“Arranger” means Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book manager.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit B or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by MarkitClear or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto..
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (i) the Maturity Date, (ii) the date of termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.04 or 8.02(a), and (iii) the date of termination of the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans.
“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close: (i) under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located, and (ii) London, England, as applicable.
“Cash Equivalents” means, as at any date:
(a) | securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or the United Kingdom or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States or the United Kingdom is pledged in support thereof) having maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition; |
(b) | securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or the United Kingdom or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States or the United Kingdom is pledged in support thereof) having maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition; |
(c) | Dollar or sterling denominated time deposits and certificates of deposit of (i) any Lender, (ii) any domestic or United Kingdom commercial bank of recognized standing having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000, (iii) any bank whose short-term commercial paper rating of either A-1 or higher by Standard & Poor's Rating Services, F1 or higher by Fitch |
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Rating Ltd, P-1 or higher by Xxxxx’x Investors Service Limited, or the equivalent thereof, or (iv) any other bank that is approved by the Administrative Agent (any such bank being an "Approved Bank"), in each case with maturities of not more than 270 days from the date of acquisition;
(d) | commercial paper and variable or fixed rate notes issued by any Approved Bank (or by the parent company thereof) or any variable rate notes issued by, or guaranteed by, any domestic or United Kingdom corporation rated A-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or P-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody's and maturing within six months of the date of acquisition; |
(e) | repurchase agreements entered into by any Person with a bank or trust company (including any of the Lenders) or recognized securities dealer having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 for direct obligations issued by or fully guaranteed by the United States or the United Kingdom in which such Person shall have a perfected first priority security interest (subject to no other Liens) and having, on the date of purchase thereof, a fair market value of at least 100% of the amount of the repurchase obligations; |
(f) | any investment in money market funds which (i) have a credit rating of either A-1 or higher by Standard & Poor's Rating Services or F1 or higher by Fitch Ratings Ltd or P-1 or higher by Xxxxx'x Investors Service Limited, (ii) which invest substantially all their assets in securities of the types described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above and (iii) can be turned into cash on not more than 30 days' notice; and |
(g) | any other debt security approved by the Required Lenders. |
“CFC” means a Person that is a controlled foreign corporation under Section 957 of the Code.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which: (a) the Parent ceases to own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interest of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis (which for this purpose shall exclude all Equity Interests that have not yet vested); or (b) a “Change of Control” occurs under the Parent Credit Agreement with respect to the Parent.
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“Closing Date” means the date hereof.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Collection Account” means that certain account number 6550561138 held at Bank of America or any replacement account approved by Bank of America in its sole discretion.
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.01(b) under the caption “Commitment” or opposite such caption in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The Commitment of all of the Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $25,000,000.
“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
“Consolidated” means, when used with reference to financial statements or financial statement items of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or any other Person, such statements or items on a consolidated basis in accordance with the consolidation principles of the Accounting Principles.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income (excluding extraordinary gains and losses) for that period as determined under the Accounting Principles.
“Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, Shareholders’ Equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on that date minus the Intangible Assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on that date.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote ten percent (10%) or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.
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“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means a rate per annum equal to the Interest Rate plus two percent (2%), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.
“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.12(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent or any Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.12(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower and each Lender promptly following such determination.
“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory is the subject of any Sanction.
“Disbursement Account” means that certain account number 6550561138 held at Bank of America or any replacement account approved by Bank of America in its sole discretion.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.
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“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith, but excluding any Involuntary Disposition.
“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.06 (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a
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Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 11.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), (a)(iii) or (c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.
“Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Loans at such time.
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.
“FCA” means the Financial Conduct Authority, or any of its authorized successors.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
“Fee Letter” means any letter agreement, entered into after the date hereof, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.
“Finance Lease” means any lease or hire purchase contract which would, in accordance with the Accounting Principles, be treated as a finance or capital lease.
“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“Foreign Obligor” means a Loan Party that that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States, a State thereof or the District of Columbia.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
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“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States, the United Kingdom or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body (including, without limitation, the LME, the FCA and any other entity having regulatory authority over the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries), court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed or expressly undertaken by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien), provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.01.
“Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) the Parent and (b) the Subsidiary Guarantors.
“Guaranty” means, collectively, the Guarantee made by (a) the Parent under the Parent Guaranty and (b) any Subsidiary of the Borrower delivered under Article X in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.12.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
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“IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with the Accounting Principles:
(h) | moneys borrowed and debit balances at banks or other financial institutions; |
(i) | any acceptance under any acceptance credit or xxxx discounting facility (or dematerialised equivalent); |
(j) | any note purchase facility or the issue of bonds, notes, debentures, loan stock or any similar instrument; |
(k) | the amount of any liability in respect of Finance Leases; |
(l) | receivables sold or discounted (other than any receivables to the extent they are sold on a non-recourse basis and meet any requirement for de-recognition under the Accounting Principles); |
(m) | any Swap Contract (and, when calculating the value of that Swap Contract, only the marked to market value (or, if any actual amount is due as a result of the termination or close-out of that Swap Contract, that amount) shall be taken into account); |
(n) | any counter-indemnity obligation in respect of a guarantee, bond, standby or documentary letter of credit or any other instrument issued by a bank or financial institution in respect of any liabilities of any Loan Party relating to any post-retirement benefit scheme; |
(o) | any amount raised by the issue of shares which are redeemable (other than at the option of the issuer) before the Maturity Date or are otherwise classified as borrowings under the Accounting Principles); |
(p) | any amount of any liability under an advance or deferred purchase agreement if (i) one of the primary reasons behind entering into the agreement is to raise finance or to finance the acquisition or construction of the asset or service in question or (ii) the agreement is in respect of the supply of assets or services and payment is due more than 60 days after the date of supply; |
(q) | any amount raised under any other transaction (including any forward sale or purchase, sale and sale back or sale and leaseback agreement) having the commercial effect of a borrowing or otherwise classified as borrowings under the Accounting Principles; and |
(r) | the amount of any liability in respect of any guarantee for any of the items referred to in paragraphs (a) to (i) above. |
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“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.
“Insolvent” means, with respect to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of a Loan Party, the occurrence of any of the following events with respect to such Loan Party or Subsidiary:
(a) such Person is unable or admits inability to pay its debts as they become due; or
(b) such Person is deemed to, or is declared to, be unable to pay its debts under applicable law; or
(c) such Person suspends making payments on any of its debts; or
(d)
(e) the value of the assets of such Person is less than its liabilities (taking into account contingent and prospective liabilities); or
(f) a moratorium is declared in respect of any Indebtedness of any such Person. If a moratorium occurs, the ending of the moratorium will not remedy any Event of Default caused by that moratorium.
“Intangible Assets” means assets that are considered to be intangible assets in accordance with the Accounting Principles, including customer lists, goodwill, computer software, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges, unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and development costs.
“Interest Payment Date” means the first Business Day of each calendar month, on the date of each prepayment made in accordance with Section 2.03, and the Maturity Date.
“Interest Rate” means a rate per annum equal to the sum of: (i) 2.50% and (ii) the Federal Funds Rate.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, or (c) an Acquisition. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment less all cash payments, cash dividends and cash distributions (or the fair market value of any non-cash payments, dividends and distributions received by such Person).
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“Involuntary Disposition” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.
“Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit D executed and delivered in accordance with the provisions of Sections 6.12.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
“Lender” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and, their successors and assigns.
“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or otherwise), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“LME” means the London Metals Exchange, or any of its authorized successors.
“Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
“Loan Documents” means, collectively, (a) this Agreement, (b) the Notes, (c) the Guaranty, (d) any Fee Letter, and (e) each Joinder Agreement.
