LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of October 11, 2007 among Synutra International, Inc., ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Arranger and The Lenders Party Hereto
Exhibit
10.1
dated
as
of October 11, 2007
among
Synutra
International, Inc.,
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V.,
as
Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent,
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V.,
as
Arranger
and
The
Lenders Party Hereto
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
|
||
ARTICLE
1
|
||
Definitions
and Accounting Terms
|
||
Section
1.01.
|
Defined
Terms
|
1
|
Section
1.02.
|
Other
Interpretive Provisions
|
15
|
Section
1.03.
|
Accounting
Terms
|
16
|
Section
1.04.
|
References
to Agreements, Laws and Persons
|
16
|
Section
1.05.
|
Times
of Day
|
16
|
ARTICLE
2
|
||
The
Commitments and the Loans
|
||
Section
2.01.
|
Loans.
|
16
|
Section
2.02.
|
Prepayments.
|
17
|
Section
2.03.
|
Repayment
of Loans
|
17
|
Section
2.04.
|
Interest.
|
17
|
Section
2.05.
|
Computation
of Interest
|
18
|
Section
2.06.
|
Evidence
of Debt
|
18
|
Section
2.07.
|
Payments
Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback
|
18
|
Section
2.08.
|
Sharing
of Payments by Lenders
|
20
|
Section
2.09.
|
Fees
and Expenses.
|
21
|
ARTICLE
3
|
||
Taxes,
Yield Protection and Illegality
|
||
Section
3.01.
|
Taxes.
|
21
|
Section
3.02.
|
Illegality
|
23
|
Section
3.03.
|
Inability
To Determine LIBOR
|
23
|
Section
3.04.
|
Increased
Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.
|
24
|
Section
3.05.
|
Funding
Losses
|
24
|
Section
3.06.
|
Requests
for Compensation
|
24
|
Section
3.07.
|
Survival
|
25
|
ARTICLE
4
|
||
Conditions
Precedent
|
||
Section
4.01.
|
Conditions
to All Credit Extensions
|
25
|
i
ARTICLE
5
|
||
Representations
and Warranties
|
||
Section
5.01.
|
Existence,
Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws
|
27
|
Section
5.02.
|
Authorization;
No Contravention
|
28
|
Section
5.03.
|
Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents
|
28
|
Section
5.04.
|
Binding
Effect
|
28
|
Section
5.05.
|
Disclosure
Documents; No Material Adverse Effect.
|
28
|
Section
5.06.
|
Litigation
|
29
|
Section
5.07.
|
No
Default
|
29
|
Section
5.08.
|
Ownership
of Collateral; Liens.
|
29
|
Section
5.09.
|
Taxes
|
29
|
Section
5.10.
|
Subsidiaries
|
29
|
Section
5.11.
|
Investment
Company Act
|
29
|
Section
5.12.
|
Disclosure
|
29
|
Section
5.13.
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
30
|
Section
5.14.
|
Security
Interests
|
30
|
Section
5.15.
|
Pari
Passu Ranking
|
30
|
Section
5.16.
|
Corporate
Chart
|
30
|
Section
5.17.
|
Government
Approvals
|
30
|
Section
5.18.
|
Distributions
|
30
|
Section
5.19.
|
Common
Stock
|
30
|
ARTICLE
6
|
||
Affirmative
Covenants
|
||
Section
6.01.
|
Information
|
31
|
Section
6.02.
|
Notices
|
31
|
Section
6.03.
|
Payment
of Obligations
|
31
|
Section
6.04.
|
Preservation
of Existence, etc
|
31
|
Section
6.05.
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
32
|
Section
6.06.
|
Books
and Records
|
32
|
Section
6.07.
|
Inspection
Rights
|
32
|
Section
6.08.
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
32
|
Section
6.09.
|
Know
Your Customer Checks
|
33
|
Section
6.10.
|
Pari
Passu Ranking
|
33
|
Section
6.11.
|
Unlawful
Contributions
|
33
|
Section
6.12.
|
Distributions
|
33
|
Section
6.13.
|
Compliance
Certificates.
|
33
|
Section
6.14.
|
Further
Assurances
|
33
|
Section
6.15.
|
Synutra,
Inc
|
34
|
ARTICLE
7
|
||
Negative
Covenants
|
||
Section
7.01.
|
Liens
|
35
|
Section
7.02.
|
Fundamental
Changes
|
35
|
Section
7.03.
|
Restricted
Payments on Stock
|
35
|
Section
7.04.
|
Financial
Covenants.
|
35
|
Section
7.05.
|
Dispositions
|
36
|
ii
ARTICLE
8
|
||
Events
of Default and Remedies
|
||
Section
8.01.
|
Events
of Default
|
37
|
Section
8.02.
|
Remedies
Upon Event of Default
|
40
|
Section
8.03.
|
Application
of Funds
|
40
|
ARTICLE
9
|
||
Administrative
Agent
|
||
Section
9.01.
|
Appointment
and Authority.
|
41
|
Section
9.02.
|
Rights
as a Lender
|
42
|
Section
9.03.
|
Exculpatory
Provisions
|
42
|
Section
9.04.
|
Reliance
by Administrative Agent
|
43
|
Section
9.05.
|
Delegation
of Duties
|
43
|
Section
9.06.
|
Resignation
of Administrative Agent
|
43
|
Section
9.07.
|
Non-reliance
on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders
|
44
|
Section
9.08.
|
Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim
|
44
|
Section
9.09.
|
Collateral
Matters
|
45
|
Section
9.10.
|
No
Other Duties
|
45
|
ARTICLE
10
|
||
Miscellaneous
|
||
Section
10.01.
|
Amendments,
etc
|
46
|
Section
10.02.
|
Notices
and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.
|
47
|
Section
10.03.
|
No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies
|
48
|
Section
10.04.
|
Attorney
Costs, Expenses, Taxes and Indemnities
|
48
|
Section
10.05.
|
Payments
Set Aside
|
50
|
Section
10.06.
|
Successors
and Assigns; Participations.
|
50
|
Section
10.07.
|
Confidentiality
|
52
|
Section
10.08.
|
Set-off
|
53
|
Section
10.09.
|
Interest
Rate Limitation
|
53
|
Section
10.10.
|
Counterparts
|
53
|
Section
10.11.
|
Integration;
Effectiveness
|
53
|
Section
10.12.
|
Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
54
|
Section
10.13.
|
Severability
|
54
|
Section
10.14.
|
Governing
Law.
|
54
|
Section
10.15.
|
Waiver
of Right to Trial by Jury
|
55
|
Section
10.16.
|
New
York Process Agent
|
55
|
Section
10.17.
|
No
Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility
|
56
|
Section
10.18.
|
Obligation
Currency
|
56
|
iii
SCHEDULES
|
||
2.01
|
Lenders
|
|
5.10
|
Subsidiaries
of the Borrower
|
|
5.16
|
Corporate
Chart of the Borrower
|
|
7.01
|
Existing
Liens
|
|
10.02
|
Notice
Addresses and Lending Office
|
|
|
||
EXHIBITS
|
||
Exhibit
A
|
Form
of Collateral Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
B
|
Form
of Loan Drawdown Notice
|
|
Exhibit
C
|
Form
of U.S. Counsel Opinion
|
|
Exhibit
D
|
Form
of PRC Counsel Opinion
|
|
Exhibit
E
|
Form
of Illinois Counsel Opinion
|
|
Exhibit
F
|
Form of Assignment and Assumption |
|
iv
This
LOAN
AGREEMENT (“Agreement”)
is
entered into as of October 11, 2007 by and among Synutra International, Inc.,
a
Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”),
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, ABN AMRO Bank
N.V., as Arranger and each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively,
the “Lenders”
and
individually, a “Lender”).
In
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the
parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1
Definitions
and Accounting Terms
Section
1.01.
Defined Terms. As
used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
“ABN
AMRO”
means
ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
“Administrative
Agent”
means
ABN AMRO in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan
Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative
Agent’s Office”
means
the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on
Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent
may
from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative
Details Form”
means
an Administrative Details Form in a form supplied by the Administrative
Agent.
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common
Control with the Person specified. “Control”
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the
ability
to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling”
and
“Controlled”
have
meanings correlative thereto. In any event, each Permitted Holder and its
Affiliates shall be deemed Affiliates of the Borrower.
“Agreement”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Alternate
Interest Rate”
means
a
rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable
Rate.
“Applicable
Percentage”
means
for each Lender the percentage set forth in Schedule 2.01 hereto or in the
Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto,
as applicable, as such percentage may be adjusted from time to time in
accordance with this Agreement.
“Applicable
Rate”
means
for any day 3.5% per annum.
“Arranger”
means
ABN AMRO in its capacity as arranger under any of the Loan Documents, or
any
successor arranger.
“Assignee”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
10.06(a).
“Assignment
and Assumption”
means
an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Assignee (with
the
consent of the Administrative Agent if such consent is required by Section
10.06(a)),
and
accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit
F or
any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Attorney
Costs”
means
and includes all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm
or
other external counsel.
“Attributable
Indebtedness”
means,
on any date, (a) in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the
capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person
prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, (b) in respect of any
Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease
or
similar payments under the relevant lease or other applicable agreement or
instrument that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as
of
such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease or other agreement or instrument
were accounted for as a Capitalized Lease and (c) all Synthetic Debt of such
Person.
“Availability
Period”
means
the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (i) the
date
that falls 90 days after the Closing Date, (ii) any date of termination of
the
Commitment pursuant to Section
8.02(a)
and
(iii) the date on which the full amount of the Commitment shall have been
borrowed hereunder.
“Base
Rate”
means,
(i) in relation to any Loan, the arithmetic mean of the rates (rounded upwards
to 4 decimal places) as supplied to the Administrative Agent at its request
quoted by the Reference Banks to leading banks in the London interbank market
as
of 11:00 a.m. London time on the Quotation Day for the offering of deposits
in
US Dollars for a period comparable to the Interest Period for that Loan and
(ii)
in relation to any Obligation other than a Loan, the arithmetic mean of the
rates (rounded upwards to 4 decimal places) as supplied to the Administrative
Agent at its request quoted by the Reference Banks to leading banks in the
London interbank market as of 11:00 a.m. London time on the Quotation Day
for
the offering of overnight deposits in US Dollars.
“Borrower”
means,
Synutra International, Inc., a company organized under the laws of the State
of
Delaware.
“Bridge
Loan”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
6.08(a).
“Business
Day”
means
any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks
are
authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the State
of
New York, Hong Kong or Singapore and on which dealings in US Dollar deposits
are
conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar
market.
2
“Capital
Stock”
means,
with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations
or
other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) in equity
of such Person, whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter,
including, without limitation, all common stock and preferred
stock.
“Capitalized
Leases”
means
all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded
as
capitalized leases.
“Change
of Control”
means
the occurrence of one or more of the following events:
(a) the
sale
of all or substantially all the assets of the Borrower to another Person
or any
merger, amalgamation or consolidation involving the Borrower in which the
Borrower shall not be the surviving Person;
(b) at
any
time the Permitted Holders are the beneficial owners and “control”, as
determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the United States Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, less than 50.1% of the total voting power of the
Voting
Stock of the Borrower (or any successor entity); or
(c) the
adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the
Borrower.
“Closing
Date”
means
the date of this Agreement.
“Collateral”
means
any and all “Collateral” as defined in the Collateral Agreement and any other
collateral under any other Security Document.
“Collateral
Agent”
means
ABN AMRO in its capacity as collateral agent under any of the Loan Documents,
or
any successor collateral agent.
“Collateral
Agreement”
means
the Collateral Agreement dated as of the date hereof (as amended from time
to
time) among Synutra International, Inc. as Borrower and as Lien Grantor,
Synutra, Inc. and ABN AMRO, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
“Collateral
Permitted Liens”
means
any Permitted Lien set forth in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of Permitted
Liens.
3
“Collateral
Requirement”
means
the requirement that:
(a) the
Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent shall have received counterparts
of
the Collateral Agreement duly executed and delivered on behalf of each of
Synutra International as Borrower and Lien Grantor and Synutra, Inc., together
with certificates for the Pledged Stocks delivered in accordance with the
Collateral Agreement;
(b) all
documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements, required by law or reasonably requested by the Administrative
Agent
or the Collateral Agent to be filed, registered or recorded to create the
Liens
intended to be created by the Collateral Agreement and perfect or record
such
Liens to the extent, and with the priority, required by the Collateral
Agreement, shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to
the
Collateral Agent for filing, registration or recording;
(c) Synutra
International shall have obtained all consents and approvals required to
be
obtained by it in connection with the execution and delivery of the Collateral
Agreement and related documents to which it is a party, the performance of
the
obligations of Synutra International thereunder and the granting of the Liens
granted by Synutra International; and
(d) Synutra
International shall have taken all other action required under the Collateral
Agreement to perfect, register and/or record the Liens granted by it
thereunder.
“Commitment”
means
the Lenders’ several obligations to make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to
Section
2.01(a)
in an
initial aggregate principal amount not to exceed US$35.0 million.
“Consolidated
EBITDA”
means,
at any date of determination, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income
of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently
completed Measurement Period plus
(a) the
following items, to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated
Net
Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges, (ii) the provision for Federal,
state, local and foreign income taxes payable, (iii) depreciation and
amortization expense, (iv) restructuring expenses incurred during such period,
(v) non-cash compensation resulting from stock based awards, deferred
compensation or similar incentive compensation and (vi) other non-recurring
costs and expenses reducing such Consolidated Net Income which do not represent
a cash item in such period or any future period (in each case of or by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such Measurement Period); and minus
(b) the
following items, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated
Net
Income: (i) Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits and (ii)
all
non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (in each case of or by
the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such Measurement Period).
“Consolidated
Indebtedness”
means,
as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on
a
consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all
obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including
Obligations hereunder) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures,
notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money
Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under letters of credit
(including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guarantees,
surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) all obligations in respect of the
deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts
payable in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Attributable Indebtedness,
(f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness
of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other
than
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (g) all Indebtedness of the
types
referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint
venture
(other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability
company) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower is a general
partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made
non-recourse to the Borrower or such Subsidiary.
4
“Consolidated
Interest Charges”
means,
for any Measurement Period, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments,
debt
discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed
money
(including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase
price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance
with GAAP, (b) all interest paid or payable with respect to discontinued
operations, (c) the portion of rent expense under Capitalized Leases that
is
treated as interest in accordance with GAAP and (d) any dividends paid on
preference stock, in each case, of or by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
on a
consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement
Period.
“Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio”
means,
as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to
(b)
Consolidated Interest Charges, in each case, for the most recently completed
Measurement Period.
“Consolidated
Leverage Ratio”
means,
as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness
as
of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed
Measurement Period.
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means,
at any date of determination, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and
its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement
Period; provided
that
Consolidated Net Income shall exclude (a) extraordinary gains and extraordinary
losses for such Measurement Period, (b) the net income of any Subsidiary
of the
Borrower during such Measurement Period to the extent that the declaration
or
payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary of such
income
is not permitted by operation of the terms of its Organization Documents
or any
agreement, instrument or Law applicable to such Subsidiary during such
Measurement Period, except that the Borrower’s equity in any net loss of any
such Subsidiary for such Measurement Period shall be included in determining
Consolidated Net Income, and (c) any income (or loss) for such period of
any
Person if such Person is not a Subsidiary of the Borrower, except that the
Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such Measurement
Period shall be included in Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount
of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the Borrower
or a Subsidiary of the Borrower as a dividend or other distribution (and
in the
case of a dividend or other distribution to a Subsidiary of the Borrower,
such
Subsidiary is not precluded from further distributing such amount to the
Borrower as described in clause (b) of this proviso).
“Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth”
means,
as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on
a
consolidated basis, Shareholders’ Equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on
that date minus the Intangible Assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
on
that date.
5
“Contractual
Obligation”
means,
as to any Person, any material provision of any debt, equity or hybrid security
issued by such Person or of any material agreement, instrument or other
undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its
material properties is bound.
“Control”
has
the
meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”
“Credit
Extension”
means
any borrowing of Loans pursuant to Section
2.01(a).
“Debtor
Relief Laws”
means
the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation,
conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors,
moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar
debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions
from
time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors
generally.
“Default”
means
any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with
the
giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of
Default.
“Default
Rate”
means
an interest rate equal to 2%
per
annum in excess of the interest rate otherwise payable under this Agreement
with
respect to the applicable Loans (or, in the case of any such fees and other
amounts, at a rate which is 2% per annum in excess of the Alternate Interest
Rate).
“Disclosure
Documents”
means
the Borrower’s (a) annual report filed with the U.S. SEC on Form 10-K on June
29, 2007 and (b) any other document filed with the U.S. SEC during the period
beginning on June 29, 2007 and ending on the day immediately preceding the
Closing Date, including any exhibits thereto, whether included by incorporation
by reference or otherwise.
“Disposition”
or
“Dispose”
means
the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale
and
leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale,
assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any
notes
or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated
therewith.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time
to
time, and any successor thereto.
“Event
of Default”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
8.01.
