CREDIT AGREEMENT among INTEGRYS ENERGY GROUP, INC., as Borrower THE LENDERS IDENTIFIED HEREIN, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and THE BANK OF...
EXECUTION
COPY
CUSIP
Numbers - Deal __________
Revolver __________
among
as
Borrower
THE
LENDERS IDENTIFIED HEREIN,
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.,
U.S.
BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
XXXXX
FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
and
THE
BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD.,
as Syndication
Agents
BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.,
as Administrative
Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer
and
BANC
OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
and
X.X.
XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.,
as Lead Arrangers,
Book Managers and Global Coordinators
DATED AS OF APRIL
23, 2010
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Section
1.
|
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
|
1
|
1.1
|
Definitions
|
1
|
1.2
|
Computation
of Time Periods
|
15
|
1.3
|
Accounting
Terms
|
15
|
1.4
|
Letter of
Credit Amounts
|
15
|
Section
2.
|
LOANS
|
16
|
2.1
|
Revolving
Loan Commitment
|
16
|
2.2
|
Method of
Borrowing for Revolving Loans
|
16
|
2.3
|
Funding of
Revolving Loans
|
16
|
2.4
|
Continuations
and Conversions
|
17
|
2.5
|
Minimum
Amounts
|
18
|
2.6
|
Reductions
and Increases of Revolving Loan Commitment
|
18
|
2.7
|
Evidence of
Debt
|
19
|
2.8
|
Swing Line
Loans
|
20
|
2.9
|
Letters of
Credit
|
23
|
2.10
|
Cash
Collateral
|
32
|
2.11
|
Defaulting
Lenders
|
34
|
Section
3.
|
PAYMENTS
|
36
|
3.1
|
Interest
|
36
|
3.2
|
Prepayments
|
36
|
3.3
|
Payments
|
36
|
3.4
|
Fees
|
37
|
3.5
|
Place and
Manner of Payments
|
37
|
3.6
|
Pro Rata
Treatment
|
38
|
i
3.7
|
Computations
of Interest and Fees
|
38
|
3.8
|
Sharing of
Payments
|
39
|
3.9
|
Evidence of
Debt
|
39
|
Section
4.
|
ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS REGARDING LOANS
|
40
|
4.1
|
Pricing
Provisions
|
40
|
4.2
|
Capital
Adequacy
|
42
|
4.3
|
Compensation
|
43
|
4.4
|
Taxes
|
43
|
4.5
|
Replacement
of Lenders
|
45
|
Section
5.
|
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
|
46
|
5.1
|
Closing
Conditions
|
46
|
5.2
|
Conditions to
Each Extension of Credit
|
48
|
Section
6.
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
48
|
6.1
|
Organization
and Good Standing; Assets
|
48
|
6.2
|
Due
Authorization
|
49
|
6.3
|
No
Conflicts
|
49
|
6.4
|
Consents
|
49
|
6.5
|
Enforceable
Obligations
|
50
|
6.6
|
Financial
Condition
|
50
|
6.7
|
No Material
Change
|
50
|
6.8
|
No
Default
|
50
|
6.9
|
Indebtedness
|
51
|
6.10
|
Litigation
|
51
|
6.11
|
Taxes
|
51
|
6.12
|
Compliance
with Law
|
51
|
ii
6.13
|
ERISA
|
51
|
6.14
|
Use of
Proceeds; Margin Stock
|
52
|
6.15
|
Government
Regulation
|
53
|
6.16
|
Disclosure
|
53
|
Section
7.
|
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
|
53
|
7.1
|
Information
Covenants
|
53
|
7.2
|
Financial
Covenant
|
55
|
7.3
|
Preservation
of Existence and Franchises.
|
55
|
7.4
|
Books and
Records
|
55
|
7.5
|
Compliance
with Law
|
56
|
7.6
|
Payment of
Taxes and Other Indebtedness
|
56
|
7.7
|
Insurance
|
56
|
7.8
|
Use of
Proceeds
|
56
|
7.9
|
Audits/Inspections
|
56
|
7.10
|
Restrictive
Agreements
|
57
|
Section
8.
|
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
57
|
8.1
|
Nature of
Business
|
57
|
8.2
|
Consolidation
and Merger
|
57
|
8.3
|
Sale or Lease
of Assets
|
58
|
8.4
|
Arm’s-Length
Transactions
|
58
|
8.5
|
Fiscal
Year
|
58
|
8.6
|
Liens
|
59
|
Section
9.
|
EVENTS OF
DEFAULT
|
60
|
9.1
|
Events of
Default
|
60
|
9.2
|
Acceleration;
Remedies
|
62
|
iii
9.3
|
Allocation of
Payments After Event of Default
|
63
|
Section
10.
|
AGENCY
PROVISIONS
|
64
|
10.1
|
Appointment
|
64
|
10.2
|
Delegation of
Duties
|
64
|
10.3
|
Exculpatory
Provisions
|
64
|
10.4
|
Reliance on
Communications
|
66
|
10.5
|
Notice of
Default
|
66
|
10.6
|
Non-Reliance
on Agent and Other Lenders
|
66
|
10.7
|
Indemnification
|
67
|
10.8
|
Agent in Its
Individual Capacity
|
67
|
10.9
|
Successor
Agent
|
68
|
10.10
|
Other
Agents
|
68
|
Section
11.
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
68
|
11.1
|
Notices
|
68
|
11.2
|
Right of
Set-Off
|
69
|
11.3
|
Benefit of
Agreement
|
70
|
11.4
|
No Waiver;
Remedies Cumulative; Enforcement
|
73
|
11.5
|
Payment of
Expenses, etc.
|
74
|
11.6
|
Amendments,
Waivers and Consents
|
74
|
11.7
|
Counterparts/Telecopy.
|
76
|
11.8
|
Headings
|
76
|
11.9
|
Survival of
Indemnification and Representations and Warranties.
|
76
|
11.10
|
Confidentiality.
|
76
|
11.11
|
Governing
Law; Venue
|
76
|
11.12
|
Waiver of
Jury Trial; Waiver of Consequential Damages
|
77
|
iv
11.13
|
Payments Set
Aside
|
77
|
11.14
|
Time
|
78
|
11.15
|
Severability
|
78
|
11.16
|
Assurances
|
78
|
11.17
|
USA Patriot
Act Notification
|
78
|
11.18
|
Entirety
|
78
|
11.19
|
No Advisory
or Fiduciary Responsibility
|
78 |
SCHEDULES
Schedule
1.1 Commitment
Percentages
Schedule
2.9 Existing
Letters of Credit
Schedule
6.1 Subsidiaries
Schedule
8.3 Asset
Sales
Schedule
8.6 Existing
Liens
Schedule
11.1 Notices
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
2.2 Form
of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit
2.4 Form
of Notice of Continuation/Conversion
Exhibit
2.7 Form
of Revolving Loan Note
Exhibit
2.8 Form
of Swing Line Loan Notice
Exhibit
7.1(c) Form
of Officer’s Certificate
Exhibit
11.3 Form
of Assignment Agreement
v
THIS CREDIT
AGREEMENT (this “Credit Agreement”), dated as of April 23, 2010, is entered into
among INTEGRYS ENERGY GROUP, INC., a Wisconsin corporation (the “Borrower”), the
Lenders (as defined herein), BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC and X.X. XXXXXX
SECURITIES INC., as Lead Arrangers, Book Managers and Global Coordinators,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, XXXXX FARGO BANK,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and THE BANK OF
TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., as Syndication Agents, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as
administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the “Agent”), Swing Line
Lender and L/C Issuer.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Borrower has
requested that the Lenders provide a $735 million revolving credit facility to
the Borrower for the purposes set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Lenders have
agreed to provide such revolving credit facility on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION
of the premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt
and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
Section
1. DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.1 Definitions.
As used herein, the
following terms shall have the meanings herein specified unless the context
otherwise requires. Defined terms herein shall include in the
singular number the plural and in the plural the singular:
“Adjusted Base Rate”
means the Base Rate plus the Applicable Percentage.
“Adjusted Eurodollar
Rate” means the Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable
Percentage.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling
(including but not limited to all directors and officers of such Person),
controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such
Person. A Person shall be deemed to control a corporation if such
Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power (a) to vote 10% or more of
the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of
such corporation or (b) to direct or cause direction of the management and
policies of such corporation, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agent” means Bank of
America, N.A. and any successors and assigns in such capacity.
“Aggregate
Commitments” means, collectively, the Revolving Loan Commitment of each
Lender.
“Applicable
Percentage” means, at any time, the appropriate applicable percentages
corresponding to the Borrower’s Public Debt Ratings in effect as of the most
recent Calculation Date, as shown below:
Pricing
Level
|
Borrower’s
Public
Debt
Rating
|
Applicable
Percentage
for
Eurodollar
Loans and Letter of Credit
Fees
|
Applicable
Percentage
for
Base Rate Loans
|
Applicable
Percentage
for
Commitment Fees
|
I.
|
A or higher
from S&P or
A2 or higher
from Xxxxx’x
|
1.500%
|
0.500%
|
0.175%
|
II.
|
A- from
S&P or
A3 from
Xxxxx’x
|
1.750%
|
0.750%
|
0.225%
|
III.
|
BBB+ from
S&P or
Baa1 from
Xxxxx’x
|
2.000%
|
1.000%
|
0.300%
|
IV.
|
BBB from
S&P or
Baa2 from
Xxxxx’x
|
2.250%
|
1.250%
|
0.375%
|
V.
|
BBB- from
S&P or
Baa3 from
Xxxxx’x
|
2.750%
|
1.750%
|
0.500%
|
VI.
|
Unrated or
BB+ or lower from S&P and
Ba1 or lower
from Xxxxx’x
|
3.000%
|
2.000%
|
0.625%
|
The Applicable
Percentage for Eurodollar Loans, Letter of Credit Fees and Base Rate Loans and
the Commitment Fees shall, in each case, be determined and adjusted on the date
(each a “Calculation
Date”) five Business Days after the date there is a change in the
Borrower’s Public Debt Rating. Each determination of the Applicable
Percentage shall be effective from one Calculation Date until the next
Calculation Date. Any adjustment in the Applicable Percentage shall
be applicable to all existing Revolving Loans as well as any new Revolving Loans
made.
2
In the event that
the Public Debt Ratings of S&P and Xxxxx’x do not correspond to the same
Pricing Level, then the higher of the two ratings shall determine the Pricing
Level, except that if the Public Debt Ratings differ by more than one Pricing
Level, the Pricing Level that is one Pricing Level lower than the Pricing Level
corresponding to the higher of such ratings shall determine the Pricing
Level. If only one of S&P and Xxxxx’x shall have in effect a
Public Debt Rating, the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the
available rating.
The Borrower shall
promptly deliver to the Agent, at the address set forth on Schedule 11.1,
information regarding any change in the Borrower’s Public Debt Rating, as
determined by S&P and Xxxxx’x, that would change the existing Pricing Level
pursuant to the preceding paragraph.
“Arrangers” means Banc
of America Securities LLC and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
“Bankruptcy Code”
means the Bankruptcy Code in Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended,
modified, succeeded or replaced from time to time.
“Base Rate” means, for
any day, the rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate
in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%, (b)
the Prime Rate in effect on such day or (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus
1.00%. If for any reason the Agent shall have determined (which
determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that it is unable after
due inquiry to ascertain the rate set forth in clause (a) and/or (c) of the
preceding sentence for any reason, including the inability or failure of the
Agent to obtain sufficient quotations in accordance with the terms hereof, the
Base Rate shall be determined without regard to such clause (a) or (c), as
applicable, until the circumstances giving rise to such inability no longer
exist. Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate,
the Federal Funds Rate or the Eurodollar Rate shall be effective on the
effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or the
Eurodollar Rate, respectively.
“Base Rate Loan” means
a Revolving Loan which bears interest based on the Base Rate or a Swing Line
Loan.
“Borrower” means
Integrys Energy Group, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation.
“Borrower Materials”
has the meaning specified in Section 7.1.
“Borrower Obligations”
means, without duplication, all of the obligations of the Borrower to the
Lenders and the Agent, whenever arising, under this Credit Agreement, the Notes
or any of the other Credit Documents.
“Business Day” means
any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, a legal holiday or a day on which
banking institutions are authorized or required by law or other governmental
action to close in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Charlotte, North Carolina and New York,
New York; provided that in the
case of Eurodollar Loans or Base Rate Loans as to which the Base Rate is
determined in accordance with clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate, means
any such day that is also a London Banking Day.
3
“Capitalization” means
the sum of (a) Total Funded Debt plus (b) Net Worth.
“Cash Collateralize”
means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Agent, for the benefit of the
Agent, the applicable L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender (as applicable) and the
Lenders, as collateral for Letter of Credit Obligations, obligations in respect
of Swing Line Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect
of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances
or, if the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender benefitting from such collateral
shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant
to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to (a) the Agent and (b) the
applicable L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable) (which documents
are hereby consented to by the Lenders). “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning
correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash
collateral and other credit support.
“Change of Control”
means any of the following events: (a) any “person” or “group” (within the
meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act but excluding any employee
benefit plan of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity
acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of
any such plan) has become, directly or indirectly, the “beneficial owner” (as
defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person
shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such
Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately
or only after the passage of time), by way of merger, consolidation or
otherwise, of 30% or more of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the
Borrower on a fully-diluted basis, after giving effect to the conversion and
exercise of all outstanding warrants, options and other securities of the
Borrower (whether or not such securities are then currently convertible or
exercisable), (b) during any period of two consecutive calendar years,
individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the board of
directors of the Borrower cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the
directors of the Borrower then in office unless (i) such new directors were
elected or nominated by a majority of the directors of the Borrower who
constituted the board of directors of the Borrower at the beginning of such
period or (ii) the reason for such directors failing to constitute a majority is
a result of retirement by directors due to age, death or disability or (c) the
failure of the Borrower to own 100% of the common stock of Wisconsin Public
Service Corporation.
“Closing Date” means
the date hereof.
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Commitment Fee” has
the meaning specified in Section 3.4(a).
“Commitment
Percentage” means, for each Lender, the percentage identified as its
Commitment Percentage opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1 attached
hereto, as such percentage may be modified by assignment in accordance with the
terms of this Credit Agreement or by reductions or increases in the Revolving
Loan Commitment pursuant to Section 2.6 hereof.
“Confidential
Information” means information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower
to the Agent or any Lender in connection with this Credit Agreement, but does
not
4
include any such
information that (a) is or becomes generally available to the public, (b) was
available to the Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to its
disclosure to the Agent or such Lender by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or (c) is or becomes available to the Agent or such Lender on a
nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries.
“Credit Documents”
means this Credit Agreement, the Notes, the LOC Documents and all other related
agreements and documents issued or delivered hereunder or thereunder or pursuant
hereto or thereto.
“Default” means any
event, act or condition which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would
constitute an Event of Default.
“Defaulting Lender”
means, at any time, any Lender that, at such time (a) has failed to perform any
of its funding obligations hereunder, including in respect of its
Loans or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans,
within two Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b)
has notified the Borrower or the Agent, in writing, that it does not intend to
comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that
effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or under other
agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three
Business Days after written request by the Agent (based on its reasonable belief
that such Lender may not fulfill its funding obligations), to confirm in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to the Agent that it will comply with its funding
obligations hereunder, provided that any
such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender under this clause (c) upon
receipt of such confirmation by the Agent, or (d) has, or has a direct or
indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under
any debtor relief law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator,
assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with
reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it,
or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to,
approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; 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.
“Dollars” and “$” means dollars in
lawful currency of the United States of America.
“Effective Date” means
the date on which the conditions set forth in Section 5.1 shall have been
fulfilled (or waived in the sole discretion of the Lenders).
“Eligible Assignee”
means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; and (c) any other Person
approved by the Agent, each L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and the Borrower
(such approvals not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that (i) the
Borrower’s consent is not required during the existence and continuation of an
Event of Default and (ii) neither the Borrower nor an Affiliate of the Borrower
shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.
“ERISA” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor
statute thereto, as interpreted by the rules and regulations
5
thereunder, all as
the same may be in effect from time to time. References to sections
of ERISA shall be construed also to refer to any successor
sections.
“ERISA Affiliate”
means an entity, whether or not incorporated, which is under common control with
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries within the meaning of Section
4001(a)(14) of ERISA, or is a member of a group which includes the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries and which is treated as a single employer under Sections
414(b), (c), (m), or (o) of the Code.
“Eurodollar Loan”
means a Revolving Loan bearing interest at the Adjusted Eurodollar
Rate.
“Eurodollar Rate”
means with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, for the Interest Period applicable
thereto, a rate per annum determined pursuant to the following
formula:
|
“Eurodollar
Rate” =
|
London Interbank
Offered Rate
1 - Eurodollar Reserve
Percentage
|
“Eurodollar Reserve
Percentage” means, for any day, that percentage (expressed as a decimal)
which is in effect from time to time under Regulation D of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor), as such regulation
may be amended from time to time or any successor regulation, as the maximum
reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any basic, supplemental,
emergency, special, or marginal reserves) applicable with respect to
Eurocurrency liabilities, as that term is defined in Regulation D (or against
any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which
the interest rate of Eurodollar Loans is determined), whether or not a Lender
has any Eurocurrency liabilities subject to such reserve requirement at that
time. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute Eurocurrency
liabilities and as such shall be deemed subject to reserve requirements without
benefit of credits or proration, exceptions or offsets that may be available
from time to time to a Lender. The Eurodollar Rate shall be adjusted
automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar
Reserve Percentage.
“Event of Default” has
the meaning specified in Section 9.1.
"Existing Credit
Agreements" means (a) the Credit Agreement dated as of May 27, 2009,
among the Borrower, the financial institutions identified as lenders therein and
Bank of America as agent for the lenders thereunder, (b) the Five Year Credit
Agreement dated as of June 2, 2005 among the Borrower (formerly known as WPS
Resources Corporation), the financial institutions identified as lenders therein
and U.S. Bank National Association as agent for the lenders thereunder, and (c)
the letter agreement dated June 5, 2009 between the Borrower and JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A.
“Extension of Credit”
means, as to any Lender, (i) the making of a Loan by such Lender (or a
participation therein by a Lender) and (ii) the issuance of a Letter of Credit
by an L/C Issuer (and the participation therein by the Lenders).
“Fee Letter” means,
collectively, (a) that certain letter agreement, dated as of March 17, 2010
among the Agent, Banc of America Securities LLC, X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.,
6
JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A. and the Borrower, (b) that certain letter agreement dated as of March
17, 2010 between the Agent and the Borrower and (c) that certain letter
agreement, dated as of March 17, 2010 among U.S. Bank National Association,
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC, KeyBank
National Association, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Union Bank, N.A.
and the Borrower, in each case as amended, modified, supplemented or replaced
from time to time.
“Federal Funds Rate”
means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the
rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such
day; provided
that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day
shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so
published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so
published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such
day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple
of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as
determined by the Agent.
“FIN 46” means FASB
Interpretation No. 46 “Consolidation of Variable Interest
Entities” published January 2003 by the Financial Accounting Standards
Board, as the same may be amended from time to time.
“First Mortgage
Indentures” means (a) that certain First Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated
as of January 1, 1941, from Wisconsin Public Service Corporation to U.S. Bank
National Association (successor to First Wisconsin Trust Company), as trustee,
as heretofore or hereafter amended, modified and supplemented and any substitute
or replacement mortgage indenture, (b) that certain Indenture dated as of
December 1, 1998, between Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and U.S. Bank
National Association (successor to Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A.), as trustee, as
heretofore or hereafter amended, modified and supplemented and any substitute or
replacement mortgage indenture, (c) that certain Indenture of Mortgage dated May
1, 1947, from Upper Peninsula Power Company to U.S. Bank National Association
(successor to City National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago), as trustee, as
heretofore or hereafter amended, modified and supplemented and any substitute or
replacement mortgage indenture and (d) that certain Indenture dated as of March
1, 1928, and restated as of June 1, 1951, between The Peoples Gas Light and Coke
Company and U.S. Bank National Association (successor to Illinois Merchants
Trust Company), as trustee, (which, among other things, assumed the First and
Refunding Mortgage dated January 2, 1926 from Chicago By-Product Coke Company)
as heretofore or hereafter amended, modified and supplemented and any substitute
or replacement mortgage indenture.
“Fronting Exposure”
means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to each L/C
Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding Letter
of Credit Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer
other than Letter of Credit Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s
participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash
Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the
Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line
Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s
7
participation
obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in
accordance with the terms hereof.
“Funded Debt” of any
Person means, without duplication, the sum of (a) all Indebtedness of such
Person for borrowed money, except to the extent such Indebtedness is
“non-recourse” to such Person or recourse for payment of such Indebtedness is
limited to specific assets of such Person (whether or not included on a
consolidated balance sheet of such Person), (b) the principal portion of all
obligations of such Person under capital lease obligations, (c) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, relative to the face amount of all letters of credit
issued to support Indebtedness of the kinds referred to in clauses (a) and (b)
above, (d) all Guaranty Obligations of such Person with respect to Indebtedness
and obligations of the type described in clauses (a) through (c) hereof of
another Person; provided that such Guaranty Obligations are required to be
reported as liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance
with GAAP (and without duplication of any liability already appearing as a
liability on such balance sheet); and further provided that, in the event a
Guaranty Obligation is limited as to dollar amount, such Guaranty Obligation
shall not exceed such limitation, and (e) all Indebtedness and obligations of
the type described in clauses (a), (b), and (c) hereof of another Person,
secured by a Lien on any property of such Person whether or not such
Indebtedness or obligations has been assumed by such
Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Funded Debt shall not include
trust preferred securities, if any, shall not include interest on Indebtedness
that is accrued in the ordinary course of business and shall not include
intercompany Indebtedness.
“GAAP” means generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent
basis and subject to Section 1.3.
“Governmental
Authority” means any Federal, state, local or foreign court or
governmental agency, authority, instrumentality or regulatory body.
“Guaranty Obligations”
means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, any obligations (other
than endorsements in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments
for deposit or collection) guaranteeing any Funded Debt of any other Person in
any manner, whether direct or indirect, and including without limitation any
obligation, whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such Funded Debt, or
(b) to advance or provide funds or other support for the payment or purchase of
such Funded Debt or to maintain working capital, solvency or other balance sheet
condition of such other Person. The amount of any Guaranty Obligation
hereunder shall (subject to any limitations set forth therein) be deemed to be
an amount equal to the outstanding principal amount (or maximum principal
amount, if larger) of the Indebtedness in respect of which such Guaranty
Obligation is made; provided that, in the event a Guaranty Obligation is limited
as to dollar amount, such Guaranty Obligation shall not exceed such
limitation.
“Honor Date” has the
meaning specified in Section 2.9(g).
“Indebtedness” of any
Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for
borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or similar instruments, or upon which interest payments are
customarily made,
8
(c) all obligations
of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements
relating to property purchased by such Person to the extent of the value of such
property (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under
agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business), (d)
all obligations, other than intercompany items, of such Person issued or assumed
as the deferred purchase price of property or services purchased by such Person
which would appear as liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person (other than
trade payables), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the
holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to
be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or
not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed, (f) all Guaranty
Obligations of such Person, (g) the principal portion of all obligations of such
Person under (i) capital lease obligations and (ii) any synthetic lease, tax
retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet
financing product of such Person where such transaction is considered borrowed
money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease in
accordance with GAAP, (h) all obligations of such Person to repurchase any
securities which repurchase obligation is related to the issuance thereof,
including, without limitation, obligations commonly known as residual equity
appreciation potential shares, (i) the net obligations of such Person in respect
of interest rate protection agreements, foreign currency exchange agreements,
Permitted Energy Transactions or other interest or exchange rate hedging
arrangements, and (j) the maximum amount of all outstanding performance and
standby letters of credit issued or bankers’ acceptance facilities created for
the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder
(to the extent unreimbursed). The Indebtedness of any Person shall
include the recourse Indebtedness of any partnership or unincorporated joint
venture and for which such Person is legally obligated.
“Interest Payment
Date” means (a) as to Base Rate Loans (including Swing Line Loans),
monthly in arrears on the first day of each calendar month of the Borrower and
the Maturity Date and (b) as to Eurodollar Loans, the last day of each
applicable Interest Period and the Maturity Date. If an Interest
Payment Date falls on a date which is not a Business Day, such Interest Payment
Date shall be deemed to be the next succeeding Business Day, except that in the
case of Eurodollar Loans where the next succeeding Business Day falls in the
next succeeding calendar month, then on the next preceding day.
“Interest Period”
means, as to Eurodollar Loans, a period of one, two or three months duration, as
the Borrower may elect, commencing, in each case, on the date of the borrowing
(including continuations and conversions of Eurodollar Loans); provided, however, (a) if any
Interest Period would end on a day which is not a Business Day, such Interest
Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day (except that where
the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month,
then on the next preceding Business Day), (b) no Interest Period shall extend
beyond the Maturity Date and (c) where an Interest Period begins on a day for
which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month in which
the Interest Period is to end, such Interest Period shall end on the last
Business Day of such calendar month.