“Loan Notice” means a notice of a Borrowing, which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit E.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor (other than the Parent).
“Master Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Swap Contract.”
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document, or of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
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“Maturity Date” means the earlier of: (a) November 10, 2014 (as such date may be extended from time to time as provided in this defintion of “Maturity Date”) and (b) the date the Aggregate Commitments are terminated pursuant to Section 2.04 or 8.02(a); provided, that, if any such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day. The Borrower may request the Maturity Date be extended by one or more periods of 360 days by making a written request to the Administrative Agent for such extension no more than 60 days prior to the then current Maturity Date. In order to be effective, any such request for extension must be approved by the Administrative Agent, each Lenders and the Guarantors at least forty-five (45) days prior to the then current Maturity Date.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five (5) plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.
“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.
“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit F.
“Obligations” means (a) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan and (b) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcement and collection of the foregoing, including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, in each case whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof pursuant to any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate substantially the form of Exhibit G or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement or limited liability company agreement (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction) and (d) with respect to all entities, any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection
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with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction).
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).
“Outstanding Amount” means the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date.
“Parent” means INTL FCStone Inc., a Delaware corporation (formerly known as International Assets Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation).
“Parent Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement by and among the Parent and certain Subsidiaries of the Parent, Bank of America, as Administrative Agent and the various lenders and other parties party thereto, dated as of September 20, 2013, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in conjunction with the terms and conditions thereof; provided that references to the Parent Credit Agreement in this Agreement will refer to the most recent version of the Parent Credit Agreement, whether or not such Parent Credit Agreement is currently effective or if it has been paid off or otherwise terminated.
“Parent Guaranty” means that certain Continuing Guaranty dated the date hereof, made by the Parent in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders, as amended, restated supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.
“Permitted Acquisition” means an Investment consisting of an Acquisition by any Loan Party or other Subsidiary of the Borrower, provided that (a) the property acquired (or the property of the Person acquired) in such Acquisition is used or useful in the same or a similar line of business as the Borrower and its Subsidiaries were engaged in on the Closing Date (or any reasonable extensions or expansions thereof),
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(b) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of another Person, the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have duly approved such Acquisition, (c) for any Acquisition with aggregate consideration in excess of $1,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Acquisition, the Loan Parties would not be in Default under this Agreement; (d) the representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in each Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as if made as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto), (e) immediately after giving effect to such Acquisition, the sum of (i) availability under the Aggregate Commitments plus (ii) unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents held by the Loan Parties at such time shall be at least $10,000,000, and (f) the aggregate cash and non-cash consideration (including any assumption of Indebtedness, deferred purchase price, any earn-out payments and Equity Interests issued (but excluding consideration financed with the proceeds of the issuance of common Equity Interests of the Parent)) paid by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for all such Acquisitions occurring during any fiscal year shall not exceed $5,000,000. For purposes of calculating the consideration paid in any fiscal year under clause (f), the deferred portion of the purchase price or any earn-out payments in connection with any Acquisition shall be only that counted in the fiscal year in which such consideration is paid.
“Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other reasonable amounts paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a weighted average life to maturity equal to or greater than the remaining weighted average life to maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c) at the time thereof, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (d) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (e) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is secured, the terms and conditions relating to collateral of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions with respect to the collateral for the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, taken as a whole (unless otherwise permitted under the terms of this Agreement), (f) the terms and conditions (excluding as to collateral, subordination and redemption premium) of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, shall not be materially less favorable to the Loan Parties than the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, taken as a whole and the interest rate applicable to any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness shall not exceed the then applicable market rate of interest, (g) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended was unsecured, such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension shall also be unsecured (unless otherwise permitted under the terms of this Agreement) and (h) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is incurred by one or more Persons who is an obligor of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended.
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“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.
“Reduction Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b)(viii).
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).
“Regulated Capital” means the regulatory capital of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as required by the FCA, the European Central Bank or any successor organization or Governmental Authority.
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, at least two (2) Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders. The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time.
“Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.06.
“Responsible Officer” means, with respect to any Loan Party or the Parent, as the case may be, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Loan Party and solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 4.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary of such Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party or the Parent shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party or the Parent and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party or the Parent. To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
“Restricted Payment” means (a) any dividend or other distribution, direct or indirect, on account of any shares (or equivalent) of any class of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, now or hereafter outstanding, (b) any redemption, retirement, sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value, direct or indirect, of any shares (or equivalent) of any class of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, now or hereafter outstanding, and (c) any payment made to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares of any class of Equity Interests of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, now or hereafter outstanding.
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“Sanction(s)” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including, without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Shareholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date, determined in accordance with the Accounting Principles.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, , by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.
“Subsidiary Guarantors” means, collectively, INTL Global Currencies Ltd., a company formed under the laws of England and Wales with a registration number of 5156834, and any other the Subsidiaries of the Borrower as are or may from time to time. become parties to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.12.
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the xxxx-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Threshold Amount” means $5,000,000.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
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“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).
“Upfront Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.07(a).
“U.S. Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is organized under the laws of one of the states of the United States and that is not a CFC.
“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).
“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such 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 though the right to so vote has been suspended by the happening of such contingency.
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions.
With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including the Loan Documents and any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Preliminary Statements, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Preliminary Statements, Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory rules, regulations, orders and provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document..
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1.03 Times of Day.
Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
ARTICLE II
COMMITMENTS AND BORROWINGS
COMMITMENTS AND BORROWINGS
2.01 Revolving Borrowings.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Loan”) to the Borrower, in Dollars from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Revolving Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow Loans, prepay under Section 2.03, and reborrow under this Section 2.01.
2.02 Notice of Borrowing; Advances.
(a) Notice of Borrowing. Each Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone or electronic mail. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (London, England time) on the requested date of any Borrowing. Each telephonic or electronic mail notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (A) the requested date of the Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day in London, England) and (B) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed.
(b) Advances. Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage under such Aggregate Commitments of the applicable Loans. Each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Borrowing, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the Disbursement Account or such other account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America as agreed by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.
2.03 Prepayments.
(a) Optional.
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The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written notice to prepay, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay the Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of prepayment and (B) any prepayment shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s ratable portion of such prepayment (based on such Lender’s Applicable Percentage). If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of principal shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.15, such prepayments shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
(b) Mandatory.
(i) Outstandings. If for any reason the Outstanding Amount at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments at such time, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans, (together with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon) in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.
(ii) Collection Account Deposits. Immediately upon, but in any event within three (3) Business Days of, receipt of any deposit into the Collection Account, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an aggregate amount equal to any such deposits. If such payments are not made within such three day period, the Borrower hereby authorizes Bank of America to immediately withdraw any deposits made in the Collection Account via an electronic transfer, or otherwise, and deliver such deposits to the Administrative Agent as a repayment of the Loans in accordance with terms of this Section 2.03.
(iii) Annual Prepayment. At least twice during each fiscal year of the Borrower, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an aggregate amount equal to the Outstanding Amount immediately before such prepayment so that the Outstanding Amount is equal to $0 and shall maintain such $0 Outstanding Amount for a period of at least seven (7) Business Days.
(iv) Application of Other Payments; Interest on Prepayments. Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.12, prepayments of the Aggregate Commitments made pursuant to this Section 2.03(b), shall be applied to the principal amount of the outstanding Loans. All prepayments under this Section 2.03(b) shall be without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.
2.04 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.
(a) Optional. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Outstanding Amount would exceed the Aggregate Commitments.
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(b) Application of Commitment Reductions; Payment of Fees. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any termination or reduction of the Commitment under this Section 2.04. Upon any reduction of the Commitments, the Commitment of each Lender shall be reduced by such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such reduction amount. All fees in respect of the Aggregate Commitments, as set forth in Section 2.07 or any Fee Letter or otherwise, accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
2.05 Repayment of Loans.
The Borrower shall repay the Loans to the Lenders on the Maturity Date in the aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding on such date.