“Excluded
Taxes”
shall
mean, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other
recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of
Borrower hereunder, inclusive in each case of all interest, additions to
Tax,
penalties and other liabilities with respect thereto, (a) Taxes imposed on
or
measured by its overall net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes
imposed on it (in lieu of net income Taxes) and branch profits or similar
Taxes
imposed on it, by a jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) as
a
result of the recipient being organized or having its principal office or,
in
the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office in such jurisdiction
or as
a result of a present or former connection between the recipient and such
jurisdiction (other than any such connection arising from such recipient
having
executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received a payment under,
or
enforced, or otherwise with respect to, any of the Loan Documents) and (b)
any
withholding or backup withholding Tax that (i) is imposed under a law in
effect
at the time a Lender who is not party to this Agreement on the Closing Date
becomes a party hereto or otherwise acquires an interest herein (or designates
a
new lending office), except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor,
if
any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or
assignment), to receive additional amounts from Borrower with respect to
such
withholding or backup withholding Tax pursuant to Section
3.01(a)
or (ii)
is attributable to such Lender’s failure (or unreasonable delay) to comply with
Section
3.01(d)
or
Section
3.01(e).
6
“Fee
Letter”
means
the US Dollar Facility Fee Letter Agreement dated as of the date hereof between
ABN AMRO and Synutra International.
“Foreign
Lender”
shall
mean any Lender that is not, for United States federal income tax purposes,
(i)
an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a
corporation, partnership or other entity treated as a corporation or partnership
created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, or any political
subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal
income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if a court within
the
United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration
of
such trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control
all substantial decisions of such trust.
“Foreign
Plan”
means
any employee benefit plan maintained by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
that
is mandated or governed by any law, rule or regulation of any Governmental
Authority other than the United States, any state thereof or any other political
subdivision thereof.
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in
the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of
the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may
be
approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United
States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of
determination, consistently applied.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof,
any
agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative
tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or
pertaining to government.
7
“Guarantee”
means,
as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person
guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness
or
other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary
obligor”)
in any
manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such
Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply
funds
for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii)
to
purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring
the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment
or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain
working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition
or
liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to
enable
the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv)
entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee
in
respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance
thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole
or
in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness
or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness
or
other obligation is assumed by such Person. The amount of any Guarantee shall
be
deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the
related
primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee
is
made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated
liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in
good
faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Indebtedness”
means,
as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the
following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance
with GAAP:
(a) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such
Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar
instruments;
(b) all
direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of
credit
(including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties,
surety bonds and similar instruments;
(c) net
obligations of such Person under any derivative contract (and calculated
based
on termination values as of any relevant date);
(d) all
obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property
or
services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of
business);
(e) indebtedness
(excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned
or
being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional
sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness
shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) capital
leases; and
(g) all
Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.
8
For
all
purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness
of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself
a
corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general
partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made
non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any
derivative contract on any date shall be deemed to be the termination value
thereof as of such date.
“Indemnified
Liabilities”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
10.04.
“Indemnified
Taxes”
shall
mean all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Indemnitees”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
10.04.
“Intangible
Assets”
means
assets that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, including
customer lists, goodwill, computer software, copyrights, trade names,
trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges,
unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and development
costs.
“Interest
Payment Date”
means,
as to any Loan, (x) the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable
to such Loan and (y) the Maturity Date.
“Interest
Period”
means,
as to each Loan, (x) the initial period commencing on the date such Loan
is
disbursed or continued and ending on the date three (3) months thereafter
and
(y) each successive three-month period thereafter; provided
that:
(a) any
Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business
Day
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business
Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall
end on
the preceding Business Day;
(b) any
Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month
(or on
a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar
month
at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of
the
calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;
(c) no
Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date; and
(d) the
Interest Period applicable to Loans and other obligations accruing interest
at
the Default Rate under any Loan Document shall be daily.
“Internal
Revenue Code”
means
the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Laws”
means,
collectively, all international, foreign, U.S. federal, state and local
statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and
administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the
interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged
with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all
applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority,
in each case whether or not having the force of law.
9
“Lender”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto or as determined pursuant
to Section
10.06.
“Lending
Office”
means,
as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such
on
Schedule 10.02, or such other office or offices as such Lender may from time
to
time notify to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“LIBOR”
means,
in relation to any Loan, the applicable Screen Rate as of 11:00 a.m. London
time
on the Quotation Day for the offering of deposits in US Dollars for a period
comparable to the Interest Period for that Loan.
“Lien”
means
any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement,
encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or
other
security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever
(including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any
financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the
foregoing).
“Lien
Grantor”
means
Synutra International.
“Loan”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
2.01(a).
“Loan
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Collateral Agreement or any other Security Documents,
the
Fee Letter and any other fee and expense reimbursement letter agreements
entered
into among the parties hereto in connection herewith.
“Loan
Drawdown Notice”
means
a
request for a Loan substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
“London
Business Day”
means
any
day
other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are
authorized to close under the Laws of England, or are in fact closed in London
and on which dealings in US Dollar deposits are conducted by and between
banks
in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“Margin
Stock”
means
any “margin stock” (as such term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States).
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
(a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the
operations, business, properties, assets, operations, liabilities (actual
or
contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower;
(b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform its
obligations under any Loan Document; or (c) a material adverse effect upon
the
Collateral or upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability
against the Borrower of any Loan Document.
“Material
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary of the Borrower that would be a “significant subsidiary” for
purposes of the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower, as defined
in
Article 1, Rule 1-02 (w)(1) or (2) of Regulation S-X promulgated under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such regulation is in
effect from time to time; provided
that the
term “10 percent” in each of clause (1) and (2) of such Rule will be substituted
by the term “5 percent” for purposes of this determination; provided
further
that Synutra, Inc. shall at all times be a Material Subsidiary.
10
“Maturity
Date”
means
October 11, 2010 in regard to each Loan, or if such date is not a Business
Day,
the preceding Business Day.
“Measurement
Period”
means,
at any date of determination, the most recently completed four fiscal quarters
of the Borrower.
“Notice
No. 75”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
5.17.
“Obligation
Currency”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
10.18.
“Obligations”
means
all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties
of,
the Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to
any
Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption),
absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising
and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or
against
the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor
Relief
Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether
such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“Organization
Documents”
means,
(a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of
incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents
with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited
liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization
and
operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture,
trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or
other
applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument,
filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation
or
organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction
of
its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles
of
formation or organization of such entity.
“Other
Taxes”
shall
mean all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise
or
property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made
hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery
or
enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other
Loan
Document.
“Participant”
has
the
meaning specified in Section
10.06(c).
11
“Permitted
Holders”
means
any or all of the following:
(a) Xxxxx
Xxxxx and Xxxxxxx Xxxx; and
(b) any
Person both the Capital Stock and the Voting Stock of which (or in the case
of a
trust, the beneficial interests in which) are owned 95% or more by Persons
specified in clause (a).
“Permitted
Liens”
means
the following types of Liens (excluding any such Lien imposed pursuant to
Section 401(a)(29) or 412(n) of the Internal Revenue Code or by ERISA, any
such
Lien imposed by a Governmental Authority in connection with any Foreign Plan,
any such Lien relating to or imposed in connection with any environmental
claim):
(a) Liens
for
taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims the payment of which
is
not, at the time, required by Section
6.03;
(b) Liens
arising pursuant to any Loan Document;
(c) Liens
for
taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate
proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto
are
maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with
GAAP;
(d) the
existing Liens set forth on Schedule 7.01;
(e) in
the
case of the Borrower, other Liens so long as the aggregate fair market value
of
all assets of the Borrower which are subject to Liens permitted only by this
paragraph (e) does not exceed US$1.0 million;
(f) statutory
Liens of landlords, Liens of collecting banks under the Uniform Commercial
Code
on items in the course of collection, statutory Liens and rights of set-off
of
banks, statutory Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, repairmen, workmen
and materialmen, and other Liens imposed by law, in each case incurred in
the
ordinary course of business (a) for amounts not yet overdue or (b) for amounts
that are overdue and that (in the case of any such amounts overdue for a
period
in excess of 5 days) are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, so long as such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if
any,
as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made for any such contested
amounts;
(g) deposits
made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security,
or to
secure the performance of statutory obligations, bids, leases, government
contracts, trade contracts, and other similar obligations (exclusive of
obligations for the payment of borrowed money), so long as no foreclosure,
sale
or similar proceedings have been commenced with respect to any portion of
the
Collateral on account thereof;
(h) any
attachment or judgment Lien not constituting an Event of Default under
Section
8.01(j);
(i) licenses
(with respect to Intellectual Property and other property), leases or subleases
granted to third parties and not interfering in any material respect with
the
ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or
resulting in a material diminution in the value of any Collateral as security
for the Obligations;
12
(j) easements,
right-of-way restrictions, encroachments, and other minor defects or
irregularities in titles, in each case which do not and will not interfere
in
any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower
or
any of its Subsidiaries;
(k) any
(a)
interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease not prohibited
by
this Agreement, (b) Lien or restriction that the interest or title of such
lessor or sublessor may be subject to, or (c) subordination of the interest
of
the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any Lien or restriction referred
to
in the preceding clause (b), so long as the holder of such Lien or restriction
agrees to recognize the rights of such lessee or sublessee under such
lease;
(l) Liens
arising from filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements relating
solely
to leases not prohibited by this Agreement;
(m) Liens
in
favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure
payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of
goods;
(n) any
zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental
Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property;
(o) Liens
securing obligations (other than obligations representing Indebtedness for
borrowed money) under operating, reciprocal easement or similar agreements
entered into in the ordinary course of business of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries.
“Person”
means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other
entity.
“Pledged
Stock”
means
any shares of Capital Stock of Synutra, Inc. constituting
Collateral.
“PRC”
means
the People’s Republic of China.
“Quotation
Day”
means,
in relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be determined,
two
London Business Days before the first day of that period unless market practice
differs in the London interbank market, in which case the Quotation Day will
be
determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with market practice
in the
London interbank market (and if quotations for that currency for that period
would normally be given by leading banks in the London interbank market on
more
than one day, the Quotation Day will be the last of those days).
“Reference
Banks”
means
the principal office of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. or such other banks as may be
appointed by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the
Borrower.
13
“Register”
shall
have the meaning specified in Section
10.06(b).
“Related
Parties”
means,
with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners,
directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of
such
Person’s Affiliates.
“Required
Lenders”
means,
as of any date of determination, Lenders having Applicable Percentages
aggregating at least 66-2/3%.
“Responsible
Officer”
means
any of the president, chief executive officer and chief financial officer
of the
Borrower. Any document delivered hereunder signed by a Responsible Officer
of
the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all
necessary action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer
shall
be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.
“Restricted
Payment”
means
any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other
property) with respect to any equity interest of the Borrower, or any payment
(whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund
or
similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement,
acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such equity interest or of
any
option, warrant or other right to acquire any such equity interest.
“Screen
Rate”
means
the British Bankers' Association Interest Settlement Rate for US Dollars
for the
relevant period displayed on Reuters screen page LIBOR01. If the agreed page
is
replaced or service ceases to be available, the Administrative Agent may
specify
another page or service displaying the appropriate rate after consultation
with
the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Security
Documents”
means
the Collateral Agreement and any additional pledges, security agreements
or
mortgages required to be delivered from time to time pursuant to this Agreement
or the Collateral Agreement, and any instruments of assignment or other
instruments or agreements executed pursuant to the foregoing.
“Shareholders’
Equity”
means,
as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“Subsidiary”
of
a
Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities
or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors
or
other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power
only
by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially
owned,
or the management of which is otherwise Controlled, directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.
“Synthetic
Debt”
means,
with respect to any Person as of any date of determination thereof, all
obligations of such Person in respect of transactions entered into by such
Person that are intended to function primarily as a borrowing of funds
(including any minority interest transactions that function primarily as
a
borrowing) but are not otherwise included in the definition of “Indebtedness”
or
as a
liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries
in accordance with GAAP.
14
“Synthetic
Lease Obligation”
means
the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance
sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession
of
property (including sale and leaseback transactions), in each case, creating
obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which,
upon the application of any Debtor Relief Laws to such Person, would be
characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting
treatment).
“Synutra
International”
means
Synutra International, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Taxes”
shall
mean all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions,
withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental
Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable
thereto.
“United
States”
and
“U.S.”
mean
the United States of America.
“US
Dollar”
and
“US$”
mean
lawful money of the United States.
“U.S.
SEC”
means
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor
Governmental Authority.
“Voting
Stock”
means,
with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily
having
the power to vote for the election of directors, managers or other voting
members of the governing body of such Person.
Section
1.02.
Other Interpretive Provisions. With
reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise
specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The
meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural
forms of the defined terms.
(b) Article (i) The
words
“herein”,
“hereto”,
“hereof”
and
“hereunder”
and
words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such
Loan
Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.
(ii) Article,
Section, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Loan Document in which
such
reference appears.
(iii) The
term
“including”
is
by
way of example and not limitation.
(iv) The
term
“documents”
includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices,
reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether
in
physical or electronic form.
15
(c) In
the
computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified
date,
the word “from”
means
“from
and including”;
the
words “to”
and
“until”
each
mean “to
but excluding”;
and
the word “through”
means
“to
and including”.
(d) Section
headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience
of
reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement
or any
other Loan Document.
(e) References
to “him”
or
“he”
or
“his”
shall
also refer to the opposite gender.
Section
1.03.
Accounting Terms. All
accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be
construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial
ratios
and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this
Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent
basis, as in effect from time to time, except
as
otherwise specifically prescribed herein.
Section
1.04.
References to Agreements, Laws and Persons. Unless
otherwise expressly provided herein, Article
2
references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents)
and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent
amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications
thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions,
supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document;
and
Article
3
references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions
consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law
and
Article
4
references to any Person include its successors and permitted
assigns.
Section
1.05.
Times of Day. Unless
otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references
to Hong Kong time.
ARTICLE
2
The
Commitments and the Loans
Section
2.01.
Loans.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees
to
Article
5
make
loans
(the “Loans”)
to the
Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period,
in an aggregate amount not to exceed such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the
Commitment. The Commitment is not revolving in nature, and amounts repaid
or
prepaid may not be reborrowed.
(b) Following
receipt of a Loan Drawdown Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly
notify each Lender of the date of borrowing specified therein and the amount
of
such Lender’s Loan; provided
that
Article
6
the
Borrower shall deliver not more than an aggregate number of 5 Loan Drawdown
Notices and Article
7
the
first Loan Drawdown Notice shall be for an aggregate principal amount of
no less
than US$35.0 million. Each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available
to
the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative
Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the
Loan Drawdown Notice. Upon
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section
4.01, the
Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower
in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting
the account of the Borrower on the books of the Administrative Agent with
the
amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in
accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the
Administrative Agent by the Borrower.
16
(c) The
Commitment shall terminate at the close of business on the last day of the
Availability Period whether or not Loans were made.
Section
2.02.
Prepayments.
(a) Optional.
The
Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, on any Business Day
voluntarily prepay any Loan in whole or in part without premium or penalty,
but
subject to Section
3.05;
provided
that
such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00
p.m. local time at the Administrative Agent’s Office thirty Business Days prior
to any date of prepayment and (ii) any prepayment of a Loan shall be in a
principal amount of US$5,000,000 or a multiple of US$1,000,000 in excess
thereof
or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding under such
Loan. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment
and
shall be delivered to the Lender appropriately completed and signed by a
Responsible Officer. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender
of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s ratable
portion of such prepayment (based on such Lender’s proportionate principal
amount outstanding in respect of the Loans). If such notice is given by the
Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount
specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified
therein.
(b) Mandatory.
Upon
the occurrence of a Change of Control, but subject to Article
8,
(x) the
Borrower shall, on the first Business Day thereafter, prepay, without premium
or
penalty, but subject to Section
3.05,
all and
any amounts outstanding under the Loans
and (y)
any remaining Commitments shall terminate.
Section
2.03.
Repayment of Loans. Subject
to Section
2.02(b)
and
Article
8,
the
Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the principal amount
of
all Loans outstanding on such date.
Section
2.04.
Interest.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of subsection (b)
below
and
other relevant provisions hereof, each
Loan
shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each
Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR for such Interest Period
plus
the
Applicable Rate. Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears
on
each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as
may be
specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance
with
the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the
commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
17
(b) The
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and each of the Lenders
of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for the Loans upon
determination of such interest rate.
(c) If
any
amount payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due
(without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity,
by
acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at
an
interest rate at all times equal to the Default Rate, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws. Furthermore, while any Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal
amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at an interest rate equal
to the
Default Rate, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued
and
unpaid interest on past-due amounts (including interest on past-due interest)
shall be due and payable upon demand.
(d) Interest
hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before
and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding
under any Debtor Relief Law.
Section
2.05.
Computation of Interest. All
computations of interest hereunder shall be made on the basis of a 360-day
year
and actual days elapsed; provided
that
Obligations accruing Default Interest shall be calculated on a compounded
daily
basis. Interest shall accrue for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall
not accrue on the Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the
Loan or
such portion is repaid.
Section
2.06.
Evidence of Debt. Each
Loan
made by a Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records
maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary
course
of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent
and
such Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of any
Loan
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 to pay any amount owing with
respect to the Obligations.
In the
event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any
Lender
and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such
matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control
in
the absence of manifest error.
Section
2.07.
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback. Article
8
General.
All
payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction
for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be
made
to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to
which
such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in
immediately available funds not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified
herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender
its
Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such
payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending
Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 1:00 p.m.
shall
be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable
interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the
Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall
be
made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall
be
reflected on computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
18
(b) Funding
by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.
Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to
the
proposed date of any Credit Extension that such Lender will not make available
to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Credit Extension, the
Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available
on such date in accordance with Section
2.01
and may,
in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding
amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the
applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable
Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent
forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds
with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount
is
made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the
Administrative Agent, at Article
9
in the
case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Base Rate
and a
rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry
rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar
fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the
foregoing, and Article
10
in the
case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the Base Rate plus the Applicable
Rate. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the
Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative
Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid
by
the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable
Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute
such Lender’s Loan included in such Credit Extension. Any payment by the
Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against
a
Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative
Agent.
(c) Failure
to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.
If any
Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to
be made
by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article
2,
and
such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent
because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in
Article
4
are not
satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative
Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender)
to
such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations
of Lenders Several.
The
obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant
to Section
10.04(c)
are
several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund
any
such participation or to make any payment under Section
10.04(c)
on any
date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding
obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for
the
failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation
or to make its payment under Section
10.04(c).
19
(e) Funding
Source.
Nothing
herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any
Loan
in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any
Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any
particular place or manner.
(f) Insufficient
Funds.
If at
any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative
Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, interest and fees then due
hereunder, such funds shall be applied Article
11
first,
toward payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the
parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees
then due to such parties, and Article
12
second,
toward payment of principal then due hereunder, ratably among the parties
entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal then due to
such
parties.
Section
2.08.
Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If
any
Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise,
obtain payment in respect of Article
13
Obligations in respect of any Loan due and payable to such Lender hereunder
and
under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share
(according to the proportion of (i)
the
amount of such Obligations due and payable to such Lender at such time to
(ii)
the
aggregate amount of the Obligations in respect of the Loans due and payable
to
all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of
payments on account of the Obligations in respect of the Loans due and payable
to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time
obtained by all the Lenders at such time or Article
14
Obligations in respect of any of the Loans owing (but not due and payable)
to
such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in
excess
of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such
Obligations owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender at such time to
(ii)
the aggregate amount of the Obligations in respect of the Loans owing (but
not
due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
at
such time) of payment on account of the Obligations in respect of the Loans
owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents at such time obtained by all of the Lenders at such time then
the
Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative
Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations
in
the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be
equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the
Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of Obligations in
respect of the Loans then due and payable to the Lenders or owing (but not
due
and payable) to the Lenders, as the case may be, provided that:
(i) if
any
such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving
rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the
purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest;
and
(ii) the
provisions of this Section
2.08
shall
not be construed to apply to (A)
any
payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express
terms of this Agreement or (B)
any
payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale
of a
participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than
to
the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this
Section
2.08
shall
apply).
20
The
Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively
do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant
to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of
setoff
and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender
were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such
participation.
Section
2.09.
Fees and Expenses.
(a) Fees
and Expenses.
Within
five Business Days after presentation of the relevant invoices to the Borrower,
the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent the amount of all fees
and
expenses payable by the Borrower pursuant to Section
10.04.
(b) Commitment
Fees. The
Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each of
the
Lenders in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee at
a rate
per annum equal to 1.00% on the actual daily amount by which the Commitment
exceeds the aggregate outstanding amount under the Loans. The commitment
fee
shall accrue at all times during the relevant Availability Period, including
at
any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article
4
is not
met. The commitment fee shall be calculated and payable on the last day of
the
Availability Period.
(c) Other
Fees.
On the
earlier of (x) the date of the first Credit Extension and (y) the fifth Business
Day after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative
Agent
and the Arranger any fees and expenses payable pursuant to the Fee
Letter.
ARTICLE
3
Taxes,
Yield Protection and Illegality
Section
3.01.
Taxes.
(a) Any
and
all payments by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender, the Arranger
or
the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear
of
and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, except as
required by law. If the Borrower shall be required by any Laws to deduct
any
Indemnified Taxes (including Other Taxes) from or in respect of any sum payable
under any Loan Document to any of the Lenders, the Arranger or the
Administrative Agent, Article
15 the
sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required
deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under
this Section
3.01),
each
of the Lenders, the Arranger and the Administrative Agent receives an amount
equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made,
Article
16
the
Borrower shall make such deductions, Article
17
the
Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority
or other authority in accordance with applicable Laws, and Article
18
as
promptly as practicable after the date of such payment, the Borrower shall
furnish to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a
receipt evidencing payment thereof.
21
(b) Without
limiting the provisions of paragraph (a)
above,
the
Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority
in accordance with applicable Law.
(c) The
Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and each
of
the Lenders for Article
19
the full
amount of any Indemnified Taxes and Other Taxes (including any Indemnified
Taxes
or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable
under
this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or such Lender
and
Article
20
any
liability (including additions to tax, penalties, interest and expenses)
arising
therefrom or with respect thereto. Payment under this subsection (c)
shall be
made to the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or Lender within ten days
after
the date the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or Lender makes a demand
therefor.
(d) Any
Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it may lawfully do so, deliver to Borrower
(with a copy to the Administrative Agent) (in such number of copies as shall
be
reasonably requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such
Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time
thereafter upon the request of Borrower or as otherwise prescribed by applicable
Law, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever
of
the following is applicable:
(i) duly
completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility
for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America
is a
party,
(ii) duly
completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(iii) in
the
case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio
interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate,
to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not Article
21
a “bank”
within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code,
Article
22
a “10
percent shareholder” of Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of
the Internal Revenue Code, or Article
23
a
“controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the
Internal Revenue Code and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8BEN, or
(iv) any
other
form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from
or a
reduction in United States federal withholding tax duly completed together
with
such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to
permit Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be
made.
(e) Any
Lender that is not a Foreign Lender and has not otherwise established to
the
reasonable satisfaction of Borrower that it is an exempt recipient (as defined
in section 6049(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and the United States
Treasury Regulations thereunder) shall deliver to Borrower (with a copy to
the
Administrative Agent) (in such number of copies as shall be reasonably requested
by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a
Lender
under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of
Borrower or the Administrative Agent or as otherwise prescribed by applicable
Law, but only if such Lender is legally entitled to do so), duly executed
and
properly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9.
22
(f) If
a
Lender, the Arranger or the Administrative Agent determines, in its sole
discretion, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by Borrower or with respect to
which
Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay
to
Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity
payments made, or additional amounts paid, by Borrower under this Section
with
respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund),
net
of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or
such
Lender, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest
paid
by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund);
provided
that
Borrower, upon the request of such Lender, the Arranger or the Administrative
Agent, agrees to repay the amount paid over to Borrower (plus any penalties,
interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority)
to the
Administrative Agent, the Arranger or such Lender in the event the
Administrative Agent, the Arranger or such Lender is required to repay such
refund to such Governmental Authority. This paragraph shall not be construed
to
require the Administrative Agent, or the Arranger or any Lender to make
available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes
that
it deems confidential) to Borrower or any other person.
Section
3.02.
Illegality. If
any
Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental
Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending
Office
to make, maintain or fund any Loan, or to determine or charge interest rates
based upon LIBOR, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower
through
the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make such Loan
shall
be suspended until such Lender notifies the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer
exist.
Upon receipt of such notice with respect to any Loan, the Borrower shall,
upon
demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay
such
Loan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may, at its option by notice
to any Lender, in lieu of prepaying a Loan pursuant to this Section
3.02,
elect
that such Loan shall bear interest at the Alternate Interest Rate from the
date
on which such prepayment would otherwise have been required until such Lender
notifies the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that the circumstances
giving
rise thereto no longer exist. The Lender agrees to designate a different
Lending
Office if such designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not,
in
the good faith judgment of the Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous
to the Lender.
Section
3.03.
Inability To Determine LIBOR. If
the
Required Lenders determine that for any reason adequate and reasonable means
do
not exist for determining LIBOR for any day, or that LIBOR for any day does
not
adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding the Loans,
the
Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.
Thereafter, the Loans shall bear interest at the Alternate Interest Rate
until
the Administrative Agent (upon instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes
such
notice.
23
Section
3.04.
Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.
(a) If
any
Lender determines that as a result of the introduction of or any change in
or in
the interpretation of any Law, or such Lender’s or Administration Agent’s
compliance therewith, there shall be any increase in the cost to the Lender
of
agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Loans, or a reduction
in the
amount received or receivable by such Lender in connection with any of the
foregoing (excluding for purposes of this subsection (a)
any such
increased costs or reduction in amount resulting from Article
24
Taxes or
Other Taxes (as to which Section
3.01
shall
govern), Article
25
changes
in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by
the
United States, Hong Kong or any other foreign jurisdiction or any political
subdivision of either thereof under the Laws of which such Lender is organized
or has its Lending Office; and it being understood that, to the extent
duplicative of the provisions of Section
3.01,
this
Section
3.04
shall
not apply to Taxes), or Article
26
regulatory costs (whether or not reflected in an adjustment by such Lender
to
LIBOR), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender through the
Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional
amounts as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or
reduction.
(b) If
any
Lender determines that the introduction of any Law regarding capital adequacy
or
any change therein or in the interpretation thereof, or compliance by such
Lender (or its Lending Office) therewith, has the effect of reducing the
rate of
return on the capital of such Lender or any corporation controlling such
Lender
as a consequence of such Lender’s obligations hereunder (taking into
consideration its policies with respect to capital adequacy and such Lender’s
desired return on capital), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender
through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such
additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such
reduction.
Section
3.05.
Funding Losses. Upon
demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time
to
time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such
Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result
of
Article
27
any
failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender
to
make a Loan) to prepay or borrow a Loan on the date or in the amount notified
by
the Borrower in accordance with this Agreement, or Article
28
the
prepayment of any principal of any Loan other than on the last day of an
Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of
Default), including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense
arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain
such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such
funds
were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees
charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
Section
3.06.
Requests for Compensation. A
certificate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent claiming compensation
under
this Article
3
and
setting forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder
shall
be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount,
a
Lender or the Administrative Agent may use any reasonable averaging and
attribution methods.
24
Section
3.07.
Survival. All
of
the Borrower’s obligations under this Article
3
shall
survive termination of the Commitment and repayment of all other Obligations
hereunder.
ARTICLE
4
Conditions
Precedent
Section
4.01.
Conditions to All Credit Extensions. The
obligation of any Lender to make any Credit Extension hereunder is subject
to
satisfaction of the following conditions precedent; provided
that the
Lenders may waive any such condition in their sole discretion:
(a) The
receipt by the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date of the first
Credit
Extension, and the continuation in full force and effect on the date of any
subsequent Credit Extension, of the following, each of which shall be originals
or facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified,
each
properly executed, each dated the date of the first Credit Extension (or,
in the
case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the
date of
the first Credit Extension) and each in form and substance satisfactory to
the
Administrative Agent (relying on legal counsel’s confirmation) and its legal
counsel:
(i) counterparts
of this Agreement, duly executed by each party thereto;
(ii) counterparts
of the Collateral Agreement, duly executed by each party thereto;
(iii) such
certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or
other certificates of Responsible Officers of the Borrower as the Administrative
Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of any
such
Responsible Officer authorized to so act in connection with this Agreement
and
the other Loan Documents;
(iv) such
documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require
to evidence (x) that the Borrower, the Lien Grantor and Synutra, Inc. are
duly
organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing and (y) have taken
all necessary or appropriate corporate or other actions to authorize and
enter
into the Loan Documents;
(v) a
favorable opinion of O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP, United States counsel to the
Borrower, addressed to each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent,
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit C hereto and such other matters
concerning the Borrower, the Lien Grantor, Synutra, Inc. and the Loan Documents
as any of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent may reasonably request
in
form and substance satisfactory to each of the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent;
25
(vi) a
favorable opinion of DeHeng Law Office, PRC counsel to the Borrower, addressed
to each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, substantially in the
form
set forth in Exhibit D hereto and such other matters concerning the Borrower,
the Lien Grantor, Synutra, Inc. and the Loan Documents as any of the Lenders
and
the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in form and substance
satisfactory to each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent;
(vii) a
favorable opinion of Xxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxx LLP, Illinois counsel to the
Borrower, addressed to each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent,
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit E hereto and such other matters
concerning the Borrower, the Lien Grantor, Synutra, Inc. and the Loan Documents
as any of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent may reasonably request
in
form and substance satisfactory to each of the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent;
(viii) a
certificate signed by the Borrower certifying Article
29
that the
conditions specified in Sections 4.01(c)
and
(d)
have
been satisfied, and Article
30
that
since the respective dates of which information is set forth in the Disclosure
Documents, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or
in
the aggregate, that has had or would be reasonably expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; and
(ix) satisfactory
evidence of the appointment of the New York process agent specified in Section
10.16.
(b) The
Collateral Requirement shall have been satisfied.
(c) The
representations and warranties of the Borrower and the Lien Grantor contained
in
Article
5
of this
Agreement or in any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document
furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall
be
true and correct on and as of Article
31
the
Closing Date and Article
32
as
applicable, immediately prior to and after giving effect to the relevant
Credit
Extension; provided
that,
with respect to Schedules 5.10 and 5.16, the Borrower may, in connection
with
any Credit Extension, update such schedules, solely to reflect any additional
Subsidiaries the Borrower may have formed or acquired.
(d) No
Default shall exist, or would result from the relevant Credit Extension and
all
of the Loan Documents shall be in full force and effect.
(e) Prior
to
the date of the first Credit Extension, (i) the Borrower shall have filed
with
the U.S. SEC restated audited annual financial statements (accompanied by
an
unqualified audit opinion of independent auditors qualified to practice before
the U.S. SEC) for the historical period referred to in the Borrower’s Form 8-K
dated August 17, 2007 filed with the U.S. SEC, (ii) the filing of these restated
financial statements and any revised historical financial information or
on-going changes to accounting practices or principles of the Borrower reflected
therein shall not have had or be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, (iii) the common stock of the Borrower shall not have been or be
reasonably expected to be delisted from the NASDAQ Global Markets and (iv)
the
Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate signed
by the Borrower certifying that the conditions specified in this Section
4.01(e)
have
been satisfied.
26
(f) Unless
waived by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or the relevant
Lender,
all fees and reasonable expense reimbursements arising under or in connection
with a Loan Document and payable to any Lender, the Administrative Agent
or the
Collateral Agent by the Borrower or the Lien Grantor shall either (x) have
been
paid and satisfied or (y) arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent,
in its reasonable discretion, regarding the concurrent or expected future
payment of such fees and expenses in a timely manner shall have been
established.
(g) The
Availability Period is continuing.
(h) The
Commitment has not been terminated.
(i) The
Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Loan Drawdown Notice at least five Business
Days prior to the date of the respective Credit Extension.
(j) Payment
of all loans and other obligations outstanding under the Bridge Loan, if
any,
shall concurrently be made from the proceeds of the first Credit
Extension.
(k) All
fees
and expenses payable by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Arranger
and the Lenders pursuant to any Loan Document shall have been paid or shall
concurrently be paid out of the proceeds from such Credit
Extension.
(l) Such
other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as any of
the
Lenders or the Administrative Agent reasonably may require.
Without
limiting the generality of the provisions the last paragraph of Section
9.03,
for
purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this
Section
4.01
and for
purposes of any actions taken by the Administrative Agent under this
Section
4.01
only,
each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented
to,
approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter
required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or
satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received
notice from such Lender prior to the date of the relevant Credit Extension
specifying its objection thereto.
ARTICLE
5
Representations
and Warranties
The
Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
that:
Section
5.01.
Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. The
Borrower and each Material Subsidiary (a)
in the
case of the Borrower, is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in
good
standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware, and in the case of a Material
Subsidiary, is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction where it was organized or formed,
(b)
has all
requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals to (i)
own its
assets and carry on its business and (ii)
execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it
is a
party, (c)
is duly
qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each
jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the
conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d)
is in
compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i),
(c)
or
(d),
to the
extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
27
Section
5.02.
Authorization; No Contravention. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document
to
which it is a party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action, and do not and will not contravene the terms of any of its Organization
Documents. The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each
Loan
Document to which it is a party do not and will not (e)
conflict
with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any
Lien
(other than the Liens created by the Collateral Agreements) under, (i)
any
Contractual Obligation to which the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower
is
a party or (ii)
any
order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral
award to which the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower or his or its
property is subject; or (iii)
violate
any Law.
Section
5.03.
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No
approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice
to,
or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary
or
required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or
enforcement against, the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
Section
5.04.
Binding Effect. This
Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document to which the Borrower is
a
party, when delivered hereunder, will have been duly executed and delivered
by
the Borrower. This Agreement constitutes, and each such other Loan Document
when
so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms,
except
as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity.
Section
5.05.
Disclosure Documents; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The
Disclosure Documents do not contain any untrue statement of material fact
or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not
misleading except as to certain potential changes to the annual financial
statements and quarterly reports of the Borrower disclosed in the Form 8-K
filed
with the U.S. SEC on August 17, 2007.
(b) Since
the
respective dates as of which information is set forth in the Disclosure
Documents, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or
in
the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
28
Section
5.06.
Litigation. There
are
no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge
of the Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or
contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental
Authority, by or against the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower or
against any of its or their properties or revenues that Article
33 purport
to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any
of the
transactions contemplated hereby, or Article
34
either
individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, would reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.07.
No
Default. Neither
the Borrower nor any Affiliate of the Borrower is in default under or with
respect to any Contractual Obligation that would, either individually or
in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default
has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
Section
5.08.