“L/C Advance” means,
with respect to any Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any
Extension of Credit with respect to Letters of Credit in accordance with its
Commitment Percentage.
9
“L/C Issuer” means
Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., U.S. Bank National
Association, Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association or any other Lender (so long
as such Lender expressly agrees to perform in accordance with their terms all of
the obligations that by the terms of this Credit Agreement are required to be
performed by it as an L/C Issuer and notifies the Agent and the Borrower of such
express agreement).
“Lender” means any of
the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, any Person
added as a Lender pursuant to Section 2.6 and any Eligible Assignee which may
become a Lender by way of assignment in accordance with the terms hereof,
together with their successors and permitted assigns and, unless the context
otherwise requires, includes each L/C Issuer and the Swing Line
Lender.
“L/C Issuer Limit”
means, with respect to each L/C Issuer, the maximum amount of Letter of Credit
Obligations related to Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer as set forth
in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section
11.3(c). The respective L/C Issuer Limits of Bank of America, N.A.,
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., U.S. Bank National Association and Xxxxx Fargo Bank,
National Association shall be 25% of the Letter of Credit Sublimit (unless such
L/C Issuer in its sole discretion agrees with the Borrower to a greater amount
from time to time), and shall be ratably and automatically reduced by the L/C
Issuer Limit of any other Lender that becomes an L/C Issuer.
“Letter of Credit
Obligations” means the amount available to be drawn on all outstanding
Letters of Credit plus, without duplication, any unpaid reimbursement
obligations of the Borrower under the Letters of Credit; provided, however, that with
respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any LOC
Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the
stated amount thereof, the amount available to be drawn on such Letter of Credit
shall be deemed to be the maximum amount available to be drawn on such Letter of
Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum
stated amount is in effect at such time.
“Letter of Credit
Sublimit” means $735,000,000 (provided that the foregoing amount shall be
increased or decreased automatically on a proportionate basis with the amount of
any increase or decrease in the aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment made
pursuant to Section 2.6(b), effective as of the date thereof). The
Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Loan
Commitment.
“Letters of Credit” is
defined in Section 2.9.
“Leverage Ratio”
means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at any date of
determination, the ratio of (a) Total Funded Debt to, (b) Capitalization, in
each case calculated in accordance with GAAP.
“Lien” means any
mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment for security, deposit arrangement,
security interest, encumbrance, lien (statutory or otherwise), priority or
charge of any kind (including any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any unterminated financing
or similar statement or notice filed under the Uniform Commercial Code as
adopted and in effect in the relevant jurisdiction or other
10
similar recording
or notice statute, and any lease in the nature thereof). The term
“Lien” shall not include statutory priorities or financing statements filed in
connection with operating leases or sales of accounts owed by customers for
energy provided or to be provided outside the normal franchise service area of
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Upper Peninsula Power
Company.
“Loans” means the
Revolving Loans and the Swing Line Loans.
“LOC Documents” means,
with respect to any Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit, any amendments
thereto, any documents delivered in connection therewith, any application
therefor, and any agreements, instruments, guarantees or other documents
(whether general in application or applicable only to such Letter of Credit)
governing or providing for (a) the rights and obligations of the parties
concerned or at risk or (b) any collateral security for such
obligations.
“London Banking Day”
means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between
banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“London Interbank Offered
Rate” means
(a) For any
Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum equal to
(A) the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate as published by Reuters (or other
commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by
the Agent from time to time) (“BBA LIBOR”), at approximately 11:00 a.m., London
time, two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period,
for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with
a term equivalent to such Interest Period or (B) if such published rate is not
available at such time for any reason, the rate determined by the Agent to be
the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such
Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar
Loan being made, continued or converted by Bank of America and with a term
equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London
Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request
at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two London Banking Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period.
(b) For any
interest rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan, the rate per annum
equal to (i) BBA LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two
London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in
the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii)
if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate
determined by the Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery
on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the
Base Rate Loan being made, continued or converted by Bank of America and with a
term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to
major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the
date and time of determination.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the operations, financial
condition or business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
(b) the
11
ability of the
Borrower to perform its obligations under this Credit Agreement or (c) the
validity or enforceability of this Credit Agreement, any of the other Credit
Documents, or the rights and remedies of the Lenders hereunder or thereunder;
provided that matters disclosed in writing to the Lenders prior to the Closing
Date shall not be deemed to cause a Material Adverse Effect.
“Maturity Date” means
the earlier to occur of (a) April 23, 2013 and (b) the date of termination or
reduction in whole of the Commitments pursuant to section 2.6 or
9.2.
“Moody’s” means
Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc., or any successor or assignee of the business of
such company in the business of rating securities.
“Multiemployer Plan”
means a Plan covered by Title IV of ERISA which is a multiemployer plan as
defined in Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Multiple Employer
Plan” means a Plan covered by Title IV of ERISA, other than a
Multiemployer Plan, which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one
employer other than the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate are contributing
sponsors.
“Net Worth” means, as
of any date, the shareholders’ equity or net worth of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, as determined in accordance with GAAP,
but excluding any other (non-cash) comprehensive income.
“Notes” means the
promissory notes of the Borrower in favor of each Lender evidencing the
Revolving Loans and substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.7, as such promissory
notes may be amended, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to
time.
“Notice of Borrowing”
means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Loan in the form of Exhibit
2.2.
“Notice of
Continuation/Conversion” means a request by the Borrower for the
continuation or conversion of a Revolving Loan in the form of Exhibit
2.4.
“PBGC” means the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title
IV of ERISA and any successor thereto.
“Permitted Energy
Transactions” means commodity sale, purchase or option agreements or
other commodity transactions or purchase or sale of weather derivatives entered
into by the Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary in the ordinary course of the
energy or energy related industry for non-speculative purposes relating to the
purchase or sale of electric power, electric power transmission capacity,
electric generation capacity, natural gas, natural gas transportation capacity,
natural gas storage, generation spark spreads, heating oil, crude oil, propane,
coal or currency.
“Person” means any
individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, association, trust,
limited liability company or other enterprise (whether or not incorporated), or
any government or political subdivision or any agency, department or
instrumentality thereof.
12
“Plan” means any
employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) which is covered by
ERISA and with respect to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if
such plan were terminated at such time, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be
deemed to be) an “employer” within the meaning of Section 3(5) of
ERISA.
“Platform” has the
meaning specified in Section 7.1.
“Prime Rate” means the
rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time
by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by
Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and
desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a
reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below
such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America
shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public
announcement of such change.
“Principal Subsidiary”
means (a) any of Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Integrys Energy Services,
Inc. and their respective successors and (b) any other Subsidiary, whether owned
directly or indirectly by the Borrower, which, with respect to the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, represents at least twenty percent (20%) of
the Borrower’s consolidated assets or the Borrower’s consolidated net income (or
loss), as shown on the most recent financial statements delivered to the Agent
pursuant to Section 7.1 below.
“Public Debt Rating”
means, as of any date, the rating that has been most recently announced by
either S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, for any class of non-credit
enhanced long-term senior unsecured debt issued by the Borrower.
“Related Parties”
means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners,
directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and
of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Reportable Event”
means a “reportable event” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA with respect to
which the notice requirements to the PBGC have not been waived.
“Required Lenders”
means Lenders whose aggregate Credit Exposure (as hereinafter defined)
constitutes more than 51% of the aggregate Credit Exposure of all Lenders at
such time; provided, however, that if any
Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender at such time then there shall be excluded
from the determination of Required Lenders the aggregate principal amount of
Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the term “Credit Exposure” as
applied to each Lender shall mean (a) at any time prior to the termination of
the Revolving Loan Commitment, the Commitment Percentage of such Lender
multiplied by the Revolving Loan Commitment and (b) at any time after the
termination of the Revolving Loan Commitment, the principal balance of the
outstanding Revolving Loans of such Lender plus the Commitment Percentage of
such Lender multiplied by the Letter of Credit Obligations plus the Commitment
Percentage of such Lender multiplied by the principal balance of outstanding
Swing Line Loans.
“Responsible Officer”
means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer,
treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower and any other
employee of the
13
Borrower so
designated by any one of the foregoing officers in a notice to the
Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a
Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been
authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the
part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed
to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.
“Revolving Loan
Commitment” means, collectively, SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE MILLION
DOLLARS ($735,000,000), subject to amendment pursuant to Section 2.6, and with
respect to each Lender, shall mean such amount multiplied by such Lender’s
Commitment Percentage (which, as of the date hereof, is set forth opposite such
Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1 attached hereto).
“Revolving Loans”
means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section
2.1.
“S&P” means
Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc., or any
successor or assignee of the business of such division in the business of rating
securities.
“Single Employer Plan”
means any Plan which is covered by Title IV of ERISA, but which is not a
Multiemployer Plan.
“Subsidiary” means, as
to any Person, (a) any corporation more than 50% of whose stock of any class or
classes having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of
the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time,
any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power
by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such
Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries and (b) any partnership,
association, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity in which
such person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries has more than 50% equity
interest at any time.
“Swing Line Lender”
means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any
successor swing line lender hereunder.
“Swing Line Loan”
means a loan made by the Swing Line Lender to the Borrower under Section
2.8(a).
“Swing Line Loan
Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section
2.8(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit
2.8.
“Swing Line Sublimit”
means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $50,000,000 and (b) the aggregate
Revolving Loan Commitment. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and
not in addition to, the aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment.
“Termination Event”
means (a) with respect to any Single Employer Plan, the occurrence of a
Reportable Event or the substantial cessation of operations (within the meaning
of Section 4062(e) of ERISA), (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year in which it was a
substantial employer (as such term
14
is defined in
Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA), or the termination of a Multiple Employer Plan,
(c) the distribution of a notice of intent to terminate or the actual
termination of a Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) or 4041A of ERISA, (d) the
institution of proceedings to terminate or the actual termination of a Plan by
the PBGC under Section 4042 of ERISA, (e) any event or condition which might
reasonably constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination
of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or (f) the complete
or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a
Multiemployer Plan.
“Total Assets” means
all assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as shown on its most recent
quarterly or annual audited consolidated balance sheet, as determined in
accordance with GAAP.
“Total Funded Debt”
means all Funded Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, without duplication,
on a consolidated basis, as determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Unreimbursed Amount”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.9(g).
“Voting Stock” means
all classes of the capital stock (or other voting interests) of a Person then
outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of
directors.
1.2 Computation of Time
Periods.
For purposes of
computation of periods of time hereunder, the word “from” means “from and
including” and the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but
excluding.” References in this Credit Agreement to “Articles”,
“Sections”, “Schedules” or “Exhibits” shall be to Articles, Sections, Schedules
or Exhibits of or to this Credit Agreement unless otherwise specifically
provided.
1.3 Accounting
Terms
.
Except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be
interpreted, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to
financial matters required to be delivered to the Lenders hereunder shall be
prepared, in accordance with GAAP applied in a manner consistent with those used
in preparing the financial statements referred to in Section
5.1(d). In the event that any changes occur in GAAP after the date of
this Credit Agreement and such changes result in a material variation in the
method of calculation of financial covenants or other terms of this Credit
Agreement, then the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders agree to amend such
provisions of this Credit Agreement so as to equitably reflect such changes in
order that the criteria for evaluating the Borrower’s financial condition will
be the same after such changes as if such changes had not
occurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any entity that is not a
Subsidiary but would be required to be consolidated in the financial statements
of the Borrower because of FIN 46, (i) shall not be considered a “Subsidiary”
for purposes of this Credit Agreement and (ii) shall not be included in any
computation of any financial covenant herein.
1.4 Letter of Credit
Amounts.
15
Unless otherwise
specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed
to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with
respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer
Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the
stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be
the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all
such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such
time.
Section
2. LOANS
2.1 Revolving Loan
Commitment.
Subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make
revolving loans to the Borrower in Dollars, at any time and from time to time,
during the period from the Effective Date to the Maturity Date (each a “Revolving Loan” and
collectively the “Revolving Loans”);
provided, however, that (i) the
sum of the aggregate amount of Revolving Loans outstanding plus the aggregate
amount of Swing Line Loans outstanding shall not exceed the amount of the
Revolving Loan Commitment minus the Letter of Credit Obligations and (ii) with
respect to each individual Lender, the Lender's pro rata share of outstanding
Revolving Loans plus such Lender's Commitment Percentage of outstanding Swing
Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender's Commitment Percentage of the amount of
the Revolving Loan Commitment minus such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the
Letter of Credit Obligations. Subject to the terms of this Credit
Agreement, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow Revolving
Loans.
2.2 Method of Borrowing for
Revolving Loans.
By no later than
noon (Charlotte, North Carolina time) (a) on the date of the requested borrowing
of Revolving Loans that will be Base Rate Loans or (b) three Business Days prior
to the date of the requested borrowing of Revolving Loans that will be
Eurodollar Loans, the Borrower shall submit a written Notice of Borrowing in the
form of Exhibit
2.2 to the Agent setting forth (i) the amount requested, (ii) whether
such Revolving Loans shall accrue interest at the Base Rate or the Adjusted
Eurodollar Rate, (iii) with respect to Revolving Loans that will be Eurodollar
Loans, the Interest Period applicable thereto and (iv) certification that the
Borrower has complied in all respects with Section 5.2.
2.3 Funding of Revolving
Loans.
Upon receipt of a
Notice of Borrowing, the Agent shall promptly inform the Lenders as to the terms
thereof. Each such Lender shall make its Commitment Percentage of the
requested Revolving Loans available to the Agent by 2:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North
Carolina time) on the date specified in the Notice of Borrowing by deposit, in
Dollars, of immediately available funds at the principal offices of the Agent in
Charlotte, North Carolina or at such other address as the Agent may designate in
writing. The amount of the requested Revolving Loans will then be
made available to the Borrower by the Agent by crediting the account of the
Borrower on the books of such office of the Agent, to the extent the amount of
such Revolving Loans are made available to the Agent.
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No Lender shall be
responsible for the failure or delay by any other Lender in its obligation to
make Revolving Loans hereunder; provided, however, that the
failure of any Lender to fulfill its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any
other Lender of its obligations hereunder. Unless the Agent shall
have been notified by any Lender prior to the date of any such Revolving Loan
that such Lender does not intend to make available to the Agent its portion of
the Revolving Loans to be made on such date, the Agent may assume that such
Lender has made such amount available to the Agent on the date of such Revolving
Loans, and the Agent in reliance upon such assumption, may (in its sole
discretion but without any obligation to do so) make available to the Borrower a
corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact
made available to the Agent, the Agent shall be able to recover such
corresponding amount from such Lender. If such Lender does not pay
such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Agent’s demand therefor, the Agent
will promptly notify the Borrower, and the Borrower shall immediately pay such
corresponding amount to the Agent. The Agent shall also be entitled
to recover from the Lender or the Borrower, as the case may be, interest on such
corresponding amount in respect of each day from the date such corresponding
amount was made available by the Agent to the Borrower to the date such
corresponding amount is recovered by the Agent at a per annum rate equal to (i)
from the Borrower at the applicable rate for such Revolving Loan pursuant to the
Notice of Borrowing and (ii) from a Lender at the Federal Funds
Rate.
2.4 Continuations and
Conversions.
The Borrower shall
have the option, on any Business Day, to continue existing Eurodollar Loans for
a subsequent Interest Period, to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Loans
or to convert Eurodollar Loans into Base Rate Loans; provided, however, that (a)
each such continuation or conversion must be requested by the Borrower pursuant
to a Notice of Continuation/Conversion, in the form of Exhibit 2.4, in
compliance with the terms set forth below, (b) except as provided in Section
4.1, Eurodollar Loans may only be continued or converted into Base Rate Loans on
the last day of the Interest Period applicable hereto, (c) Eurodollar Loans may
not be continued nor may Base Rate Loans be converted into Eurodollar Loans
during the existence and continuation of a Default or Event of Default and (d)
any request to extend a Eurodollar Loan that fails to comply with the terms
hereof or any failure to request an extension of a Eurodollar Loan that fails to
comply with the terms hereof or any failure to request an extension of a
Eurodollar Loan at the end of an Interest Period shall constitute a conversion
to a Base Rate Loan on the last day of the applicable Interest
Period. Each continuation or conversion must be requested by the
Borrower no later than noon (Charlotte, North Carolina time) (i) on the date for
a requested conversion of a Eurodollar Loan to a Base Rate Loan or (ii) three
Business Days prior to the date for a requested continuation of a Eurodollar
Loan or conversion of a Base Rate Loan to a Eurodollar Loan, in each case
pursuant to a written Notice of Continuation/Conversion submitted to the Agent
which shall set forth (A) whether the Borrower wishes to continue or convert
such Loans and (B) if the request is to continue a Eurodollar Loan or convert a
Base Rate Loan to a Eurodollar Loan, the Interest Period applicable
thereto.
The Borrower hereby
authorizes the Lenders and the Agent to extend, convert or continue Eurodollar
Loans or Base Rate Loans, effect selection of Eurodollar Loans or Base Rate
Loans and to transfer funds based in each case on telephonic notices made by any
person or persons the Agent or any Lender in good faith believes to be acting on
behalf of the Borrower.
17
The Borrower agrees
to deliver promptly to the Agent a written confirmation of each telephonic
notice signed by the chief financial officer, treasurer, secretary or assistant
treasurer of the Borrower. If the written confirmation differs in any
material respect from the action taken by the Agent and the Lenders, the records
of the Agent and the Lenders shall govern absent manifest error.
2.5 Minimum
Amounts.
Each request for a
Revolving Loan or a conversion or continuation hereunder shall be subject to the
following requirements: (a) each Eurodollar Loan shall be in a minimum of
$5,000,000 (and in integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof), (b) each
Base Rate Loan shall be in a minimum amount of the lesser of $1,000,000 (and in
integral multiples of $250,000 in excess thereof) or the remaining amount
available to be borrowed and (c) no more than twelve Eurodollar Loans shall be
outstanding hereunder at any one time. For the purposes of this
Section, all Eurodollar Loans with the same Interest Periods that begin and end
on the same date shall be considered as one Eurodollar Loan, but Eurodollar
Loans with different Interest Periods, even if they begin on the same date,
shall be considered separate Eurodollar Loans.
2.6 Reductions and Increases of
Revolving Loan Commitment.
(a) Ratable
Reduction. Upon at least five Business Days’ notice, the
Borrower shall have the right to permanently terminate or reduce the aggregate
unused amount of the Revolving Loan Commitment at any time and from time to
time; provided
that (i) each partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount at least equal
to $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000 above such amount and
(ii) no reduction shall be made which would reduce the Revolving Loan Commitment
to an amount less than the then outstanding Loans plus the Letter of Credit
Obligations. Any reduction in (or termination of) the Revolving Loan
Commitment shall reduce the Revolving Loan Commitment of each Lender on a
ratable basis and shall be permanent and may not be reinstated.
(b) Increase. The
Borrower may request at any time and from time to time that the aggregate amount
of the Revolving Loan Commitment be increased up to a maximum amount of
$885,000,000; provided that (i) no
increase in the Revolving Loan Commitment shall be made at a time when a Default
or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from
the requested increase, (ii) no increase in the Revolving Loan Commitment shall
be made at any time after the Revolving Loan Commitment has been terminated or
reduced, (iii) each partial increase shall be made in an aggregate amount at
least equal to $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $5,000,000 above such
amount, (iv) no more than two such increases shall be made between the Effective
Date and the Maturity Date, (v) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Agent
certified resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving such
increase and borrowings in connection therewith and (vi) all of the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 6 (except for those
contained in Sections 6.7 and 6.10) shall be true and correct in all material
respects as of the date of such request and as of the effective date of such
increase. In the event of such a requested increase in the Revolving
Loan Commitment, (i) each of the Lenders shall be given the opportunity to
participate in the increased Revolving Loan Commitment (x) initially to the
extent of such
18
Lender’s existing
Commitment Percentage and (y) to the extent that the requested increase of the
Revolving Loan Commitment is not fulfilled pursuant to the preceding clause (x),
ratably in the proportion that the respective Commitment Percentages of the
Lenders desiring to participate in the requested increase bear to the total of
the Commitment Percentages of the increasing Lenders, and (ii) to the extent
that the Lenders do not elect so to participate in such increased Revolving Loan
Commitment after an opportunity to do so, then the Borrower shall consult with
the Agent as to the number, identity and requested Revolving Loan Commitments of
additional financial institutions that the Agent may invite to participate in
the aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment. The Agent will not
unreasonably refuse to so invite a commercial bank organized under the laws of
the United States or of any State thereof, identified and requested by the
Borrower, that has capital and surplus reasonably satisfactory to the Agent in
light of the Revolving Loan Commitment which such commercial bank would assume
hereunder. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the
Lenders of any increase in the amount of the aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment
pursuant to this Section and of the respective adjusted Revolving Loan
Commitment and Commitment Percentage of each Lender after giving effect
thereto. The Borrower acknowledges that, in order to maintain Loans
in accordance with the Commitment Percentage of each Lender, a non-pro-rata
increase in the aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment may require prepayment or
funding of all or portions of certain Revolving Loans on the date of such
increase (and any such prepayment or funding shall be subject to the other
provisions of this Credit Agreement).
(c) Non-Ratable
Reduction. The Borrower shall have the right, at any time,
upon at least ten Business Days’ notice to a Defaulting Lender (with a copy to
the Agent), to terminate in whole such Lender’s Revolving Loan
Commitment. Such termination shall be effective, (x) with respect to
such Lender’s unused Revolving Loan Commitment, on the date set forth in such
notice, provided, however, that such
date shall be no earlier than ten Business Days after receipt of such notice and
(y) with respect to each Revolving Loan outstanding to such Lender, in the case
of a Base Rate Loan, on the date set forth in such notice and, in the case of a
Eurodollar Loan, on the last day of the then current Interest Period relating to
such Loan. Upon termination of a Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment
under this Section 2.6(c), the Borrower will pay or cause to be paid all
principal of, and interest accrued to the date of such payment on, Loans owing
to such Lender and pay any accrued Commitment Fees payable to such Lender
pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.4, and all other amounts payable to such
Lender hereunder (including, but not limited to, any increased costs or other
amounts owing under Section 4.1 or 4.2 and any indemnification for Taxes under
Section 4.4); and upon such payments, the obligations of such Lender hereunder
shall, by the provisions hereof, be released and discharged; provided, however, that such
Lender’s rights under Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 and 11.5, and its obligations under
Section 10.7 shall survive such release and discharge as to matters occurring
prior to such date. Subject to Section 2.6(b), the aggregate amount
of the Revolving Loan Commitment of the Lenders once reduced pursuant to this
Section 2.6(c) may not be reinstated.
2.7 Evidence of
Debt.
(a) The Revolving Loans
made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records
maintained by such Lender and by the Agent in the ordinary course of
business. The accounts or records maintained by the Agent and each
Lender shall be
19
conclusive absent
manifest error of the amount of the Revolving Loans 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 Agent
in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Agent shall control
in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made
through the Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender
(through the Agent) a duly executed promissory note of the Borrower payable to
each Lender in substantially the form of Exhibit 2.7 (the
“Notes”), in a
principal amount equal to the amount of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of
the Revolving Loan Commitment as originally in effect.
(b) In addition to the
accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Agent
shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records
evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters
of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between
the accounts and records maintained by the Agent and the accounts and records of
any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Agent
shall control in the absence of manifest error.
2.8 Swing Line
Loans.
(a) The Swing
Line. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,
during the period from the Effective Date to the Maturity Date, Swing Line
Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this
Section 2.8 may, in its sole discretion, make Swing Line Loans to the Borrower
as the Borrower may from time to time request for the purposes permitted hereby;
provided, however, that (i) the
aggregate amount of Swing Line Loans outstanding shall not exceed the Swing Line
Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated
with the outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans made by the Lender
acting as Swing Line Lender and such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the
outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations may exceed such Lender’s Commitment
Percentage of the Revolving Loan Commitment, (ii) the sum of all Loans
outstanding shall not exceed the amount of the Revolving Loan Commitment minus
the Letter of Credit Obligations and (iii) the Borrower shall not use the
proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line
Loan. This is a revolving credit and, subject to the foregoing and
the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and
reborrow Swing Line Loans as set forth herein without premium or
penalty. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each
Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to,
purchased from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line
Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage
times the amount of such Swing Line Loan. Each Swing Line Loan shall
bear interest at a rate equal to the rate applicable to Base Rate
Loans.