2.06 Interest and Default Rate.
(a) Interest. Subject to the provisions of Section 2.06(b), each Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof at the Interest Rate.
(b) Default Rate.
(i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at all times at a rate equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a at all times at a rate equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), outstanding Obligations may accrue at all times at a rate equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest Payments. Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears for the calendar month ending immediately prior to each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.07 Fees.
(a) Upfront Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and/or the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, an upfront fee equal to 0.50% per annum of the Aggregate Commitments (the “Upfront Fee”). The Upfront Fee shall be payable in full (i) on the Closing Date, (ii) upon any extension of
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the Maturity Date as provided herein, and (iii) upon the making of any Incremental Commitments by any Lenders or New Lenders pursuant to Section 2.13 hereof. The payment of any such Upfront Fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
(b) Other Fees.
(i) The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent and/or the Arranger for its own account fees in the amounts and at the times specified in any Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
(ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders, such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
2.08 Computation of Interest and Fees.
All computations of interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365 day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.02(a), bear interest for one (1) day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
2.09 Evidence of Debt.
(a) Maintenance of Accounts. The Borrowings made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Borrowings made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
(b) Maintenance of Records. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.
2.10 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise
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expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. Except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement, if any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b) | (i)(i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to 12:00 noon on the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02, and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the Interest Rate. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent. |
(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
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(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Borrowing set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).
(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
(f) Pro Rata Treatment. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein or in any Fee Letter: (i) each Borrowing shall be made from the Lenders, each payment of fees under Section 2.07 shall be made for account of the Lenders, and each termination or reduction of the amount of the Commitments shall be applied to the respective Commitments of the Lenders, pro rata according to the amounts of their respective Commitments; (ii) each Borrowing shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of their respective Commitments; (iii) each payment or prepayment of principal of Loans by the Borrower shall be made for account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the respective unpaid principal amounts of the Loans held by them; and (iv) each payment of interest on Loans by the Borrower shall be made for account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the amounts of interest on such Loans then due and payable to the respective Appropriate Lenders.
2.11 Sharing of Payments by Lenders.
If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of (a) Obligations in respect of any of the Aggregate Commitments due and payable to such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Obligations due and payable to such Lender at such time to (ii) the aggregate amount of the Obligations due and payable to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of payments on account of the Obligations due and payable to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time obtained by all the Lenders at such time or (b) Obligations owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Obligations owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender at such time to (ii) the aggregate amount of the Obligations owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of payments on account of the Obligations in respect of the Aggregate Commitments owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time obtained by all of the Lenders at such time, then, in each case under clauses (a) and (b) above, the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (A) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (B) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate
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amount of Obligations then due and payable to the Lenders or owing (but not due and payable) to the Lenders, as the case may be, provided that:
(1) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(2) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender) or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.
2.12 Defaulting Lenders.
(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 11.01.
(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement; fourth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fifth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this
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Agreement; and sixth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise as may be required under the Loan Documents in connection with any Lien conferred thereunder or directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (1) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (2) such Loans were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section 2.12(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(iii) Certain Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.07(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).
(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein, that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages, whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.
2.13 Increase in Commitments.
(a) Request for Increase. Provided there exists no Default, upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time, request an increase in the Commitments by an amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $25,000,000 (an “Incremental Commitments”); provided that (i) any such request for an Incremental Commitments shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000, and (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of three (3) such requests. At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Revolving Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten (10) Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Revolving Lenders).
(b) Lender Elections to Increase. Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase. Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment.
(c) Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder. To achieve the full amount of a requested increase, and subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower
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may also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement (“New Lenders”) in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) Effective Date and Allocations. If the Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders and any New Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.
(e) Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase. As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct, on and as of the Increase Effective Date, and except that for purposes of this Section, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (B) both before and after giving effect to the Incremental Commitments, no Default exists. The Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered any other customary documents, including, without limitation, legal opinions) as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Incremental Commitments. The Borrower shall prepay any Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.
(f) Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 11.01 to the contrary.
(g) Incremental Commitments. Except as otherwise specifically set forth herein, all of the other terms and conditions applicable to such Incremental Commitments shall be identical to the terms and conditions applicable to the Loans.
ARTICLE III
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes.
(c) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
(v) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
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(vi) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(vii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(d) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(e) Tax Indemnifications.
(i) Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each of the Loan Parties shall also, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below, provided that such Lender shall indemnify the Borrower to the extent of any payment the Borrower
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makes to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this sentence with respect to Taxes described in clauses (B) and (C) of Section 3.01(c)(ii).
(ii) Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, (A) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (B) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (C) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).
(f) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.
(g) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.
(iii) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(iv) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,
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(1) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;
(2) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
a. | in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty; |
b. | executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI; |
c. | in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN; or |
d. | to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2 or Exhibit H-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner; |
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(3) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(4) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(v) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(h) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to such Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that each Loan Party, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to such Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax
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returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.
(i) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
3.02 Illegality.
If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Federal Funds, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (a) any obligation of such Lender to make Loans shall be suspended, and (b) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Loans due the Federal Funds Rate being determined illegal, the interest rate on which Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Federal Funds Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (i) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), immediately prepay or, if applicable immediately convert the interest rate on all Loans of such Lender to an alternative rate as determined by the Administrative Agent to avoid such illegality, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Federal Funds Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Federal Funds Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Federal Funds Rate until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Federal Funds Rate. Upon any such prepayment, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.
If in connection with any request for a Loan, (a) the Administrative Agent determines that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Federal Funds Rate with respect to a proposed Loan, or (b) the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Federal Funds Rate, with respect to a proposed Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Loans). Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of Loans (to the extent of the affected Loans).
3.04 Increased Costs.
(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement);
(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income
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Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii) impose on any Lender any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Interest Rate, or any component thereof (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, the Borrower will pay to such Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine (9) months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine (9) month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).
3.05 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(d) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower, such Lender shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to
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Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(e) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.
3.06 Survival.
All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, resignation of the Administrative Agent and the Maturity Date.
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO BORROWINGS
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO BORROWINGS
4.01 Conditions of Initial Borrowing.
The obligation of each Lender to make its initial Borrowing hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(c) Execution of Credit Agreement; Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) counterparts of this Agreement, executed by a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party and a duly authorized officer of each Lender, (ii) for the account of each Lender requesting a Note, a Note executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, and (iii) counterparts of any other Loan Document, executed by a Responsible Officer of the applicable Loan Party and a duly authorized officer of each other Person party thereto.
(d) Officer’s Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received: (i) an Officer’s Certificate dated the Closing Date, certifying as to the Organization Documents of each Loan Party (which, to the extent filed with a Governmental Authority, shall be certified as of a recent date by such Governmental Authority), the resolutions of the governing body of each Loan Party, the good standing, existence or its equivalent of each Loan Party and of the incumbency (including specimen signatures) of the Responsible Officers of each Loan Party; and (ii) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Parent certifying that the conditions of Section 8.03(f) of the Parent Credit Agreement have been satisfied and that that this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder constitute a Permitted Margin Facility under the Parent Credit Agreement.
(e) Legal Opinions of Counsel. The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion or opinions (including, if requested by the Administrative Agent, local counsel opinions) of counsel for the Loan Parties, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
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(f) Financial Statements. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 5.05 and in Section 6.05 of the Parent Credit Agreement, each in form and substance satisfactory to each of them.
(g) Liability, Casualty, Property, Terrorism and Business Interruption Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence of the Loan Parties’ insurance policies evidencing liability, casualty, property, terrorism and business interruption insurance meeting the requirements set forth herein or as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent.