Ownership of Collateral; Liens. The
Borrower has good title to the Collateral and the Capital Stock of Synutra,
Inc.
constituting the pledged Collateral has been duly and validly issued, and
is
outstanding and non-assessable and is registered in the name of the Borrower
on
the stock transfer records of Synutra, Inc. The Collateral is also not subject
to any Liens other than those permitted by Section
7.01.
Section
5.09.
Taxes. The
Borrower and each Material Subsidiary has filed all material tax returns
and
reports required to be filed, and has paid all material taxes, assessments,
fees
and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon him or it or his or
its
properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which
are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted
and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.
There is no proposed tax assessment against the Borrower or any Affiliate
of the
Borrower that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.10.
Subsidiaries. Except
for the information set forth on Schedule 5.10 hereto with respect to identity
and percentage ownership, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries.
Section
5.11.
Investment Company Act. Neither
the Borrower nor any Person Controlling the Borrower is or is required to
be
registered as an “investment company” under the United States Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended.
Section
5.12.
Disclosure. The
Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all
agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or
any
Affiliate of the Borrower is subject, and all other matters known to it,
that,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result
in a
Material Adverse Effect. No report, financial statement, certificate or other
information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of the
Borrower to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or
delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so
furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
except
to the extent noted in the Borrower’s Form 8-K filed with the U.S. SEC on August
17, 2007.
29
Section
5.13.
Compliance with Laws. The
Borrower and each Affiliate of the Borrower is in compliance in all material
respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions
and decrees applicable to him or it or to its properties, except in such
instances in which Article
35
such
requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested
in
good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or Article
36
the
failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, would
not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.14.
Security Interests. Each
of
the representations and warranties of Synutra International and of Synutra,
Inc.
contained in the Collateral Agreement is true and correct.
Section
5.15.
Pari Passu Ranking. The
payment Obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents rank at least
pari
passu with
the
claims of all of its other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, except
for
obligations mandatorily preferred by law applying to the Borrower
generally.
Section
5.16.
Corporate Chart. The
corporate chart attached as Schedule 5.16 hereto sets out the corporate and
shareholding structure of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and such corporate
chart and the information contained therein is true, complete and
accurate.
Section
5.17.
Government Approvals. Each
of
Xxxxxxx Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxx has obtained all applicable governmental licenses,
registrations, authorizations, consents and approvals for their respective
direct or indirect investments in the Borrower, including any registration
pursuant to Article
1
of the
Notice (Hui Fa 2005 No. 75) issued by the State Administration of Foreign
Exchange of the PRC (the “Notice
No. 75”)
and
has delivered all applicable notices to Governmental Authorities in connection
therewith.
Section
5.18.
Distributions. Each
Subsidiary of the Borrower has obtained or completed Article
37
all
approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions by or notices
to, or filings with any Governmental Authority or any person and Article
38
any
corporate or shareholder approval necessary or required in order to permit
such
Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital
Stock.
Section
5.19.
Common Stock. As
of the
date hereof, the aggregate number of outstanding shares of common stock of
the
Borrower is 54,000,713.
30
ARTICLE
6
Affirmative
Covenants
So
long
as any Commitment shall be in effect or any Loan or any other Obligation
hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied:
Section
6.01.
Information. The
Borrower will deliver promptly to the Administrative Agent and each Lender,
in
form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent,
such
information regarding the business, assets or affairs of the Borrower, the
Collateral or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the
Administrative Agent at the request of any of the Lenders may from time to
time
reasonably request.
Section
6.02.
Notices. The
Borrower will promptly notify each of the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent:
(a) of
the
occurrence of any Default;
and
(b) of
any
matter that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, including Article
39
a breach
or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of
the
Borrower or a Material Subsidiary; Article
40
any
dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between the
Borrower or a Material Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or
Article
41
the
commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding
affecting the Borrower
or a
Material Subsidiary.
Each
notice pursuant to this Section
6.02
shall be
accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer, setting forth details
of
the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has
taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to
Section
6.02(a)
shall
describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and
any
other Loan Document that have been breached.
Section
6.03.
Payment of Obligations. The
Borrower will pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable,
all
obligations and liabilities, including Article
42 all
tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon the
Borrower or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested
in
good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves
in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Borrower; Article
43 all
material lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon
his (or
her) or its property; and Article
44 all
Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination
provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such
Indebtedness.
Section
6.04.
Preservation of Existence, etc. The
Borrower will, and will procure that each Material Subsidiary will, Article
45
preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence
and
good standing under the Laws of the respective jurisdiction of its organization;
and Article
46
take all
reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and
franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business,
except
to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect.
31
Section
6.05.
Compliance with Laws. The
Borrower will, and will procure that each Material Subsidiary will comply
with
the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees
applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances
in
which Article
47
such
requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested
in
good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or Article
48
the
failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
Section
6.06.
Books and Records. The
Borrower will maintain proper books of record and account, in which full,
true
and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be
made
of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business
of
the Borrower
and the
Borrower shall take all commercially reasonable actions to restate its annual
financial statements and quarterly reports to the extent described in the
Borrower’s Form 8-K with the U.S. SEC on August 17, 2007.
Section
6.07.
Inspection Rights. The
Borrower will permit representatives and independent contractors of each
of the
Lenders and the Administrative Agent to examine its corporate, financial
and
operating records (including any documents relating to the Collateral), and
make
copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances
and
accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants,
all
at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may
be
reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice; provided,
however,
that
when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or such Lender (or
any
of its representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing
at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and
without advance notice.
Section
6.08.
Use
of Proceeds. The
Borrower will use the proceeds of any Loans made to it Article
49
to pay
all obligations outstanding under the US $35.0 million loan made pursuant
to the
loan agreement dated as of April 19, 2007 among Synutra International, Inc.,
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxx, and ABN AMRO (the “Bridge
Loan”)
and
the remainder for capital expenditures, asset acquisitions and general corporate
purposes; provided
that all
obligations outstanding under the Bridge Loan shall be paid from the proceeds
of
the Credit Extension made pursuant to the first Loan Drawdown
Notice;
(b) not
in
contravention of any Law or any Loan Document; and
(c) not,
directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or
ultimate, of buying or carrying Margin Stock;
provided
that, in
any event, the proceeds will not be applied to any business activities of
the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or, to the knowledge of
the
Borrower, the business activities of the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’
or Affiliates’ customers, in or related to Iran, Sudan or Myanmar or other
restricted jurisdictions, or with or related to any restricted person, for
so
long as the United States, the European Union or any member country of the
European Union, or the United Nations Security Council maintain mandatory
economic sanctions against the relevant jurisdiction or person.
32
Section
6.09.
Know Your Customer Checks. The
Borrower will promptly upon the request of any Lender or the Administrative
Agent supply, or procure the supply of, such documentation and other evidence
as
is reasonably requested by such Lender or the Administrative Agent (for itself
or on behalf of any Participant) in order for the Administrative Agent, such
Lender or any Participant or Assignee to conduct any “know your customer” or
other similar procedures under applicable laws and regulations.
Section
6.10.
Pari Passu Ranking. The
Borrower will ensure that its payment Obligations under the Loan Documents
rank
and continue to rank at least pari
passu
with the
claims of all of its other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, except
for
obligations mandatorily preferred by law applying to the Borrower
generally.
Section
6.11.
Unlawful Contributions. The
Borrower will not, and, as applicable, will not permit any of its Subsidiaries
or any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting with specific
instruction from the Borrower or, as applicable, any of its Subsidiaries,
to
Article
50
use any
corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other
unlawful expense relating to political activity, Article
51
make any
direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government
official or employee from corporate funds or Article
52
make any
bribe or other unlawful payment.
Section
6.12.
Distributions. The
Borrower will procure that each Subsidiary of the Borrower has, at all times,
obtained or completed Article
53
all
approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions by or notices
to, or filings with any Governmental Authority or any person and Article
54
any
corporate or shareholder approval necessary or required in order to permit
such
Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital
Stock.
Section
6.13.
Compliance Certificates.
The
Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders
(a)
within
60 days after the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, a certificate
of a
Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating the Consolidated Interest Coverage
Ratio and the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, each as of the end of the most
recent
fiscal quarter of the Borrower and showing in reasonable detail the calculation
of the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio and the Consolidated Leverage
Ratio,
including the arithmetic computations of each component of these ratios,
and
(b)
as soon
as possible and in any event within 5 Business Days after the Borrower becomes
aware or should reasonably become aware of the occurrence of a Default, a
certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the details
of the Default, and the action which the Borrower proposes to take with respect
thereto.
33
Section
6.14. Further
Assurances.
Promptly
upon request by the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the
Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall and cause each of its subsidiaries
to
Article
55
correct
any material defect or error that may be discovered in any Loan Document
or in
the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof, and Article
56
do,
execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register
and
re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances
and
other instruments as the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the
Administrative Agent, may reasonably require from time to time in order to
(i)
carry
out more effectively the purposes of the Loan Documents, (ii)
to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject the Borrower’s or any of its
Subsidiaries’ properties, assets, rights or interests to the Liens now or
hereafter intended to be covered by any of the Collateral Documents,
(iii)
perfect
and maintain the validity, effectiveness and priority of any of the Collateral
Documents and any of the Liens intended to be created thereunder and
(iv)
assure,
convey, grant, assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm more effectively
unto the Secured Parties the rights granted or now or hereafter intended
to be
granted to the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent
under
any Loan Document or under any other instrument executed in connection with
any
Loan Document to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is or is to
be a
party, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to do so.
Section
6.15.
Synutra, Inc. Article
57
The
Borrower shall procure that Synutra, Inc. and its Subsidiaries do not Dispose
of
any of their respective assets to a Person other than Synutra, Inc. or any
of
its Subsidiaries, other than in a Disposition (or series of related
Dispositions) (i)
that is
made in Synutra, Inc.’s and its Subsidiaries’ ordinary course of business,
(ii)
in which
the consideration received by Synutra, Inc. and its Subsidiaries is equal
to or
greater than the fair value of the Disposed property and (iii)
with
respect to which, if the fair value of the Disposed property is greater than
US$1.0 million, the board of directors of the Borrower has resolved that
the
consideration received is equal to or greater than the fair value of the
Disposed property.
(b) The
Borrower shall procure that Synutra, Inc. and its Subsidiaries shall not
extend
any loan to, make any equity contribution to or make any other investment
in a
Person other than Synutra, Inc. or any of its Subsidiaries, other than any
such
transaction (or series of transactions) (iv)
that is
made in Synutra, Inc.’s and its Subsidiaries’ ordinary course of business,
(v)
in which
the property acquired by Synutra, Inc. is equal to or greater than the fair
value of the aggregate amount of any such loan, contribution and investment
and
(vi)
with
respect to which, if the aggregate amount of any such loan, contribution
and
investment is greater than US$1.0 million, the board of directors of the
Borrower has resolved that the fair value of the property acquired is equal
to
or greater than the aggregate amount of any such loan, contribution and
investment.
(c) The
Borrower shall procure that Synutra, Inc. and its Subsidiaries shall not
provide
any Guarantee of any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable
by
another Person, other than Synutra, Inc. or any of its Subsidiaries that
exceeds
US$1.0 million.
(d) The
Borrower shall procure that Synutra, Inc. and its Subsidiaries shall not
issue,
transfer or sell any of their respective equity securities to another Person,
other than, in the case of Synutra, Inc.’s equity securities, the Borrower, and
in the case of any of Synutra, Inc.’s Subsidiaries’ equity securities, other
than in the ordinary course of business and for a contribution that is equal
to
or greater than the aggregate fair value of the securities so issued,
transferred or sold and, if the aggregate fair value of the securities so
issued, transferred or sold is greater than US$1.0 million, the board of
directors for the Borrower has resolved that the consideration received is
equal
to or greater than the fair value of such securities.
34
(e) The
Borrower shall continue to operate through Synutra, Inc. or its Subsidiaries
all
of the business lines that it, as of the Closing Date, operates through Synutra,
Inc. or its Subsidiaries, other than business lines that the Borrower
discontinues in its ordinary course of business.
ARTICLE
7
Negative
Covenants
So
long
as the Commitment shall be in effect or the Loan or any other Obligation
hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrower shall not, directly
or indirectly:
Section
7.01.
Liens. Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its assets, whether
now
owned or hereafter acquired, other than Permitted
Liens; provided
that, in
any event, at no time shall any Liens other than Collateral Permitted Liens
exist with respect to the Collateral.
Section
7.02.
Fundamental Changes. Article
58
Merge,
dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose
of
(whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially
all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor
of
any other Person.
(b) Engage
in
any material line of business substantially different from those lines of
business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof
or
any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
Section
7.03.
Restricted Payments on Stock. In
the
case of the Borrower, declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted
Payment in an aggregate amount,
when
taken together with any other Restricted Payment during the immediately
preceding 12-month period, in excess of 30.0% of Consolidated Net
Income.
Section
7.04. Financial
Covenants.
(a) Permit
the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter
of
the Borrower ending on or after October 1, 2007 to be lower than
5.00.
(b) Permit
the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of a fiscal quarter of the
Borrower to be higher than the Maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio set forth
with respect to such fiscal quarter in the following table:
With
respect a fiscal quarter ending during the period beginning on
|
Maximum
Consolidated Leverage Ratio
|
October
1, 2007 (inclusive) and ending on
September
30, 2008 (inclusive)
|
2.00
|
October
1, 2008 (inclusive) and ending on
September
30, 2009 (inclusive)
|
1.80
|
October
1, 2009 (inclusive) and ending on the
Maturity
Date (inclusive)
|
1.50
|
35
(c) Permit
Consolidated Tangible Net Worth on any date to be less than the Minimum Tangible
Net Worth set forth for such date in the following table:
On
any date during the period beginning on
|
Minimum
Consolidated
Tangible
Net Worth
|
January
1, 2008 (inclusive) and ending on
December
31, 2008 (inclusive)
|
US$132
million
|
January
1, 2009 (inclusive) and ending on
December
31, 2009 (inclusive)
|
US$200
million
|
January
1, 2010 (inclusive) and ending on the
Maturity
Date (inclusive)
|
US$265
million
|
(d) Permit
the ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated Tangible Net Worth
on any
date to be higher than the Maximum Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth Ratio set forth for such date in the following
table:
On
any date during the period beginning on
|
Maximum
Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated Tangible Net Worth
Ratio
|
January
1, 2008 (inclusive) and ending on
December
31, 2008 (inclusive)
|
0.80
|
January
1, 2009 (inclusive) and ending on
December
31, 2009 (inclusive)
|
0.70
|
January
1, 2010 (inclusive) and ending on the
Maturity
Date (inclusive)
|
0.60
|
Section
7.05.
Dispositions. Make
any
Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition,
except:
(a) Dispositions
of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired,
in
the ordinary course of business;
(b) Dispositions
of inventory and grants of licenses in the ordinary course of
business;
(c) Dispositions
of equipment or real property to the extent that Article
59
such
property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar
replacement property or Article
60
the
proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase
price of such replacement property;
36
(d) Dispositions
of property by any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries to the Borrower or to a
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower;
(e) Other
dispositions of property by the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries
in reliance on this Section
7.05(e),
during
any calendar year, which collectively have a fair-market value of less than
US$10.0 million; and
(f) Dispositions
of property by Synutra, Inc. and its Subsidiaries which are permissible under
Section
6.15
of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
8
Events
of
Default and Remedies
Section
8.01.
Events of Default. Any
of
the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment.
The
Borrower fails to pay when due any amount of principal of any Loan, or the
Borrower fails to pay any interest on any Loan, any fee due hereunder, or
any
other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document on or within
five days after the due date thereof; or
(b) Specific
Covenants.
The
Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained
in any of Section
6.02,
6.04,
6.08,
6.10,
6.11
or
6.15
or
Article
7,
as
applicable; or
(c) Other
Defaults.
The
Borrower fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not
specified in subsection (a)
or
(b)
above)
contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and
such
failure continues for 30 days; or
(d) Representations
and Warranties.
Any
representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed
made
by or on behalf of the Borrower herein, in any other Loan Document, or in
any
document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect
or
misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default.
The
Borrower or any Material Subsidiary Article
61
fails to
make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment,
acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee,
(other than Indebtedness hereunder) in a principal amount in excess of
US$1,000,000, or Article
62
fails to
observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness
or Guarantee, or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing
or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default
or
other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness
or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent
on
behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause,
with
the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to
become
due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or
otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such
Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee
to
become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded;
or
37
(f) Insolvency
Proceedings, Etc.
The
Borrower or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution
of
any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the
benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any
receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator or similar officer
for it
or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee,
custodian, conservator, liquidator, or similar officer is appointed without
the
application or consent of the Borrower or such Material Subsidiary and the
appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to the Borrower or any Material
Subsidiary or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without
the consent of the Borrower or such Material Subsidiary and continues
undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered
in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability
to Pay Debts; Attachment.
Article
63
The
Borrower or any Material Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing his
or
its inability or fails generally to pay his or its debts as they become due,
or
Article
64 any
writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or
levied against all or any material part of the property of the Borrower or
any
Material Subsidiary and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30
days
after its issue or levy; or
(h) Reduction
or Loss of Capital.
A
meeting is convened by the Borrower for the purpose of passing any resolution
to
purchase, reduce or redeem any of its share capital; or
(i) Composition.