(b) Borrowing
Procedures. Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the
Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Agent, which may
be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swing
Line Lender and the Agent not later than 4:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina
time) on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be
borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $1,000,000, and (ii) the
20
requested borrowing
date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice must
be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Agent of a
written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a
Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Promptly after receipt by the
Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line
Lender will confirm with the Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Agent
has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender
will notify the Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents
thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by
telephone or in writing) from the Agent (including at the request of any Lender)
prior to 4:45 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the date of the proposed
Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing
Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the
first sentence of Section 2.8(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable
conditions specified in Section 5.2 is not then satisfied, then, subject to the
terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 5:30
p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the borrowing date specified in such
Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the
Borrower at its office by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of
the Swing Line Lender in immediately available funds.
(c) Refinancing of Swing Line
Loans.
(i) The Swing Line
Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower
(which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its
behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such
Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then
outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written
request shall be deemed to be a Notice of Borrowing for purposes hereof) and in
accordance with the requirements of Section 2.2, without regard to the minimum
and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans in
Section 2.5, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Revolving Loan
Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 5.2. The Swing
Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Notice of
Borrowing promptly after delivering such notice to the Agent. Each
Lender shall make an amount equal to its Commitment Percentage of the amount
specified in such Notice of Borrowing available to the Agent in immediately
available funds (and the Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect
to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at
the Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on
the day specified in such Notice of Borrowing (provided such Lender receives the
applicable Notice of Borrowing prior to noon (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on
such day, whereupon, subject to Section 2.8(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes
funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in
such amount. The Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing
Line Lender.
(ii) If for any reason
any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in
accordance with Section 2.8(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Loans submitted by
the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the
Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the
relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Agent for the account
of
21
the Swing Line
Lender pursuant to Section 2.8(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such
participation.
(iii) If any Lender fails
to make available to the Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any
amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of this Section 2.8(c) by the time specified in Section 2.8(c)(i), the Swing
Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the
Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the
date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately
available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of
the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in
accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any
administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line
Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such
amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall
constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Committed
Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case
may be. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any
Lender (through the Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause
(iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(iv) Each Lender’s
obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations
in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.8(c) shall be absolute and
unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any
setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may
have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any
reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any
other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing; provided, however, that each
Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.8(c) is
subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.2. No such funding
of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the
Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided
herein.
(d) Repayment of
Participations.
(i) At any time after
any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan,
if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line
Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Commitment
Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line
Lender.
(ii) If any payment
received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any
Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of
the circumstances described in Section 11.13 (including pursuant to any
settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender
shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Commitment Percentage thereof on demand
of the Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date
such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds
Rate. The Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing
Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this
22
clause shall
survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this
Credit Agreement.
(e) Interest for Account of
Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible
for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line
Loans. Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Loan or risk
participation pursuant to this Section 2.8 to refinance such Lender’s Commitment
Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Commitment
Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line
Lender.
(f) Payments Directly to Swing
Line Lender. The Borrower shall make all payments of principal
and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line
Lender.
2.9 Letters of
Credit.
(a) (i) Issuance. Subject
to the terms and conditions hereof and of the LOC Documents, if any, and any
other terms and conditions which the relevant L/C Issuer may reasonably require,
the applicable L/C Issuer shall from time to time upon request by the Borrower
issue, and the Lenders shall participate in, letters of credit (the “Letters of Credit”)
for the account of the Borrower; provided, however, that (A) the
aggregate amount of Letter of Credit Obligations shall not at any time exceed
the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (B) the sum of the aggregate amount of Letter of
Credit Obligations outstanding plus the aggregate amount of Loans outstanding
shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitment, (C) with respect to each individual
Lender, the Lender’s outstanding Revolving Loans plus its Commitment Percentage
of Swing Line Loans plus its Commitment Percentage of outstanding Letter of
Credit Obligations shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment and
(D) the aggregate amount of Letter of Credit Obligations in respect of Letters
of Credit issued by any L/C Issuer shall not at any time exceed such LC Issuer’s
L/C Issuer Limit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance of a
Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the
Credit Extension with respect to such requested Letter of Credit complies with
the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding
sentence. Each Letter of Credit shall be a standby letter of credit
issued to support the obligations (including pension or insurance obligations),
contingent or otherwise, of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries. Each Letter of Credit shall have a stated term not
later than 10 Business Days prior to the Maturity Date unless otherwise agreed
by the applicable L/C Issuer, and the participations of the Lenders as set forth
in Section 2.9(e) shall in any event terminate on the Maturity
Date. Each Letter of Credit shall comply with the related LOC
Documents.
(ii) No L/C Issuer shall
be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:
(A) any
order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by
its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter
of Credit, or any law applicable to such L/C Issuer or any request or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with
jurisdiction over such L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that such L/C
Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally
23
or such Letter of
Credit in particular or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer with respect to such
Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such
L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing
Date, or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or
expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which such L/C Issuer
in good xxxxx xxxxx material to it;
(B) the
issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such L/C
Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;
(C) such
Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
or
(D) any
Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the applicable L/C Issuer has
entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral,
satisfactory to such L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or
such Lender to eliminate such L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure
(after giving effect to Section 2.11(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting
Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or
that Letter of Credit and all other Letter of Credit Obligations as to which
such L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in
its sole discretion.
(b) Issuance of Letters of
Credit. (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued
upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the applicable L/C Issuer (with a
copy to the Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit application, appropriately
completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such
Letter of Credit application must be received by the applicable L/C Issuer and
the Agent not later than (i) 4:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) at least
two Business Days prior to the proposed issuance date of a letter of credit,
(ii) 4:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) at least two Business Days prior
to the proposed amendment date for a letter of credit, or (iii) such later date
and time as the Agent and such L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in
their sole discretion. In the case of a request for an initial
issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit application shall specify
in form and detail satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer: (A) the
proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a
Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name
and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by
such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any
certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing
thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and
(H) such other matters as the applicable L/C Issuer may require. In
the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such
Letter of Credit application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to
the applicable L/C Issuer (1) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (2) the
proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (3) the
nature of the proposed amendment; and (4) such other matters as such L/C Issuer
may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the
applicable L/C Issuer and the Agent such other documents and information
pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or
24
amendment,
including any LOC Documents, as such L/C Issuer or the Agent may
require.
(ii) Promptly after
receipt of any Letter of Credit application, the applicable L/C Issuer will
confirm with the Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Agent has received
a copy of such Letter of Credit application from the Borrower and, if not, such
L/C Issuer will provide the Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the
applicable L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Agent or
the Borrower, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance
of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions
contained in Section 5.2 shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms
and conditions hereof, such L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a
Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower, in each case in accordance
with such L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business
practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit,
each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to, purchase from the applicable L/C Issuer a risk participation in such
Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Commitment
Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.
(c) [Reserved].
(d) Letter of Credit
Fees.
(i) Letter of Credit
Fees. In consideration of the issuance of Letters of Credit
hereunder, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Agent for the pro rata benefit of
the Lenders (based on each Lender’s Commitment Percentage), a per annum fee (the
“Letter of Credit
Fees”) equal to the Applicable Percentage on the average daily maximum
amount available to be drawn under all Letters of Credit; provided, however,
any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting
Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender
has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer
pursuant to this Section 2.9 or Section 2.11 shall be payable, to the maximum
extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the
upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such
Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.11(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee,
if any, payable to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account. The
Letter of Credit Fees will be payable in arrears on the first Business Day after
the end of each calendar quarter (as well as on the Maturity Date) for the
immediately preceding fiscal quarter (or portion thereof), beginning with the
first of such dates to occur after the date of this Credit
Agreement.
(ii) L/C Issuer Letter of Credit
Fees. In addition to the Letter of Credit Fees payable
pursuant to subsection (1) above, the Borrower shall pay to the applicable L/C
Issuer for its own account, without sharing by the other Lenders, a fronting fee
in an amount agreed by the Borrower and such L/C Issuer as a percentage of the
outstanding face amount of each Letter of Credit payable quarterly in arrears at
the same time the Letter of Credit Fees are payable plus the customary
incidental and/or out of pocket charges from time to time for its services in
connection with the issuance, amendment,
25
payment, transfer,
administration, cancellation and conversion of, and drawings under, Letters of
Credit.
(e) Notice and
Reports. Each L/C Issuer, at least weekly and more frequently
upon request, shall deliver to the Agent a complete list of all outstanding
Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer. The Agent will, at least
monthly and more frequently upon request, provide to the Lenders a detailed
report specifying the Letters of Credit which are then issued and outstanding
and any activity with respect thereto which may have occurred since the date of
the prior report, and including therein, among other things, the account party,
the beneficiary, the face amount, and the expiry date as well as any payments or
expirations which may have occurred.
(f) Participations. Each
Lender, upon issuance of a Letter of Credit, shall be deemed to have purchased
without recourse a risk participation from the applicable L/C Issuer in such
Letter of Credit and each LOC Document related thereto and the rights and
obligations arising thereunder and any collateral relating thereto, in each case
in an amount equal to its Commitment Percentage of the obligations under such
Letter of Credit, and shall absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably assume,
as primary obligor and not as surety, and be obligated to pay to such L/C Issuer
therefor and discharge when due, its Commitment Percentage of the obligations
arising under such Letter of Credit. Without limiting the scope and
nature of each Lender’s participation in any Letter of Credit, to the extent
that the applicable L/C Issuer has not been reimbursed as required hereunder or
under any such Letter of Credit, each such Lender shall pay to such L/C Issuer
its Commitment Percentage of such unreimbursed drawing in same day funds on the
day of notification by the Agent of an unreimbursed drawing pursuant to the
provisions of subsection (g) hereof. The obligation of each Lender to
so reimburse an L/C Issuer shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be
affected by the occurrence of a Default, an Event of Default or any other
occurrence or event. Any such reimbursement shall not relieve or
otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the applicable L/C
Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as hereinafter
provided.
(g) Reimbursement. In
the event of any drawing under any Letter of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer
will promptly notify the Borrower and the Agent thereof not later than 11:00 am
on the date of any payment by such L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each
such date an “Honor
Date”). If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the applicable
L/C Issuer by 1:00 pm on such date, such L/C Issuer shall notify the Agent and
the Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the
unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”)
and the amount of such Lenders’ Commitment Percentage thereof. In
such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Base Rate Loan to
be disbursed on the Honor Date in a amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount,
without regard to minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.5 for the
principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized
portion of the Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section
5.2. If the Borrower shall fail to reimburse the applicable L/C
Issuer as provided hereinabove because the conditions to the Borrower’s
obtaining a Revolving Loan have not been satisfied or for any other reason, the
Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the applicable L/C Issuer an L/C
Advance in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount of such drawing, which L/C
Advance shall bear interest at a per
26
annum rate equal to
the Adjusted Base Rate plus the Applicable Percentage plus two percent
(2%). The Borrower’s reimbursement obligations hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under all circumstances (except as expressly set
forth below) irrespective of any rights of set-off, counterclaim or defense to
payment the applicable account party or the Borrower may claim or have against
the applicable L/C Issuer, the Agent, the Lenders, the beneficiary of the Letter
of Credit drawn upon or any other Person, including without limitation, any
defense based on any failure of the applicable account party or the Borrower to
receive consideration or the legality, validity, regularity or unenforceability
of the Letter of Credit. The applicable L/C Issuer, through the
Agent, will promptly notify the Lenders of the amount of any unreimbursed
drawing and any notice given by such L/C Issuer or the Agent pursuant to this
Section 2.9(g) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing;
provided that
the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness
or binding effect of such notice. Upon such notice, each Lender shall
promptly pay to the Agent for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer, in
immediately available funds, the amount of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage
of such unreimbursed drawing. Such payment shall be made on the day
such notice is received by such Lender from the Agent if such notice is received
at or before 2:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time), otherwise such payment
shall be made at or before 12:00 noon on the Business Day next succeeding the
day such notice is received. If such Lender does not pay such amount
to the Agent in full upon such request, such Lender shall, on demand, pay to the
Agent interest on the unpaid amount during the period from the date the Lender
received the notice regarding the unreimbursed drawing until the Lender pays
such amount to the Agent in full at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the
Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the applicable L/C Issuer in
accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any
administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by such L/C
Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such
amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall
constitute such Lenders’ Revolving Loan included in the relevant Extension of
Credit. A certificate of the applicable L/C Issuer submitted to any
Lender (through the Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this Section
2.9(g) shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender’s
obligation to make such payment to the Agent for the account of the applicable
L/C Issuer, and the right of such L/C Issuer to receive the same, shall be
absolute and unconditional, shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever
and without regard to the termination of this Credit Agreement or the Revolving
Loan Commitments hereunder, the existence of a Default or Event of Default or
the acceleration of the obligations hereunder and shall be made without any
offset, abatement, withholding or reduction
whatsoever. Simultaneously with the making of each such payment by a
Lender to an L/C Issuer, such Lender shall, automatically and without any
further action on the part of such L/C Issuer or such Lender, acquire a
participation in an amount equal to such payment (excluding the portion of such
payment constituting interest owing to the Agent) in the related unreimbursed
drawing portion of the Letter of Credit Obligation and in the interest thereon
and in the related LOC Documents, and shall have a claim against the Borrower
with respect thereto.
(h) Repayment with Revolving
Loans. On any day on which the Borrower shall have requested,
or been deemed to have requested, a Revolving Loan to reimburse a drawing under
a Letter of Credit, the Agent shall give notice to the Lenders that a Revolving
Loan has been requested or deemed requested in connection with a drawing under a
Letter of
27
Credit, in which
case a Revolving Loan comprised solely of Base Rate Loans (each such borrowing,
a “Mandatory
Borrowing”) shall be immediately made from all Lenders (without giving
effect to any termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments pursuant to Section
9.1) pro rata based on each Lender’s respective Commitment Percentage and the
proceeds thereof shall be paid directly to the Agent for application to the
respective Letter of Credit Obligations. Each Lender hereby
irrevocably agrees to make such Revolving Loans upon any such request or deemed
request on account of each such Mandatory Borrowing in the amount and in the
manner specified in the preceding sentence and on the same such date notwithstanding (i)
the amount of Mandatory Borrowing may not comply with the minimum amount for
borrowings of Revolving Loans otherwise required hereunder, (ii) whether a
Default or Event of Default then exists, (iii) failure of any such request or
deemed request for Revolving Loans to be made by the time otherwise required
hereunder, (iv) the date of such Mandatory Borrowing, or (v) any reduction in or
any termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments; provided that each
Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.9(h) is
subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 (other than delivery of a
Notice of Borrowing). Such funding of Revolving Loans shall be made
on the day notice of such Mandatory Borrowing is received by each Lender from
the Agent if such notice is received at or before 2:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North
Carolina time), otherwise such payment shall be made at or before 12:00 noon on
the Business Day next succeeding the day such notice is received. In
the event that any Mandatory Borrowing cannot for any reason be made on the date
otherwise required above (including, without limitation, as a result of the
commencement of a proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy law with respect to
the Borrower), then each Lender hereby agrees that it shall forthwith fund (as
of the date the Mandatory Borrowing would otherwise have occurred, but adjusted
for any payments received from the Borrower on or after such date and prior to
such purchase) its Commitment Percentage in the outstanding Letter of Credit
Obligations; provided, further, that in the
event any Lender shall fail to fund its Commitment Percentage on the day the
Mandatory Borrowing would otherwise have occurred, then the amount of such
Lender’s unfunded Commitment Percentage therein shall bear interest payable to
the applicable L/C Issuer upon demand, at the rate equal to, if paid within two
Business Days of such date, the Federal Funds Rate, and thereafter at a rate
equal to the Base Rate. No such Extension of Credit shall relieve or
otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse an L/C Issuer for
the amount of any payment made by such L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit,
together with interest as provided herein. Until each Lender funds
its Revolving Loan pursuant to this Section 2.9(g) to reimburse an L/C Issuer
for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such
Lender’s Commitment Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of
such L/C Issuer.
(i) Repayment of
Participations. At any time after the applicable L/C Issuer
has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender
such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section
2.9(g), if the Agent receives for the account of such L/C Issuer any payment in
respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly
from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied
thereto by the Agent), the Agent will distribute to such Lender its Commitment
Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the
Agent. If any payment received by the Agent for the account of an L/C
Issuer pursuant to Section 2.9(g) is required to be returned under any of the
circumstances described in Section 11.13 (including pursuant to any settlement
entered into by such L/C Issuer in its discretion),
28
each Lender shall
pay to the Agent for the account of such L/C Issuer its Commitment Percentage
thereof on demand of the Agent, plus interest thereon
from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender,
at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in
effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall
survive the payment in full of the Borrower’s obligations under, and the
termination of, this Credit Agreement.
(j) Role of L/C
Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any
drawing under a Letter of Credit, no L/C Issuer shall have any responsibility to
obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents
expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the
validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person
executing or delivering any such document. None of any L/C Issuer,
the Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent,
participant or assignee of such L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i)
any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the
approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action
taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or
(iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any
document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or LOC
Documents. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or
omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter
of Credit; provided, however, that this
assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing
such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at
law or under any other agreement. None of any L/C Issuer, the Agent,
any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or
assignee of any L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters
described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.9(m); provided, however, that
anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have
a claim against an L/C Issuer, and such L/C Issuer may be liable to the
Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to
consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower
proves were caused by such L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence
or such L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the
presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s)
strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of
Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, an L/C
Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without
responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or
information to the contrary, and such L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for
the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or
purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits
thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be
invalid or ineffective for any reason.
(k) Modification and
Extension. The issuance of any supplement, modification,
amendment, or extension to any Letter of Credit, for purposes hereof, shall be
treated in all respects the same as the issuance of a new Letter of
Credit.
(l) Applicability of
ISP. The applicable L/C Issuer may have the standby Letters of
Credit be subject to International Standby Practices, as published as of the
date of issue by the International Chamber of Commerce (Publication No. 590 or
the most recent
29
publication, the
“ISP 98”), in
which case the ISP 98 may be incorporated therein and deemed in all respects to
be a part thereof.
(m) Obligations
Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the
applicable L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay
each Extension of Credit with respect to such Letters of Credit shall be
absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in
accordance with the terms of this Credit Agreement under all circumstances,
including the following:
(i) any lack of
validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit or this Credit
Agreement;
(ii) the existence of
any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower may
have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of
Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may
be acting), the applicable L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection
with this Credit Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such
Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any
unrelated transaction;
(iii) any draft, demand,
certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to
be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement
therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the
transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing
under such Letter of Credit;
(iv) any payment by the
applicable L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a
draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter
of Credit; or any payment made by such L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to
any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession,
assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other
representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such
Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under
any bankruptcy or insolvency laws; or
(v) any other
circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a
defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower.
(vi) The Borrower shall
promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit that is delivered to it and, in
the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or
other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the applicable L/C
Issuer. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any
such claim against such L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is
given as aforesaid.
(n) Responsibility of L/C
Issuer. It is expressly understood and agreed as between the
Lenders that the obligations of the L/C Issuers hereunder to the Lenders are
only those expressly set forth in this Credit Agreement and that each L/C Issuer
shall be entitled to assume that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 5
have been satisfied unless it shall have acquired actual knowledge that any such
condition precedent has not been satisfied;
30
provided, however,
that nothing set forth in this Section 2.9 shall be deemed to prejudice the
right of any Lender to recover from any L/C Issuer any amounts made available by
such Lender to such L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.9 in the event that it
is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that the issuance of or
payment with respect to a Letter of Credit constituted gross negligence or
willful misconduct on the part of such L/C Issuer.
(o) Conflict with LOC
Documents. In the event of any conflict between this Credit
Agreement and any LOC Document, this Credit Agreement shall govern.
(p) Indemnification of L/C
Issuers.
(i) In addition to its
other obligations under this Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby agrees to
protect, indemnify, pay and save each L/C Issuer harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, charges and
expenses (including reasonable, documented attorneys’ fees) that such L/C Issuer
may incur or be subject to as a consequence, direct or indirect, of (A) the
issuance of any Letter of Credit or (B) the failure of such L/C Issuer to honor
a drawing under a Letter of Credit as a result of any act or omission, whether
rightful or wrongful, of any present or future de jure or de facto government or
governmental authority (all such acts or omissions, herein called “Government
Acts”).
(ii) As between the
Borrower and the L/C Issuers and the Lenders, the Borrower shall assume all
risks of the acts, omissions or misuse of any Letter of Credit by the
beneficiary thereof. The L/C Issuers and the Lenders shall not be
responsible for (except in the case of (C) below if the applicable L/C Issuer
has actual knowledge to the contrary, in which case only such L/C Issuer shall
be responsible): (A) the form, validity, sufficiency, accuracy,
genuineness or legal effect of any document submitted by any party in connection
with the application for and issuance of any Letter of Credit, even if it should
in fact prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate,
fraudulent or forged; provided that such document(s) reasonably appear to
conform on their face to the terms of the Letter of Credit, (B) the validity or
sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to
transfer or assign any Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or
proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, that may prove to be invalid or
ineffective for any reason; (C) failure of the beneficiary of a Letter of Credit
to comply fully with conditions required in order to draw upon a Letter of
Credit; provided that such document(s) reasonably appear to conform on their
face to the terms of the Letter of Credit, (D) errors, omissions, interruptions
or delays in transmission or delivery of any messages, by mail, cable, telex or
otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (E) errors in interpretation of
technical terms; (F) any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any
document required in order to make a drawing under a Letter of Credit or of the
proceeds thereof; and (G) any consequences arising from causes beyond the
control of the applicable L/C Issuer, including, without limitation, any
Government Acts. None of the above shall affect, impair, or prevent
the vesting of the L/C Issuers’ rights or powers hereunder.
(iii) In furtherance and
extension and not in limitation of the specific provisions hereinabove set
forth, any action taken or omitted by an L/C Issuer, under or
31
in connection with
any Letter of Credit or the related certificates, if taken or omitted in good
faith and not deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct, shall
not put such L/C Issuer or any Lender under any resulting liability to the
Borrower. It is the intention of the parties that this Credit
Agreement shall be construed and applied to protect and indemnify each L/C
Issuer against any and all risks involved in the issuance of the Letters of
Credit, all of which risks are hereby assumed by the Borrower, including,
without limitation, any and all risks of the acts or omissions, whether rightful
or wrongful, of any present or future Government Acts. No L/C Issuer
shall, in any way, be liable for any failure by such L/C issuer or anyone else
to pay any drawing under any Letter of credit as a result of any Government Acts
or any other cause beyond the control of such L/C Issuer.
(iv) Nothing in this
subsection (p) is intended to limit the reimbursement obligation of the Borrower
contained in this Section 2.9. The obligations of the Borrower under
this subsection (p) shall survive the termination of this Credit
Agreement. No act or omission of any current or prior beneficiary of
a Letter of Credit shall in any way affect or impair the rights of any L/C
Issuer to enforce any right, power or benefit under this Credit
Agreement.
(v) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this subsection (l) or in any LOC
Document, neither the Borrower nor any Lender shall have any obligation to
indemnify any L/C Issuer in respect of any liability incurred by such L/C Issuer
arising out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such L/C Issuer, as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this
Credit Agreement shall relieve any L/C Issuer of any liability to the Borrower
or any Lender in respect of any action taken by such L/C Issuer which action
constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct of such L/C Issuer or a
violation of the UCP or Uniform Commercial Code (as applicable), as determined
by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(q) Letters of Credit Under the
Existing Credit Agreements. Upon the Effective Date, all
letters of credit issued or deemed issued by any L/C Issuer under an Existing
Credit Agreement and set forth on Schedule 2.9 shall automatically be deemed
Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer under this Credit Agreement subject
to all of the terms and conditions hereof including, among other things, that
the Lenders will automatically be deemed to have purchased a participation in
such letters of credit as of the Effective Date and the Borrower shall have the
reimbursement obligations with respect thereto set forth in Section 2.9(g)
above.
2.10 Cash
Collateral.
(a) Certain Credit Support
Events. In the event that any Letter of Credit remains
outstanding beyond the tenth Business Day prior to the Maturity Date, the
Borrower shall upon demand of the Required Lenders (or the Agent acting with the
consent of the Required Lenders) either (i) Cash Collateralize the sum of the
largest draft which could then or thereafter be drawn under such Letter of
Credit, which sum the Agent may hold for the account of the Borrower, with
interest, for the purpose of paying any draft presented, with the excess, if
any, to be returned to the Borrower upon termination or expiration of such
Letter of Credit or (ii) if acceptable to the applicable L/C Issuer, deliver a
back-up letter of credit to the
32
Agent securing the
Borrower’s reimbursement obligations with respect to such Letter of Credit in
form and substance acceptable to the Required Lenders and from a creditworthy
financial institution acceptable to the Required Lenders. Upon the
request of the Agent or the applicable L/C Issuer, if such L/C Issuer has
honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such
drawing has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced with
Revolving Loans, the Borrower shall immediately Cash Collateralize the then
Outstanding Amount of all Letter of Credit Obligations. At any time
that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the
Agent, any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall deliver to
the Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure
(after giving effect to Section 2.11(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by
the Defaulting Lender).