(h) Loan Notice. The Administrative Agent shall have received a Loan Notice with respect to the Loans to be made on the Closing Date.
(i) Existing Indebtedness of the Loan Parties. All of the existing Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness permitted hereunder) shall be repaid in full and all security interests related thereto shall be terminated on or prior to the Closing Date.
(j) Consents. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that all members, boards of directors, governmental, shareholder and material third party consents and approvals necessary in connection with the entering into of this Agreement have been obtained.
(k) Fees and Expenses. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all fees and expenses, if any, owing pursuant to any Fee Letter and Section 2.07.
(l) Other Documents. All other documents provided for herein or which the Administrative Agent or any other Lender may reasonably request or require.
(m) Additional Information. Such additional information and materials which the Administrative Agent and/or any Lender shall reasonably request or require.
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
4.02 Conditions to all Borrowings.
The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Borrowing is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(c) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in the Parent Credit Agreement (including, without limitation, in Articles IV and VI of the Parent Credit Agreement) or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall (i) with respect to representations and warranties that contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing and (ii) with respect to representations and warranties that do not contain a materiality qualification, be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing, and except
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that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(a)- (c) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and (b) and to Sections 7.01(a) and (b) of the Parent Credit Agreement, respectively.
(d) Default. No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds thereof.
(e) Request for Borrowing. The Administrative Agent shall have received a Request for Borrowing in accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each Request for Borrowing submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Borrowing.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, as of the date made or deemed made, that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power.
Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The copy of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement is a true and correct copy of each such document, each of which is valid and in full force and effect.
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention.
The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is or is to be a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any material Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any material Law.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.
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No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.04 Binding Effect.
This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principals of equity.
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) Audited Financial Statements. The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with the Accounting Principles consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with the Accounting Principles consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, required to be disclosed under the Accounting Principles, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. The unaudited Consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated June 30, 2013, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity for the fiscal quarter ended on that date(i) were prepared in accordance with the Accounting Principles consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.
(c) Parent Credit Agreement Financial Statements. The most recently delivered financial statements in accordance with Section 7.01 of the Parent Credit Agreement comply with requirements of such Section 7.01 and the Parent hereby makes the representations and warranties in Section 6.05 of the Parent Credit Agreement with respect to such financial statements.
(d) Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements (and, in addition, after delivery of the most recent annual audited financial statements in accordance with the terms hereof, since the date of such annual audited financial statements), there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.06 Litigation.
There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or
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before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) either individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.07 No Default.
Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is in default under or with respect to, or a party to, any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.08 Ownership of Property.
Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.09 Environmental Compliance.
(c) The Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Loan Parties have reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries is undertaking, and has not completed, either individually or together with other potentially responsible parties, any investigation or assessment or remedial or response action relating to any actual or threatened release, discharge or disposal of Hazardous Materials at any site, location or operation, either voluntarily or pursuant to the order of any Governmental Authority or the requirements of any Environmental Law; and all Hazardous Materials generated, used, treated, handled or stored at, or transported to or from, any property currently or formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries have been disposed of in a manner not reasonably expected to result in material liability to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries.
5.10 Insurance.
The properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Loan Party or the applicable Subsidiary operates.
5.11 Taxes.
Each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries have filed all material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves
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have been provided in accordance with the Accounting Principles. There is no proposed tax assessment against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect, nor is there any tax sharing agreement applicable to the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
5.12 Pensions.
(a) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is or has at any time maintained a Plan or is required to contribute to any Plan on behalf any of its employees.
(b) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is or has at any time been an employer (for the purposes of sections 38 to 51 of the Pensions Act 2004) of an occupational pension scheme which is not a money purchase scheme (both terms as defined in the Pensions Schemes Act 1993).
(c) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is or has at any time been "connected" with or an "associate" of (as those terms are used in sections 38 and 43 of the Pensions Act 2004) such an employer.
5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.
(a) Margin Regulations. The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing, not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 8.01 or Section 8.05 of the Parent Credit Agreement or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(f) will be margin stock.
(b) Investment Company Act. None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.14 Disclosure.
No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, each Loan Party represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
5.15 Compliance with Laws.
Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by
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appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.16 Insolvency.
No Loan Party is, individually or together with its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, is Insolvent.
5.17 Casualty, Etc.
Neither the businesses nor the properties of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries are affected by any fire, explosion, accident, strike, lockout or other labor dispute, drought, storm, hail, earthquake, embargo, act of God or of the public enemy or other casualty (whether or not covered by insurance) that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.18 Responsible Officers.
Set forth on Schedule 1.01(c) are Responsible Officers, holding the offices indicated next to their respective names, as of the Closing Date and as of the last date such Schedule was required to be updated in accordance with Section 6.02 and such Responsible Officers are the duly elected and qualified officers of such Loan Party and are duly authorized to execute and deliver, on behalf of the respective Loan Party, this Agreement, the Notes and the other Loan Documents.
5.19 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests; Loan Parties.
Set forth on Schedule 5.19(a), is the following information which is true and complete in all respects as of the Closing Date and as of the last date such Schedule was required to be updated in accordance with Section 6.02: (i) a complete and accurate list of all Subsidiaries, joint ventures and partnerships and other equity investments of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date and as of the last date such Schedule was required to be updated in accordance with Section 6.02 and (ii) the percentage of outstanding shares of each class of Equity Interests owned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The outstanding Equity Interests in all Subsidiaries are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
5.20 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.
The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries own, or possess the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other Person, except in such instances in which the failure to have such rights would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the best knowledge of the Borrower, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries infringes upon any rights held by any other Person. No claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.21 Labor Matters.
There are no collective bargaining agreements or Multiemployer Plans covering the employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date and neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary
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has suffered any strikes, walkouts, work stoppages or other material labor difficulty within the last five (5) years preceding the Closing Date.
5.22 Representations as to Foreign Obligors. Each of the Borrower and each other Foreign Obligor represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
(a) Such Foreign Obligor is subject to civil and commercial Laws with respect to its obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party (collectively as to such Foreign Obligor, the “Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents”), and the execution, delivery and performance by such Foreign Obligor of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents constitute and will constitute private and commercial acts and not public or governmental acts. Neither such Foreign Obligor nor any of its property has any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) under the laws of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing in respect of its obligations under the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents.
(b) The Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents are in proper legal form under the Laws of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing for the enforcement thereof against such Foreign Obligor under the Laws of such jurisdiction, and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents. It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents that the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents be filed, registered or recorded with, or executed or notarized before, any court or other authority in the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing or that any registration charge or stamp or similar tax be paid on or in respect of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents or any other document, except for (i) any such filing, registration, recording, execution or notarization as has been made or is not required to be made until the Applicable Foreign Obligor Document or any other document is sought to be enforced and (ii) any charge or tax as has been timely paid.
(c) There is no tax, levy, impost, duty, fee, assessment or other governmental charge, or any deduction or withholding, imposed by any Governmental Authority in or of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing either (i) on or by virtue of the execution or delivery of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents or (ii) on any payment to be made by such Foreign Obligor pursuant to the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents, except as has been disclosed to the Administrative Agent.
(d) The execution, delivery and performance of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents executed by such Foreign Obligor are, under applicable foreign exchange control regulations of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing, not subject to any notification or authorization except (i) such as have been made or obtained or (ii) such as cannot be made or obtained until a later date (provided that any notification or authorization described in clause (ii) shall be made or obtained as soon as is reasonably practicable).
5.23 Sanctions. No Loan Party, nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity currently the subject of any Sanctions, nor is any Loan Party or any Subsidiary located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.