Any
steps are taken, or negotiations commenced, by the Borrower or any Material
Subsidiary or by any of their respective creditors with a view to proposing
any
kind of composition, compromise or arrangement involving such company or,
as the
case may be, such Person and any of its creditors; or
(j) Analogous
Proceedings.
There
occurs, in relation to the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary in any country
or
territory in which any of them carries on business or to the jurisdiction
of
whose courts any part of their respective assets is subject, any event which,
in
the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders, appears in that country or
territory to correspond with, or have an effect equivalent or similar to,
any of
those mentioned in Sections 8.01(f)
through
(i)
(inclusive) or the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary otherwise becomes
subject, in any such country or territory, to the operation of any law relating
to insolvency, bankruptcy or liquidation; or
(k) Judgments.
There
is entered against the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary Article
65
a final
judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding
US$1,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance
as
to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or Article
66
any one
or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or would reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and,
in
either case, (A)
enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment
or
order, or (B)
there is
a period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such
judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect;
or
38
(l) Cessation
of Business.
The
Borrower or any Material Subsidiary suspends or ceases or threatens to suspend
or cease to carry on its businesses; or
(m) Seizure.
All or
a material part of the undertakings, assets, rights or revenues of, or shares
or
other ownership interests in, the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary are
seized, nationalised, expropriated or compulsorily acquired by or under the
authority of any government; or
(n) Invalidity
of Loan Documents.
Any
Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason
other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all
the
Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Borrower or any
other
Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan
Document; or the Borrower denies that it has any or further liability or
obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind
any Loan Document; or
(o) Lien
Defects.
Any
Lien created by any of the Security Documents shall at any time fail to
constitute a valid and perfected Lien on all of the Collateral purported
to be
subject thereto, securing the obligations purported to be secured thereby,
with
the priority required by the Loan Documents, or the Borrower or Synutra,
Inc.
shall so assert in writing; or
(p) Material
Adverse Change, etc.
Any
event shall occur which has had or is reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect; or
(q) Change
of Management, etc.
Any
claim, demand or the commencement of any proceeding shall have been made
or
threatened to be made against the Borrower, or any of their respective
Affiliates or employees (not limited to the filing of a lawsuit against any
Affiliate or employee) which alleges any impropriety, illegality, negligence
or
contractual or fiduciary breach related to the performance of services by
such
Person that, if successful, would reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary; or
(r) Judgment
or Order.
Any
judgment or order shall be entered in any investigative, administrative or
judicial proceeding involving a determination that the Borrower (or an Affiliate
of the Borrower) shall have violated in any material respect any civil or
criminal law or regulation applicable to it.
(s) Permitted
Holders.
The
Permitted Holders are the beneficial owners and “control”, as determined
pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of
1934,
as amended, of less than 50% plus one vote of the total voting power of the
Voting Stock of the Borrower (or any successor entity).
39
(t) Pledged
Stock.
The
Pledged Stock constitutes less than 100.0% of the total voting power of the
Voting Stock of Synutra, Inc. (or any successor entity).
Section
8.02.
Remedies Upon Event of Default. If
any
Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall
at the
request of, or may with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or
all of
the following actions:
(a) declare
the Commitment to be terminated, whereupon the Commitment shall be
terminated;
(b) declare
the unpaid principal amount of any Loan, all interest accrued and unpaid
thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other
Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand,
protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived
by
the Borrower;
(c) give
instructions to the Collateral Agent to foreclose on the Collateral in
accordance with the Collateral Agreement and with any other Security Documents
then in existence; and
(d) exercise
all rights and remedies available to it under the Loan Documents or applicable
law;
provided,
however,
that
upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with
respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the
Commitments shall automatically terminate, and the unpaid principal amount
of
the Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically
become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative
Agent or any Lender.
Section
8.03.
Application of Funds. After
the
exercise of remedies provided for in Section
8.02
(or
after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as
set
forth in the proviso to Section
8.02),
subject to Article
3
and
Article
10,
any
amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the
Administrative Agent in the following order :
First,
to
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities,
expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of
counsel
to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article
3)
payable
to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second,
to
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities
and
other amounts (other than principal, interest) payable to the Lenders (including
fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders) and
amounts payable under Article
3,
ratably
among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause
Second
payable
to them;
40
Third,
to
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid
interest on the Loans and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders in
proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third
payable
to them;
Fourth,
to
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal
of the
Loans, ratably among the Lenders, in proportion to the respective amounts
described in this clause Fourth
held by
them; and
Last,
the
balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid
in
full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
ARTICLE
9
Administrative
Agent
Section
9.01.
Appointment and Authority.
(a) Each
of
the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints ABN AMRO to act on its behalf as
the
Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes
the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise
such
powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or
thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental
thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights
as
a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.
(b) The
Administrative Agent shall also act as the Collateral Agent under the Loan
Documents, and each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes
the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender for purposes
of
acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted
by the
Borrower to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and
discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the
Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and any co-agents, sub-agents
and
attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral
Agent
pursuant to Section
9.05
for
purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral or any other
collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Security Documents,
or for
exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the
Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions
of
this Article
9
and
Article
10
(including Section
10.04(c),
as
though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral
agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect
thereto.
41
Section
9.02.
Rights as a Lender. The
Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same
rights
and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise
the
same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or
“Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context
otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent
hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may
accept
deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other
advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the
Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were
not
the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor
to
the Lenders.
Section
9.03.
Exculpatory Provisions. The
Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those
expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting
the
generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(a) shall
not
be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether
a
Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall
not
have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary
powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby
or
by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to
exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number
or
percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the
other Loan Documents), provided
that the
Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its
opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent
to
liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law;
and
(c) shall
not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents,
have
any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose,
any
information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is
communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent
or
any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The
Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken
by it
(i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other
number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the
Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under
the
circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01
and
8.02)
or (ii)
in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The
Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default
unless
and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent
by
the Borrower or a Lender.
The
Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain
or inquire into (ii)
any
statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this
Agreement or any other Loan Document, (iii)
the
contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder
or
thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iv)
the
performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms
or
conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default,
(v)
the
validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement,
any
other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the
creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the
Security Documents, (vi)
the
value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vii)
the
satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article
4
or
elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required
to
be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
42
Section
9.04.
Reliance by Administrative Agent. The
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur
any
liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent,
statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic
message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed
by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated
by the
proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement
made to
it verbally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper
Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining
compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its
terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative
Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless
the
Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such
Lender
prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with
legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants
and
other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken
or
not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants
or experts.
Section
9.05.
Delegation of Duties. The
Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its
rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through
any
one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative
Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise
its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The
exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent
and to
the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and
shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication
of
the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as
Administrative Agent.
Section
9.06.
Resignation of Administrative Agent. The
Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the
Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation,
the
Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower,
to
appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with offices in the United States
and
Hong Kong, or an Affiliate of any such bank with offices in the United States
and Hong Kong. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required
Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the
retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring
Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor
Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided
that if
the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no
qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall
nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and Article
67
the
retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and
obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in
the
case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf
of
the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative
Agent
shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor
Administrative Agent is appointed) and Article
68
all
payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or
through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender
directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor
Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section
9.06.
Upon
the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder,
such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights,
powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative
Agent,
and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its
duties
and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already
discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section
9.06).
The
fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be
the
same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between
the
Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s
resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions
of this
Article and Section
10.04
shall
continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent,
its
sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions
taken
or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent
was acting as Administrative Agent.
43
Section
9.07.
Non-reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each
Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon
the
Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties
and
based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made
its
own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender
also
acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the
Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties
and
based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem
appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action
under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related
agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
Section
9.08.
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In
case
of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other
judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent
(irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and
payable
as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether
the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall
be
entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise:
(a) to
file
and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing
and
unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and
unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable
in
order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including
any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances
of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and
counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
under
Section
2.09
and
10.04)
allowed
in such judicial proceeding; and
44
(b) to
collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on
any
such claims and to distribute the same;
and
any
custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other
similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by
each
Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and to the Lenders,
if
the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly
to the Lenders; and to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for
the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due
the
Administrative Agent under Section
2.09
and
10.04.
Nothing
contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan
of
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations
or the rights of any Lender to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote
in
respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
Section
9.09.
Collateral Matters. The
Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and
in its
discretion,
(a) to
release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative
Agent
under any Loan Document Article
69
upon
termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other
than contingent indemnification obligations), Article
70
that is
sold or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale permitted hereunder
or under any other Loan Document, or Article
71
if
approved, authorized or ratified in writing in accordance with Section
10.01;
and
(b) to
subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative
Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Collateral Permitted
Liens.
Upon
request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will
confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or
subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property pursuant
to
this Section
9.09.
In each
case as specified in this Section
9.09,
the
Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the
Borrower such documents as the Borrower may reasonably request to evidence
the
release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest
granted under the Security Documents or to subordinate its interest in such
item, or in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents
and
this Section
9.09.
Section
9.10.
No
Other Duties. Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Arranger listed on the cover
page
hereof shall have no powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement
or
any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as
the
Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent or a Lender hereunder.
45
ARTICLE
10
Miscellaneous
Section
10.01.
Amendments, etc. No
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall
be
effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower,
and
acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent
shall
be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for
which given; provided,
however,
that no
such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a) waive
any
condition set forth in Section
4.01
(other
than Section
4.01(f)),
without the written consent of each Lender;
(b) extend
or
increase the Commitment (or reinstate the Commitment if terminated pursuant
to
Section
8.02)
without
the written consent of such Lender;
(c) postpone
any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment
of
principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of
them)
hereunder or under such other Loan Document without the written consent of
each
Lender entitled to such payment;
(d) reduce
the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on any Loan, or
(subject to clause (ii)
of
the
second proviso to this Section
10.01)
any
fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document
without
the written consent of each Lender entitled to such amount; provided,
however,
that
only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the
definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay
interest at the Default Rate;
(e) change
Section
8.03
in a
manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby
without the written consent of each Lender;
(f) change
any provision of this Section
10.01
or the
definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the
number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify
any
rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder,
without the written consent of each Lender;
(g) release
all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of
related transactions, without the written consent of each Lender;
or
(h) impose
any greater restriction on the ability of any Lender under a Loan to assign
any
of its rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of each
Lender;
and
provided,
further,
that
(i)
no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the
Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the
rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any
other
Loan Document; and
(ii)
the
Fee
Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing
executed only by the parties to the Fee Letter.
46
Section
10.02.
Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.
(a) General.
Unless
otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications
provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including by facsimile
transmission). All such written notices shall be mailed, faxed or delivered
to
the address, facsimile number or (subject to subsection (c)
below)
electronic mail address specified for notices to the applicable party on
Schedule 10.02; or to such other address, facsimile number or electronic
mail
address as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the other party.
All
notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given
by
telephone shall be made to the telephone number specified for notices to
the
applicable party on Schedule 10.02, or to such other telephone number as
shall
be designated by such party in a notice to the other party. All such notices
and
other communications shall be deemed to be given or made upon the earlier
to
occur of Article
72
actual
receipt by the relevant party hereto and Article
73 (A)
if
delivered by hand or by courier, when signed for by or on behalf of the relevant
party hereto; (B)
if
delivered by mail, four Business Days after deposit in the mails, postage
prepaid; (C)
if
delivered by facsimile, when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone;
and (D)
if
delivered by electronic mail (which form of delivery is subject to the
provisions of subsection (c)
below),
when
delivered; provided,
however,
that
notices and other communications to each of the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent pursuant to Article
2
shall
not be effective until actually received by each of the Lenders and the
Administrative Agent. In no event shall a voicemail message be effective
as a
notice, communication or confirmation hereunder.
Notices
to any Lender not listed in Schedule 10.02 shall be transmitted to the address,
facsimile number or (subject to subsection (c)
below)
electronic address specified by such Lender in the Assignment and
Assumption.
(b) Effectiveness
of Facsimile Documents and Signatures.
Loan
Documents may be transmitted and/or signed by facsimile. The effectiveness
of
any such documents and signatures shall, subject to applicable Law, have
the
same force and effect as manually-signed originals and shall be binding on
the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders. Each of the Lenders
and Administrative Agent may also require that any such documents and signatures
be confirmed by a manually-signed original thereof; provided,
however,
that
the failure to request or deliver the same shall not limit the effectiveness
of
any facsimile document or signature.
(c) Limited
Use of Electronic Mail.
Electronic mail and Internet and intranet websites may be used only to
distribute routine communications, such as financial statements and other
information as provided in Section
6.01,
and to
distribute Loan Documents for negotiation and execution by the parties thereto,
and may not be used for any other purpose.
(d) Reliance
by Administrative Agent and Lender.
The
Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon
any
notices reasonably believed by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as
applicable, to be given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if Article
74
such
notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were
not
preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or
Article
75
the
terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation
thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each of the
Lenders, its Affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees,
agents and attorneys-in-fact from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities
resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given
by
or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other communications
with the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may be recorded by
the
Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders and the Borrower hereby consents
to
such recording.
47
Section
10.03.
No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No
failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay
by
any Lender or the Administrative Agent in exercising, any right, remedy,
power
or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single
or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude
any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right,
remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein
provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers
and
privileges provided by law.
Section
10.04.
Attorney Costs, Expenses, Taxes and Indemnities. Article
76 Attorney
Costs, Expenses and Taxes.
The
Borrower agrees to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent for all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation,
drafting, execution (including notary or other attestation fees) or delivery
of
any Loan Document and the enforcement, attempted enforcement, or preservation
of
any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents
(including all such costs and expenses incurred during any “workout” or
restructuring in respect of the Obligations and during any legal proceeding,
including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law), including all Attorney
Costs, any documentary or stamp taxes and notary fees. The foregoing costs
and
expenses shall include all search, filing, recording, title insurance and
appraisal charges and fees and taxes related thereto, and other out-of-pocket
expenses (including appointment of a sub-agent pursuant to Section
9.05)
reasonably incurred by the Administrative Agent and the cost of independent
public accountants and other outside experts retained by the Administrative
Agent. The Borrower shall pay all out of pocket expenses incurred by any
Lender
(including all Attorney Costs), in connection with the enforcement or protection
of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents, including its rights under this Section
10.04,
or (B)
in connection with Loans made, including all such out-of-pocket expenses
incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of
such
Loans. All amounts due under this Section
10.04
shall be
payable within five Business Days after written demand thereof by the
Administrative Agent or by the Lender through the Administrative Agent. The
agreements in this Section
10.04
shall
survive the termination of the Commitment and repayment, satisfaction or
discharge of all other Obligations.
48
(b) Indemnification
by the Borrower. Whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, but subject
to the
provisions of Sections 3.01,
3.04
and
3.05
(which
shall provide the only source of indemnification for the matters covered
therein), the Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative
Agent and each of the Lenders and their Affiliates, and their respective
directors, officers, employees, counsel, agents and attorneys-in-fact
(collectively the “Indemnitees”)
from
and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties,
claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements
(including Attorney Costs) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at
any
time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in
any
way relating to or arising out of or in connection with (a) the execution,
delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document
or any
other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the
transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby, (b) the Commitment, the Loan or the use or proposed
use of
the proceeds therefrom or (c) any actual or prospective claim, litigation,
investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based
on
contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation
for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation
or
proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all
the
foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified
Liabilities”),
in
all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out
of the
negligence of the Indemnitee; provided
that
such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent
that
such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands,
actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements are determined
by a
court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have
resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
No
Indemnitee shall have any liability for any indirect or consequential damages
relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its
activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the
Closing Date). All amounts due under this Section
10.04
shall be
payable within five Business Days after demand therefor. The agreements in
this
Section
10.04
shall
survive the termination of the Commitment and the repayment, satisfaction
or
discharge of all the other Obligations.
Any
amount payable to the Administrative Agent under Section
10.04(a),
Section
2.09(a)
and
Section
10.04(c)
shall
include the cost of utilizing the Administrative Agent’s management time or
other resources and will be calculated on the basis of such reasonable daily
or
hourly rates as the Administrative Agent may notify to the Borrower and the
Lenders, and is in addition to any fee paid or payable to the Agent under
Section
2.09(c).
(c) Reimbursement
by Lenders.
To the
extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount
required under subsection (a)
or
(b)
of this
Section
10.04
to be
paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any
of its
Affiliates, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent
(or
any such sub-agent) or its Affiliate, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage
(determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity
payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided
that the
unreimbursed expense (including a fee pursuant to Section
2.09(a))
or
indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case
may
be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any
such
sub-agent) or against any of its Affiliates in connection with such capacity.
The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c)
are
subject to the provisions of Section
2.07(d).
(d) Waiver
of Consequential Damages, Etc.
To the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert,
and
hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability,
for
special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct
or
actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this
Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated
hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the
use of
the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (a)
above
shall be
liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any
information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients
by such
Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information
transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan
Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for
direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
49
(e) Payments.
All
amounts due under this Section
10.04
shall be
payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival.
The
agreements in this Section
10.04
shall
survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any
Lender, the termination of the Commitment and the repayment, satisfaction
or
discharge of all the other Obligations.
Section
10.05.
Payments Set Aside. To
the
extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender
exercises its right of set-off, and such payment or the proceeds of such
set-off
or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent
or
preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement
entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion)
to be
repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then, 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 set-off had not occurred.