(b) Grant of Security
Interest. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not
constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked deposit
accounts at Bank of America, which shall bear interest for the account of the
Borrower. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Lender,
such Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Agent, for
the benefit of the Agent, each L/C Issuer and the Lenders (including the Swing
Line Lender), and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all
such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so
provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing,
all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied
pursuant to Section 2.10(c). If at any time the Agent determines that
Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the
Agent as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is
less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured
thereby, the Borrower or the relevant Defaulting Lender will, promptly upon
demand by the Agent, pay or provide to the Agent additional Cash Collateral in
an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.
(c) Application. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Credit Agreement, Cash Collateral
provided under any of this Section 2.10 or Sections 2.11 or 9.2 in respect of
Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans shall be held and applied to the
satisfaction of the specific Letter of Credit Obligations, Swing Line Loans,
obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral
provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and
other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any
other application of such property as may be provided for herein, it being
agreed that Cash Collateral provided in respect of obligations of Defaulting
Lenders to L/C Issuers shall be applied on a pro rata basis as set forth in
Section 2.11(a)(ii).
(d) Release. Cash
Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting
Exposure or other obligations and not otherwise applied in accordance with
Section 2.10(c) shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the
applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including
by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as
appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 11.6) or (ii) the
Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however,
(x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower shall not be
released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following
application as provided in this Section 2.10 may be otherwise applied in
accordance with Section 9.3), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and
the applicable
33
L/C Issuer or Swing
Line Lender, as applicable, may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released
but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other
obligations.
2.11 Defaulting
Lenders.
(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Credit 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. That Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or
disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Credit
Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 11.6.
(ii) Reallocation of
Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other
amounts received by the Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether
voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 9 or otherwise, and
including any amounts made available to the Agent by that Defaulting Lender
pursuant to Section 11.2), shall be applied at such time or times as may be
determined by the Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any
amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a
pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuers
or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, if so determined by
the Agent or requested by any L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, to be held as
Cash Collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any
participation in any Swing Line Loan or Letter of Credit; fourth, 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 that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its
portion thereof as required by this Credit Agreement, as determined by the
Agent; fifth, if so
determined by the Agent and the Borrower, to be held in an interest bearing
deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that
Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Credit Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any
amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lender as a result
of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any
L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of
that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Credit Agreement;
seventh, 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 that Defaulting Lender as a result of that
Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Credit Agreement; and
eighth, to that
Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction;
provided that
if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C
Advances in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its
appropriate share and (y) such Loans or L/C Advances were made at a time when
the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment
shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Advances owed to, all
non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment
of any Loans of, or L/C Advances owed to, that Defaulting Lender. 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 or to post
Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section
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2.11(a)(ii) shall
be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender
irrevocably consents hereto. Promptly (x) upon a Lender ceasing to be
a Defaulting Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or (y)
following termination of this Agreement (including the termination of all
Letters of Credit issued hereunder) and the payment of all amounts owed under
this Agreement (other than unasserted contingent obligations which by their
terms survive the termination of this Agreement), all amounts, if any, held in a
deposit account pursuant to this Section 2.11(a) shall be returned to such
Lender or Defaulting Lender, as applicable.
(iii) Certain
Fees. That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to
receive any commitment fee pursuant to Section 3.4 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) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter
of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.9(d).
(iv) Reallocation of Applicable
Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. During any period in
which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the
obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund
participations in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans pursuant to Sections 2.8
and 2.9, the “Applicable Percentage” of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be
computed without giving effect to the Commitment of that Defaulting Lender;
provided, that,
(i) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if, at the date the
applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default or Event of Default
exists; and (ii) the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to
acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line
Loans shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Commitment of
that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the
aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of that Lender.
(b) Defaulting Lender
Cure. If a
Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to
be a Defaulting Lender, as reasonably determined by the
Borrower, the Agent, Swing Line Lender and each L/C Issuer, such Defaulting
Lender shall no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender and the 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 (which may include
arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the
extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other
Lenders or take such other actions as the Agent may determine to be necessary to
cause the Revolving Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of
Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in
accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section
2.11(a)(iv)), whereupon that 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.
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Section
3. PAYMENTS
3.1 Interest.
(a) Interest
Rate.
(i) All Base Rate Loans
shall accrue interest at the Adjusted Base Rate.
(ii) All Eurodollar
Loans shall accrue interest at the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate applicable to such
Eurodollar Loan.
(b) Default Rate of
Interest. Upon the occurrence, and during the continuance, of
an Event of Default, the principal of and, to the extent permitted by law,
interest on the Loans and any other amounts owing hereunder or under the other
Credit Documents shall bear interest, payable on demand, at a per annum rate
equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate which would otherwise be applicable (or
if no rate is applicable, then the rate for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate
Loans plus two percent (2%) per annum).
(c) Interest
Payments. Interest on Loans shall be due and payable in
arrears on each Interest Payment Date.
3.2 Prepayments.
(a) Voluntary
Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right to prepay Loans
in whole or in part from time to time without premium or penalty; provided, however, that (i)
Eurodollar Loans may only be prepaid on three Business Days’ prior written
notice to the Agent and any prepayment of Eurodollar Loans will be subject to
Section 4.3; and (ii) each such partial prepayment of Loans shall be in the
minimum principal amount of $1,000,000; provided that if less
than $1,000,000 would remain outstanding after such prepayment, such prepayment
shall be in the amount of the entire outstanding principal amount of the
Loans. Amounts prepaid hereunder shall be applied as the Borrower may
elect; provided
that if the Borrower fails to specify a voluntary prepayment then such
prepayment shall be applied as the Agent may direct. All voluntary
prepayments shall be applied first to Swing Line Loans, then to Revolving Loans
that are Base Rate Loans, and then to Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar Loans
in direct order of Interest Period maturities.
(b) Mandatory
Prepayments. If at any time the amount of Loans outstanding
plus the Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding exceeds the Aggregate
Commitment, the Borrower shall immediately make a principal payment to the Agent
in the manner and in an amount such that the sum of Loans outstanding plus the
Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding is less than or equal to the Aggregate
Commitment. Any payments made under this Section 3.2(b) shall be
subject to Section 4.3 and shall be applied first to Swing Line Loans, then to
Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans, and then to Revolving Loans that are
Eurodollar Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.
3.3 Payments.
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(a) On the Maturity
Date, the entire outstanding principal balance of all Loans and the Letter of
Credit Obligations (to the extent that the Borrower has not provided cash
collateral or provided a back-up letter of credit pursuant to Section 2.9(c)
above), together with accrued but unpaid interest and all other sums owing under
this Credit Agreement, shall be due and payable in full, unless accelerated
sooner pursuant to Section 9.2.
(b) On the tenth
Business Day after the making of each Swing Line Loan, the outstanding principal
balance of such Swing Line Loan, together with accrued but unpaid interest and
all other sums owing under this Credit Agreement, shall be due and payable in
full, unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 9.2.
3.4 Fees.
(a) Commitment
Fees. In consideration of the Revolving Loan Commitment being
made available by the Lenders hereunder, the Borrower agrees to pay to the
Agent, for the pro rata benefit of each Lender, a fee equal to the Applicable
Percentage for Commitment Fees multiplied by the daily average of the excess of
the Revolving Loan Commitment over the sum of the aggregate principal amount of
the Revolving Loans plus the Letter of Credit Obligations (the “Commitment
Fees”). The accrued Commitment Fees shall be due and payable
in arrears on the first Business Day after the end of each calendar quarter (as
well as on the final Maturity Date and on any date that the Revolving Loan
Commitment is reduced) for the immediately preceding calendar quarter (or
portion thereof), beginning with the first of such dates to occur after the
Closing Date.
(b) Administrative
Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Agent, for its own
account, an annual fee as agreed to between the Borrower and the Agent in the
Fee Letter.
3.5 Place and Manner of
Payments.
(a) All
payments of principal, interest, fees, expenses and other amounts to be made by
the Borrower under this Credit Agreement shall be received without setoff,
deduction or counterclaim not later than 2:00 p.m.(Charlotte, North Carolina
time) on the date when due in Dollars and in immediately available funds by the
Agent at its offices in Charlotte, North Carolina. Unless the
application of a payment is specifically directed by the Borrower (or if such
application would be inconsistent with the terms hereof), the Agent shall
distribute payments received from the Borrower to the Lenders in such manner as
it reasonably determines in its sole discretion.
(b) Unless
the Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on
which any payment is due to the Agent for the account of the Lenders or an L/C
Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Agent may
assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance
herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or
an L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if
the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or such
L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Agent forthwith
on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, in
immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and
including the date such amount is distributed to it to but
37
excluding the date
of payment to the Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate
determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank
compensation. A notice of the Agent to any Lender or the Borrower
with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive,
absent manifest error.
3.6 Pro Rata
Treatment.
Except to the
extent otherwise provided herein, all Revolving Loans, each payment or
prepayment of principal of any Revolving Loan, each payment of interest on the
Revolving Loans, each payment of Commitment Fees, each reduction of the
Revolving Loan Commitment, and each conversion or continuation of any Revolving
Loans, shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with the
respective Commitment Percentages; provided that, if any Lender shall have
failed to pay its applicable pro rata share of any Revolving Loan, then any
amount to which such Lender would otherwise be entitled pursuant to this Section
3.6 shall instead be payable to the Agent until the share of such Revolving Loan
not funded by such Lender has been repaid; and provided, further, that in the
event any amount paid to any Lender pursuant to this Section 3.6 is rescinded or
must otherwise be returned by the Agent, each Lender shall, upon the request of
the Agent, repay to the Agent the amount so paid to such Lender, with interest
for the period commencing on the date such payment is returned by the Agent
until the date the Agent receives such repayment at a rate per annum equal to,
during the period to but excluding the date two Business Days after such
request, the Federal Funds Rate, and thereafter, the Base Rate plus two percent
(2%) per annum.
3.7 Computations of Interest and
Fees.
(a) Except for Base
Rate Loans, on which interest shall be computed on the basis of a 365 or 366 day
year as the case may be, all computations of interest and fees hereunder shall
be made on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360
days.
(b) It is the intent of
the Lenders and the Borrower to conform to and contract in strict compliance
with applicable usury law from time to time in effect. All agreements
between the Lenders and the Borrower are hereby limited by the provisions of
this paragraph which shall override and control all such agreements, whether now
existing or hereafter arising and whether written or oral. In no way,
nor in any event or contingency (including but not limited to prepayment or
acceleration of the maturity of any obligation), shall the interest taken,
reserved, contracted for, charged, or received under this Credit Agreement,
under the Notes or otherwise, exceed the maximum nonusurious amount permissible
under applicable law. If, from any possible construction of any of
the Credit Documents or any other document, interest would otherwise be payable
in excess of the maximum nonusurious amount, any such construction shall be
subject to the provisions of this paragraph and such documents shall be
automatically reduced to the maximum nonusurious amount permitted under
applicable law, without the necessity of execution of any amendment or new
document. If any Lender shall ever receive anything of value which is
characterized as interest on the Loans under applicable law and which would,
apart from this provision, be in excess of the maximum lawful amount, an amount
equal to the amount which would have been excessive interest shall, without
penalty, be applied to the reduction of the principal amount owing on
38
the Loans and not
to the payment of interest, or refunded to the Borrower or the other payor
thereof if and to the extent such amount which would have been excessive exceeds
such unpaid principal amount of the Loans. The right to demand
payment of the Loans or any other indebtedness evidenced by any of the Credit
Documents does not include the right to receive any interest which has not
otherwise accrued on the date of such demand, and the Lenders do not intend to
charge or receive any unearned interest in the event of such
demand. All interest paid or agreed to be paid to the Lenders with
respect to the Loans shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be
amortized, prorated, allocated, and spread throughout the full stated term
(including any renewal or extension) of the Loans so that the amount of interest
on account of such indebtedness does not exceed the maximum nonusurious amount
permitted by applicable law.
3.8 Sharing of
Payments.
Each Lender agrees
that, in the event that any Lender shall obtain payment in respect of any Loan
or any other obligation owing to such Lender under this Credit Agreement through
the exercise of a right of set-off, banker’s lien, counterclaim or otherwise
(including, but not limited to, pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code) in excess of
its pro rata share as provided for in this Credit Agreement, such Lender shall
promptly purchase from the other Lenders a participation in such Loans and other
obligations, in such amounts and with such other adjustments from time to time,
as shall be equitable in order that all Lenders share such payment in accordance
with their respective ratable shares as provided for in this Credit
Agreement. Each Lender further agrees that if a payment to a Lender
(which is obtained by such Lender through the exercise of a right of set-off,
banker’s lien, counterclaim or otherwise) shall be rescinded or must otherwise
be restored, each Lender which shall have shared the benefit of such payment
shall, by repurchase of a participation theretofore sold, return its share of
that benefit to each Lender whose payment shall have been rescinded or otherwise
restored. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing such a
participation may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all rights
of payment, including set-off, banker’s lien or counterclaim, with respect to
such participation as fully as if such Lender were a holder of such Loan or
other obligation in the amount of such participation. Except as
otherwise expressly provided in this Credit Agreement, if any Lender shall fail
to remit to the Agent or any other Lender an amount payable by such Lender to
the Agent or such other Lender pursuant to this Credit Agreement on the date
when such amount is due, such payments shall accrue interest thereon, for each
day from the date such amount is due until the day such amount is paid to the
Agent or such other Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds
Rate. If under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar
law, any Lender receives a secured claim in lieu of a setoff to which this
Section 3.8 applies, such Lender shall, to the extent practicable, exercise its
rights in respect of such secured claim in a manner consistent with the rights
of the Lenders under this Section 3.8 to share in the benefits of any recovery
on such secured claim.
3.9 Evidence of
Debt.
(a) Each Lender shall
maintain an account or accounts evidencing each Loan made by such Lender to the
Borrower from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest
payable and paid to such Lender from time to time under this Credit
Agreement.
39
Each Lender will
make reasonable efforts to maintain the accuracy of its account or accounts and
to promptly update its account or accounts from time to time, as
necessary.
(b) The Agent shall
maintain the Register pursuant to Section 11.3(c), and a subaccount for each
Lender, in which Register and subaccounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i)
the amount, type and Interest Period of each such Loan hereunder, (ii) the
amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable
to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Agent
hereunder from or for the account of the Borrower and each Lender’s share
thereof. The Agent will make reasonable efforts to maintain the
accuracy of the subaccounts referred to in the preceding sentence and to
promptly update such subaccounts from time to time, as necessary.
(c) The entries made in
the accounts, Register and subaccounts maintained pursuant to subsection (b) of
this Section 3.9 (and, if consistent with the entries of the Agent, subsection
(a) and the Notes issued to the Lenders) shall be prima facie evidence of the
existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein recorded; provided, however, that the
failure of any Lender or the Agent to maintain any such account, such Register
or such subaccount, as applicable, or any error therein, shall not in any manner
affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans made by such Lender in
accordance with the terms hereof.
Section
4. ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS REGARDING LOANS
4.1 Pricing
Provisions.
(a) Unavailability. In
the event that the Agent shall have determined in good faith (i) that U.S.
dollar deposits in the principal amounts requested with respect to a Eurodollar
Loan are not generally available in the London interbank Eurodollar market or
(ii) that reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Eurodollar Rate,
the Agent shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give notice of such
determination to the Borrower and the Lenders. In the event of any
such determination under clauses (i) or (ii) above, until the Agent shall have
advised the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such
notice no longer exist, (A) any request by the Borrower for Eurodollar Loans
shall be deemed to be a request for Base Rate Loans, (B) any request by the
Borrower for conversion into or continuation of Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed
to be a request for conversion into or continuation of Base Rate Loans and (C)
any Revolving Loans that were to be converted or continued as Eurodollar Loans
on the first day of an Interest Period shall be converted to or continued as
Base Rate Loans.
(b) Change in
Legality. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, if any
change, after the date hereof, in any law or regulation (including the
introduction of any new law or regulation) or in the interpretation thereof by
any Governmental Authority charged with the administration or interpretation
thereof shall make it unlawful for any Lender to make or maintain any Eurodollar
Loan or to give effect to its obligations as contemplated hereby with respect to
any Eurodollar Loan, then, by written notice to the Borrower and to the Agent,
such Lender may:
40
(A) declare that
Eurodollar Loans, and conversions to or continuations of Eurodollar Loans, will
not thereafter be made by such Lender hereunder, whereupon any request by the
Borrower for, or for conversion into or continuation of, Eurodollar Loans shall,
as to such Lender only, be deemed a request for, or for conversion into or
continuation of, Base Rate Loans, unless such declaration shall be subsequently
withdrawn; and
(B) require that all
outstanding Eurodollar Loans made by it be converted to Base Rate Loans in which
event all such Eurodollar Loans shall be automatically converted to Base Rate
Loans.
In the event any
Lender shall exercise its rights under clause (A) or (B) above, all payments and
prepayments of principal which would otherwise have been applied to repay the
Eurodollar Loans that would have been made by such Lender or the converted
Eurodollar Loans of such Lender shall instead be applied to repay the Base Rate
Loans made by such Lenders in lieu of, or resulting from the conversion of, such
Eurodollar Loans.
(c) Requirements of
Law. If at any time a Lender shall incur increased costs or
reductions in the amounts received or receivable hereunder with respect to the
making, the commitment to make or the maintaining of any Eurodollar Loan or to
the issuance or participation in Letters of Credit because of (i) any change,
after the date hereof, in any applicable law, governmental rule, regulation,
guideline or order (or in the interpretation or administration thereof and
including the introduction of any new law or governmental rule, regulation,
guideline or such order) including, without limitation, the imposition,
modification or deemed applicability of any reserves, deposits or similar
requirements (such as, for example, but not limited to, a change in official
reserve requirements, but, in all events, excluding reserves required under
Regulation D to the extent included in the computation of the Adjusted
Eurodollar Rate) or (ii) other circumstances affecting the London interbank
Eurodollar market; then the Borrower shall pay to such Lender promptly upon
written demand therefore, accompanied by a statement in reasonable detail
showing the calculation of the amount demanded, such additional amounts (in the
form of an increased rate of, or a different method of calculating, interest or
otherwise as such Lender may determine in its reasonable discretion) as may be
required to compensate such Lender for such increased costs or reductions in
amounts receivable hereunder. Each determination and calculation made
by a Lender under this Section 4.1 shall, absent manifest error, be binding and
conclusive on the parties hereto. Any conversions of Eurodollar Loans
made pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall subject the Borrower to the payments
required by Section 4.3. This Section shall survive termination of
this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents and payment of the Loans
and all other amounts payable hereunder.
(d) Cost of
Funds. If the Lenders having 25% or more of the aggregate
Revolving Loan Commitments determine (which determination shall be conclusive
and binding upon the Borrower) that the Eurodollar Rate will not adequately and
fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (as conclusively certified by such
Lenders) of making or maintaining their affected Eurodollar Loans, the Agent
shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders as soon as practicable
thereafter and, upon delivery of such notice and until the Agent (upon the
instruction of the such Lenders) revokes such notice, (A) any request by the
41
Borrower for
Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to be a request for Base Rate Loans, (B) any
request by the Borrower for conversion into or continuation of Eurodollar Loans
shall be deemed to be a request for conversion into or continuation of Base Rate
Loans and (C) any Revolving Loans that were to be converted or continued as
Eurodollar Loans on the first day of an Interest Period shall be converted to or
continued as Base Rate Loans.
Failure or delay on
the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall
not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation;
provided that
the Borrower shall not be required to compensate such Lender pursuant to this
Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 90 days prior
to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the change in or in the
interpretation of law or regulation giving rise to such increased costs or
reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the
change in or in the interpretation of law or regulation giving rise to such
increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 90-day period referred to
above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect
thereof.
4.2 Capital
Adequacy.
If any Lender has
determined that the adoption or effectiveness, after the date hereof, of any
applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change
therein (after the date hereof), or any change in the interpretation or
administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable
agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance
by such Lender (or its parent corporation) with any request or directive
regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such
authority, central bank or comparable agency, has or would have the effect of
reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s (or parent corporation’s) capital
or assets as a consequence of its commitments or obligations hereunder to a
level below that which such Lender (or its parent corporation) could have
achieved but for such adoption, effectiveness, change or compliance (taking into
consideration such Lender’s (or parent corporation’s) policies with respect to
capital adequacy), then, upon notice from such Lender, accompanied by a
statement in reasonable detail showing the calculation of the amount demanded,
the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will
compensate such Lender for such reduction. Each determination by any
such Lender of amounts owing under this Section 4.2 shall, absent manifest
error, be conclusive and binding on the parties hereto. This Section
shall survive termination of this Credit Agreement and the other Credit
Documents and payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable
hereunder.
Failure or delay on
the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 4.2 shall
not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation;
provided that
the Borrower shall not be required to compensate such Lender pursuant to this
Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 90 days prior
to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the change in or in the
interpretation of law or regulation giving rise to such increased costs or
reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the
change in or in the interpretation of law or regulation giving rise to such
increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 90-day period referred to
above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect
thereof.
42
4.3 Compensation.
The Borrower
promises to indemnify each Lender and to hold each Lender harmless from any loss
or expense which such Lender may sustain or incur as a consequence of (a)
default by the Borrower in making a borrowing of, conversion into or
continuation of Eurodollar Loans after the Borrower has given a notice
requesting the same in accordance with the provisions of this Credit Agreement,
(b) default by the Borrower in making any prepayment of a Eurodollar Loan after
the Borrower has given a notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of
this Credit Agreement, (c) the making of a prepayment of Eurodollar Loans on a
day which is not the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto and (d)
the payment, continuation or conversion of a Eurodollar Loan on a day which is
not the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto or the failure to
repay a Eurodollar Loan when required by the terms of this Credit
Agreement. Such indemnification may include an amount equal to (i) an
amount of interest calculated at the Eurodollar Rate which would have accrued on
the amount in question, for the period from the date of such prepayment or of
such failure to borrow, convert, continue or repay to the last day of the
applicable Interest Period (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or
continue, the Interest Period that would have commenced on the date of such
failure) in each case at the applicable rate of interest for such Eurodollar
Loans provided for herein minus (ii) the amount of interest (as reasonably
determined by such Lender) which would have accrued to such Lender on such
amount by placing such amount on deposit for a comparable period with leading
banks in the interbank Eurocurrency market. The agreements in this
Section shall survive the termination of this Credit Agreement and the payment
of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.
4.4 Taxes.
(a) Except as provided
below in this Section 4.4, all payments made by the Borrower under this Credit
Agreement and any Notes shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction
or withholding for or on account of, any present or future income, stamp or
other taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings,
now or hereafter imposed, levied, collected, withheld or assessed by any court,
or governmental body, agency or other official, excluding taxes measured by or
imposed upon all or a portion of the net income of any Lender or its applicable
lending office, or any branch or affiliate thereof, and all franchise taxes,
branch and branch profit taxes, taxes on doing business (or taxes on the capital
or net worth imposed in lieu of net income taxes) of any Lender or its
applicable lending office, or any branch or affiliate thereof, in each case
imposed: (i) by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender, applicable
lending office, branch or affiliate is organized or is located, or in which its
principal executive office is located, or any nation within which such
jurisdiction is located or any political subdivision thereof or (ii) by reason
of any connection between the jurisdiction imposing such tax and such Lender,
applicable lending office, branch or affiliate other than a connection arising
solely from such Lender having executed, delivered or performed its obligations,
or received payment under or enforced, this Credit Agreement or any
Notes. If any such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties,
charges, fees, deductions or withholdings (“Non-Excluded Taxes”)
are required to be withheld from any amounts payable to an Agent or any Lender
hereunder or under any Notes, (A) the amounts so payable to the Agent or such
Lender shall be increased to the extent necessary to yield to the Agent or such
Lender (after payment of all Non-
43
Excluded Taxes)
interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at the rates or in the
amounts specified in this Credit Agreement and any Notes, provided, however, that the
Borrower shall be entitled to deduct and withhold any Non-Excluded Taxes and
shall not be required to increase any such amounts payable to any Lender that is
not organized under the laws of the United States of America or a state thereof
if such Lender fails to timely comply with the requirements of paragraph (b) of
this Section 4.4 whenever any Non-Excluded Taxes are payable by the Borrower,
and (B) as promptly as possible after requested, the Borrower shall send to the
Agent for its own account or for the account of such Lender, as the case may be,
a certified copy of an original official receipt received by the Borrower
showing payment thereof or other evidence of such payment as is reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent or Lender (as the case may be). If the
Borrower fails to pay any Non-Excluded Taxes of which it has notice when due to
the appropriate taxing authority or fails to remit to the Agent the required
receipts or other required documentary evidence, the Borrower shall indemnify
the Agent and any Lender for any incremental Non Excluded Taxes, interest or
penalties that may become payable by the Agent or any Lender as a result of any
such failure. The agreements in this Section 4.4 shall survive the
termination of this Credit Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other
amounts payable hereunder.