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5.24 Parent Credit Agreement Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties contained in Article VI of the Parent Credit Agreement with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date.
ARTICLE VI
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
Each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter until the Maturity Date, such Loan Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to:
6.01 Financial Statements.
Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(e) Audited Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with the Accounting Principles and shall also include a copy of management’s discussion and analysis with respect to such financial statements, such Consolidated statements to be audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit.
(f) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event within sixty (60) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with the Accounting Principles, such Consolidated statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller who is a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(g), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under Section 6.01(a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in Sections 6.01(a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.
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(g) Parent Financial Statements. Each financial statement and other deliverable that is delivered to the Administrative Agent and Lenders under Section 7.01 of the Parent Credit Agreement within two (2) Business Days of such delivery, which delivery shall include any certificates or other information delivered in conjunction with such financial statements in accordance with Section 6.02 of the Parent Credit Agreement.
6.02 Certificates; Other Information.
Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(f) Compliance Certificate. Concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller which is a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, (i) to the extent required by any Governmental Authority, which attaches a completed Financial Conduct Authority Form 47/48 (ILAS) that includes a report of the Borrower’s liquidity position and (ii) which attaches evidence of compliance with the Consolidated Tangible Net Worth covenant in Section 7.16. Each such Compliance Certificate delivered with the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a) and shall also include a copy of management’s discussion and analysis with respect to such financial statements. Unless the Administrative Agent or a Lender requests executed originals, delivery of the Compliance Certificate may be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original and authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes.
(g) Updated Schedules. Concurrently with the delivery of the Compliance Certificate referred to in Section 6.02(a), the following updated Schedules to this Agreement (which may be attached to the Compliance Certificate) to the extent required to make the representation related to such Schedule true and correct as of the date of such Compliance Certificate: Schedules 1.01(c), 5.19(a) and 7.09.
(h) Changes in Entity Structure. Within twenty (20) days after to any merger, consolidation, dissolution or other change in entity structure of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries permitted pursuant to the terms hereof or the Parent Credit Agreement, provide notice of such change in entity structure to the Administrative Agent, along with such other information as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent. Provide notice to the Administrative Agent, not less than twenty (20) after (or such extended period of time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent) of any change in any Loan Party’s legal name, state of organization, or organizational existence.
(i) Parent Credit Agreement Certificates and Other Information. Immediately, but in any event within two (2) Business Days of delivery thereof, copies of all certificates and other information delivered by the Parent and its Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 7.02 of the Parent Credit Agreement.
(j) Audit Reports; Management Letters; Recommendations. Promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any audit of any of them.
(k) SEC Notices. Promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible
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investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
(l) Additional Information. Promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial, legal or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a), (b) or (c) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (a) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 1.01(a); or (b) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by fax transmission or e-mail transmission) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by e-mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (A) the Administrative Agent and/or an Affiliate thereof may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (B) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that so long as the Borrower is the issuer of any outstanding debt or Equity Interests that are registered or issued pursuant to a private offering or is actively contemplating issuing any such securities it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (1) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (2) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, any Affiliate thereof, the Arranger and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (3) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (4) the Administrative Agent and the any Affiliate thereof and the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to xxxx any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.
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6.03 Notices.
Promptly, but in any event within two (2) Business Days, notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(c) of the occurrence of any Default;
(d) of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(e) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; and
(f) of any notice provided to the Administrative Agent and Lenders under Section 7.03 of the Parent Credit Agreement, which notification shall include providing a copy of any written notice or related materials delivered in conjunction with any such notice .
Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03(a) through (d) shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and to the extent applicable, stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
6.04 Payment of Obligations.
Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all material obligations and liabilities, including (a) all material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with the Accounting Principles are being maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary; (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a material Lien upon its property; and (c) all material Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness.
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc.
(c) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted under the Parent Credit Agreement;
(d) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(e) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 Maintenance of Properties.
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(g) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted;
(h) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(i) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance.
Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons, including, without limitation, terrorism insurance, or as otherwise reasonably required by the Administrative Agent.
6.08 Compliance with Laws.
Comply with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.09 Books and Records.
(h) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with the Accounting Principles consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and
(i) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.
6.10 Inspection Rights.
(a) Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower, with the Borrower obligated to reimburse the Administrative Agent for the reasonable cost of such inspections; provided, however, that (a) prior to an Event of Default, the Borrower will only be obligated to reimburse the Administrative Agent for one inspection per year and (b) that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.
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(b) If requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent (i) asset appraisal reports with respect to all of the real and personal property owned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and (ii) a written audit of the accounts receivable, inventory, payables, controls and systems of Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
6.11 Use of Proceeds.
The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Borrowings solely to finance commercial customer margin calls at various futures and options exchange clearinghouses and for general corporate purposes not in contravention of any Law, any Loan Document or the Parent Credit Agreement.
6.12 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations.
The Borrower will cause each of its Subsidiaries (other than any CFC) whether newly formed, after acquired or otherwise existing to promptly (and in any event within thirty (30) days after such Subsidiary is formed or acquired (or such longer period of time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) become a Guarantor hereunder by way of execution of a Joinder Agreement; provided, however, no Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary shall be required to become a Guarantor to the extent such Guaranty would result in a material adverse tax consequence for the Borrower or the Parent. In connection therewith, the Loan Parties shall give notice to the Administrative Agent not less than ten (10) days prior to creating or acquiring a Subsidiary (or such shorter period of time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion). In connection with the foregoing, the Loan Parties shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, with respect to each new Guarantor to the extent applicable, substantially the same documentation required pursuant to Sections 4.01(b) through (e) and (g) and such other documents or agreements as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
6.13 Further Assurances.
Promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent, (a) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in any Loan Document or in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof, and (b) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent, may reasonably require from time to time in order to (i) carry out more effectively the purposes of the Loan Documents and (ii) assure, convey, grant, assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm more effectively unto the Lenders the rights granted or now or hereafter intended to be granted to the Lenders under any Loan Document or under any other instrument executed in connection with any Loan Document to which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is or is to be a party, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to do so.
6.14 Pari Passu Ranking.
Ensure that at all times any unsecured and unsubordinated claims of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against it under the Loan Documents rank at lease pari passu with the claims of all other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors of the Loan Parties except those creditors whose claims are mandatorily preferred by laws of general application to companies and other regulated entities.
6.15 Collection Account and Disbursement Account.
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Maintain the Collection Account and the Disbursement Account with Bank of America or one of its Affiliates as approved by the Administrative Agent. Instruct the Borrower’s commercial customers to make payments owed to the Borrower for the financing the Borrower provides to such commercial customers, with proceeds from the Loans made hereunder, for margin calls at various futures and options exchange clearinghouses are deposited directly into the Collection Account, provided that in the event that any commercial customer makes any such payments to another account of the Borrower, the Borrower shall promptly deposit such amounts in the Collection Account.
6.16 | Anti-corruption law |
(a) conduct its businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws; and
(b) maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter until the Maturity Date, no Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:
7.01 Liens.
Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except for the following (the “Permitted Liens”):
(m) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;
(n) Liens for Taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with the Accounting Principles;
(o) Statutory Liens such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person; provided that a reserve or other appropriate provision shall have been made therefor;
(p) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(q) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;
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(r) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(j);
(s) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Sections 7.02(b), 7.02(c) and 7.02(d); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition;
(t) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under Section 7.03(a);
(u) bankers’ Liens, rights of setoff and other similar Liens existing solely with respect to cash and Cash Equivalents on deposit in one or more accounts maintained by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with any Lender, in each case in the ordinary course of business in favor of the bank or banks with which such accounts are maintained, securing solely the customary amounts owing to such bank with respect to cash management and operating account arrangements; provided, that in no case shall any such Liens secure (either directly or indirectly) the repayment of any Indebtedness;
(v) Liens arising out of judgments or awards not resulting in an Event of Default; provided the applicable Loan Party or Subsidiary shall in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or proceedings for review; and
(w) Any interest or title of a lessor, licensor or sublessor under any lease, license or sublease entered into by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof in the ordinary course of business and covering only the assets so leased, licensed or subleased.