Section
10.06.
Successors and Assigns; Participations.
(a) The
provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted
hereby,
except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its
rights
or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each of the
Lenders. Each of the Lenders may assign and transfer all or any part of its
rights and/or obligations under this Agreement to any one or more persons
(an
“Assignee”)
and
after any such assignment/transfer the expression such “Lender”
shall
be deemed to include such assignees/transferees to the extent or their
respective interests; provided
that any
transfer of all or part of such Lender’s obligations may only be effected if the
transferee shall undertake to become bound by the terms of this Agreement
and
thereafter that transferee alone shall be obliged to perform that portion
of the
Lender’s obligations which corresponds to its interest; Upon request, the
Borrower shall execute and deliver any documents reasonably necessary or
appropriate to give effect to such assignment and to provide for the
administration of this Agreement after giving effect thereto. Nothing in
this
Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person
(other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns
permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in Section
10.06(c)
and, to
the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Indemnitees) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this
Agreement.
Subsequent to any assignment by any Lender to an Assignee, such Lender will
notify the Borrower of such assignment. The parties to each assignment shall
execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption,
together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of US$1,000;
provided, however,
that
the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such
processing and recordation fee. The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender,
shall
deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Details Form.
50
(b) The
Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the
Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each
Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation
of
the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal
amounts of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from
time to time (the “Register”).
The
entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is
recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder
for
all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the
contrary.
(c) Any
Lender may at any time, without acknowledgement by, or notice to, the Borrower,
sell participations to any Person (other than the Borrower or any of the
Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”)
in all
or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement;
provided
that
Article
77
such
Lender’s and the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain
unchanged, Article
78
such
Lender shall remain solely responsible to the Borrower for the performance
of
such obligations and Article
79
the
Borrower shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in
connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any
agreement or instrument pursuant to which such Lender sells such a participation
shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this
Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision
of this Agreement; provided
that
such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without
an
acknowledgement by the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other
modification that would (i) postpone any date upon which any payment of money
is
scheduled to be made to such Participant, (ii) reduce the principal, interest,
fees or other amounts payable to such Participant (provided,
however,
that
such Lender may, without an acknowledgement by the Participant, waive the
right
to be paid interest at the Default Rate) or (iii) release all or substantially
all of the Collateral. Subject to Section
10.06(d),
the
Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of
Section
3.01,
3.04
and
3.05
to the
same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment.
To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to
the
benefits of Section
10.08
as
though it were a Lender.
(d) A
Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under
Section
3.01,
3.04
or
3.05
than the
Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation
sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such
Participant is acknowledged by the Borrower in writing.
51
(e) Any
Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any
portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such
Lender;
provided
that no
such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations
hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a
party
hereto.
(f) The
words
“execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment
and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping
of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect,
validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of
a
paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as
provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures
in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures
and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic
Transactions Act.
(g) The
Borrower and its Related Parties shall use their respective reasonable best
efforts to facilitate any selling of any participation pursuant to Section
10.06(c),
including by promptly providing any information requested by any Lender for
the
benefit of any potential Participant.
Section
10.07.
Confidentiality. Each
of
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality
of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed
Article
80
to its
and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including
accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the
Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential
nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information
confidential); Article
81
to the
extent requested by any regulatory authority; Article
82
to the
extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar
legal process; Article
83
to any
other party to this Agreement; Article
84
in
connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action
or
proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder;
Article
85
subject
to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of
this
Section
10.07 (i)
any
Assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective Assignee of or Participant
in,
any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii)
any
direct or indirect contractual counterparty or prospective counterparty (or
such
contractual counterparty’s or prospective counterparty’s professional advisor)
to any credit derivative transaction relating to obligations of the Borrower;
Article
86
with the
consent of the Borrower; or Article
87
to the
extent such Information (i)
becomes
publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section
10.07
or
(ii)
becomes
available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential
basis
from a source other than the Borrower. In addition, the Administrative Agent
and
any Lender may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about
this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the
lending industry, and service providers to the Administrative Agent or any
Lender in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement,
the other Loan Documents, the Commitment and the Loans.
For
the
purposes of this Section
10.07,
“Information”
means
all information received from the Borrower relating to it or its business,
other
than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or
any
Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower;
provided
that in
the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof,
such
information is clearly identified in writing at the time of delivery as
confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information
as provided in this Section
10.07
shall be
considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has
exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such
Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential
information.
52
Section
10.08.
Set-off. In
addition to any rights and remedies of any Lender provided by law, upon the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, but subject
to
Article
3
and
Article
10,
any
Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time, without prior notice
to
the Borrower, any such notice being waived by the Borrower to the fullest
extent
permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special,
time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held by, and other
indebtedness at any time owing by, such Lender to or for the credit or the
account of the Borrower against any and all Obligations owing to such Lender
hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter existing,
irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made demand under this
Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such Obligations may be
contingent or unmatured or denominated in a currency different from that
of the
applicable deposit or indebtedness. Each of the Lenders agrees promptly to
notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower after any such set-off and
application; provided,
however,
that
the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off
and application.
Section
10.09.
Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid
or
agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate
of
non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum
Rate”).
If
the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount
that
exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal
of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower.
In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received
by the
Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may,
to
the extent permitted by applicable Law, Article
88
characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium
rather than interest, Article
89
exclude
voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and Article
90
amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total
amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations
hereunder.
Section
10.10.
Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same
instrument.
Section
10.11.
Integration; Effectiveness. This
Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, comprises the complete
and
integrated agreement of the parties on the subject matter hereof and thereof
and
supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, on such subject matter.
In the
event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those
of any
other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control;
provided
that the
inclusion of supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Administrative
Agent or a Lender in any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict
with
this Agreement. Each Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation
of
the respective parties thereto and shall be construed neither against nor
in
favor of any party, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning
thereof.
Except
as provided in Section
4.01,
this
Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the
Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received
counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each
of
the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature
page of this Agreement by facsimile shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of this Agreement.
53
Section
10.12.
Survival of Representations and Warranties. All
representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document
or
other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith
or
therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such
representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the
Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made
by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on its behalf and notwithstanding
that
the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of
any
Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force
and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain
unpaid or unsatisfied.
Section
10.13.
Severability. If
any
provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal,
invalid or unenforceable, Article
91
the
legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired
thereby
and Article
92
the
parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal,
invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect
of
which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or
unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision
in any
other jurisdiction.
Section
10.14.
Governing Law.
(a) THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW
OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY
WITHIN SUCH STATE; PROVIDED
THAT THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH OF THE LENDERS SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS ARISING
UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
(b) ANY
LEGAL
ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT
MAY BE BROUGHT IN XXX XXXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XX XXX XXXX SITTING IN THE BOROUGH
OF
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT
OF
SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE BORROWER,
THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH OF THE LENDERS CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN
RESPECT
OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. THE
BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH OF THE LENDERS IRREVOCABLY WAIVES,
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING
ANY
OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON
CONVENIENS,
WHICH
IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING
IN SUCH
JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO.
THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH OF THE LENDERS WAIVES PERSONAL
SERVICE OF ANY SUMMONS, COMPLAINT OR OTHER PROCESS, WHICH MAY BE MADE BY
ANY
OTHER MEANS PERMITTED BY THE LAW OF SUCH STATE.
THE
BORROWER AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING
BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON IT AND WILL
BE
GIVEN EFFECT IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY
APPLICABLE LAW AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY COURT TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH
THE
BORROWER IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT BY A SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT; PROVIDED
THAT
SERVICE OF PROCESS IS EFFECTED UPON IT IN ONE OF THE MANNERS SPECIFIED HEREIN
OR
AS OTHERWISE PERMITTED BY LAW.
54
Section
10.15.
Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. EACH
PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED
BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION
OR
CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH
OR
RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM
WITH
RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH
CASE
WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT
OR
TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH
CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL
WITHOUT
A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART
OR
A COPY OF THIS SECTION WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT
OF THE
SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
Section
10.16.
New
York Process Agent. Without
prejudice to any other mode of service allowed under any relevant Law the
Borrower:
(a) irrevocably
shall have appointed, on or prior to the first Credit Extension, CT Corporation
System, located at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 as its agent for
service of process, in relation to any proceedings before the courts of the
State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City or of
the
United States for the Southern District of such State in connection with
this
Agreement; and
(b) agrees
that failure by a process agent to notify the Borrower of the process will
not
invalidate the proceedings concerned.
55
Section
10.17.
No
Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In
connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including
in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or
of any
other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees and acknowledges
its
Affiliates’ understanding that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services
regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral
Agent, the Arranger and their respective Affiliates are arm’s-length commercial
transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and
the
Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Arranger and their respective
Affiliates, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal,
accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate,
and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts,
the
terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by
the
other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent
and the Arranger are and have been acting solely as a principal and, except
as
expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, have not been, are not,
and
will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or
any of
its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) the Administrative Agent, the
Collateral Agent and the Arranger have no obligation to the Borrower or any
of
its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except
those
obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and
(iii) the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Arranger 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
the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Arranger have no
obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases
any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Collateral
Agent or the Arranger with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency
or
fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated
hereby.
Section
10.18.
Obligation Currency. The
obligation of the Borrower to make payments pursuant to this Agreement is
in US
Dollars (the “Obligation
Currency”)
and
such obligation shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender or recovery
pursuant to any judgment expressed in any currency other than the Obligation
Currency or any other realization in such other currency, whether as proceeds
of
set-off, security, guarantee, distributions, or otherwise, except to the
extent
to which such tender, recovery or realization shall result in the receipt
by the
party which is to receive such payment of the full amount of the Obligation
Currency expressed to be payable hereunder. The Borrower agrees to indemnify
the
party which is to receive such payment for the amount (if any) by which such
receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Obligation Currency expressed
to be payable hereunder and the party which is to receive such payment agrees
to
pay to the party liable to make such payment the amount (if any) by which
such
receipt shall exceed the full amount of the Obligation Currency, and, in
each
case, such obligation shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for
any
other sums due under this Agreement. The parties agree that the rate of exchange
which shall be used to determine if such tender, recovery or realization
shall
result in the receipt by the party which is to receive such payment of the full
amount of the Obligation Currency expressed to be payable hereunder shall
be the
noon buying rate in New York City for cable transfers in foreign currencies
as
certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for
the
business day (being a day (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) on which banks
are
generally open in New York) preceding that on which the judgment becomes
a final
judgment.
56
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed as of the date first above written.
SYNUTRA
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
|
||
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Xxxxx
Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V.,
as
Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent
|
||
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Xxxx
Xxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxx
Xxxx Xxxx
|
||
Title:
Senior
Vice President
|
By: |
/s/ Xxxxx
Xx
|
|
Name: Xxxxx
Xx
|
||
Title:
Senior
Vice President
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V.,
as
Arranger
|
||
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
|
||
Title:
Assistant
Manager
|
By: |
/s/ Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title: Executive
Director
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V.,
HONG
KONG BRANCH,
as
Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Xxxx
Xxx
Tak
|
|
Name: Xxxx
Xxx Tak
|
||
Title:
Vice
President
|
By: |
/s/ Yun
Xxx
Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Yun
Xxx Xxxxx
|
||
Title: Senior
Vice President
|
SHINHAN
BANK,
NEW
YORK BRANCH,
as
Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Dae
Gen
Hwang
|
|
Name: Dae
Gen Hwang
|
||
Title:
Deputy
General Manager
|
SCHEDULE
2.01
LENDERS
Name
|
Applicable
Percentage
|
Applicable
Commitment
|
||
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V.,
Hong
Kong Branch
|
57.1429%
|
US$20.0
million
|
||
Shinhan
Bank,
New
York Branch
|
42.8571%
|
US$15.0
million
|
S-1
SCHEDULE
5.10
SUBSIDIARIES
OF THE BORROWER
No
|
Name
of the Subsidiaries
|
Place
of Incorporation
|
Shareholder
Structure
|
1.
|
Synutra,
Inc.
|
Illinois,
U.S.A.
|
100%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.
|
2.
|
Inner
Mongolia Xxxxx Xxxx Food Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.
|
3.
|
Xxx
Xxx Technology (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.
|
4.
|
Heilongjiang
Baoquanling Cultivable Area Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
94.62%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.; 5.38% owned by Heilongjiang
Junchuan
Ranch
|
5.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxx Nutritional Food Co., Ltd.1
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
6.
|
Qingdao
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
7.
|
Luobei
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
8.
|
Zhangjiakou
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
9.
|
Inner
Mongolia Xxxx Xxxx Food Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Zhangjiakou Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co.,
Ltd.
|
1
The former name of Xxxxx Xxxx Nutritional Food Co., Ltd. is Qingdao ST
Xxxxxx
Dairy Co., Ltd.
S-2
SCHEDULE
5.16
CORPORATE
CHART OF THE BORROWER
*
The former name of Xxxxx Xxxx Nutritional Food Co., Ltd. is Qingdao ST Xxxxxx
Dairy Co., Ltd.
S-3
SCHEDULE
7.01
EXISTING
LIENS
None
SUBSIDIARIES:
(A) |
Xxxxx
Xxxx Nutritional Food Co., Ltd.2
|
With
respect to the loans of RMB24,000,000 and RMB21,000,000 extended by Agricultural
Development Bank of China Zhangbei Branch on March 29, 2007 and April 30,
2007,
respectively, to Zhangjiakou
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd., the entity has provided guarantees for the loans.
Scope of the debt guaranteed includes principal and accrued costs.
(B) |
Qingdao
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
With
respect to the loan of RMB20,000,000 extended by Agricultural Bank of China
Zhangbei Branch in December, 2006 to Zhangjiakou Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.,
the
entity has provided guarantees for the loan. Scope
of
the debt guaranteed includes principal and accrued costs.
(C) |
Zhangjiakou
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
1. |
The
entity has entered into a ceiling mortgage contract with Agricultural
Bank
of China Zhangbei Branch on July 5, 2006, to mortgage its land
use rights,
buildings and equipment for the loans (maximum of RMB80,000,000)
over the
period from July 5, 2006 to July 5, 2009. The land in relation
to the land
use right is located in Chabei Administration Zone, Zhangjiakou
City,
Hebei Province, and certificate of the land use right is numbered
Zhangshichaguoyong2004zi
No.0001. The
mortgaged buildings are located in Chabei Administration Zone,
Zhangjiakou
City, Hebei Province with a ownership certificate numbered
Zhangfangquanzhengchazi No.001027. The mortgaged equipment includes
an
imported production line and a set of boiler. Such mortgage is
registered
with Zhangjiakou Commercial and Industry Administration Chabei
Branch, and
is evidenced by a registration certificate numbered (2006)dizi
No.002.
|
2. |
With
respect to the loan of RMB24,000,000 extended by Agricultural Development
Bank of China Zhangbei Branch on March 29, 2007 to the entity,
the entity
has mortgaged its land use rights, buildings and equipment for
the loan.
The lands in relation to the land use rights are located in Chabei
Administration Zone, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, and certificates
of
the land use rights are numbered Zhangshichaguoyong2007zi No.01039
and
Zhangshichaguoyong2007zi No.01040. The mortgaged buildings are
located in
Chabei Administration Zone, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province with
ownership certificates numbered Zhangfangquanzhengchazi No.001532
and
Zhangfangquanzhengchazi No.001533. The mortgaged equipment includes148
pieces of equipment. Such mortgage is registered with Zhangjiakou
Commercial and Industry Administration Chabei Branch, and is evidenced
by
a registration certificate numbered chabeigongshang(2007)zi No.001.
|
1 The
former name of Xxxxx Xxxx Nutritional Food Co., Ltd. is Qingdao ST Xxxxxx
Dairy
Co., Ltd.
S-4
3. |
With
respect to the loans of RMB24,000,000 and RMB21,000,000 extended
by
Agricultural Development Bank of China Zhangbei Branch on March
29, 2007
and April 30, 2007, respectively, to the
entity, the entity has pledged fixed deposits in amounts of RMB1,200,000
and RMB1,050,000, respectively, for the loans.
|
4. |
As
at June 30, 2007, the entity had a guarantee given to the Agricultural
Bank of China Zhangbei Branch in respect of bank loans of about
RMB8,000,000 in total extended to 104 farmers in the Zhangbei Area.
Total
amount of bank loans under this guarantee arrangement was about
RMB8,000,000 as of March 31, 2007. These bank loans mature on December
25,
2007.
|
S-5
SCHEDULE
10.02
NOTICE
ADDRESSES AND LENDING OFFICE
BORROWER:
c/o
Synutra International, Inc.
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000, XXX
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Telephone:
x0-000-000-0000 / x0-000-000-0000
Facsimile:
x0-000-000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT:
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V.
One
Raffles Quay
Level
26,
South Tower
Xxxxxxxxx
000000
Xxxxxxxxx
Attention:
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx / Xxxxx Xx
Telephone:
x00-0000-0000 / 7342
Facsimile:
x00-0000-0000 / 6035
E-Mail:
xxxx.xxxx.xxxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxx.xx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx
ARRANGER:
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V.
38/F,
Xxxxxx Kong Centre
2
Queen’s
Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxx
Telephone:
x000-0000-0000
Facsimile:
x000-0000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx
LENDERS:
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
38/F,
Xxxxxx Kong Centre
2
Queen’s
Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx Xxx
Telephone:
x000-0000-0000 / 3211
Facsimile:
x000-0000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx
Shinhan
Bank, New York Branch
32/F,
000
0xx Xxx.