(b) Each Lender that is
not incorporated under the laws of the United States of America or a state
thereof shall:
(i) (A) on or before
the date of any payment by the Borrower under this Credit Agreement or the Notes
to such Lender, deliver to the Borrower and the Agent (x) two duly completed
copies of United States Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI or W-8BEN, or
successor applicable form, as the case may be, certifying that it is entitled to
receive payments under this Credit Agreement and any Notes without deduction or
withholding of any United States federal income taxes and (y) an Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8, or successor applicable form, certifying that it is
entitled to an exemption from United States backup withholding tax;
(B) deliver
to the Borrower and the Agent two further copies of any such form or
certification on or before the date that any such form or certification expires
or becomes obsolete and after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in
the most recent form previously delivered by it to the Borrower;
and
(C) obtain
such extensions of time for filing and complete such forms or certifications as
may reasonably be requested by the Borrower or the Agent; or
(ii) in the case of any
such Lender that is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of
the Internal Revenue Code, (A) represent to the Borrower (for the benefit of the
Borrower and the Agent) that it is not a bank within the meaning of Section
88l(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, (B) agree to furnish to the Borrower,
on or before the date of any payment by the Borrower, with a copy to the Agent,
two accurate and complete original signed copies of Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8, or successor applicable form certifying to such Lender’s legal
entitlement at the date of such certificate to an exemption from U.S.
withholding tax under the provisions of Section 881(c) of
44
the Internal
Revenue Code with respect to payments to be made under this Credit Agreement and
any Notes (and to deliver to the Borrower and the Agent two further copies of
such form on or before the date it expires or becomes obsolete and after the
occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recently provided form
and, if necessary, obtain any extensions of time reasonably requested by the
Borrower or the Agent for filing and completing such forms), and (C) agree, to
the extent legally entitled to do so, upon reasonable request by the Borrower,
to provide to the Borrower (for the benefit of the Borrower and the Agent) such
other forms as may be reasonably required in order to establish the legal
entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from withholding with respect to
payments under this Credit Agreement and any Notes.
Notwithstanding the
above, if any change in treaty, law or regulation has occurred after the date
such Person becomes a Lender hereunder which renders all such forms inapplicable
or which would prevent such Lender from duly completing and delivering any such
form with respect to it and such Lender so advises the Borrower and the Agent,
then such Lender shall be exempt from such requirements. Each Person
that shall become a Lender or a participant of a Lender pursuant to Section 11.3
shall, upon the effectiveness of the related transfer, be required to provide
all of the forms, certifications and statements required pursuant to this
subsection (b); provided that in the case of a participant of a Lender, the
obligations of such participant of a Lender pursuant to this subsection (b)
shall be determined as if the participant of a Lender were a Lender except that
such participant of a Lender shall furnish all such required forms,
certifications and statements to the Lender from which the related participation
shall have been purchased.
4.5 Replacement of
Lenders.
The Agent and each
Lender shall use reasonable efforts to avoid or mitigate any increased cost or
suspension of the availability of an interest rate under Sections 4.1 through
4.4 above to the greatest extent practicable (including transferring the Loans
to another lending office of Affiliate of a Lender) unless, in the opinion of
the Agent or such Lender, such efforts would be likely to have an adverse effect
upon it. In the event a Lender makes a request to the Borrower for
additional payments in accordance with Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.4 or if such Lender
is a Defaulting Lender, then, provided that no Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing at such time, the Borrower may, at its own expense
(such expense to include any transfer fee payable to the Agent under Section
11.3(b) and any expense pursuant to Section 4) and in its sole discretion,
require such Lender to transfer and assign in whole (but not in part), without
recourse (in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of Section
11.3(b)), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Credit
Agreement to an Eligible Assignee which shall assume such assigned obligations
(which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment);
provided that (a) such assignment shall not conflict with any law, rule or
regulation or order of any court or other Governmental Authority and (b) the
Borrower or such assignee shall have paid to the assigning Lender in immediately
available funds the principal of and interest accrued to the date of such
payment on the portion of the Loans hereunder held by such assigning Lender and
all other amounts owed to such assigning Lender hereunder, including amounts
owed pursuant to Sections 4.1 through 4.4.
45
Section
5. CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
5.1 Closing
Conditions.
The obligation of
the Lenders to enter into this Credit Agreement and make the initial Extension
of Credit is subject to satisfaction (or waiver) of the following
conditions:
(a) Executed Credit
Documents. Receipt by the Agent of duly executed copies of (i)
this Credit Agreement, (ii) the Notes requested by Lenders prior to the date
hereof in accordance with Section 2.7 and (iii) all other Credit Documents, each
in form and substance acceptable to the Lenders.
(b) Corporate
Documents. Receipt by the Agent of the following:
(i) Charter
Documents. Copies of the articles of incorporation or other
charter documents of the Borrower certified to be true and complete as of a
recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other
jurisdiction of its incorporation and certified by a secretary or assistant
secretary of the Borrower to be true and correct as of the Closing Date,
together with any other information required by Section 326 of the USA Patriot
Act of 2001, 31 U.S.C. Section 5318, or necessary for the Agent or any Lender to
verify the identity of Borrower as required by Section 326 of such
Act.
(ii) Bylaws. A
copy of the bylaws of the Borrower certified by a secretary or assistant
secretary of the Borrower to be true and correct as of the Closing
Date.
(iii) Resolutions. Copies
of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving and adopting
the Credit Documents to which it is a party, the transactions contemplated
therein and authorizing execution and delivery thereof, certified by a secretary
or assistant secretary of the Borrower to be true and correct and in force and
effect as of the Closing Date.
(iv) Good
Standing. Copies of (A) certificates of good standing,
existence or its equivalent with respect to the Borrower certified as of a
recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authorities of the state or other
jurisdiction of incorporation and each other jurisdiction in which the failure
to so qualify and be in good standing would have a Material Adverse Effect and
(B) to the extent available, a certificate indicating payment of all corporate
franchise taxes certified as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental
Authorities of the state or other jurisdiction of incorporation and each other
jurisdiction in which the failure to pay such franchise taxes would have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Incumbency. An
incumbency certificate of the Borrower certified by a secretary or assistant
secretary of the Borrower to be true and correct as of the Closing
Date.
46
(c) Opinion of
Counsel. Receipt by the Agent of an opinion, or opinions, from
legal counsel to the Borrower addressed to the Agent and the Lenders and dated
as of the Effective Date, in each case satisfactory in form and substance to the
Agent.
(d) Financial
Statements. Receipt by the Lenders of the audited financial
statements of the Borrower and its consolidated subsidiaries, for the fiscal
years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009, including balance sheets and income and
cash flow statements, in each case audited by Deloitte & Touche and prepared
in accordance with GAAP.
(e) Fees and
Expenses. Payment by the Borrower of all fees and expenses
owed by it to the Lenders, the Agent, Banc of America Securities LLC and X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc., including, without limitation, payment to the Agent,
Banc of America Securities LLC and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. of the fees set
forth in the Fee Letter.
(f) Litigation. Except
as disclosed in the Borrower’s Annual Report on its Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2009 and in subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 made prior to the Closing Date, there shall not exist any action, suit or
investigation, nor shall any action, suit or investigation be pending or
threatened before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that materially
adversely affects the Borrower or any transaction contemplated hereby or on the
ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under the Credit
Documents.
(g) Material Adverse
Effect. No event or condition shall have occurred since the
date of the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(d) above that
has had or would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Officer’s
Certificates. The Agent shall have received a certificate or
certificates executed by the chief financial officer, treasurer, secretary or
assistant treasurer of the Borrower as of the Closing Date stating that (i) the
Borrower is in compliance with all existing material financial obligations, (ii)
no action, suit, investigation or proceeding is pending or, to his knowledge,
threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or governmental instrumentality
that purports to affect the Borrower or any transaction contemplated by the
Credit Documents, if such action, suit, investigation or proceeding would have
or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and (iii)
immediately after giving effect to this Credit Agreement, the other Credit
Documents and all the transactions contemplated therein to occur on such date,
(A) no Default or Event of Default exists, (B) all representations and
warranties contained herein and in the other Credit Documents, are true and
correct in all material respects on and as of the date made and (C) the Borrower
is in compliance with the financial covenant set forth in Section
7.2.
(i) Existing Credit
Agreements. Each of the Existing Credit Agreements shall be
terminated prior to or contemporaneously with the making of the Closing Date and
all loans and other obligations outstanding under each Existing Credit Agreement
shall be paid in full prior to or contemporaneously with Closing
Date. Each of the Lenders that is a party to any Existing Credit
Agreement, by execution hereof, hereby waives the requirement of prior notice to
the termination of the commitments thereunder.
47
(j) Other. Receipt
by the Lenders of such other documents, instruments, agreements or information
as reasonably requested by any Lender.
Without limiting
the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.3, for
purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section
5.1, each Lender that has signed this Credit 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 Agent shall have received notice from
such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection
thereto.
5.2 Conditions to Each Extension
of Credit.
In addition to the
conditions precedent stated elsewhere herein (excluding after the Closing Date
those contained in Sections 5.1(f) and 5.1(g) hereof), the Lenders shall not be
obligated to make any new Extension of Credit unless:
(a) Request. The
Borrower shall have timely delivered, (i) in the case of any new Revolving Loan,
a duly executed and completed Notice of Borrowing in conformance with all the
terms and conditions of this Credit Agreement and (ii) in the case of any Letter
of Credit, the necessary application and any other LOC Documents required by the
Agent.
(b) Representations and
Warranties. The representations and warranties made by the
Borrower herein (excluding after the Closing Date those contained in Sections
6.7 and 6.10) are true and correct in all material respects at and as if made as
of the date of the making of the Extension of Credit.
(c) No
Default. No Default or Event of Default shall exist or be
continuing either prior to or after giving effect thereto.
(d) Availability. Immediately
after giving effect to the making of an Extension of Credit (and the application
of the proceeds thereof), the sum of the principal amount of the Loans and
Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding shall not exceed the Aggregate
Commitment.
The delivery of
each Notice of Borrowing, each application for a Letter of Credit and each Swing
Line Notice shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower of
the correctness of the matters specified in subsections (b), (c) and (d)
above.
Section
6. REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower hereby
represents and warrants to each Lender that:
6.1 Organization and Good
Standing; Assets.
(a) The Borrower and
each of its Principal Subsidiaries (i) is a corporation or limited liability
company validly existing and in good standing (or equivalent status) under its
jurisdiction of organization, (ii) is duly qualified and in good standing as a
foreign corporation
48
or limited
liability company authorized to do business in every jurisdiction where the
failure to so qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect and (iii) has the
requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority to own its
properties and to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be
conducted.
(b) The Borrower and
each of its Principal Subsidiaries has good and marketable title (or, in the
case of personal property, valid title) or valid leasehold interests in its
assets, except for (i) minor defects in title that do not materially interfere
with the ability of the Borrower or the relevant Principal Subsidiary to conduct
its business as now conducted and (ii) other defects that, either individually
or in the aggregate, do not materially adversely affect the financial condition,
properties or operations of the Borrower or the relevant Principal
Subsidiary. All such assets and properties are free and clear of any
Lien, other than Liens permitted under Section 8.6 hereof.
(c) The Borrower’s
Principal Subsidiaries and other Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date are set
forth on Schedule 6.1 hereto. All outstanding shares of capital stock
having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of each of the
Borrower’s Principal Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable (except as provided by Wisconsin Statutes section 180.0622, as
judicially interpreted) and, in the case of each of the Principal Subsidiaries,
are owned beneficially by the Borrower or another Subsidiary, free and clear of
any Lien.
6.2 Due
Authorization.
The Borrower (a)
has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform
this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents and to incur the
obligations herein and therein provided for and (b) is duly authorized to, and
has been authorized by all necessary corporate action to, execute, deliver and
perform this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
6.3 No
Conflicts.
Neither the
execution and delivery of the Credit Documents, nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated therein, nor performance of and compliance with the
terms and provisions thereof by the Borrower will (a) violate or conflict with
any provision of its organizational documents or bylaws, (b) violate, contravene
or materially conflict with any law, regulation (including without limitation,
Regulation U, Regulation X and any regulation promulgated by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission), order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or permit
applicable to it, (c) violate, contravene or materially conflict with
contractual provisions of, or cause an event of default under, any indenture,
loan agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, contract or other agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, the violation of
which would have a Material Adverse Effect or (d) result in or require the
creation of any Lien upon or with respect to its properties. Not more
than 25% of the value of the assets of the Borrower is represented by Margin
Stock.
6.4 Consents.
49
No consent,
approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification
with, any court or Governmental Authority (including, without limitation, the
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin pursuant to Chapter 201 of the Wisconsin
Statutes) or third party is required in connection with the execution, delivery
or performance of this Credit Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents
that has not been obtained.
6.5 Enforceable
Obligations.
This Credit
Agreement and the other Credit Documents have been duly executed and delivered
and constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower enforceable
against the Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be
limited by bankruptcy or insolvency laws or similar laws affecting creditors’
rights generally or by general equitable principles.
6.6 Financial
Condition.
(a) The financial
statements delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.1(d) and pursuant to
Sections 7.1(a) and (b): (i) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (subject
to the provisions of Section 1.3 and subject to, in the case of the interim
financial statements, year end adjustments and the absence of footnotes) and
(ii) present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date and for such
periods.
(b) Since December 31,
2009, there has been no sale, transfer or other disposition by the Borrower or
any of its Principal Subsidiaries of any material part of the business or
property of the Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries, other than sales of
inventory during the course of business and sales consummated in connection with
the full or partial divestiture of Integrys Energy Services, Inc., and no
purchase or other acquisition by the Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries of
any business or property (including any capital stock of any other Person)
material in relation to the financial condition of the Borrower and its
Principal Subsidiaries, in each case, which, is not (i) reflected in the most
recent financial statements delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 7.1 or
in the notes thereto, (ii) permitted by the terms of this Credit Agreement or
(iii) disclosed to the Lenders prior to the date hereof.
6.7 No Material
Change.
Since December 31,
2009, there has been no development or event relating to or affecting the
Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries which has had or would be reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.8 No
Default.
Neither the
Borrower nor any Principal Subsidiary is in default in any respect under any
contract, lease, loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, security agreement or
other agreement or obligation to which it is a party or by which any of its
properties is bound which default would have or would be reasonably likely to
have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default
presently exists and is continuing.
50
6.9 Indebtedness.
As of December 31,
2009, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have no Indebtedness except as disclosed
in the financial statements referenced in Section 5.1(d) and to the extent
required to be disclosed by GAAP.
6.10 Litigation.
Except as disclosed
to the Lenders in writing prior to the Closing Date, there are no actions, suits
or legal, equitable, arbitration or administrative proceedings, pending or, to
the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened against the Borrower or any of
its Principal Subsidiaries which has had or would be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
6.11 Taxes.
The Borrower and
each of its Principal Subsidiaries has filed, or caused to be filed, all
material tax returns (federal, state, local and foreign) required to be filed
and paid all amounts of taxes shown thereon to be due (including interest and
penalties) and has paid all other taxes, fees, assessments and other
governmental charges (including mortgage recording taxes, documentary stamp
taxes and intangibles taxes) owing by it, except for such taxes which are not
yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith and by proper
proceedings, and against which adequate reserves are being maintained in
accordance with GAAP. As of the date of this Credit Agreement, the
Borrower is not aware of any proposed tax assessments against it which have had
or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.12 Compliance with
Law.
The Borrower and
each of its Principal Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, rules,
regulations, orders and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, the
failure to comply with which has had or would be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
6.13 ERISA.
Except as would not
result or be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Effect:
(a) During the
five-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or
deemed made: (i) no Termination Event has occurred, and, to the best knowledge
of the Borrower, no event or condition has occurred or exists as a result of
which any Termination Event would be reasonably likely to occur, with respect to
any Plan; (ii) no “accumulated funding deficiency,” as such term is defined in
Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has
occurred with respect to any Plan; (iii) each Plan has been maintained,
operated, and funded in compliance with its own terms and in material compliance
with the provisions of ERISA, the Code, and any other applicable federal or
state laws; and (iv) no Lien in favor or the PBGC or a Plan has arisen or is
reasonably likely to arise on account of any Plan.
51
(b) No liability has
been or is reasonably expected by the Borrower to be incurred under Sections
4062, 4063 or 4064 of ERISA with respect to any Single Employer Plan by the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c) Except as disclosed
in the Borrower’s financial statements in accordance with FASB 87, the
accumulated benefit obligation under each Single Employer Plan (determined
utilizing the actuarial assumptions used for purposes of FASB 87), did not, as
of the last annual valuation date prior to the date on which this representation
is made or deemed made, exceed the current value of the assets of such Plan
allocable to such obligation.
(d) Neither the
Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or, to the best knowledge of the
Borrower, is reasonably likely to incur, any withdrawal liability under ERISA to
any Multiemployer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan. Neither the
Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has received any notification that any
Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization (within the meaning of Section 4241 of
ERISA), is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), or has been
terminated (within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA), and no Multiemployer Plan
is, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, reasonably likely to be in
reorganization, insolvent, or terminated.
(e) No prohibited
transaction (within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the
Code) or breach of fiduciary responsibility has occurred with respect to a Plan
which has subjected or would be reasonably likely to subject the Borrower or any
ERISA Affiliate to any liability under Sections 406, 409, 502(i), or 502(1) of
ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or under any agreement or other instrument
pursuant to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has agreed or is required
to indemnify any person against any such liability.
(f) The present value
(determined using actuarial and other assumptions which are reasonable with
respect to the benefits provided and the employees participating) of the
liability of the Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate for post-retirement welfare
benefits to be provided to their current and former employees under Plans which
are welfare benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA), net of all
assets under all such Plans allocable to such benefits, are reflected on the
financial statements referenced in Section 7.1 in accordance with FASB
106.
(g) Each Plan which is
a welfare plan (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) to which Sections 601-609
of ERISA and Section 4980B of the Code apply has been administered in compliance
in all material respects with such sections.
6.14 Use of Proceeds; Margin
Stock.
The proceeds of the
Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder will be used solely for the purposes
specified in Section 7.8. None of such proceeds will be used (a) in
violation of Regulation U or Regulation X (i) for the purpose of purchasing or
carrying any “margin stock” as defined in Regulation U or Regulation X or (ii)
for the purpose of reducing or retiring any Indebtedness which was originally
incurred to purchase or carry “margin stock” or (b) for the acquisition of
another Person unless the board of directors (or other comparable governing
body)
52
or stockholders, as
appropriate, of such Person has approved such acquisition. After
application of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit, not more than 25%
of the value of the assets of the Parent, the Borrower and their respective
Subsidiaries will be represented by Margin Stock.
6.15 Government
Regulation.
The Borrower is not
an “investment company” registered or required to be registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or controlled by such a
company.
6.16 Disclosure.
Neither this Credit
Agreement nor any financial statements delivered to the Lenders nor any other
document, certificate or statement furnished to the Lenders by or on behalf of
the Borrower in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby contains
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements contained therein or herein, taken as
a whole, not misleading on the date when made.
Section
7. AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
The Borrower hereby
covenants and agrees that so long as this Credit Agreement is in effect and
until all Borrower Obligations have been paid in full and the Revolving Loan
Commitments hereunder shall have terminated:
7.1 Information
Covenants.
The Borrower will
furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Agent:
(a) Annual Financial
Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 120
days after the close of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance
sheet and income statement of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of the end
of such fiscal year, together with a common stock equity statement which
includes retained earnings and a consolidated statement of cash flows for such
fiscal year, setting forth in comparative form figures for the preceding fiscal
year, all such financial information described above to be in reasonable form
and detail and audited by independent certified public accountants of recognized
national standing reasonably acceptable to the Agent and whose opinion shall be
to the effect that such financial statements have been prepared in accordance
with GAAP (except for changes with which such accountants concur) and shall not
be limited as to the scope of the audit or qualified in any
respect. The Lenders agree that delivery of the Borrower’s Form 10-K
will meet the financial information requirements of this Section
7.1(a).
(b) Quarterly Financial
Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 60
days after the close of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower (other than the
fourth fiscal quarter) a consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of the end of such fiscal quarter, together
with a related consolidated statement of cash flows for such fiscal quarter in
each case setting forth in comparative form figures for the corresponding period
of the preceding fiscal year, all such financial information described above to
be in reasonable form and detail and reasonably acceptable to the Agent,
53
and accompanied by
the review letter required to be filed with the Borrower’s quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q pursuant to Section 10-01(d) of Regulation S-X, if any, and a
certificate of the chief financial officer, treasurer, secretary or assistant
treasurer of the Borrower to the effect that such quarterly financial statements
fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, subject to
changes resulting from audit and normal year-end audit adjustments and the
absence of footnotes. The Lenders agree that the delivery of the
Borrower’s Form 10-Q will meet the financial information requirements of this
Section 7.1(b).
(c) Officer’s
Certificate. At the time of delivery of the financial
statements provided for in Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) above, a certificate of
the chief financial officer, treasurer, secretary or assistant treasurer of the
Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.1(c), (i) demonstrating
compliance with the financial covenant contained in Section 7.2 by calculation
thereof as of the end of each such fiscal period, including a reconciliation in
reasonable detail of excluding entities excluded because of the last sentence of
Section 1.3 with respect to FIN 46, on the computation of compliance with the
covenant contained in Section 7.2, (ii) stating that no Default or Event of
Default exists, or if any Default or Event of Default does exist, specifying the
nature and extent thereof and what action the Borrower proposes to take with
respect thereto and (iii) confirming the then existing Public Debt Ratings of
the Borrower.
(d) Notices. Upon
the Borrower obtaining knowledge thereof, the Borrower will give written notice
to the Agent immediately of (i) the occurrence of an event or condition
consisting of a Default or Event of Default, specifying the nature and existence
thereof and what action the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto, and
(ii) the occurrence of any of the following with respect to the Borrower or any
of its Principal Subsidiaries: (A) the pendency or commencement of
any litigation, arbitral or governmental proceeding against the Borrower or any
of its Principal Subsidiaries, the claim of which is in excess of $35,000,000 or
which, if adversely determined, would have or be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect or (B) the institution of any proceedings against the
Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries with respect to, or the receipt of
notice by such Person of potential liability or responsibility for violation, or
alleged violation of any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation, the
violation of which would be reasonably likely have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(e) ERISA. Upon
the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate obtaining knowledge
thereof, the Borrower will give written notice to the Agent and each of the
Lenders promptly (and in any event within five Business Days) of: (i) any event
or condition, including, but not limited to, any Reportable Event, that
constitutes, or would be reasonably likely to lead to, a Termination Event that
would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) with respect
to any Multiemployer Plan, the receipt of notice as prescribed in ERISA or
otherwise of any material withdrawal liability assessed against the Borrower,
its Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, or of a determination that
any Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or insolvent (both within the
meaning of Title IV of ERISA) that would be reasonably likely to lead to a
withdrawal liability that would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect; (iii) the failure to make full payment on or before the due date
(including extensions) thereof of all amounts which the Borrower or
54
any of its
Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates is required to contribute to each Plan pursuant
to its terms to meet the minimum funding standard set forth in ERISA and the
Code with respect thereto if such failure would be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) any change in the funding status of any Plan
that would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; together,
with a description of any such event or condition or a copy of any such notice
and a statement by an officer of the Borrower briefly setting forth the details
regarding such event, condition, or notice, and the action, if any, which has
been or is being taken or is proposed to be taken by the Borrower with respect
thereto. Promptly upon request, the Borrower shall furnish the Agent
and each of the Lenders with such additional information concerning any Plan as
may be reasonably requested, including, but not limited to, copies of each
annual report/return (Form 5500 series), as well as all schedules and
attachments thereto required to be filed with the Department of Labor and/or the
Internal Revenue Service pursuant to ERISA and the Code, respectively, for each
“plan-year” (within the meaning of Section 3(39) of ERISA).
(f) Other
Information. With reasonable promptness upon any such request,
such other information regarding the business, properties or financial condition
of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as the Agent or the Required Lenders
may reasonably request.
Financial reports
required to be delivered pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above shall be deemed
to have been delivered on the date on which such report is posted on the SEC’s
website at xxx.xxx.xxx, and such posting shall be deemed to satisfy the
financial reporting requirements of clauses (a) and (b) above, provided that, in
each instance the Company shall provide all other reports and certificates
required to be delivered under this Section 7.1 in the manner set forth in
Section 11.1.
The Borrower hereby
acknowledges that the Agent and/or the Arrangers will 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 IntraLinks or another similar electronic
system (the “Platform”).
7.2 Financial
Covenant.
The Borrower will
maintain a Leverage Ratio as of the last day of each of its fiscal quarters of
not greater than .65 to 1.00.
7.3 Preservation of Existence
and Franchises.
Except as expressly
permitted by Section 8.2 or Section 8.3 below, the Borrower will, and will cause
each of its Principal Subsidiaries to, do all things necessary to preserve and
keep in full force and effect its existence, and material rights, franchises and
authority.
7.4 Books and
Records.