(x) Liens securing Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Closing Date as a result of a Permitted Acquisition or otherwise assumed in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, provided that such Indebtedness (and any Guarantees thereof) exists at the time of such Permitted Acquisition, and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Permitted Acquisition and refinancings in respect thereof;
(y) Liens in favor of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors;
(z) other Liens securing obligations the aggregate amount of which does not exceed $2,000,000; and
(aa) Liens on assets of a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.02.
7.02 Indebtedness.
Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(g) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(h) (b) Indebtedness incurred by any Loan Party in favor of any other Loan Party or the Parent; provided that in no event shall any such Indebtedness that is owed to the Parent exceed an amount
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equal to more than 25% of the Regulated Capital, unless such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Obligations on terms acceptable to the Agent;
(i) Indebtedness in respect of Finances Leases and purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets within the limitations set forth in Section 7.01(i); provided, however, that the aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness at any one time outstanding shall not exceed the lesser of $5,000,000 and the aggregate amount available under Section 8.03(e) of the Parent Credit Agreement;
(j) (i) to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in respect of leases of precious metals, and (ii) other Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, their trading and market making business; provided that such Indebtedness does not have a stated maturity that extends beyond one (1) year and each draw (if any) under any such Indebtedness shall be due and payable at the earlier of (A) four (4) months after any such draw and (B) the length of the underlying trading transaction necessitating such draw; and
(k) obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates or foreign exchange rates and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party.
(l) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Closing Date as a result of a Permitted Acquisition or otherwise assumed in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, provided that such Indebtedness (and any Guarantees thereof) exists at the time of such Permitted Acquisition, and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Permitted Acquisition and Permitted Refinancings of such Indebtedness;
(m) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,000,000 at any one time outstanding;
(n) Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness permitted under this Section 7.02 and Guarantees provided by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of obligations incurred by any Subsidiary of the Borrower to counterparties in the ordinary course of its trading and market making business;
(o) Indebtedness arising from agreements for indemnification, purchase price adjustment obligations and earn-outs or other similar obligations, in each case incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition;
(p) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided, however, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five (5) Business Days of receiving notice thereof; and
(q) Indebtedness with respect to performance bonds, surety bonds or appeal bonds required in the ordinary course of business or in connection with the enforcement of rights or claims of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or in connection with judgments that do not result in an Event of Default; provided
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that the aggregate outstanding amount of all such performance bonds and surety bonds permitted by this clause (m) shall not at any time exceed $2,000,000.
7.03 Investments.
Make or hold any Investments, except:
(e) Investments held by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents, and other similar Investments permitted by the FCA and LME;
(f) Investments made by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in Loan Parties joined as Guarantors in accordance with Section 6.12;
(g) (c) Investments in any Person that is a Loan Party or the Parent that are otherwise permitted hereunder, under the Parent Credit Agreement (determined on a pro forma basis if the Parent Credit Agreement is no longer in effect) and by any Governmental Authority; provided that in no event shall any such Investment made in the Parent exceed an amount equal to more than 25% of the Regulated Capital;
(h) Guarantees permitted by Section 7.02;
(i) Investments in the form of Permitted Acquisitions;
(j) Investments of a nature not contemplated in the foregoing clauses in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding;
(k) any Permitted Repos;
(l) Investments in equity and debt securities issued by third parties acquired by the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries as dealers in the ordinary course of their businesses;
(m) promissory notes and other non-cash consideration received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 7.05;
(n) to the extent constituting an Investment, Swap Contracts to the extent permitted by Section 7.02(d); and
(o) Investments made with the customer funds to the extent such Investments are made in accordance with the Borrower’s approved investment policies for such customer funds; and
(p) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss.
7.04 Fundamental Changes.
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Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom:
(f) any Loan Party may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or to another Loan Party; and
(g) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, each of the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries may merge into or consolidate with any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it; provided, however, that in each case, immediately after giving effect thereto (i) in the case of any such merger to which the Borrower is a party, the Borrower is the surviving Person and (ii) in the case of any such merger to which any Loan Party (other than the Borrower) is a party, such Loan Party is the surviving Person;
(h) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time provided that such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(i) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.05.
7.05 Dispositions.
Make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:
(j) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;
(k) Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property; and
(l) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04.
(m) Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business;
(n) Dispositions of property to the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided, that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party then the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party;
(o) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof;
(p) licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;
(q) the sale or disposition of Cash Equivalents for fair market value;
(r) Dispositions in the ordinary course of business of equity and debt securities issued by third parties that were acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as dealers in the ordinary course of their businesses; and
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(s) Dispositions by Borrower and its Subsidiaries of property not otherwise permitted under this Section; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition and after giving effect thereto, no Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition, (ii) the aggregate net book value of all of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of pursuant to such Dispositions in any fiscal year shall be less than $2,000,000, (iii) the consideration received for such property shall be in an amount at least equal to the fair market value thereof, (iv) no less than 90% of such consideration shall be paid in cash and Cash Equivalents paid contemporaneous with consummation of such Disposition, (v) such Disposition does not involve the sale or other disposition of a minority equity interest in any Subsidiary and (vi) such Disposition does not involve a sale or other disposition of receivables other than receivables owned by or attributable to other property concurrently being disposed of in a Disposition otherwise permitted under this clause (i).
7.06 Restricted Payments.
Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, or issue or sell any Equity Interests, except that, so long as no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of any action described below or would result therefrom:
(b) each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to any Person that owns Equity Interests in such Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;
(c) the Borrower and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in common Equity Interests of such Person; and
(d) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, the Borrower may make other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed during any fiscal year of the Borrower, the lesser of (i) $10,000,000 and (ii) an amount equal to one third of Consolidated Net Income determined as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year of the Borrower.
7.07 Change in Nature of Business.
Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
7.08 Transactions with Affiliates.
Enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any officer, director or Affiliate of such Person other than (a) advances of working capital to any Loan Party, (b) transfers of cash and assets to any Loan Party, (c) intercompany transactions expressly permitted by this Agreement or the Parent Credit Agreement, including without limitation by Sections 8.02, 8.03, 8.04, 8.05 or 8.06 of the Parent Credit Agreement, (d) normal and reasonable compensation and reimbursement of expenses of officers and directors and (e) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Agreement, other transactions which are entered into in the ordinary course of such Person’s business on fair and reasonable terms and conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an officer, director or Affiliate.
7.09 Burdensome Agreements.
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Other than those in existence as of the date of this Agreement and set forth on Schedule 7.09, enter into, or permit to exist, any Contractual Obligation (except for this Agreement and the other Loan Documents) that (a) encumbers or restricts the ability of any such Person to (i) to act as a Loan Party; (ii) make Restricted Payments to any Loan Party, (iii) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Loan Party, (iv) make loans or advances to any Loan Party, or (v) create any Lien upon any of their properties or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except, in the case of clause (a)(v) only, for any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Sections 7.02(b) or 7.02(c), provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets constructed or acquired in connection therewith, (v) any Permitted Lien or any document or instrument governing any Permitted Lien, provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject to such Permitted Lien, (vi) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to the sale of any property permitted under Section 7.05 pending the consummation of such sale, or (vii) restrictions related to Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Closing Date as a result of a Permitted Acquisition or otherwise assumed in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, provided that such Indebtedness (and any Guarantees thereof) exists at the time of such Permitted Acquisition, is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Permitted Acquisition, and applies only to the property acquired in such Permitted Acquisition and refinancings in respect thereof; or (b) requires the grant of any Lien on property for any obligation if a Lien on such property is given as security for the Secured Obligations.