Xxx
Xxxx,
X.X. 00000, XXX
Attention:
Xxxxx Xx, Hyung Hoe Koo
Telephone:
x000-0000-0000 / x0-000-0000 xxx 000
Facsimile:
x000-0000-0000 / x0-000-000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx; xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
S-6
EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
[TO
COME]
A-1
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF
LOAN
DRAWDOWN NOTICE
Date:
___________, 200_
To: ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V.
Reference
is made to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of October 11, 2007 (as amended,
restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time
to
time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein
defined) among Synutra International, Inc. (the “Borrower”), ABN AMRO Bank N.V.,
as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Arranger
and the Lenders party thereto.
The
undersigned hereby requests a Credit Extension:
|
||
1.
|
On
|
(a
Business Day).
|
2.
|
To
be disbursed on
|
(a
Business Day).
|
3.
|
In
the amount of US$
|
4.
|
[US$[·]
million shall be transferred to an account designated by ABN
AMRO Bank
N.V., Hong Kong Branch in connection with the payment of amounts
due under
the Bridge Loan and the remainder by]1
[By]2
wire transfer to:
|
|
|
Account
Name:
|
[_______]
|
|
||
|
Account
No.:
|
[_______]
|
|
Account
Type:
|
[_______]
|
|
Bank
Name:
|
[_______]
|
|
ABA
No.:
|
[_______]
|
|
Routing
No.:
|
[_______]
|
|
SWIFT
Code:
|
[_______]
|
1
Insert in the first Loan Drawdown Notice.
2
Insert in subsequent Loan Drawdown Notices.
B-1
The
Borrower hereby represents and warrants that the conditions specified in
Section
4.01
shall be
satisfied on and as of the date of the requested Credit Extension.
SYNUTRA
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name:
|
||
Title |
B-2
EXHIBIT
C
FORM
OF U.S. COUNSEL OPINION
October
18, 2007
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V.
One
Raffles Quay
Level
26,
South Tower
Xxxxxxxxx
000000
Xxxxxxxxx
and
Each
of
the Lenders Party to the Loan Agreement (as defined below)
Re: Synutra
International Inc. - Loan Agreement
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We
have
acted as special New York counsel for Synutra International Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Borrower”)
in
connection with the Loan Agreement dated as of October 11, 2007 (the
“Loan
Agreement”)
among
the Borrower, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Administrative Agent (the“Administrative
Agent”)
and
Collateral Agent (the “Collateral
Agent”),
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V., as the Arranger and the Lenders party thereto. We are providing
this opinion to you at the request of the Borrower pursuant to Section
4.01(a)(v) of the Loan Agreement. Except as otherwise indicated, capitalized
terms used in this opinion and defined in the Loan Agreement will have the
meanings given in the Loan Agreement or, if not defined in the Loan Agreement,
the meanings assigned to them in the Collateral Agreement dated as of October
11, 2007 (the “Collateral
Agreement”)
among
the Borrower, Synutra, Inc., as the Pledged Stock Issuer, the Collateral
Agent
and the Administrative Agent.
In
our
capacity as such counsel, we have examined originals or copies of those
corporate and other records and documents we considered appropriate, including
the following (the documents listed in clauses (a) through (c) below
collectively being referred to herein as the “Loan
Documents”):
(a)
|
the Loan Agreement; |
(b)
|
the
Collateral Agreement; and
|
(c)
|
the
Fee Letter dated as of October 11, 2007 (the “Fee
Letter”)
among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the
Arranger.
|
C-1
As
to
relevant factual matters, we have relied upon, among other things, the
Borrower’s factual representations in the certificate by Borrower, as applicable
(each, an “Opinion
Certificate”)
and in
the Loan Documents. In addition, we have obtained and relied upon those
certificates of public officials we considered appropriate.
We
have
assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents
submitted to us as originals and the conformity with originals of all documents
submitted to us as copies. To the extent the Borrower’s or the Pledged Stock
Issuer’s respective obligations depend on the enforceability of the Loan
Documents against other parties to the Loan Documents, we have assumed that
the
Loan Documents are enforceable against such other parties.
On
the
basis of such examination, our reliance upon the assumptions in this opinion
and
our consideration of those questions of law we considered relevant, and subject
to the limitations and qualifications in this opinion, we are of the opinion
that:
(1)
|
The
Borrower is a corporation validly existing in good standing under
the laws
of the State of Delaware with corporate power to enter into the
Loan
Documents and to perform its obligation under the Loan Documents.
|
(2)
|
The
execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents have
been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the
Borrower,
and the Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by
the
Borrower.
|
(3)
|
Each
of the Loan Documents constitutes the legally valid and binding
obligation
of each of the Borrower and, with respect to the Collateral Agreement,
the
Pledged Stock Issuer, in each case, enforceable against such Person
in
accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating
to or
affecting creditors’ rights generally (including, without limitation,
fraudulent conveyance laws), and by general principles of equity,
including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness,
good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of
specific
performance or injunctive relief, regardless of whether considered
in a
proceeding in equity or at law.
|
(4)
|
The
execution and delivery by the Borrower of the Loan Documents do
not, and
the Borrower’s performance of its obligations under such Loan Documents
will not (i) violate the Borrower’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws
or other constitutive documents of the Borrower, (ii) violate,
breach, or
result in a default under, any existing obligation of or restriction
on
the Borrower under any other agreement (the “Other
Agreements”)
identified in Schedule I attached hereto, or (iii) breach or otherwise
violate any existing obligation of or restriction on the Borrower
under
any order, judgment or decree of any New York or federal court
or
governmental authority binding on the Borrower identified in the
Opinion
Certificate. If an Other Agreement is governed by the laws of a
jurisdiction other than New York, we have assumed such Other Agreement
is
governed by the laws of the State of New
York.
|
C-2
(5)
|
The
execution and delivery by the Borrower of the Loan Documents and
by the
Pledged Stock Issuer of the Collateral Agreement do not, and the
Borrower’s performance of its obligations under such Loan Documents and
the Pledged Stock Issuer’s performance of its obligations under the
Collateral Agreement will not, violate the Delaware General Corporation
Law or any current New York or federal statute, rule or regulation
that we
have, in the exercise of customary professional diligence, recognized
as
applicable to the Borrower or the Pledged Stock Issuer or to transactions
of the type contemplated by the Loan
Documents.
|
(6)
|
No
order, consent, permit or approval of any New York or federal governmental
authority that we have, in the exercise of customary professional
diligence, recognized as applicable to the Borrower or the Pledged
Stock
Issuer or to transactions of the type contemplated by the Loan
Documents
is required on the part of the Borrower or the Pledged Stock Issuer
for
the execution and delivery of, and performance of their respective
obligations under, the Loan Documents to which it is a party,
respectively, except for such as have been made or
obtained.
|
(7)
|
The
Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Collateral
Agent a security interest in that Collateral (which term is used
in this
Opinion as such term is defined in the Collateral Agreement) of
the
Borrower in which a security interest may be created under Article
9 of
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York
(the
“NY
Code”).
|
(8)
|
The
Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Collateral
Agent a security interest in the Certificated Security (as defined
below)
identified on Schedule II attached hereto under the NY Code. Upon
delivery
of the security certificate representing the Certificated Security
listed
on Schedule II attached hereto to the Collateral Agent in the State
of New
York, effectively endorsed to the Collateral Agent or in blank,
the
Collateral Agent will acquire a perfected security interest in
such
Certificated Security, free of adverse claims. For purposes of
this
paragraph, “Certificated
Security”
means “certificated securities” as defined in Section 8-102 of the
Code.
|
(9)
|
Neither
the Borrower nor the Pledged Stock Issuer is an investment company
required to register under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as
amended.
|
(10)
|
Neither
the extension of credit nor the use of proceeds provided in the
Loan
Agreement will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors
of
the Federal Reserve System. For purposes of this opinion, we have
assumed
that none of the Lenders is a “creditor” as defined in Regulation
T.
|
C-3
Our
opinion in paragraph 3 above as to the enforceability of the Loan Documents
is
subject to:
(i) public
policy considerations, statutes or court decisions that may limit the rights
of
a party to obtain indemnification against its own negligence, willful misconduct
or unlawful conduct;
(ii) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of broadly or vaguely stated
waivers or waivers of rights granted by law where the waivers are against
public
policy or prohibited by law;
(iii) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions imposing penalties,
liquidated damages or other economic remedies; and
(iv) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions appointing one
party
as trustee for an adverse party or provisions for the appointment of a
receiver.
Our
opinion in paragraph 3 is subject to the qualification that certain rights,
remedies, waivers and other provisions of the Loan Documents may not be
enforceable, but such unenforceability will not, subject to the other
exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, render the Loan
Documents invalid as a whole or substantially interfere with the substantial
realization of the principal benefits or security, or both, that the Loan
Documents purports to provide (except for the economic consequences of
procedural or other delay).
For
purposes of the opinions expressed in paragraphs 4, 5 and 6, we have assumed
that the Borrower will not in the future take any discretionary action
(including a decision not to act) permitted by the Loan Documents that would
cause the performance of the Loan Documents to violate any organizational
document of the Borrower, the Delaware General Corporation Law or any New
York
or federal statute, rule or regulation, or require an order, consent, permit
or
approval to be obtained from a New York or federal governmental
authority.
We
express no opinion as to the effect of non-compliance by you with any state
or
federal laws or regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by
the
Loan Documents because of the nature of your business.
We
express no opinion as to any provision of the Loan Documents insofar as it
purports to grant a right of setoff in respect of the Borrower’s or the Pledged
Stock Issuer’s assets to any person other than a creditor of the Borrower or the
Pledged Stock Issuer, as applicable.
We
advise
you that Section 10.14 of the Loan Agreement, which provides for non-exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and federal courts sitting
in the State of New York, may not be binding on the federal courts sitting
in
the State of New York (or any federal appellate court).
C-4
We
advise
you that if an action based on the Loan Documents were commenced in a federal
or
state court in New York, a judgment for money relating to the Loan Documents
ordinarily would be enforced only in United States dollars. The method used
to
determine the rate of conversion of foreign currency into United States dollars
will depend on various factors.
We
express no opinion concerning (i) federal or state securities laws or
regulations or (ii) the foreign assets control regulations of the Trading
with
the Enemy Act, as amended, the United States Treasury Department, the Uniting
and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept
and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001, as amended, Executive
Order No. 13,224 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting
Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism,
as amended, and any enabling legislation, rules, regulations or executive
orders
relating thereto.
Our
opinions in paragraphs 7 and 8 are (i) limited to Article 9 of the NY Code
(except our opinion in paragraph 8 to the extent it addresses Article 8 of
the
NY Code) and do not address (A) laws of jurisdictions other than New York,
(B)
collateral not subject to Article 9 of the NY Code (including by reason of
Section 9-109(c) or (d) thereof), or (C) under Sections 9-301 through 9-306
of
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any jurisdiction, or otherwise,
what
law governs the perfection of the security interests granted in the collateral
covered by those opinion paragraphs, and (ii) subject to the effect of
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating
to
or affecting creditors’ rights generally (including, without limitation,
fraudulent conveyance laws) and to the effect of general principles of
equity.
We
express no opinion with respect to:
(i) the
priority of any security interest, except as set forth in paragraph 8 relating
to Certificated Security or the perfection of any security interest except
as
set forth in paragraph 8; and
(ii) Collateral
consisting of real property, copyrights, farm products, consumer goods,
as-extracted collateral, commercial tort claims, cooperative interests (as
such
terms are defined in the NY Code) and timber to be cut.
We
express no opinion regarding any provision of the Collateral Agreement that
purports to permit Collateral Agent or any other person to sell or otherwise
dispose of any Collateral subject thereto except in compliance with the NY
Code,
any other applicable federal and state laws and any agreement governing such
Collateral, or to impose on Collateral Agent standards of care of Collateral
in
Collateral Agent’s possession other than as provided in Section 9-207 of the NY
Code. We advise you that federal and state securities laws may limit the
right
to transfer or dispose of Collateral that may constitute securities under
such
laws.
C-5
In
rendering the opinions in paragraphs 7 and 8, we have assumed that:
(i) the
Borrower has, or will have at the relevant time, rights in the Collateral
in
which the Borrower has granted a security interest to Collateral Agent within
the meaning of Section 9-203(b)(2) of the NY Code at all times relevant to
this
opinion;
(ii) the
Collateral is reasonably identified in the description of collateral set
forth
in the Collateral Agreement in accordance with Section 9-108 of the NY
Code;
(iii) at
all
times relevant to this opinion, value has been given within the meaning of
Section 9-203(b)(1) of the NY Code; and
(iv) neither
Collateral Agent nor the Lenders have notice of any adverse claims to the
Certificated Security referred to in paragraph 8.
The
law
covered by this opinion is limited to the present federal law of the United
States, the present law of the State of New York and the present Delaware
General Corporation Law and Article 9 of the Delaware Code, in each case,
as in
effect on the date hereof. We express no opinion as to the laws of any other
jurisdiction and no opinion regarding the statutes, administrative decisions,
rules, regulations or requirements of any county, municipality, subdivision
or
local authority of any jurisdiction.
This
opinion is furnished by us as special New York counsel for the Borrower and
may
be relied upon by you only in connection with the Loan Documents. It may
not be
used or relied upon by you for any other purpose or by any other person,
nor may
copies be delivered to any other person, without in each instance our prior
written consent. You may, however, deliver a copy of this opinion to your
accountants, attorneys, and other professional advisors, to governmental
regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over you, to permitted assignees
of the
Loans in connection with such assignment and to participants in connection
with
their purchase of a participation interest in the Loans. At your request,
we
hereby consent to reliance on this opinion by such assignees (but not such
participants) to the same extent as the addressees hereof as if this opinion
were addressed and had been delivered to them on the date of this opinion,
on
the condition and understanding that we assume no responsibility or obligation
to consider the applicability or correctness of this opinion to any person
other
than its addressee(s). This opinion is expressly limited to the matters set
forth above, and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise,
as
to any other matters. This letter speaks only as of the date hereof and we
assume no obligation to update or supplement this opinion to reflect any
facts
or circumstances that arise after the date of this opinion and come to our
attention, or any future changes in laws.
Respectfully
submitted,
C-6
Schedule
I
Other
Agreements
Registration
Rights Agreement dated June 15, 2007 between Synutra International, Inc.
and
Warburg Pincus Private Equity IX, L.P.
Voting
and Co-Sale Agreement dated June 15, 2007 among Synutra International, Inc.,
Beams Power Investment Limited and Warburg Pincus Private Equity IX,
L.P.
Common
Stock Purchase Agreement dated May 24, 2007 between Synutra International,
Inc.
and Warburg Pincus Private Equity IX, L.P.
Loan
Agreement dated as of April
19,
2007
among
Synutra International, Inc., Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxx and ABN AMRO Bank
N.V.,
Hong Kong Branch.
Collateral
Agreement dated as of April
19,
2007
among
Beams Power Investment Limited, Synutra International, Inc. and ABN AMRO
Bank
N.V., Hong Kong Branch.
Warrant
Agreement dated April
19,
2007
among
Synutra International, Inc., the Bank of New York and ABN AMRO BANK N.V.,
Hong
Kong Branch.
Registration
Rights Agreement dated April
19,
2007
between
Synutra International, Inc. and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong
Branch.
USD
Facility Side Letter Agreement dated April
19,
2007
between
Synutra International, Inc. and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong
Branch.
Agreement
dated June 8, 2006 between Synutra International, Inc. and the Department
of
Finance of Zheng Lan Qi (County) of Inner Mongolia, with Amendment and attached
Schedule of Investment Expenditures.
Share
Exchange Agreement dated June 14, 2005 among Vorsatech Ventures Inc. (n/k/a
Synutra International, Inc.), Xxxxxx Xxxxx and Berlin Capital Investments,
Inc.,
Beams Power Investment Corporation and Strong Gold Finance Corporation, and
Synutra, Inc.
License
and Supply Agreement dated September 1, 2003 between Martek Biosciences
Corporation and American St. Xxxxxx Biological Technology Corporation (n/k/a
Synutra, Inc.).
C-7
Schedule
II
Certificated
Security
Issuer
|
Certificate
No.
|
Percent
Pledged
|
||
Synutra,
Inc.
|
2
|
100%
|
C-8
EXHIBIT
D
FORM
OF PRC COUNSEL OPINION
October
18, 2007
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V.
One
Raffles Quay
Level
26,
South Tower
Xxxxxxxxx
000000
Xxxxxxxxx
and
Each
of
the Lenders Party to the Loan Agreement (as defined below)
Re:
Synutra International, Inc. - Loan Agreement
Dear
Sirs,
We
have
acted as special PRC counsel for Synutra International, Inc. (the “Borrower”),
a
Delaware corporation, and its PRC Subsidiaries (as defined below) and the
Permitted Holders (as defined in the Loan Agreement) in connection with the
Loan
Agreement dated as of October 11, 2007 (the “Loan
Agreement”)
among
the Borrower, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Administrative Agent and Collateral
Agent,
ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Arranger and the Lenders party thereto (the “Lenders”).
Terms
used (but not defined) herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Loan
Agreement or, if not defined in the Loan Agreement, the meanings assigned
to
them in the Collateral Agreement.
We
have
reviewed executed copies of the Loan Agreement. We have also examined originals
or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such
documents, corporate records and certificates of public officials and officers
of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries of the Borrower and have conducted such
other investigations of fact and law as we have deemed necessary or advisable
for purposes of this opinion.