Subject to Section
1.3, the Borrower will, and will cause its Principal Subsidiaries to, keep
complete and accurate books and records of its transactions in accordance with
good
55
accounting
practices on the basis of GAAP (including the establishment and maintenance of
appropriate reserves).
7.5 Compliance with
Law.
The Borrower will,
and will cause each of its Principal Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws,
rules, regulations and orders, and all applicable restrictions imposed by all
Governmental Authorities, applicable to it and its property, if the failure to
comply would have or be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
7.6 Payment of Taxes and Other
Indebtedness.
The Borrower will,
and will cause each of its Principal Subsidiaries to, pay, settle or discharge
(a) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed
upon it, or upon its income or profits, or upon any of its properties, before
they shall become delinquent and (b) all lawful claims (including claims for
labor, materials and supplies) which, if unpaid, might give rise to a Lien which
is not permitted by Section 8.6 upon any of its properties; provided, however, that neither
the Borrower nor any Principal Subsidiary shall be required to pay any such tax,
assessment, charge, levy, claim or Indebtedness which is being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves therefor have
been established in accordance with GAAP, unless the failure to make any such
payment (i) would give rise to an immediate right to foreclose or collect on a
Lien securing such amounts or (ii) would have or reasonably be likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
7.7 Insurance.
The Borrower will,
and will cause each of its Principal Subsidiaries to, at all times maintain in
full force and effect insurance (including worker’s compensation insurance,
liability insurance, casualty insurance and business interruption insurance) in
such amounts, covering such risks and liabilities and with such deductibles or
self-insurance retentions as are in accordance with normal industry practice;
provided, however, that the
Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries may self-insure to the same extent as
other companies engaged in similar businesses and to the extent consistent with
prudent business practice.
7.8 Use of
Proceeds.
The proceeds of the
Loans and the Letters of Credit may be used solely (a) to provide working
capital and (b) for other general corporate purposes.
7.9 Audits/Inspections.
Upon reasonable
notice and during normal business hours, the Borrower will, and will cause each
of its Principal Subsidiaries to, permit representatives appointed by the Agent
or any Lender, including, without limitation, independent accountants, agents,
attorneys, and appraisers to visit and inspect the Borrower’s and its Principal
Subsidiaries’ property, including its books and records, its accounts receivable
and inventory, the Borrower’s and its Principal Subsidiaries’ facilities and
their other business assets, and to make photocopies or photographs thereof and
to write down and record any information such representative obtains and shall
56
permit the Agent,
any Lender or its representatives to investigate and verify the accuracy of
information provided to the Lenders and to discuss all such matters with the
officers, employees and representatives of the Borrower and its Principal
Subsidiaries. All information so obtained shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 11.10 below.
7.10 Restrictive
Agreements.
The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any Principal Subsidiary to, enter into any agreement
that restricts the ability of any Principal Subsidiary to pay dividends or other
distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock; provided that it
is understood and agreed that (a) the foregoing covenant does not prohibit the
Borrower or a Principal Subsidiary from entering into agreements that contain
financial covenants which require the maintenance of a minimum net worth or
compliance with financial ratios without explicitly addressing the ability to
pay dividends or make other distributions with respect to shares of its capital
stock and (b) the foregoing covenant does not apply to limitations or
restrictions imposed by law or in regulatory proceedings or in the
articles of incorporation of Wisconsin Pubic Service Corporation as in effect on
the date hereof or restrictions which arise only if dividends on preferred stock
issued by such Principal Subsidiary have not been paid.
Section
8. NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
The Borrower hereby
covenants and agrees that so long as this Credit Agreement is in effect and
until all Borrower Obligations have been paid in full and the Revolving Loan
Commitments shall have terminated:
8.1 Nature of
Business.
The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to, alter in any
material respect the character of the business of the Borrower and its Principal
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that conducted as of the Closing Date;
provided that
the foregoing shall not prevent the disposition of assets, business or
operations permitted by Section 8.3 below so long as the Borrower shall have
complied with all other terms and conditions of this Credit Agreement; provided that nothing
contained in this Section 8.1 shall be deemed or construed to limit the full or
partial divestiture by the Borrower of the assets, business or operations of
Integrys Energy Services, Inc. and/or any or all of the Subsidiaries of Integrys
Energy Services, Inc. or any reduction in the scope and/or scale of the assets,
business or operations of Integrys Energy Services, Inc. and/or any or all of
its Subsidiaries (in each case, as such assets, business or operations exist as
of the date of this Credit Agreement) and any such divestiture, reduction, sale
or other disposition shall not be deemed or construed to constitute a change in
the general nature of the business in which the Borrower and its Principal
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are engaged.
8.2 Consolidation and
Merger.
The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to, enter into any
transaction of merger or consolidation or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself
(or suffer any liquidation or dissolution); provided that, a Person may be
merged or consolidated with or into the Borrower or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of
the Borrower, so long as (a) if the
57
Borrower is
involved in the transaction, the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation, (b) if a Principal Subsidiary is involved, such Principal
Subsidiary or a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower shall be the continuing
or surviving entity; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit mergers,
consolidations or liquidations of a Principal Subsidiary into the Borrower, and
(c) immediately before and after such merger or consolidation there does not
exist a Default or an Event of Default.
8.3 Sale or Lease of
Assets.
Within any twelve
month period, the Borrower will not, and will not permit its Subsidiaries to,
convey, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of assets, business or
operations with a book value (net of assumed liabilities associated with the
assets that are the subject of such transaction) in excess of twenty-five
percent (25%) of Total Assets, as calculated as of the end of the most recent
fiscal quarter, provided that the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries may convey, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise
dispose of assets, business or operations consisting of (a) sales of inventory
or other assets acquired for resale in the ordinary course of business, (b)
sales of accounts owed by customers for energy provided or to be provided
outside the normal franchise service area of Wisconsin Public Service Company
and Upper Peninsula Power Company, (c) sales, transfers or other dispositions of
assets between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Subsidiaries, (d)
sales, transfers or other dispositions of obsolete or worn-out tools, equipment
or other property no longer used or useful in business and sales of intellectual
property determined to be uneconomical, negligible or obsolete, (e) sales,
transfers or other dispositions of the assets listed on Schedule 8.3, (f)
non-exclusive licenses of intellectual property, (g) the full or partial
divestiture by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of the assets, business or
operations of Integrys Energy Services, Inc. and/or any or all of the
Subsidiaries of Integrys Energy Services, Inc. (as such assets, business or
operations exist as of the date of this Credit Agreement) and (h) sales,
transfers or other dispositions of assets the proceeds of which are invested in
other energy related assets.
8.4 Arm’s-Length
Transactions.
The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to, enter into any
transaction or series of transactions, whether or not in the ordinary course of
business, with any Affiliate other than on terms and conditions substantially as
favorable to the Borrower or the Principal Subsidiary as would be obtainable in
a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,
other than (a) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned
Subsidiaries, (b) customary fees to non-officer directors of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries and (c) employment and severance arrangements with officers and
employees of the Borrower in the ordinary course of business.
8.5 Fiscal
Year.
The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to, change its fiscal
year (a) without prior written notification to the Lenders and (b) if such
change would materially affect the Lenders’ ability to read and interpret the
financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 or calculate the
financial covenant in Section 7.2.
58
8.6 Liens.
The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to, contract, create,
incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien with respect to any of its property or
assets of any kind (whether real or personal, tangible or intangible), whether
now owned or hereafter acquired, except for (a) Liens securing Borrower
Obligations, (b) the Lien of First Mortgage Indentures or any Liens
attaching to the property to which the Lien of the First Mortgage Indentures
attach; provided that such Liens do not secure Funded Debt (other than Funded
Debt secured by the First Mortgage Indentures), (c) Liens for taxes not yet
due or Liens for taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been
established (and as to which the property subject to any such Lien is not yet
subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof), (d) Liens in
respect of property imposed by law arising in the ordinary course of business
such as materialmen’s, mechanics’, warehousemen’s, carrier’s, landlords’ and
other nonconsensual statutory Liens which are not yet due and payable, which
have been in existence less than 90 days or which are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves determined in
accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the property subject
to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account
thereof), (e) pledges or deposits made in the ordinary course of business
to secure payment of worker’s compensation insurance, unemployment insurance,
pensions or social security programs, (f) Liens arising from good faith
deposits in connection with or to secure performance of tenders, bids, leases,
government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar
obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (other than obligations
in respect of the payment of borrowed money), (g) Liens arising from good
faith deposits in connection with or to secure performance of statutory
obligations and surety and appeal bonds, (h) easements, rights-of-way (and
liens on easements or rights-of-way or the underlying real estate), restrictions
(included zoning restrictions), minor defects or irregularities in title and
other similar charges or encumbrances not, in any material respect, impairing
the use of the encumbered property for its intended purposes, (i) judgment
Liens that would not constitute an Event of Default, (j) Liens arising by
virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens,
rights of setoff or similar rights as to deposit accounts or other funds
maintained with a creditor depository institution, (k) any Lien created or
arising over any property which is acquired, constructed or created by the
Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary, but only if (i) such Lien secures only
principal amounts (not exceeding the cost of such acquisition, construction or
creation) raised for the purposes of such acquisition, construction or creation
together with any costs, expenses, interest and fees incurred in relation
thereto or a guarantee given in respect thereof, (ii) such Lien is created or
arises on or before 180 days after the completion of such acquisition,
construction or creation and (iii) such Lien is confined solely to the property
so acquired, constructed or created and any improvements thereto and proceeds
and products thereof, (l) any Lien on any property or assets acquired from
a Person which is merged with or into the Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary
in accordance with Section 8.2, and is not created in anticipation of any such
transaction, (m) any Lien on any property or assets existing at the time of
acquisition of such property or assets by the Borrower or any Principal
Subsidiary and which is not created in anticipation of such acquisition, (n)
Liens existing on the Closing Date and described on Schedule 8.6 attached
hereto, (o) pledges or deposits made in the ordinary course of business to
secure obligations of the Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary under interest
rate protection agreements, foreign currency exchange agreements, Permitted
Energy
59
Transactions or
other interest or exchange rate hedging arrangements, (p) Liens on cash, cash
collateral, cash deposits or deposit accounts furnished to or for the benefit of
Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (“MISO”) or other
transmission providers or energy market administrators to secure the payment and
performance of obligations (i) in connection with the purchase of electric
transmission service from MISO or such other transmission providers or (ii)
related to energy, capacity or ancillary service transactions entered into
through markets administered by MISO or such other transmission providers or
energy market administrators, (q) Liens, if any, arising in connection with the
securitization of environmental retrofit receivables, (r) any extension, renewal
or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), as a whole
or in part, of any Liens referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (q),
for amounts not exceeding the maximum principal amount of the Indebtedness
secured by the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced; provided that such
extension, renewal or replacement Lien is limited to all or a part of the same
property or assets that were covered by the Lien extended, renewed or replaced
(plus improvements on such property or assets), and (s) any other Lien or Liens
which in the aggregate secure Indebtedness or other obligations at any one time
not in excess of an amount equal to 7.5% of Total Assets.
Section
9. EVENTS
OF DEFAULT
9.1 Events of
Default.
An Event of Default
shall exist upon the occurrence of any of the following specified events (each
an “Event of
Default”):
(a) Payment. The
Borrower shall: (i) default in the payment when due of any principal of any of
the Loans or Letter of Credit Obligations; or (ii) default, and such default
shall continue for three or more Business Days, in the payment when due of any
interest on the Loans or Letter of Credit Obligations or of any fees or other
amounts owing hereunder, under any of the other Credit Documents or in
connection herewith.
(b) Representations. Any
representation, warranty or statement made or deemed to be made by the Borrower
(or any of its officers or agents) herein, in any of the other Credit Documents,
or in any statement or certificate delivered or required to be delivered
pursuant hereto or thereto shall prove untrue in any material respect on the
date as of which it was deemed to have been made.
(c) Covenants. The
Borrower shall:
(i) default in the due
performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement contained in
Sections 7.1(a), 7.1(b), 7.1(c), 7.1(d), 7.2, 7.3, 7.9, 8.2, 8.3 or 8.6;
or
(ii) default in the due
performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement (other than
those referred to in subsections (a), (b) or (c)(i) of this Section 9.1)
contained in this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document and such default
shall continue unremedied for a period of at least 30 days after the earlier of
the Borrower becoming aware of such default or notice thereof given by the
Agent.
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(d) Credit
Documents. Any Credit Document shall fail to be in full force
and effect or the Borrower shall so assert or any Credit Document shall fail to
give the Agent and/or the Lenders the rights, powers and privileges purported to
be created thereby.
(e) Bankruptcy,
etc. The occurrence of any of the following with respect to
the Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries: (i) a court or
governmental agency having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or
order for relief in respect of the Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries
in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appoint a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Borrower
or any of its Principal Subsidiaries or for any substantial part of its property
or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs; or (ii) an involuntary
case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or
hereafter in effect is commenced against the Borrower or any of its Principal
Subsidiaries and such petition remains unstayed and in effect for a period of 60
consecutive days; or (iii) the Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries
shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consent to the entry of an
order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the
appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian,
trustee, sequestrator or similar official of such Person or any substantial part
of its property or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or
(iv) the Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries shall admit in writing
its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due or any action shall
be taken by such Person in furtherance of any of the aforesaid
purposes.
(f) Defaults Under Other
Agreements. With respect to any Indebtedness in excess of
$35,000,000 (other than Indebtedness outstanding under this Credit Agreement) of
the Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries (i) the Borrower or any of its
Principal Subsidiaries shall (A) default in any payment (beyond the applicable
grace period with respect thereto, if any) with respect to any such
Indebtedness, or (B) default (after giving effect to any applicable grace
period) in the observance or performance relating to such Indebtedness or
contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating
thereto, or any other event or condition shall occur or condition exist other
than non-material defaults under any First Mortgage Indenture, the effect of
which default or other event or condition is to cause, or permit, the holder of
the holders of such Indebtedness (or trustee or agent on behalf of such holders)
to cause (determined without regard to whether any notice or lapse of time is
required) any such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity
(unless no holder, or trustee on behalf of any holder, has asserted that such
event constitutes a default thereunder); or (ii) any such Indebtedness shall be
declared due and payable, or required to be prepaid other than by a regularly
scheduled required prepayment prior to the stated maturity thereof; or (iii) any
such Indebtedness shall mature and remain unpaid. The foregoing cross
default provision shall not apply to Indebtedness to the extent recourse to the
Borrower is limited to specific assets in a project financing; i.e., defaults
under agreements governing non-recourse project financing indebtedness are
excluded.
(g) Judgments. One
or more judgments, orders, or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower or
any of its Principal Subsidiaries involving a liability of $35,000,000 or more,
in the aggregate (to the extent not paid or covered by insurance provided by a
carrier
61
who has been
notified of, and has not disputed the claim made for payment of, the amount of
such judgment or order), and such judgments, orders or decrees shall continue
unsatisfied, undischarged and unstayed for a period ending on the first to occur
of (i) the fifth Business Day after last day on which such judgment, order or
decree becomes final and unappealable and, where applicable, with the status of
a judicial lien or (ii) 60 days; provided that if such
judgment, order or decree provides for periodic payments over time then the
Borrower shall have a grace period of 30 days with respect to each such periodic
payment.
(h) ERISA. The
occurrence of any of the following events or conditions if any of the same would
be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect: (A) any
“accumulated funding deficiency,” as such term is defined in Section 302 of
ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, shall exist with
respect to any Plan, or any lien shall arise on the assets of the Borrower, any
of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate in favor of the PBGC or a Plan; (B) a
Termination Event shall occur with respect to a Single Employer Plan, which is,
in the reasonable opinion of the Agent, likely to result in the termination of
such Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA; (C) a Termination Event shall occur
with respect to a Multiemployer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, which is, in the
reasonable opinion of the Agent, likely to result in (i) the termination of such
Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, or (ii) the Borrower, any of its
Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate incurring liability in connection with a
withdrawal from, reorganization of (within the meaning of Section 4241 of
ERISA), or insolvency (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) of such
Plan; or (D) any prohibited transaction (within the meaning of Section 406 of
ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) or breach of fiduciary responsibility shall
occur which would be reasonably likely to subject the Borrower, any of
Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate to liability under Sections 406, 409,
502(i), or 502(1) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or under any agreement
or other instrument pursuant to which the Borrower, any of Subsidiaries or any
ERISA Affiliate has agreed or is required to indemnify any person against any
such liability.
(i) Change of
Control. The occurrence of any Change of Control.
9.2 Acceleration;
Remedies.
Upon the occurrence
and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Agent may, and shall,
upon the request and direction of the Required Lenders, by written notice to the
Borrower take any of the following actions without prejudice to the rights of
the Agent or any Lender to enforce its claims against the Borrower, except as
otherwise specifically provided for herein:
(i) Termination of Revolving
Loan Commitments. Declare the Revolving Loan Commitments
terminated whereupon the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be immediately
terminated.
(ii) Acceleration of Borrower
Obligations. Declare the unpaid amount of all Borrower
Obligations to be due whereupon the same shall be immediately due and payable
without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which
are hereby waived by the Borrower.
62
(iii) Cash
Collateral. Direct the Borrower to pay (and the Borrower
agrees that upon receipt of such notice, or upon the occurrence of an Event of
Default under Section 9.1(e), it will immediately pay) to the Agent additional
cash, to be held by the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, in an interest
bearing cash collateral account as additional security for the Letter of Credit
Obligations in respect of subsequent drawings under all then outstanding Letters
of Credit in an amount equal to the maximum aggregate amount which may be drawn
under all Letters of Credits then outstanding.
(iv) Enforcement of
Rights. Enforce any and all rights and interests created and
existing under the Credit Documents, including, without limitation, all rights
of set-off.
Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in Section 9.1(e) shall occur, then
the Revolving Loan Commitments shall automatically terminate and all Borrower
Obligations, all accrued interest in respect thereof, all accrued and unpaid
fees and other indebtedness or obligations owing to the Lenders and the Agent
hereunder shall immediately become due and payable without the giving of any
notice or other action by the Agent or the Lenders.
Notwithstanding the
fact that enforcement powers reside primarily with the Agent, each Lender has,
to the extent permitted by law, a separate right of payment and shall be
considered a separate “creditor” holding a separate “claim” within the meaning
of Section 101(5) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other insolvency
statute.
9.3 Allocation of Payments After
Event of Default.
Notwithstanding any
other provisions of this Credit Agreement, after the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Event of Default, all amounts collected or received by the
Agent or any Lender on account of amounts outstanding under any of the Credit
Documents shall be paid over or delivered as follows:
FIRST, to the
payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including without
limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) of the Agent or-any of the Lenders in
connection with enforcing the rights of the Lenders under the Credit Documents,
pro rata as set forth below;
SECOND, to payment
of any fees owed to the Agent or any Lender, pro rata as set forth
below;
THIRD, to the
payment of all accrued interest payable to the Lenders hereunder, pro rata as
set forth below;
FOURTH, to the
payment of the outstanding principal amount of the Loans and unreimbursed
drawings under Letters of Credit, and to the payment or cash collateralization
of the outstanding Letters of Credit Obligations, pro rata as set forth
below;
63
FIFTH, to all other
obligations which shall have become due and payable under the Credit Documents
and not repaid pursuant to clauses “FIRST” through “FOURTH” above;
and
SIXTH, to the
payment of the surplus, if any, to whoever may be lawfully entitled to receive
such surplus.
In carrying out the
foregoing, (a) amounts received shall be applied in the numerical order provided
until exhausted prior to application to the next succeeding category; (b) each
of the Lenders shall receive an amount equal to its pro rata share (based on the
proportion that the then outstanding Loans, and Letter of Credit Obligations
held by such Lender bears to the aggregate then outstanding Loans and Letter of
Credit Obligations), of amounts available to be applied; and (c) to the extent
that any amounts available for distribution pursuant to clause “FOURTH” above
are attributable to the issued but undrawn amount of outstanding Letters of
Credit, such amounts shall be held by the Agent in a cash collateral account and
applied (x) first, to reimburse the Lenders from time to time for any drawings
under such Letters of Credit and (y) then, following the expiration of all
Letters of Credit, to all other obligations of the types described in clauses
“FOURTH,” and “FIFTH” above in the manner provided in this Section
9.3.
Section
10. AGENCY
PROVISIONS
10.1 Appointment.
Each Lender
(including in its capacity as an L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, if
applicable) hereby designates and appoints Bank of America, N.A. as agent of
such Lender to act as specified herein and the other Credit Documents, and each
such Lender hereby authorizes the Agent, as the agent for such Lender, to take
such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Credit Agreement and the
other Credit Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as
are expressly delegated by the terms hereof and of the other Credit Documents,
together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental
thereto. The provisions of this Section are solely for the benefit of
the Agent and the Lenders and the Borrower shall not have any rights as a third
party beneficiary of the provisions hereof. In performing its
functions and duties under this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents,
the Agent shall act solely as agent of the Lenders and does not assume and shall
not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or relationship of agency or trust
with or for the Borrower. The Agent agrees to give each Lender prompt
notice of each notice given to it by the Borrower pursuant to the terms of this
Credit Agreement.
10.2 Delegation of
Duties.
The Agent may
execute any of its duties hereunder or under the other Credit Documents by or
through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel
concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Agent shall not
be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or
attorneys-in-fact selected by it with reasonable care.
10.3 Exculpatory
Provisions.
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Notwithstanding any
provision to the contrary elsewhere herein and in the other Credit Documents,
the Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly
set forth herein and therein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and
no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or
liabilities shall be read into this Credit Agreement or any of the other Credit
Documents, or shall otherwise exist against the Agent. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agent:
(a) shall
not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a
Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall
not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary
powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or
by the other Loan Documents that the Agent is required to exercise as directed
in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the
Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan
Documents), provided that the
Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the
opinion of its counsel, may expose the Agent to liability or that is contrary to
any Loan Document or applicable law; and
(c) shall
not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have
any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any
information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is
communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Agent or any of its
Affiliates in any capacity.
Neither the Agent
nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or
affiliates shall be liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken
by it or such Person under or in connection herewith or in connection with any
of the other Credit Documents (except for its or such Person’s own gross
negligence or willful misconduct), or responsible in any manner to any of the
Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by the
Borrower contained herein or in any of the other Credit Documents or in any
certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in,
or received by the Agent under or in connection herewith or in connection with
the other Credit Documents, or enforceability or sufficiency therefor of any of
the other Credit Documents, or for any failure of the Borrower to perform its
obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Agent shall not be
responsible to any Lender for, nor have any duty to inquire into, (i) the
effectiveness, genuineness, validity, enforceability, collectibility or
sufficiency of this Credit Agreement, or any of the other Credit Documents, (ii)
any representations, warranties, recitals or statements made herein or therein
or made by the Borrower in any written or oral statement or in any financial or
other statements, instruments, reports, certificates or any other documents in
connection herewith or therewith furnished or made by the Agent to the Lenders
or by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Agent or any Lender, (iii) the
performance or observance of any of the terms, conditions, provisions, covenants
or agreements contained herein or therein or as to the use of the proceeds of
the Loans or Letters of Credit or of the existence or possible existence of any
Default or Event of Default or to inspect the properties, books or records of
the Borrower or (iv) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Section 5 or
elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to
be delivered to the Agent. The Agent is not a trustee for the Lenders
and owes no fiduciary duty to the Lenders.
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10.4 Reliance on
Communications.
The Agent shall be
entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any note,
writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, cablegram,
telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or
conversation believed by it in good faith to be genuine and correct and to have
been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and
statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation, counsel to the
Borrower, independent accountants and other experts selected by the Agent with
reasonable care). In determining compliance with any condition
hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that
by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an L/C Issuer,
the Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such
L/C Issuer unless the Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such
Lender or such L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of
such Letter of Credit. The Agent may deem and treat the Lenders as
the owner of its interests hereunder for all purposes unless a written notice of
assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed with the Agent
in accordance with Section 11.3(b). The Agent shall be fully
justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Credit Agreement
or under any of the other Credit Documents unless it shall first receive such
advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate or it
shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and
all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or
continuing to take any such action. The Agent shall in all cases be
fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, hereunder or under any
of the other Credit Documents in accordance with a request of the Required
Lenders (or to the extent specifically provided in Section 11.6, all the
Lenders) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant
thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders (including their successors and
assigns).
10.5 Notice of
Default.
The Agent shall not
be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event
of Default hereunder unless the Agent has received notice from a Lender or the
Borrower referring to the Credit Document, describing such Default or Event of
Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default.” In the
event that the Agent receives such a notice, the Agent shall give prompt notice
thereof to the Lenders. The Agent shall take such action with respect
to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the
Required Lenders.
10.6 Non-Reliance on Agent and
Other Lenders.