7.10 Use of Proceeds.
Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
7.11 | Amendments of Organization Documents; Fiscal Year; Legal Name, State of Formation; Form of Entity and Accounting Changes. |
(c) Amend any of its Organization Documents;
(d) change its fiscal year;
(e) without providing ten (10) days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (or such extended period of time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent), change its name, state of formation, form of organization or principal place of business; or
(f) make any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required by the Accounting Principles or applicable Law.
7.12 Sale and Leaseback Transactions.
Enter into any forward sale or purchase, sale and sale back or sale and leaseback agreement.
7.13 Sanctions.
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Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, or otherwise) of Sanctions.
7.14 | Insolvency. |
(a) | Taken corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or step described in Section 8.01(g); or |
(b) | Taken creditors’ process described in Section 8.01(h), or |
(c) | Taken or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in relation any Loan Party; and none of the circumstances described in the definition of “Insolvent” as applied to a Loan Party. |
7.15 Anti-corruption law
No Loan Party shall directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Loans for any purpose which would breach the Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000, the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or other similar legislation in other jurisdictions.
7.16 Consolidated Tangible Net Worth
The Consolidated Tangible Net Worth be less than $50,000,000 at any time, as reported on each Compliance Certificate delivered in accordance with Section 6.02(a).
ARTICLE VIII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 Events of Default.
Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(r) Non-Payment. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three (3) days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five (5) days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(s) Specific Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03, 6.05, 6.08, 6.10, 6.11, Article VII or Article X; or
(t) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 8.01(a) or (b) above) contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days; or
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(u) Events of Default under the Parent Credit Agreement. An “Event of Default” occurs and is continuing under the Parent Credit Agreement, taking into account any applicable grace periods or cure rights provided with respect to such Event of Default under the Parent Credit Agreement.
(v) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, in the Parent Credit Agreement, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or
(w) Cross-Default. Other than with respect to the Parent Credit Agreement to which Section 8.01(d) shall apply, (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or
(x) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(y) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within thirty (30) days after its issue or levy; or
(z) Insolvency. A Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof becomes Insolvent.
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(aa) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments and orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer is rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of the potential claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(bb) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all Obligations arising under the Loan Documents, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any provision of any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any provision of any Loan Document; or
(cc) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control; or
8.02 Remedies upon Event of Default.
If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(q) declare the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans to be terminated, whereupon such commitments shall be terminated;
(r) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and
(s) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or equity;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
8.03 Application of Funds.
After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable) or if at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all Obligations then due hereunder, any amounts received on account
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of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.12, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts payable to the Lenders arising under the Loan Documents and amounts payable under Article III, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting interest on the Loans, and other Obligations arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
ARTICLE IX
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 Appointment and Authority.
Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints, designates and authorizes Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
9.02 Rights as a Lender.
The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust,
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financial, advisory, underwriting or other business with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or to provide notice to or consent of the Lenders with respect thereto.
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties:
(t) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(u) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(v) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary), or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. Any such action taken or failure to act pursuant to the foregoing shall be binding on all Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
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9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan Parties), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objections.
9.05 Delegation of Duties.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Loans as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(j) Notice. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
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(k) Effect of Resignation or Removal. With effect from the Resignation Effective Date (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub‑agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the titles listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or a Lender hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding.
In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
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(g) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.07 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(h) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.07 and 11.04.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or in any such proceeding.
9.10 Guaranty Matters.
Each of the Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor (other than the Parent) from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents.
Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor (other than the Parent) from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10. In each case as specified in this Section 9.10, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.10.
ARTICLE X
CONTINUING GUARANTY
CONTINUING GUARANTY
10.01 Guaranty.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby absolutely and unconditionally, jointly and severally guarantees (subject to the proviso in Section 6.12), as a guaranty of payment and performance and not merely as a guaranty of collection, prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by required prepayment, upon acceleration, demand or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of any and all Obligations (for each Subsidiary Guarantor, subject to the proviso in this sentence, its “Guaranteed Obligations”); provided that the liability of each Guarantor individually with respect to this Guaranty shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render its obligations hereunder subject to avoidance under Section 548
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of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law. The Administrative Agent’s books and records showing the amount of the Obligations shall be admissible in evidence in any action or proceeding, and shall be binding upon each Guarantor, and conclusive for the purpose of establishing the amount of the Obligations. This Guaranty shall not be affected by the genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the Obligations or any instrument or agreement evidencing any Obligations, or by the existence, validity, enforceability, perfection, non-perfection or extent of any collateral therefor, or by any fact or circumstance relating to the Obligations which might otherwise constitute a defense to the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors, or any of them, under this Guaranty, and each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire in any way relating to any or all of the foregoing.
10.02 Rights of Lenders.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor consents and agrees that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may, at any time and from time to time, without notice or demand, and without affecting the enforceability or continuing effectiveness hereof: (a) amend, extend, renew, compromise, discharge, accelerate or otherwise change the time for payment or the terms of the Obligations or any part thereof; (b) take, hold, exchange, enforce, waive, release, fail to perfect, sell, or otherwise dispose of any security for the payment of this Guaranty or any Obligations; (c) apply such security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in their sole discretion may determine; and (d) release or substitute one or more of any endorsers or other guarantors of any of the Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Subsidiary Guarantor consents to the taking of, or failure to take, any action which might in any manner or to any extent vary the risks of such Subsidiary Guarantor under this Guaranty or which, but for this provision, might operate as a discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor.
10.03 Certain Waivers.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives (a) any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense of the Borrower or any other Guarantor, or the cessation from any cause whatsoever (including any act or omission of the Administrative Agent or any Lender) of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party; (b) any defense based on any claim that such Guarantor’s obligations exceed or are more burdensome than those of the Borrower or any other Loan Party; (c) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting any Subsidiary Guarantor’s liability hereunder; (d) any right to proceed against the Borrower or any other Loan Party; and (e) to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all other defenses or benefits that may be derived from or afforded by applicable Law limiting the liability of or exonerating guarantors or sureties. Each Subsidiary Guarantor expressly waives all setoffs and counterclaims and all presentments, demands for payment or performance, notices of nonpayment or nonperformance, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and all other notices or demands of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Obligations, and all notices of acceptance of this Guaranty or of the existence, creation or incurrence of new or additional Obligations.
10.04 Obligations Independent.
The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder are those of primary obligor, and not merely as surety, and are independent of the Obligations and the obligations of any other guarantor, and a separate action may be brought against each Subsidiary Guarantor to enforce this Guaranty whether or not the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other person or entity is joined as a party.
10.05 Subrogation.
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No Subsidiary Guarantor shall exercise any right of subrogation, contribution, indemnity, reimbursement or similar rights with respect to any payments it makes under this Guaranty until all of the Obligations and any amounts payable under this Guaranty have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full and the Commitments are terminated. If any amounts are paid to a Subsidiary Guarantor in violation of the foregoing limitation, then such amounts shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and shall forthwith be paid to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders to reduce the amount of the Obligations, whether matured or unmatured.
10.06 Termination; Reinstatement.
This Guaranty is a continuing and irrevocable guaranty of all Obligations now or hereafter existing and shall remain in full force and effect until the Maturity Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guaranty shall continue in full force and effect or be revived, as the case may be, if any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor is made, the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders exercises its right of setoff, in respect of the Obligations and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by any of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in their discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws or otherwise, all as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred and whether or not any of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders are in possession of or have released this Guaranty and regardless of any prior revocation, rescission, termination or reduction. The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under this paragraph shall survive termination of this Guaranty.