Based
on
the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth
below, we are of the opinion that:
1. Each
Subsidiary of the Borrower organized under the laws of the PRC (each
“PRC
Subsidiary”)
is
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the PRC.
2. Each
PRC
Subsidiary of the Borrower has all requisite power and authority and each
Permitted Holder, the Borrower and each Subsidiary of the Borrower has all
requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals of
any
Governmental Authority in the PRC to (1) own its assets and carry on its
business and (2) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan
Documents to which it is a party.
D-1
3. Each
of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified and licensed and in good
standing under the laws of the PRC to the extent that its ownership, lease
or
operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification or license.
4. The
execution, delivery and performance, by, and the enforcement against, the
Borrower of each Loan Document require no action by or in respect of, or
filing
with, any governmental body, agency or official under PRC law and do not
contravene any provision of applicable PRC law or regulation.
5.
The
execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document
do not
and will not conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or
the
creation of any Lien (other than the Liens created by the Collateral Agreements)
under, (a) any Contractual Obligation, governed by PRC Law, to which the
Borrower, any Permitted Holder or any Affiliate of thereof is a party or
(b) any
order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority in the PRC
or
any arbitral award to which the Borrower, any Permitted Holder or any Affiliate
thereof or its, his or her property is subject.
6. There
are
no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to our knowledge
after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law,
in
equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority in the PRC, by
or
against the Borrower, any Permitted Holder or any Affiliate thereof or against
any of its, his or her properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect
or
pertain to any Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby
or
(b) either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7. Xxxx
Xxxxxxx is not a resident of the PRC as defined in Article 1 of the Notice
No.
75.
8. Each
Permitted Holder has obtained all applicable governmental licenses,
registrations, authorizations, consents and approvals for their respective
direct or indirect investments in the Borrower, including any registration
pursuant to Article 1 of the Notice (Hui Fa 2005 No. 75) issued by the State
Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC and have delivered all applicable
notices to Governmental Authorities in connection therewith.
9. Each
PRC
Subsidiary has obtained or completed (a) all approvals, consents, exemptions,
authorizations or other actions by or notices to, or filings with any PRC
Governmental Authority or any person and (b) any corporate or shareholder
approval necessary or required in order to permit such PRC Subsidiary to
pay
dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock.
D-2
The
law
covered by this opinion is limited to the law of the PRC and any province
or
other political subdivision thereof. We express no opinion as to the laws
of any
other jurisdiction.
Very
truly yours,
D-3
EXHIBIT
E
FORM
OF ILLINOIS COUNSEL OPINION
October
18, 2007
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V.
One
Raffles Quay
Level
26,
South Tower
Xxxxxxxxx
000000
Xxxxxxxxx
and
Each
of
the Lenders Party to the Loan Agreement (as defined below)
Re:
|
Synutra
International, Inc. - Loan
Agreement.
|
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We
have
acted as special Illinois counsel for Synutra International, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Borrower”)
in
connection with the Loan Agreement dated as of October 11, 2007 (the
“Loan
Agreement”)
among
the Borrower, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Administrative Agent (the“Administrative
Agent”)
and
Collateral Agent (the “Collateral
Agent”),
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V. as the Arranger and the Lenders party thereto. We are providing
this opinion to you at the request of the Borrower pursuant to Section
4.01(a)(vii) of the Loan Agreement. Except as otherwise indicated, capitalized
terms used in this opinion and defined in the Loan Agreement will have the
meanings given in the Loan Agreement or, if not defined in the Loan Agreement,
the meanings assigned to them in the Collateral Agreement dated as of October
11, 2007 (the “Collateral
Agreement”)
among
the Borrower, Synutra, Inc., an Illinois corporation, as the Pledged Stock
Issuer (the “Pledged
Stock Issuer”),
the
Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent.
In
connection with this opinion, we have examined the original or a copy certified
or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as a true copy of each of the
following documents: (a) executed counterparts of the Loan Agreement; and
(b)
executed counterparts of the Collateral Agreement (clauses (a) through (b)
are
collectively referred to herein as the “Loan
Documents”).
In
addition, we have examined a certificate of good standing for Pledged Stock
Issuer from the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois (the “Good
Standing Certificate”),
a
copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the Pledged Stock Issuer certified
by
the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois, Bylaws of Pledged Stock
Issuer
certified by the Secretary of Pledged Stock Issuer, corporate resolutions
of the
Board of Directors of Pledged Stock Issuer with respect to the transactions
referred to herein, certificates of officers of Pledged Stock Issuer, and
such
other documents and records and matters of law as in our judgment are necessary
or appropriate to enable us to render
the opinions expressed below. We have relied upon, and assumed the accuracy
of,
all such certificates and representations, documents and records and the
representations and warranties made by Pledged Stock Issuer in the Loan
Documents to which it is a party, in each case with respect to the factual
matters set forth therein.
E-1
In
rendering our opinions expressed below, we have, with your consent, assumed
that:
(i) all
natural persons who signed the Loan Documents were legally competent at the
time
of signature; all signatures on the Loan Documents and other documents reviewed
by us are genuine; and the copies of all documents submitted to us are accurate
and complete and conform to the originals;
(ii) the
execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower, the Lenders, the
Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, (collectively, the “Other
Parties”)
of
each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party has been duly authorized
by
all necessary corporate or other action on the part of each of the Other
Parties, the Other Parties have duly executed and delivered each of the Loan
Documents to which it is a party, each such document is a valid and binding
obligation of, and enforceable in accordance with its terms against, the
Pledged
Stock Issuer and each of the Other Parties to the extent it is a party thereto,
and all security interests provided under or pursuant to the Loan Documents
have
been properly granted;
(iii) the
Loan
Documents will be enforced in a manner that is commercially reasonable and
that
complies with any tests of good faith, fairness or conscionability required
by
any applicable law;
(iv) there
has
not been any mutual mistake of fact or misunderstanding, fraud, duress or
undue
influence;
(v) “value”
(as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New
York on
the date hereof (the “UCC”))
has
been given by the Lenders;
(vi) the
Borrower has not assigned or pledged any of the collateral other than pursuant
to the Loan Documents;
(vii) the
Pledged Stock Issuer will continue to be a corporation duly organized under
the
laws of the State of Illinois; and
(viii) the
exact
legal name of the Pledged Stock Issuer is as set forth in the copy of the
organizational documents certified to us by the Secretary of State of the
State
of Illinois.
Based
on
the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, limitations, and qualifications
set forth herein, we are of the opinion that as of the date hereof:
E-2
(1) The
Pledged Stock Issuer is a corporation validly existing in good standing under
the laws of the State of Illinois with corporate power to enter into the
Collateral Agreement and to perform its obligation under the Collateral
Agreement.
(2) All
of
the issued and outstanding shares of the common stock of the Pledged Stock
Issuer have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid
and
non-assessable.
(3) The
execution, delivery and performance of the Collateral Agreement have been
duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Pledged Stock
Issuer, and the Collateral Agreement has been duly executed and delivered
by the
Pledged Stock Issuer.
(4) The
execution and delivery by the Pledged Stock Issuer of the Collateral Agreement
do not, and the Borrower’s and the Pledged Stock Issuer’s performance of their
obligations under the Loan Documents will not (i) violate the Pledged Stock
Issuer’s Articles of Incorporation or bylaws, (ii) violate, breach, or result in
a default under, any material agreement or contract governed under Illinois
law
which are listed on Schedule 1 to this opinion, or (iii) breach or otherwise
violate any existing obligation of or restriction on the Borrower or the
Pledged
Stock Issuer under any order, judgment or decree of any Illinois or Federal
court or governmental authority binding on the Borrower or the Pledged Stock
Issuer.
(5) The
execution and delivery by the Borrower and the Pledged Stock Issuer of the
Collateral Agreement do not, and the Borrower’s and the Pledged Stock Issuer’s
performance of their respective obligations under the Loan Documents will
not,
violate the Illinois Business Corporation Act of 1983, as amended, or any
current Illinois statute, rule or regulation that we have, in the exercise
of
customary professional diligence, recognized as applicable to the Borrower
or
the Pledged Stock Issuer, as applicable, or to transactions of the type
contemplated by the Loan Documents.
(6) No
order,
consent, permit or approval of any Illinois governmental authority that we
have,
in the exercise of customary professional diligence, recognized as applicable
to
the Borrower or the Pledged Stock Issuer or to transactions of the type
contemplated by the Loan Documents is required on the part of the Borrower
or
the Pledged Stock Issuer for the execution and delivery of, and performance
of
their respective obligations under, the Loan Documents to which it is a party,
respectively, except for such as have been made or obtained or are contemplated
pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Loan Documents and routine filings
made after the date hereof in the ordinary course of business.
(7) Under
choice of law principles applicable under Illinois law, the provisions of
the
Loan Documents stating that New York law shall govern the enforcement of
the
Loan Documents are enforceable, so long as the court finds that (i) New York
bears a reasonable relationship to the transaction contemplated by the Loan
Documents and (ii) the enforcement of the Loan Documents in accordance with
New
York law is not dangerous, inconvenient, immoral or contrary to public
policy.
E-3
(8) A
final,
conclusive, enforceable and nonappealable judgment rendered against the
Borrower or the Pledge Stock Issuer in the courts of competent jurisdiction
in
the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City
or of
the United States for the Southern District of such state granting recovery
of
a sum of money in respect of the Loan Documents should be recognized
and enforced by the courts in the State of Illinois through an independent
action filed to enforce such judgment, and without re-trial or re-examination
of
the issues.
(9) No
stamp,
registration, documentary or other similar type tax is or will be payable
in
respect of the execution, performance or enforcement of the Loan
Documents.
The
opinions set forth above are subject to the following
qualifications:
(A) We
express no opinion as to:
(i) the
rights or interests of the Borrower or any other person or entity in, or
title
of the Borrower or any other person or entity to, any collateral under any
of
the Loan Documents, or property purporting to constitute such collateral,
or any
other property, or the value, validity or effectiveness for any purpose of
any
such collateral or purported collateral;
(ii) the
validity, binding effect or enforceability of, or the perfection or priority
of,
any pledge, lien or other security interest that may be created under the
Loan
Documents; and
(iii) (a)
securities, blue sky and similar laws, rules and regulations and judicial
and
administrative interpretations thereof, (b) antitrust, unfair competition,
and
similar laws, rules and regulations and judicial and administrative
interpretations thereof, (c) tax and environmental laws (including, without
limitation, those concerning discrimination and safety), rules and regulations
and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, (d) laws concerning
discrimination and fairness in housing and similar laws, rules and regulations
and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, and (e) occupational
licensing, zoning and land use, and building, fire and safety codes, laws,
rules
and regulations and judicial and administrative interpretations
thereof;
(B) If,
and
to the extent, any of the Loan Documents are construed to provide for the
payment of interest on interest, such provisions may be unenforceable under
Xxxxxx
x. Xxxxx,
137
Ill. 443 (1891) and other cases to the same effect. While such cases have
not
been overruled and it is possible that a court would follow such precedent,
we
believe that such cases are unlikely to be held applicable today, but we
express
no opinion with respect to such issues.
E-4
(C) In
rendering the opinions set forth in foregoing paragraph 1 above as to existence
and good standing, we have relied solely upon an examination of the Articles
of
Incorporation of the Pledged Stock Issuer, certified by the Secretary of
State
of the State of Illinois and the Good Standing Certificate.
We
are
members of the Bar of the State of Illinois and we do not hold ourselves
out as
being conversant with, and express no opinion as to, the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of Illinois, and we assume
no
responsibility as to the applicability to or effect on any of the matters
covered herein of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We
express no opinion as to what law might be applied by any court to resolve
any
issue addressed by our opinions and we express no opinion as to whether any
relevant differences exist between the laws upon which our opinions are based
and any other laws which may actually be applied to resolve the issues which
may
arise under the Loan Documents. The manner in which any particular issue
would
be treated in any actual court case would depend on how the court involved
chose
to exercise the wide discretionary authority generally available to it. This
opinion letter is not intended to guarantee the outcome of any legal dispute
which may arise in the future.
Whenever
we indicate that our opinion with respect to the existence or absence of
facts
is based on our knowledge, our opinion is based solely on (i) the actual
knowledge of attorneys currently with the firm actively engaged in representing
the Pledged Stock Issuer in connection with the transactions contemplated
by the
Loan Documents, and (ii) the representations and warranties of Pledged Stock
Issuer contained in the Loan Documents and in certificates of certain officers
of the Pledged Stock Issuer and public officials; we have made no independent
inquiry or investigation as to such factual matters.
This
opinion speaks only as of the date hereof. We have no continuing obligations
to
inform you of changes in law or fact subsequent to the date hereof or of
facts
of which we become aware after the date hereof or to update this opinion
in any
other manner whatsoever.
This
opinion is furnished solely to the addressees and is solely for their benefit
and the benefit of their assignees permitted by, and that become lenders
under,
the Loan Agreement (and such assignees may rely on this opinion as if it
were
addressed directly to them) in connection with the above transaction. This
opinion may not be relied upon for any other purpose, or relied upon by any
other person or entity for any purpose without our prior written
consent.
Respectfully
submitted,
E-5
Schedule
1
Material
Agreements and Contracts
None.
E-6
EXHIBIT
F
ASSIGNMENT
AND ASSUMPTION
This
Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment
and Assumption”)
is
dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and
between [the][each]5
Assignor
identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”)
and
[the][each]6
Assignee
identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”).
[It
is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the
Assignees]7
hereunder are several and not joint.]8
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given
to
them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit
Agreement”),
receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard
Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed
to
and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and
Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For
an
agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns
to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby
irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors],
subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the
Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative
Agent
as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’]
rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities
as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments
delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage
interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations
of
[the Assignor][the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities
identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under
applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of
[the
Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)][the respective Assignors (in their
respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown,
arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents
or
instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed
thereby
or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but
not
limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims
and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations
sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations
sold
and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses
(i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an]
“Assigned
Interest”).
Each
such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and,
except
as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation
or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.
1 |
For
bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to
the
Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose
the first
bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors,
choose
the second bracketed
language.
|
2 |
For
bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to
the
Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose
the first
bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees,
choose the
second bracketed language.
|
3 |
Select
as appropriate.
|
4 |
Include
bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or
multiple
Assignees.
|
F-1
1. Assignor[s]: ______________________________
______________________________
2. Assignee[s]: ______________________________
______________________________
[for
each
Assignee, indicate [Affiliate] of [identify
Lender]]
3. Borrower(s): Synutra
International, Inc.
4. Administrative
Agent: ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as the administrative agent under the Credit
Agreement
5. Credit
Agreement: Loan
Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2007, among Synutra International, Inc.,
the
Lenders from time to time party thereto, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Administrative
Agent and Collateral Agent and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., as Arranger.
6. Assigned
Interest:
Assignor[s]5
|
Assignee[s]6
|
Aggregate
Amount
of Commitment/
Loans
for all Lenders7
|
Amount
of Commitment/
Loans
Assigned
|
Percentage
Assigned of Commitment/Loans8
|
CUSIP
Number
|
|||||
|
||||||||||
$________________
|
$_________
|
____________
|
||||||||
______
|
___%
|
|||||||||
$________________
|
$_________
|
____________
|
||||||||
______
|
___%
|
|||||||||
$________________
|
$_________
|
____________
|
||||||||
______
|
___%
|
[7. Trade
Date: __________________]9
5 |
List
each Assignor, as
appropriate.
|
6 |
List
each Assignee, as
appropriate.
|
7 |
Amounts
in this column and in the column immediately to the right to
be adjusted
by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments
made between the Trade Date and the Effective
Date.
|
8 |
Set
forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans
of
all Lenders thereunder.
|
9 |
To
be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the
minimum
assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade
Date.
|
F-2
Effective
Date: __________________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND
WHICH
SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER
THEREFOR.]
The
terms
set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
ASSIGNOR
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
||
Title:
|
ASSIGNEE
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name: |
||
Title:
|
Received
by:
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V.,
as
Administrative Agent
|
Received
by: _____________________________
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
F-3
ANNEX
1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
[___________________]10
STANDARD
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT
AND ASSUMPTION
1. Representations
and Warranties.
1.1. Assignor.
[The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal
and
beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such]
Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse
claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action
necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no
responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations
made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document,
(ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency
or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial
condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other
Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance
or
observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any
other
Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan
Document.
1.2. Assignee.
[The][Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power
and
authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this
Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby
and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the
requirements to be an assignee under Section
10.06(a)
of the
Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under
Section
10.06(a)
of the
Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound
by
the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the
extent
of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a
Lender
thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire
assets
of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or
the
Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such]
Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it
has
received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded
the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements
delivered pursuant to Section
6.01
thereof,
as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate
to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment
and
Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has,
independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other
Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate,
made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and
Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, and (vii) if it
is a
Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered
by
it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed
by
[the][such] Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and
without
reliance upon the Administrative Agent, [the][any] 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 Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their
terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are
required to be performed by it as a Lender.
10 |
Describe
Credit Agreement at option of Administrative
Agent.
|
F-4
2. Payments.
From
and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments
in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal,
interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts
which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the
relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective
Date.
3. General
Provisions.
This
Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit
of,
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment
and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together
shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a
signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective
as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and
Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the law of the State of New York applicable to agreements
made and to be performed entirely within such state.
F-5