Each Lender
expressly acknowledges that neither the Agent nor any of its officers,
directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates has made any
representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Agent or any
affiliate thereof hereinafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries, shall be deemed to constitute any representation
or warranty by the Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the
Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any
other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business,
assets, operations, property, financial and other conditions, prospects and
creditworthiness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and made its own
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decision to make
its Extensions of Credit hereunder and enter into this Credit
Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently
and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender, and based on such
documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to
make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking
action under this Credit Agreement, and to make such investigation as it deems
necessary to inform itself as to the business, assets, operations, property,
financial and other conditions, prospects and creditworthiness of the Borrower
or its Subsidiaries. Except for notices, reports and other documents
expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Agent hereunder, the
Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any
credit or other information concerning the business, operations, assets,
property, financial or other conditions, prospects or creditworthiness of the
Borrower or its Subsidiaries which may come into the possession of the Agent or
any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or
Affiliates.
10.7 Indemnification.
Each Lender agrees
to indemnify the Agent in its capacity as such and each L/C Issuer in its
capacity as such (in each case to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and
without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to
its Commitment Percentage, from and against any and all liabilities,
obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs,
expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever which may at any time
(including without limitation at any time following the payment in full of the
Borrower Obligations) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Agent
or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in its capacity as such in any way
relating to or arising out of this Credit Agreement or the other Credit
Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or
the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted
by the Agent or such L/C Issuer under or in connection with any of the
foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any
portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions,
judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from the gross
negligence or willful misconduct of the Agent or such L/C Issuer, as the case
may be, or from any losses suffered by the Agent solely as a result of the
Borrower’s failure to make payments as required pursuant to Section
3.4(c). If any indemnity furnished to the Agent or an L/C Issuer, as
the case may be, for any purpose shall, in the opinion of the Agent or such L/C
Issuer, as the case may be,, be insufficient or become impaired, the Agent or
such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, may call for additional indemnity and
cease, or not commence, to do the acts indemnified against until such additional
indemnity is furnished. The agreements in this Section 10.7 shall
survive the payment of the Borrower Obligations and all other amounts payable
hereunder and under the other Credit Documents.
10.8 Agent in Its Individual
Capacity.
The Agent in its
individual capacity and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from
and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries as though the Agent were not Agent hereunder. With
respect to the Loans made and all Borrower Obligations owing to it, the Agent in
its individual capacity shall have the same rights and powers under this Credit
Agreement as any Lender and may exercise the same as
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though they were
not Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include the Agent in its
individual capacity.
10.9 Successor
Agent.
(a) The
Agent may resign as the Agent upon 30 days notice to the Lenders. If
the Agent resigns under this Credit Agreement, the Required Lenders shall
appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders which successor
agent shall be approved by the Borrower. If no successor agent is
appointed prior to the effective date of the resignation of the Agent, the Agent
may appoint, after consulting with the Lenders and the Borrower, a successor
agent from among the Lenders. Upon the acceptance of its appointment
as successor agent hereunder, such successor agent shall succeed to all the
rights, powers and duties of the retiring Agent and the term “Agent” shall mean
such successor agent and the retiring Agent’s appointment, powers and duties as
Agent shall be terminated. After any retiring Agent’s resignation
hereunder as Agent, the provisions of this Section 10 and Section 11.5 shall
inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken, by it while
it was the Agent under this Credit Agreement. If no successor agent
has accepted appointment as the Agent by the date which is 30 days following a
retiring Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Agent’s resignation shall
nevertheless thereupon become effective and the Lenders shall perform all of the
duties of the Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders
appoint a successor agent with the Borrower’s approval, as provided for above;
provided that the Borrower’s approval shall not be required after and during the
continuance of an Event of Default.
(b) Any
resignation by Bank of America as Agent pursuant to this Section shall also
constitute its resignation as an L/C Issuer and the Swing Line
Lender. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent
hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the
rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line
Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged
from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other
Credit Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit
in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of
such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C
Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with
respect to such Letters of Credit.
10.10 Other
Agents.
None of the Book
Manager, the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent or the Documentation Agents, in
their capacity as such, shall have any duties or obligations of any kind under
this Credit Agreement.
Section
11. MISCELLANEOUS
11.1 Notices.
(a) Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications
shall have been duly given and shall be effective (i) when delivered, (ii) when
transmitted via telecopy (or other facsimile device) or (iii) the Business Day
following the day
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on which the same
has been delivered prepaid to a reputable national overnight air courier
service, in each case to the respective parties at the address or telecopy
numbers set forth on Schedule 11.1, or at
such other address as such party may specify by written notice to the other
parties hereto.
(b) 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 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 or the Agent’s transmission of
Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the
gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no
event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or
any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive
damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
(c) Each
Lender agrees to notify the Agent from time to time to ensure that the Agent has
on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier
number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may
be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.
11.2 Right of
Set-Off.
In addition to any
rights now or hereafter granted under applicable law or otherwise, and not by
way of limitation of any such rights, upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Event of Default and the commencement of remedies described in
Section 9.2, each Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time,
without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind (all of which
rights being hereby expressly waived), to set off and to appropriate and apply
any and all deposits (general or special) and any other indebtedness at any time
held or owing by such Lender (including, without limitation branches, agencies
or Affiliates of such Lender wherever located) to or for the credit or the
account of the Borrower against obligations and liabilities of the Borrower to
the Lenders hereunder, under the Notes, the other Credit Documents or otherwise,
irrespective of whether the Agent or the Lenders shall have made any demand
hereunder and although such obligations, liabilities or claims, or any of them,
may be contingent or unmatured. The Borrower hereby agrees that any
Person purchasing a participation in the Loans and Revolving Loan Commitments
hereunder pursuant to Section 11.3(c) may exercise all rights of set-off with
respect to its participation interest as fully as if such Person were a Lender
hereunder.
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11.3 Benefit of
Agreement.
(a) Generally. This
Credit Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto;
provided the Borrower may not assign and transfer any of its interests without
the prior written consent of the Lenders; and provided, further, that the rights
of each Lender to transfer, assign or grant participations in its rights and/or
obligations hereunder shall be limited as set forth below in this Section
11.3.
(b) Assignments. Each
Lender may, with the consent of each L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender (which
consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), assign to one or more
Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this
Credit Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Loans,
its Notes, and its Revolving Loan Commitment); provided, however,
that:
(i) each such
assignment shall be to an Eligible Assignee;
(ii) except in the case
of an assignment to another Lender or an assignment of all of a Lender’s rights
and obligations under this Credit Agreement, any such partial assignment shall
be in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 (or, if less, the remaining amount
of the Revolving Loan Commitment being assigned by such Lender) and an integral
multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof;
(iii) each such
assignment by a Lender shall be of a constant and not varying, percentage of all
of its rights and obligations under this Credit Agreement and the
Notes;
(iv) the parties to such
assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent for its acceptance an
Assignment Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.3(b), together with
a processing fee (other than in connection with any assignment to an Affiliate
of such Lender) from the assignor of $3,500 (unless waived by the Agent), and,
if the assignee thereunder is not an existing Lender, such assignee shall
deliver to the Agent such information as the Agent may request for
administrative purposes; and
(v) no such assignment
shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates, (B) 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.
Upon execution,
delivery, and acceptance of such Assignment Agreement, the assignee thereunder
shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of such assignment, have the
obligations, rights, and benefits of a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender
shall, to the extent of such assignment, relinquish its rights and be released
from its obligations under this Credit Agreement. Upon the
consummation of any assignment pursuant to this Section 11.3(b), the assignor,
the Agent and the Borrower shall make appropriate arrangements so that, if
required, new Notes are issued to the assignor and the assignee. If
the assignee is not incorporated under
70
the laws of the
United States of America or a state thereof, it shall deliver to the Borrower
and the Agent certification as to exemption from deduction or withholding of
taxes in accordance with Section 4.4.
By executing and
delivering an assignment agreement in accordance with this Section 11.3(b), the
assigning Lender thereunder and the assignee thereunder shall be deemed to
confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows:
(A) such assigning Lender represents and warrants that it is legally authorized
to enter into such assignment agreement and it is the legal and beneficial owner
of the interest being assigned thereby free and clear of any adverse claim
created by such assigning Lender and the assignee warrants that it is an
Eligible Assignee; (B) except as set forth in clause (A) above, such assigning
Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with
respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in
connection with this Credit Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents or any
other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto, or the
execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value
of this Credit Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents or any other
instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto or the financial
condition of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the performance or
observance by the Borrower of any of its obligations under this Credit
Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents or any other instrument or document
furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (C) such assignee represents and warrants
that it is legally authorized to enter into such assignment agreement; (D) such
assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Credit Agreement, the
other Credit Documents and such other documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such
assignment agreement; (E) such assignee will independently and without reliance
upon the Agent, such assigning Lender or any other Lender, and based on such
documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to
make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Credit
Agreement and the other Credit Documents; (F) such assignee appoints and
authorizes the Agent to take such action on its behalf and to exercise such
powers under this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document as are delegated
to the Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such powers as are
reasonably incidental thereto; and (G) such assignee agrees that it will perform
in accordance with their terms all the obligations which by the terms of this
Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents are required to be performed by
it as a Lender.
(c) Register. The
Agent shall maintain a copy of each Assignment Agreement delivered to and
accepted by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of
the Lenders and the Revolving Loan Commitment of, and principal amount of the
Loans owing to, each Lender and the Letters of Credit issued by each L/C Issuer
from time to time (the “Register”). The
entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent
manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders may treat each
Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender hereunder for all
purposes of this Credit Agreement. The Register shall be available
for inspection by the Borrower or any Lender at any reasonable time and from
time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Acceptance. Upon
its receipt of an Assignment Agreement executed by the parties thereto, together
with any Note subject to such assignment and payment of the processing fee, the
Agent shall, if such Assignment Agreement has been completed and is in
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substantially the
form of Exhibit
11.3(b) hereto, (i) accept such Assignment Agreement, (ii) record the
information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice
thereof to the parties thereto.
(e) Participations. Each
Lender may sell participations to one or more Persons in all or a portion of its
rights, obligations or rights and obligations under this Credit Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Revolving Loan Commitment, its Notes and its
Loans); provided, however, that (i)
such Lender’s obligations under this Credit Agreement shall remain unchanged,
(ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for
the performance of such obligations, (iii) the participant shall be entitled to
the benefit of the yield protection provisions contained in Sections 4.1 through
4.4, inclusive, but only to the extent that such Lender is entitled to payment
or reimbursement under such Sections, and the right of set-off contained in
Section 11.2 and (iv) the Borrower shall continue to deal solely and directly
with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under
this Credit Agreement, and such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce
the obligations of the Borrower relating to its Loans and its Notes and to
approve any amendment, modification, or waiver of any provision of this Credit
Agreement (other than amendments, modifications, or waivers decreasing the
amount of principal of or the rate at which interest is payable on such Loans or
Notes, extending any scheduled principal payment date or date fixed for the
payment of interest on such Loans or Notes, or extending its Revolving Loan
Commitment).
(f) Nonrestricted
Assignments. Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in
this Credit Agreement, any Lender may at any time assign and pledge all or any
portion of its Loans and its Notes to any Federal Reserve Bank as collateral
security pursuant to Regulation A and any Operating Circular issued by such
Federal Reserve Bank. No such assignment shall release the assigning
Lender from its obligations hereunder.
(g) Information. Any
Lender may furnish any information concerning the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants
(including prospective assignees and participants); provided that the furnishing
of such information shall be subject to the provisions of Section 11.10
below.
(h) SPC’s. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may
grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPC”) the option to fund all or
any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to
fund pursuant to this Credit Agreement; provided that (i) nothing
herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, (ii) if an SPC
elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to fund all or any part of
such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to fund such Loan pursuant to
the terms hereof, (iii) no SPC shall have any voting rights pursuant to Section
11.6 (all such voting rights shall be retained by the Granting Lenders), (iv)
with respect to notices, payments and other matters hereunder, the Borrower, the
Agent and the Lenders shall not be obligated to deal with an SPC, but may limit
their communications and other dealings relevant to such SPC to the applicable
Granting Lender, and (v) with respect to the funding of any Loan by an SPC, the
Borrower shall not have to pay any greater cost, or incur any greater expense,
under the provisions of Section 4 of this Credit Agreement or otherwise, than if
all Loans were funded by the applicable Granting Lender
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without the
involvement of an SPC. The funding of a Loan by an SPC hereunder
shall utilize the Revolving Loan Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same
extent that, and as if, such Loan were funded by such Granting
Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPC shall be liable
for any indemnity or payment under this Credit Agreement for which a Lender
would otherwise be liable for so long as, and to the extent, the Granting Lender
provides such indemnity or makes such payment. In furtherance of the
foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreements shall survive
termination of this Credit Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year
and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or
other senior indebtedness of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any
other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization,
arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United
States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Credit Agreement, any SPC may disclose on a confidential basis
any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating
agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or guarantee to such
SPC. This clause (h) may not be amended without the prior written
consent of each Granting Lender, all or any part of whose Loan is being funded
by an SPC at the time of such amendment.
11.4 No Waiver; Remedies
Cumulative; Enforcement.
No failure or delay
on the part of the Agent or any Lender in exercising any right, power or
privilege hereunder or under any other Credit Document and no course of dealing
between the Borrower and the Agent or any Lender shall operate as a waiver
thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or
privilege hereunder or under any other Credit Document preclude any other or
further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege
hereunder or thereunder. The rights and remedies provided herein are
cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies which the Agent or any
Lender would otherwise have. No notice to or demand on the Borrower
in any case shall entitle the Borrower to any other or further notice or demand
in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the rights of the
Agent or the Lenders to any other or further action in any circumstances without
notice or demand.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Credit Document, the
authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Credit
Documents against the Borrower 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 Agent in accordance with Section 9.2 for the
benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuers; provided, however, that the
foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Agent from exercising on its own behalf the
rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Agent)
hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, (b) any L/C Issuer or the Swing
Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit
(solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be)
hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising
setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.2 (subject to the terms of Section
3.6), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing
pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to the
Borrower under any debtor relief law; and provided, further, that if at
any time there is no Person acting as Agent hereunder and under the other Credit
Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights
73
otherwise ascribed
to the Agent pursuant to Section 9.2 and (ii) in addition to the matters set
forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to
Section 3.6, 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.
11.5 Payment
of Expenses, etc.
The Borrower agrees
to: (i) pay all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Agent and the
Arrangers in connection with (A) the negotiation, preparation, execution and
delivery and administration of this Credit Agreement and the other Credit
Documents and the documents and instruments referred to therein (including,
without limitation, legal fees of one counsel for the Agent) and (B) any
amendment, waiver or consent relating hereto and thereto including, but not
limited to, any such amendments, waivers or consents resulting from or related
to any work-out, renegotiation or restructure relating to the performance by the
Borrower under this Credit Agreement, (ii) pay all reasonable out-of-pocket
costs and expenses of the Agent, each L/C Issuer and the Lenders in connection
with (A) enforcement of the Credit Documents and the documents and instruments
referred to therein (including, without limitation, in connection with any such
enforcement, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agent,
each L/C Issuer and each of the Lenders) and (B) any bankruptcy or insolvency
proceeding of the Borrower and (iii) indemnify the Agent, the Arrangers, each
L/C Issuer and each Lender, its officers, directors, employees, representatives,
affiliates and agents from and hold each of them harmless against any and all
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses incurred by any of them as a
result of, or arising out of, or in any way related to, or by reason of, any
investigation, litigation or other proceeding (whether or not the Agent, the
Arrangers, any L/C Issuer or any Lender is a party thereto) related to the
entering into and/or performance of any Credit Document or the use of proceeds
of any Loans (including other extensions of credit) hereunder or the
consummation of any other transactions contemplated in any Credit Document,
including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
incurred in connection with any such investigation, litigation or other
proceeding (but excluding any such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses to the extent incurred by reason of gross negligence or willful
misconduct on the part of the Person to be indemnified or such Person’s
employer, employee or co-employee); provided that the foregoing indemnity by the
Borrower shall not extend to disputes solely among the Lenders or litigation
commenced by the Borrower which (a) seeks enforcement of any of the Borrower’s
rights hereunder and (b) is determined in a final judgment adverse to the Agent
and the Lenders. The agreements in this Section 11.5 shall survive
the payment of the Borrower Obligations and all other amounts payable hereunder
and under the other Credit Documents.
11.6 Amendments, Waivers and
Consents.
Neither this Credit
Agreement, nor any other Credit Document nor any of the terms hereof or thereof
may be amended, changed, waived, discharged or terminated unless such amendment,
change, waiver, discharge or termination is in writing and signed by the
Required Lenders and the Borrower, and acknowledged by the Agent; provided that
no such amendment, change, waiver, discharge or termination shall without the
consent of each Lender:
74
(a) extend the Maturity
Date, or postpone or extend the time for any payment or prepayment of
principal;
(b) reduce the rate or
extend the time of payment of interest (other than as a result of waiving the
applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates) thereon or fees or
other amounts payable hereunder;
(c) reduce or waive the
principal amount of any Loan;
(d) increase or extend
the Revolving Loan Commitment of a Lender (it being understood and agreed that a
waiver of any Default or Event of Default shall not constitute a change in the
terms of any Revolving Loan Commitment of any Lender);
(e) release the
Borrower from its obligations under the Credit Documents;
(f) amend, modify or
waive any provision of this Section 11.6 or Section 3.6, 3.8, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3,
4.4, 9.1(a), 11.2, 11.3 or 11.5;
(g) reduce any
percentage specified in, or otherwise modify, the definition of Required
Lenders; or
(h) consent to the
assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations
under (or in respect of) the Credit Documents.
No provision of
Section 2.9 or Section 10 may be amended or modified without the consent of the
Agent.
No amendment,
waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each L/C Issuer,
adversely affect the rights or obligations of the L/C Issuers in their
capacities as such under this Credit Agreement.
No amendment,
waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender,
affect the rights or obligations of the Swing Line Lender in its capacity as
such under this Credit Agreement.
Notwithstanding the
fact that the consent of all the Lenders is required in certain circumstances as
set forth above, each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any
reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that
the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code supersedes the
unanimous consent provisions set forth herein.
Each Lender
understands and agrees that if such Lender is a Defaulting Lender then it shall
not be entitled to vote on any matter requiring the consent of the Required
Lenders or to object to any matter requiring the consent of all the Lenders
(except that (x) an increase or extension of the Commitment(s) of such
Defaulting Lender, (y) any reduction of the amount of principal or interest owed
to such Defaulting Lender and (z) or any waiver, amendment or modification
requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms
affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall,
in each case, require the
75
consent of such
Defaulting Lender); provided, however, that all other benefits and obligations
under the Credit Documents shall apply to such Defaulting Lender.
11.7 Counterparts/Telecopy.
This Credit
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which where so
executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute
one and the same instrument. Delivery of executed counterparts by
telecopy shall be as effective as an original and shall constitute a
representation that an original will be delivered.
11.8 Headings.
The headings of the
sections and subsections hereof are provided for convenience only and shall not
in any way affect the meaning or construction of any provision of this Credit
Agreement.
11.9 Survival of Indemnification
and Representations and Warranties.
All indemnities set
forth herein and all representations and warranties made herein shall survive
the execution and delivery of this Credit Agreement, the making of the Loans and
the repayment of the Loans and other obligations and the termination of the
Revolving Loan Commitments hereunder.
11.10 Confidentiality.
Neither the Agent
nor any Lender shall disclose any Confidential Information to any Person,
without the prior written consent of the Borrower, other than (a ) (i) to the
Agent’s or such Lender’s Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees,
agents, attorneys, accountants and advisors (it being understood that the
Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential
nature of such Confidential Information and such person shall have agreed to
keep such Confidential Information confidential on substantially the same terms
as provided herein) and (ii) as contemplated by Section 11.3, to actual or
prospective assignees and participants, and to any direct or indirect
contractual counterparties (or the professional advisors thereto) to any swap or
derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations (provided,
such assignees, participants, counterparties and advisors are advised of and
agree to be bound by either the provisions of this Section 11.10 or other
provisions at least as restrictive as this Section 11.10), (b) as required by
any law, rule or regulation or by judicial process, (c) to any rating agency
when required by it to do so; provided that, prior to any such disclosure, such
rating agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any
Confidential Information relating to the Borrower received by it from such
Lender, (d) as requested or required by any state, federal or foreign authority
or examiner regulating banks or banking, (e) to protect, preserve, exercise or
enforce the Agent’s or such Lender’s rights under or pursuant to this Credit
Agreement or any Note, and (f) to perform any of the Agent’s or such Lender’s
obligations under or pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any Note.
11.11 Governing Law;
Venue.
76
(a) THIS CREDIT
AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENTS AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE
PARTIES HEREUNDER AND THEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. Any
legal action or proceeding with respect to this Credit Agreement or any other
Credit Document may be brought in the courts of the State of New York, or of the
United States for the Southern District of New York, and, by execution and
delivery of this Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby irrevocably accepts for
itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the
exclusive jurisdiction of such courts.
(b) The Borrower hereby
irrevocably waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the
laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions or proceedings arising out of or
in connection with this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document brought in
the courts referred to in subsection (a) hereof and hereby further irrevocably
waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action
or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient
forum.
11.12 Waiver of Jury Trial; Waiver
of Consequential Damages.
EACH OF THE PARTIES
TO THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN
ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS CREDIT
AGREEMENT, ANY OF THE OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY. THE BORROWER AGREES NOT TO ASSERT ANY CLAIM AGAINST THE
AGENT, ANY LENDER, ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES, OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE
DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS, ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR
OTHERWISE RELATING TO ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREIN.
11.13 Payments Set
Aside. To the
extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Agent,
any L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender
exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff
or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or
preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement
entered into by the Agent, such L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to
be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any
proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws or otherwise, then (a) to the
extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to
be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such
payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender
and each L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Agent upon demand its
applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid
by the Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date
such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from
time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C
Issuers under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in
full of the obligations under this Credit Agreement and the termination of this
Credit Agreement.
77
11.14 Time.
All references to
time herein shall be references to Central Standard Time or Central Daylight
Time, as the case may be, unless specified otherwise.
11.15 Severability.
If any provision of
any of the Credit Documents is determined to be illegal, invalid or
unenforceable, such provision shall be fully severable and the remaining
provisions shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed without
giving effect to the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.
11.16 Assurances.
The Borrower
agrees, upon the request of the Agent, to promptly take such actions, as
reasonably requested, as are consistent with and necessary to carry out the
intent of this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
11.17 USA Patriot Act
Notification.
The following
notification is provided to the Borrower pursuant to Section 326 of the USA
Patriot Act of 2001, 31 U.S.C. Section 5318:
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR OPENING A NEW ACCOUNT. To help the
government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities,
Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record
information that identifies each person or entity that opens an account,
including any deposit account, treasury management account, loan, other
extension of credit, or other financial services product. What this
means for the Borrower: When the Borrower opens an account, if the Borrower is
an individual, the Agent and the Lenders will ask for the Borrower’s name,
residential address, tax identification number, date of birth, and other
information that will allow the Agent and the Lenders to identify the Borrower,
and, if the Borrower is not an individual, the Agent and the Lenders will ask
for the Borrower’s name, tax identification number, business address, and other
information that will allow the Agent and the Lenders to identify the
Borrower. The Agent and the Lenders may also ask, if the Borrower is
an individual, to see the Borrower’s driver’s license or other identifying
documents, and, if the Borrower is not an individual, to see the Borrower’s
legal organizational documents or other identifying documents.
11.18 Entirety.
This Credit
Agreement together with the other Credit Documents represent the entire
agreement of the parties hereto and thereto, and supersede all prior agreements
and understandings, oral or written, if any, including any commitment letters or
correspondence relating to the Credit Documents or the transactions contemplated
herein and therein.
11.19 No Advisory or Fiduciary
Responsibility.
78
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 Credit
Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that: (i) (A) the arranging and
other services regarding this Credit Agreement provided by the Agent, the
Lenders and the Arrangers are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the
Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agent, the Lenders and the
Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal,
accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate,
and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the
terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the
other Credit Documents; (ii) (A) the Agent, each Lender and each Arranger is and
has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing
by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an
advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any
other Person and (B) neither the Agent nor any Lender nor any Arranger has any
obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth
herein and in the other Credit Documents; and (iii) the Agent, the Lenders and
the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of
transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and
its Affiliates, and neither the Agent nor any Lender nor any Arranger has any
obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its
Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby
waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Agent, the Lenders
and the Arrangers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or
fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated
hereby.
[Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left Blank, Signature Pages Follow]
79
Each of the parties
hereto has caused a counterpart of this Credit Agreement to be duly executed and
delivered as of the date first above written.
Borrower: INTEGRYS
ENERGY GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: VP-Treasurer
Lenders:
|
BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.
|
|
individually
in its capacity as a Lender and as
Agent
|
By: /s/ X. Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Senior
Vice President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.