10.07 Stay of Acceleration.
If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Obligations is stayed, in connection with any case commenced by or against a Subsidiary Guarantor or the Borrower under any Debtor Relief Laws, or otherwise, all such amounts shall nonetheless be payable by each Subsidiary Guarantor, jointly and severally (subject to the proviso in Section 6.12), immediately upon demand by any of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.
10.08 Condition of Borrower.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that it has the sole responsibility for, and has adequate means of, obtaining from the Borrower and any other guarantor such information concerning the financial condition, business and operations of the Borrower and any such other guarantor as such Subsidiary Guarantor requires, and that none of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders has any duty, and such Guarantor is not relying on any of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders at any time, to disclose to it any information relating to the business, operations or financial condition of the Borrower or any other guarantor (each Subsidiary Guarantor waiving any duty on the part of any of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to disclose such information and any defense relating to the failure to provide the same).
10.09 Appointment of Borrower.
Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby appoints the Borrower to act as its agent for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and agrees that (a) the Borrower may execute such documents on behalf of such Subsidiary Guarantor as the Borrower deems appropriate in its sole discretion and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall be obligated by all of the terms of any such document executed on its behalf, (b) any notice or communication delivered by the Administrative Agent or the Lender to the Borrower
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shall be deemed delivered to each Subsidiary Guarantor and (c) the Administrative Agent or the Lenders may accept, and be permitted to rely on, any document, instrument or agreement executed by the Borrower on behalf of each Subsidiary Guarantor.
10.10 Right of Contribution.
The Subsidiary Guarantors agree among themselves that, in connection with payments made hereunder, each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have contribution rights against the other Guarantors as permitted under applicable Law.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
11.01 Amendments, Etc.
No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(w) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent in Section 4.02 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Commitments of any Lender);
(x) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under such other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to such payment;
(y) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or (subject to clause (ii) of the second proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;
(z) change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;
(aa) change any provision of this Section 11.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;
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(bb) release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of any Subsidiary from the Guaranty is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone); or
(cc) release the Borrower or permit the Borrower to assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents without the consent of each Lender;
and provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (ii) any Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (A) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender, may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (1) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (2) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender, or all Lenders, that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender; (B) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein and (C) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the prior written consent of the Borrower only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.
11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.
(e) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax transmission or e-mail transmission as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower or any other Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the address, fax number, e-mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 1.01(a); and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, fax number, e-mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).
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Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by (fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(f) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail address and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail address or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(g) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or any other Information through the Internet, telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems.
(h) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent,. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent
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from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one (1) individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities laws.
(i) Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic or electronic Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Loan Party. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.
No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.11), or (c) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.11, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
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11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(l) Costs and Expenses. The Loan Parties shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with Loans made hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(m) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower or any other Loan Party) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any of the Borrower’s or such Loan Party’s directors, shareholders or creditors, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower or such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(n) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender
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severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided, further that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(d).
(o) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(p) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after demand therefor.
(q) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
11.05 Payments Set Aside.
To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
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11.06 Successors and Assigns.
(d) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(e) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment(s) and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum Amounts.
(1) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment under the Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(2) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect to the Loans and/or the Commitment assigned.
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(1) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing
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at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof; and provided, further, that the Borrower’s consent shall not be required during the primary syndication of the Loans; and
(2) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any unfunded Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.
(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural Person.
(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (A) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (B) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto
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but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment); provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
(f) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(g) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participations.
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 11.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant
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also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(h) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note or Notes, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.
(i) Treatment of Certain Information. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (i) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (ii) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (iii) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party hereto, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.13(c) or (B) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (vii) on a confidential basis to (A) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (B) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, or (viii) with the consent of the Borrower or to the extent such Information (1) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (2) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any
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Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
(j) Non-Public Information. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (i) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (iii) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws.
(k) Press Releases. The Loan Parties and their Affiliates agree that they will not in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, unless (and only to the extent that) the Loan Parties or such Affiliate is required to do so under law and then, in any event the Loan Parties or such Affiliate will consult with such Person before issuing such press release or other public disclosure.
(l) Customary Advertising Material. The Loan Parties consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of customary advertising material relating to the transactions contemplated hereby using the name, product photographs, logo or trademark of the Loan Parties, subject to the prior approval of the Borrower, not to be unreasonably withheld.
11.08 Right of Setoff.
If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured, secured or unsecured, or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (a) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.12 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (b) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
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11.09 Interest Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
11.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.
This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent o, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any certificate delivered thereunder, by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or certificate. Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.
11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties.
All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Borrowing, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.
11.12 Severability.
If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.
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The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
11.13 Replacement of Lenders.
If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:
(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);
(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to 100% of the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e) in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND
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THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER, OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. THE BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 11(d), EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
EACH FOREIGN OBLIGOR (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE BORROWER) HEREBY AGREES THAT PROCESS MAY BE SERVED ON IT BY CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, TO THE PARENT AT ITS ADDRESS PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02 AND HEREBY APPOINTS THE PARENT AS ITS AGENT TO RECEIVE SUCH SERVICE OF PROCESS. ANY AND ALL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND ANY OTHER NOTICE IN ANY SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST SUCH FOREIGN OBLIGOR,
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IF GIVEN BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS OR MAIL WHICH REQUIRES A SIGNED RECEIPT, POSTAGE PREPAID, MAILED AS PROVIDED ABOVE. IN THE EVENT THE PARENT SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT SERVICE OF PROCESS AS AFORESAID AND IF SUCH FOREIGN OBLIGOR SHALL NOT MAINTAIN AN OFFICE IN NEW YORK CITY, THE BORROWER SHALL PROMPTLY APPOINT AND MAINTAIN AN AGENT QUALIFIED TO ACT AS AN AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE COURTS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 11.14, AND REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, AS SUCH FOREIGN OBLIGOR’S AUTHORIZED AGENT TO ACCEPT AND ACKNOWLEDGE ON SUCH FOREIGN OBLIGOR’S BEHALF SERVICE OF ANY AND ALL PROCESS WHICH MAY BE SERVED IN ANY SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING.
11.15 Waiver of Jury Trial.
EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (a) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (b) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
11.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.
In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower and each other Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a) (i) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent and any Affiliate thereof, the Arranger and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and, as applicable, its Affiliates (including the Arranger) and the Lenders and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this Section, the “Lenders”), on the other hand, (ii) each of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (iii) the Borrower and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (b) (i) the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the Arranger) and each Lender each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary, for Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (ii) neither the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates (including the Arranger) nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (c) the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the Arranger) and the Lenders may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, the other Loan
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Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates (including the Arranger) nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates (including the Arranger) or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transactions contemplated hereby.
11.17 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.
The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
11.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.
Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower and the other Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the Act. The Borrower and the Loan Parties agree to, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all such other documentation and information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
11.19 Time of the Essence.
Time is of the essence of the Loan Documents.
11.20 Judgment Currency.
If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of each Loan Party in respect of any such sum due from it to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than U.S. Dollars (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than
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the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender from any Loan Party in the Agreement Currency, such Loan Party agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in such currency, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, agrees to return the amount of any excess to such Loan Party (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under applicable law).
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Credit Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
BORROWER: INTL FCSTONE LTD.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Financial Officer
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Company Secretary
GUARANTOR: INTL GLOBAL CURRENCIES LTD.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
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By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Company Secretary
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
Director
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as a Lender
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
Director
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]