By: /s/ H. D.
Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Title: Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
U.S. BANK NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Title:
Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Title: Director
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Xxxx X.
Xxxx
Name: Xxxx X.
Xxxx
Title: Senior Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
THE
BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD.
By: /s/ Chi-Xxxxx
Xxxx
Name: Chi-Xxxxx
Xxxx
Title: Authorized
Signatory
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
UNION
BANK, N.A.
By: /s/ Alex
Wemberg
Name: Alex Wemberg,
CFA
Title: Senior Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
COBANK,
ACB
By: /s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Title: Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Citibank,
N.A.
By: /s/ Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Director
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
The
Bank of Nova Scotia
By: /s/ Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Managing
Director
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Mizuho
Corporate Bank (USA)
By: /s/ Xxxx
Mo
Name: Xxxx
Mo
Title: Senior Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Deutsche
Bank AG New York Branch
By: /s/ Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Title: Director
By: /s/ Xxxx X.
Xxx
Name: Xxxx X.
Xxx
Title: Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
XXXXXX XXXXXXX BANK,
N.A.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Authorized
Signatory
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
THE
NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Title: Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
XXXXXXX
SACHS BANK USA
By: /s/ Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Authorized
Signatory
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
CAJA
MADRID, MIAMI AGENCY
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Name: Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Director-North American
Corp. Banking
By: /s/ Xxxx
Xxxxx
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxx
Title: Senior Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Associated
Bank, National Association
By: /s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Title: Senior Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
PNC
Bank, National Association
By: /s/ Xxx
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice
President
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Land
Bank of Taiwan Los Angeles Branch
By: /s/ Chien
Juifu
Name: Juifu
Chien
Title: General
Manager
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Malayan
Banking Berhad, New York Branch
By: /s/ Fauzi
Zulkifli
Name: Fauzi
Zulkifli
Title: General
Manager
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
TAIWAN
BUSINESS BANK
By: /s/ Xxxx
Xxxx
Name: Xxxx
Xxxx
Title: S.V.P. & General
Manager
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Taipei
Fubon Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx
Xxx
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxx
Title: VP/Deputy General
Manager
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Taiwan
Cooperative Bank Seattle Branch
By: /s/ Xxxx
Xxx
Name: Xxxx
Xxx
Title: VP & General
Manager
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Mega
International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
Los
Angeles Branch
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxx
Xxx
Name: Xxxx Xxxx
Liu
Title: SVP &
GM
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
First
Commercial Bank, Los Angeles Branch
By: /s/ Wen-Xxx
Xx
Name: Wen-Xxx
Xx
Title: Deputy General
Manager
Signature Page to
Integrys Energy Group Credit Agreement.
Xxxxx
Xxx Commercial Bank Ltd.
Los
Angeles Branch
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx
Name: Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx
Title: Vice President & General
Manager
Schedule
1.1
to
Credit
Agreement
Commitment
Percentages
Lender
|
Commitment
Percentage |
Revolving
Loan
Commitment
|
Bank of
America, N.A.
|
6.818181818%
|
$50,113,636.41
|
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.
|
6.818181818%
|
$50,113,636.36
|
U.S. Bank
National Association
|
6.363636364%
|
$46,772,727.27
|
Xxxxx Fargo
Bank, National Association
|
6.363636364%
|
$46,772,727.27
|
KeyBank
National Association
|
6.363636364%
|
$46,772,727.27
|
The Bank of
Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.
|
3.181818182%
|
$23,386,363.64
|
Union Bank,
N.A.
|
3.181818182%
|
$23,386,363.64
|
CoBank,
ACB
|
5.363636364%
|
$39,422,727.27
|
Citibank,
N.A.
|
5.363636364%
|
$39,422,727.27
|
The Bank of
Nova Scotia
|
5.000000000%
|
$39,422,727.27
|
Mizuho
Corporate Bank (USA)
|
5.000000000%
|
$39,422,727.27
|
Deutsche Bank
AG New York Branch
|
5.363636364%
|
$39,422,727.27
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Bank, N.A.
|
4.545454545%
|
$33,409,090.91
|
The Northern
Trust Company
|
4.545454545%
|
$33,409,090.91
|
Xxxxxxx Sachs
Bank USA
|
4.545454545%
|
$33,409,090.91
|
Caja de
Ahorros y Monte de Piecad de Madrid
|
4.545454545%
|
$33,409,090.91
|
Associated
Bank, N.A.
|
2.272727273%
|
$16,704,545.45
|
PNC Bank,
N.A.
|
2.272727273%
|
$16,704,545.45
|
Land Bank of
Taiwan, Los Angeles Branch
|
2.272727273%
|
$16,704,545.45
|
Malayan
Banking Berhad
|
2.272727273%
|
$16,704,545.45
|
Taiwan
Business Bank
|
1.363636364%
|
$10,022,727.27
|
Taipei Fubon
Commercial Bank Co. Ltd.
|
1.363636364%
|
$10,022,727.27
|
Taiwan
Cooperative Bank Seattle Branch
|
1.363636364%
|
$10,022,727.27
|
Mega
International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. Los Angeles Branch
|
0.909090909%
|
$6,681,818.18
|
First
Commercial Bank, Los Angeles Branch
|
0.909090909%
|
$6,681,818.18
|
Xxxxx Xxx
Commercial Bank Ltd., Los Angeles Branch
|
0.909090909%
|
$6,681,818.18
|
100.00%
|
$735,000,000
|
Schedule
2.9: Existing Letters of Credit
None
Schedule 6.1:
Subsidiaries
Borrower’s
Principal Subsidiaries and other
Subsidiaries
as of the Closing Date
Wisconsin Public
Service Corporation
WPS Leasing,
Inc.
WPS Investments,
LLC
Peoples Energy
Corporation
The Peoples Gas
Light and Coke Company
Peoples Gas
Neighborhood Development Corporation
North Shore Gas
Company
Peoples District
Energy Corporation
Peoples Energy
Ventures, LLC
Peoples Energy
Neighborhood Development, LLC
Peoples Energy
Homes Services, LLC
Peoples Technology,
LLC
Peoples Energy
Resources Company, LLC
Michigan Gas
Utilities Corporation
Minnesota Energy
Resources Corporation
Integrys Business
Support, LLC
WPS Visions,
Inc.
Integrys Energy
Services, Inc.
Quest Energy,
LLC
Integrys Energy
Services of Canada Corp.
Integrys Energy
Services of New York, Inc.
Integrys Energy
Services of Texas, LP
Integrys Energy
Services – Natural Gas, LLC
Integrys Energy
Services – Electric, LLC
PERC Holdings,
LLC
WPS Power
Development, LLC
PDI Xxxxxxxx,
Inc.
Wisconsin Woodgas
LLC
ECO Coal
Pelletization #12 LLC
Sunbury Holdings,
LLC
WPS Westwood
Generation, LLC
Winnebago Energy
Center, LLC
WPS Empire State,
Inc.
WPS Beaver Falls
Generation, LLC
WPS Syracuse
Generation, LLC
Combined Locks
Energy Center, LLC
Peoples Natural Gas
Liquids, LLC
Solar Hold 2008-1,
LLC
Soltage - MAZ 700
Tinton Falls, LLC
Soltage - ADC 630
Jamesburg, LLC
Soltage - PLG 500
Milford, LLC
Solar Hold 2008-2,
LLC
Crimson Solar,
LLC
Hemlock Solar,
LLC
Solar Man,
LLC
Solar Star
California II, LLC
Solar Star New
Jersey I, LLC
Solar Star New
Jersey II, LLC
Solar Star TM2, LLC
Sun Devil Solar, LLC
Upper Peninsula
Power Company
Penvest,
Inc.
Schedule
8.3: Permitted Asset Sales
1.
|
Sales of
accounts receivable in connection with asset securitizations, including
securitizations of environmental
retrofits.
|
Schedule
11.1
to
Credit
Agreement
Borrower
Attn: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
P.O. Box
19001
Xxxxx Xxx,
Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Agent
Xxxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxx
Agency Management
- East
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
XX0-000-00-00
Xxxxxxxxx, XX
00000
Voice:
000.000.0000
Fax:
000.000.0000
e-mail:
xxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
Lenders
Associated
Bank, N.A.
000 X.
Xxxxxxxx Xxx.
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: 000-000-0000
Fax: 000
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
Bank of
America
Mail Code:
NC1-001-04-39
One
Independence Center
000 X Xxxxx
Xx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX
00000-0000
Phone: 0.000.000.0000
Fax: 0.000.000.0000
Attn: Xxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Email:
xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
The Bank of
Nova Scotia
Xxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, 00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxxx
XxXxxxxx
xxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
The Bank of
Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.
0000 Xxxxxx
xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000/2305
Attn: Xxxxxxx
Xx
|
Caja de
Ahorres y Monte de Xxxxxx xx Xxxxxx
000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxx, XX
00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxx
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xx
|
Xxxxx Xxx
Commercial Bank Ltd., Los Angeles Branch
000 X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxx 000
Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000 xxx 000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxx
Xxxx
xxxx@xxxxx.xxx
|
Citibank,
N.A.
000 Xxxx
Xxx., 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
XXXxxxxxxxxxxXxx@xxxx.xxx
|
CoBank,
ACB
0000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Syndication
Processing
xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
|
2
Deutsche Bank
AG New York Branch
00 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Lee
Joyner
xxx.xxxxxx@xx.xxx
|
First
Commercial Bank, Los Angeles Branch
000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx., Xxxxx 000
Xxxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
Xxxxxxx Sachs
Bank (USA)
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
xx-xxx-xxxxx-xxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxx.xx.xxx
|
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.
10 X.
Xxxxxxxx, Floor 7
Mailcode: IL1-0010
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Non-Agented
Servicing Team
Xxx.xxxxxxx.xxx.xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
|
KeyBank
National Association
000 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx_X_Xxxxxxx@XxxXxxx.xxx
|
Land Bank of
Taiwan
000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx., 00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: ( 000)
000-0000 Ext. 121
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxx
Xxxx
xxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
3
Malayan
Banking Berhad
00 Xxxx
Xxxxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxxx
X. Xxx
xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
Mega
International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, #0000
Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx
Xxxx
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
Mizuho
Corporate Bank (USA)
0000 Xxxxxx
xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Sophia
White-Larmond
Xxxxxx.xxxxx-xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Bank, N.A.
One Utah
Center
000 Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
The Northern
Trust Company
00 Xxxxx
XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, X-00
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxx
Xxxx
Xx000@xxxx.xxx
|
PNC Bank,
National Association
Xxx X.
Xxxxxxxx, 00xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx
|
4
Taipei Fubon
Commercial Bank Co. Ltd.
000 X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000, ext. 316 / 315
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxx
Xxx / Xxxxx Xxxx
xxxx.xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
Taiwan
Business Bank
000 X. 0xx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxx_xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
Taiwan
Cooperative Bank Seattle Branch
0000 0xx
Xxxxxx, Xxx. 0000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000, ext. 122
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxx
Xxxx
xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
Union Bank,
N.A.
000 X
Xxxxxxxx Xx 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone:
(000) 000-0000
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
Attn:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
U.S. Bank
National Association
000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
xxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
|
Xxxxx Fargo
Bank, National Association
00 Xxxxx
0xx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx
X. Mailloux
Xxxxxx.x.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
5
Exhibit
2.2
FORM
OF NOTICE OF BORROWING
TO: Bank
of America, N.A.
Attention:
[Address]
RE: Credit
Agreement dated as of April 23, 2010 among
Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (the
“Borrower”),
Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, the agents
party thereto and the
Lenders party thereto (as the same may be
amended, modified,
extended or restated from time to time, the
“Credit Agreement”)
DATE: ,
201__
______________________________________________________________________________
1.
|
This Notice
of Borrowing is made pursuant to the terms of the Credit
Agreement. All capitalized terms used herein unless otherwise
defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit
Agreement.
|
2.
|
Please be
advised that the Borrower is requesting a Revolving Loan in the amount of
$_____________ to be funded on ___________, 201__ at the interest rate
option set forth in paragraph 3
below.
|
3.
|
The interest
rate option applicable to the requested Revolving Loan shall be equal
to:
|
A. the
Base Rate
B. the
Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for an Interest Period of:
__________ one month
__________ two months
__________ three months
4.
|
On the date
of the requested Revolving Loan, immediately after giving effect to the
funding and the application thereof, the aggregate amount of Revolving
Loans plus Swing Line Loans plus all Letter of Credit Obligations
outstanding will be $__________, which is less than or equal to the
Revolving Loan Commitment.
|
5.
|
On and as of
the date of the requested Revolving Loan, immediately after giving effect
to the funding and the application thereof, the representations and
warranties made by the Borrower in any Credit Document (excluding those
contained in Sections 6.7 and 6.10 of the Credit Agreement) are true and
correct in all material respects except to the extent they expressly
relate to an earlier date.
|
6.
|
No Default or
Event of Default exists or is continuing or will be caused by giving
effect to this Notice of Borrowing.
|
By:______________________________________
Name:
Title:
2
Exhibit
2.4
FORM
OF NOTICE OF CONTINUATION/CONVERSION
TO: Bank
of America, N.A.
Attention:
[Address]
RE: Credit
Agreement entered into as of April 23, 2010,
among Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (the
“Borrower”),
Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, the agents
party thereto and the
Lenders party thereto (as the same may be
amended, modified,
extended or restated from time to time, the
“Credit Agreement”)
DATE: __________,
201__
1.
|
This Notice
of Continuation/Conversion is made pursuant to the terms of the Credit
Agreement. All capitalized terms used herein unless otherwise
defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit
Agreement.
|
2.
|
Please be
advised that the Borrower is requesting that a portion of the current
outstanding Revolving Loans, in the amount of $___________, be continued
or converted at the interest rate option set forth in paragraph 3
below.
|
3.
|
The interest
rate option applicable to the continuation or conversion of all or part of
the existing Revolving Loans shall be equal
to:
|
A. the
Base Rate
B. the
Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for an Interest Period of
______ one month
______ two months
______ three months
4.
|
Subsequent to
the continuation or conversion of the Revolving Loans, as requested
herein, the aggregate amount of Revolving Loans plus Swing Line Loans plus
all Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding will be $_________, which is
less than or equal to the Revolving Loan
Commitment.
|
5.
|
No Default or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused by
giving effect to this Notice of Continuation
Conversion.
|
By:_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Exhibit
2.7
to
Credit
Agreement
FORM
OF NOTE
__________,
2010
FOR VALUE RECEIVED,
INTEGRYS ENERGY GROUP, INC., a Wisconsin corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby
promises to pay to the order of ___________ (the “Lender”), at the office of
Bank of America, N.A. (the “Agent”) as set forth in that certain Credit
Agreement dated as of April 23, 2010, among the Borrower, the Lenders named
therein and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent (as the same may be amended,
modified, extended or restated from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), or at
such other place or places as the holder of this Note may designate, the
aggregate principal amount of all advances made by the Lender as Loans (and not
otherwise repaid), in Dollars and in immediately available funds, on the dates
and in the principal amounts provided in the Credit Agreement, and to pay
interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan made by the Lender, at such
office, in like money and funds, for the period commencing on the date of each
Loan until each Loan shall be paid in full, at the rates per annum and on the
dates provided in the Credit Agreement.
This Note is one of
the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement and evidences Loans made by the
Lender thereunder. The Lender shall be entitled to the benefits of
the Credit Agreement. Capitalized terms used in this Note have the
respective meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement and the terms and
conditions of the Credit Agreement are expressly incorporated herein and made a
part hereof.
The Credit
Agreement provides for the acceleration of the maturity of the Loans evidenced
by this Note upon the occurrence of certain events (and for payment of
collection costs in connection therewith) and for prepayments of Loans upon the
terms and conditions specified therein. In the event this Note is not
paid when due at any stated or accelerated maturity, the Borrower agrees to pay,
in addition to the principal and interest, all costs of collection, including
reasonable attorney fees.
Except as permitted
by Section 11.3(b) of the Credit Agreement, this Note may not be assigned by the
Lender to any other Person.
The date, amount,
type, interest rate and duration of Interest Period (if applicable) of each Loan
made by the Lender to the Borrower, and each payment made on account of the
principal thereof, shall be recorded by the Agent and the Lender on its books;
provided that the failure of the Agent or the Lender to make any such
recordation shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower to make a payment
when due of any amount owing hereunder or under this Note in respect of the
Loans to be evidenced by this Note, and each such recordation shall be prima
facie evidence of the obligations owing under this Note absent manifest
error.
THIS
NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Note to be executed as of the date
first above written.
INTEGRYS ENERGY
GROUP, INC.
By:______________________________________
Name:
Title:
2
Exhibit
2.8
to
Credit
Agreement
FORM
OF SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE
Date: ___________,
201__
TO: Bank
of America, N.A.
Attention:
[Address]
RE: Credit
Agreement dated as of April 23, 2010 among
Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (the
“Borrower”),
Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, the agents
party thereto and the
Lenders party thereto (as the same may be
amended, modified,
extended or restated from time to time, the
“Credit Agreement”)
DATE: ,
201__
1.
|
This Swing
Line Notice is made pursuant to the terms of the Credit
Agreement. All capitalized terms used herein unless otherwise
defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit
Agreement.
|
2.
|
Please be
advised that the Borrower is requesting a Swing Line Loan in the amount of
$_____________ to be funded on ___________,
201__.
|
3.
|
On the date
of the requested Swing Line Loan, immediately after giving effect to the
funding and the application thereof, the aggregate amount of Revolving
Loans plus Swing Line Loans plus all Letter of Credit Obligations
outstanding will be $__________, which is less than or equal to the
Revolving Loan Commitment.
|
4.
|
On and as of
the date of the requested Revolving Loan, immediately after giving effect
to the funding and the application thereof, the representations and
warranties made by the Borrower in any Credit Document (excluding those
contained in Sections 6.7 and 6.10 of the Credit Agreement) are true and
correct in all material respects except to the extent they expressly
relate to an earlier date.
|
5.
|
No Default or
Event of Default exists or is continuing or will be caused by giving
effect to this Notice of Borrowing.
|
INTEGRYS ENERGY
GROUP, INC.
By:______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Exhibit
7.1(c)
FORM
OF OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE
TO: Bank
of America, N.A.
Attention:
[Address]
RE: Credit
Agreement dated as of April 23, 2010
among Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (the
“Borrower”),
Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, the agents
party thereto and the
Lenders party thereto (as the same may be
amended, modified,
extended or restated from time to time, the
“Credit Agreement”)
DATE: _________,
___
Pursuant to the
terms of the Credit Agreement, I, _________________________ [Chief Financial
Officer/Treasurer/Secretary/Assistant Treasurer] of INTEGRYS ENERGY GROUP hereby
certify that, as of the fiscal quarter ending ____________, 201__, the
statements below are accurate and complete in all respects (all capitalized
terms used below shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit
Agreement):
A. Attached hereto as
Schedule I are (x) calculations (calculated as of the date of the financial
statements referred to in paragraph C. below) demonstrating compliance by the
Borrower with the financial covenant contained in Section 7.2 of the Credit
Agreement and (y) Borrower’s Public Debt Ratings as of the date
hereof.
B. No Default or Event
of Default exists under the Credit Agreement, except as indicated on a separate
page attached hereto, together with an explanation of the action taken or
proposed to be taken by the Borrower with respect thereto.
C. The
quarterly/annual financial statements for the fiscal quarter/year ended
___________ which accompany this certificate fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and have
been prepared in accordance with GAAP, subject to changes resulting from normal
year-end audit adjustments.
INTEGRYS ENERGY
GROUP, INC.
By:_______________________________________
[Chief Financial
Officer/Treasurer/Secretary
Assistant Treasurer]
Schedule 1
to
Exhibit 7.1(c)
to
Credit
Agreement
Maximum Leverage
Ratio
1. Total
Funded Debt
|
$______________________
|
2. Net
Worth
|
$______________________
|
3. Capitalization
(Line 1 + Line 2)
|
$______________________
|
4. Total
Funded Debt to Capitalization Ratio:
(Line 1/Line
3)
|
______: 1.00
|
Maximum Permitted Total
Funded
Debt to Capitalization
Ratio: .65: 1.0
|
Borrower’s Public
Debt Ratings:
S&P_________________________________
Xxxxx’s______________________________
Exhibit
11.3
FORM
OF ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT
Reference is made
to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of April 23, 2010, among INTEGRYS
ENERGY GROUP, INC. (the “Borrower”), the agents party thereto, the Lenders party
thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent for the Lenders (as the same may be
amended, modified, extended or restated from time to time, the “Credit
Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings
ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.
1. The Assignor hereby
sells and assigns to the Assignee, without recourse and without representation
and warranty except as expressly set forth herein, and the Assignee hereby
purchases and assumes from the Assignor, without recourse and without
representation and warranty except as expressly set forth herein, the interests
set forth below (the “Assigned Interest”) in the Assignor’s rights and
obligations under the Credit Agreement, including, without limitation, the
interests set forth below in the Commitment Percentage of the Assignor on the
Effective Date (as defined below) and the Loans owing to the Assignor in
connection with the Assigned Interest which are outstanding on the Effective
Date. The purchase of the Assigned Interest shall be at par (unless
otherwise agreed to by the Assignor and the Assignee) and periodic payments made
with respect to the Assigned Interest which (a) accrued prior to the Effective
Date shall be remitted to the Assignor and (b) accrue from and after the
Effective Date shall be remitted to the Assignee.
2. The Assignor (a)
represents and warrants to the Assignee that it is the legal and beneficial
owner of the Assigned Interest and that the Assigned Interest has not previously
been transferred or encumbered and is free and clear of any adverse claim
created by the Assignor; (b) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no
responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations
made in or in connection with the Credit Documents or the execution, legality,
validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit
Documents or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; (c)
makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect
to the financial condition of the Borrower or the performance or observance by
the Borrower of any of its obligations under the Credit Documents or any other
instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; and (d) attaches the Note
held by the Assignor and requests that the Agent exchange such Note for a new
Note payable to the order of the Assignee in an amount equal to the Revolving
Loan Commitment assumed by the Assignee pursuant hereto and to the Assignor in
an amount equal to the Revolving Loan Commitment retained by the Assignor, if
any, as specified herein.
3. The Assignee (a)
confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with
copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.1 thereof and such
other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own
credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment; (b) agrees that it
will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, the Assignor or any
other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking action under the Credit Agreement; (c) confirms that it is an
Eligible Assignee; (d) appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as
agent on its
behalf and to
exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement as are delegated
to the Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers and discretion as
are reasonably incidental thereto; (e) agrees that it will perform in accordance
with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of the Credit
Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender, and (f) attaches any
U.S. Internal Revenue Service or other forms required under Section
4.4.
4. Following the
execution of this Assignment, it will be delivered to the Agent, together with
the transfer fee required pursuant to Section 11.3(b) of the Credit Agreement,
for acceptance and recording by the Agent. The effective date for
this Assignment (the “Effective Date”) shall be the date of acceptance hereof by
the Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, unless otherwise specified
herein.
5. Upon the consent of
the Borrower and the Agent, as applicable, as of the Effective Date, (a) the
Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and, to the extent of the
Assigned Interest, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder and
(b) the Assignor shall, to the extent provided in this Assignment, relinquish
its rights and be released from its obligations under the Credit
Agreement.
6. This Assignment
shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York.
7. This Assignment may
be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in
separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.
8. Terms of
Assignment
(a)
|
Legal Name of
Assignor: ________________
|
(b)
|
Legal Name of
Assignee: ________________
|
(c)
|
Effective
Date of
Assignment: ________________
|
(d)
|
Commitment
Percentage
Assigned: ________________%
|
(e)
|
Total
Revolving Loans outstanding
as of
Effective Date $________________
|
(f)
|
Principal
Amount of Revolving
Loans
assigned on Effective Date
(the amount
set forth in (e)
multiplied by
the percentage set
forth in
(d)) $________________
|
(g)
|
Revolving
Loan
Commitment $________________
|
2
(h)
|
Principal
Amount of Revolving
Loan
Commitment assigned on
Effective
Date (the amount set
forth in (g)
multiplied by the
percentage
set forth in (d)) $________________
|
The terms set forth
above
are hereby agreed
to:
______________________,
as Assignor
By:______________________________
Name:
Title:
_______________________,
as Assignee
By:_______________________________
Name:
Title:
CONSENTED
TO:
BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.,
as
Swing Line Lender
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.,
as
L/C Issuer
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
JPMORGAN CHASE
BANK, N.A.,
as
L/C Issuer
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
3
U.S. BANK NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as
L/C Issuer
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXXX FARGO BANK,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
L/C Issuer
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
[INTEGRYS ENERGY
GROUP, INC.
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:]1
[BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.,
as
Agent
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:]2
|
1 Required if the Assignee is an
Eligible Assignee solely by reason of clause (c) of the definition of
“Eligible Assignee”.
|
|
2 Required if the Assignee is an
Eligible Assignee solely by reason of clause (c) of the definition of
“Eligible Assignee”.
|
4