CREDIT AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.1
EXECUTION
COPY
dated
as
of October 5, 2006
among
ADVANCE
AUTO PARTS, INC.,
ADVANCE
STORES COMPANY, INCORPORATED, as Borrower,
The
Lenders Party Hereto
and
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.
as
Administrative Agent
___________________________
X.X.
XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.,
as
Sole
Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE
I
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Definitions
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SECTION 1.01. | Defined Terms |
1
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SECTION 1.02. | Classification of Loans and Borrowings |
17
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SECTION 1.03. | Terms Generally |
17
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SECTION 1.04. | Accounting Terms; GAAP; Fiscal Month |
18
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ARTICLE
II
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The
Credits
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SECTION 2.01. | Commitments |
18
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SECTION 2.02. | Loans and Borrowings |
18
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SECTION 2.03. | Requests for Borrowings |
19
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SECTION 2.04. | Swingline Loans |
20
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SECTION 2.05. | Letters of Credit |
21
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SECTION 2.06. | Funding of Borrowings |
26
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SECTION 2.07. | Interest Elections |
26
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SECTION 2.08. | Termination and Reduction of Commitments |
28
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SECTION 2.09. | Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt |
28
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SECTION 2.10. | Prepayment of Loans |
29
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SECTION 2.11. | Fees |
29
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SECTION 2.12. | Interest |
31
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SECTION 2.13. | Alternate Rate of Interest |
31
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SECTION 2.14. | Increased Costs |
32
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SECTION 2.15. | Break Funding Payments |
33
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SECTION 2.16. | Taxes |
33
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SECTION 2.17. | Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs |
35
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SECTION 2.18. | Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders |
37
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SECTION 2.19. |
Increase
in Revolving Commitments
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37
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ARTICLE
III
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Representations
and
Warranties
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SECTION 3.01. | Organization; Powers |
39
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SECTION 3.02. | Authorization; Enforceability |
39
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SECTION 3.03. | Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts |
39
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SECTION 3.04. | Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change |
40
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SECTION 3.05. | Properties |
40
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SECTION 3.06. | Litigation and Environmental Matters |
40
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i
SECTION 3.07. |
Compliance
with Laws and Agreements
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41
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SECTION 3.08. |
Investment
Company Status
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41
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SECTION 3.09. |
Taxes
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41
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SECTION 3.10. | ERISA |
41
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SECTION 3.11. | Disclosure |
42
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SECTION 3.12. | Subsidiaries |
42
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SECTION 3.13. | Insurance |
42
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SECTION 3.14. | Solvency |
42
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ARTICLE
IV
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Conditions
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SECTION 4.01. |
Effective
Date
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42
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SECTION 4.02. |
Each
Credit Event
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44
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ARTICLE
V
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Affirmative
Covenants
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SECTION 5.01. |
Financial
Statements and Other Information
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44
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SECTION 5.02. |
Notices
of Material Events
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46
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SECTION 5.03. | Existence; Conduct of Business |
47
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SECTION 5.04. |
Payment
of Obligations
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47
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SECTION 5.05. |
Maintenance
of Properties
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47
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SECTION 5.06. |
Insurance
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47
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SECTION 5.07. |
Books
and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights
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47
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SECTION 5.08. |
Compliance
with Laws
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48
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SECTION 5.09. | Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit |
48
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ARTICLE
VI
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Negative
Covenants
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SECTION 6.01. |
Subsidiary
Indebtedness
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48
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SECTION 6.02. | Liens |
49
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SECTION 6.03. | Fundamental Changes |
50
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SECTION 6.04. | Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions |
51
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SECTION 6.05. | Swap Agreements |
52
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SECTION 6.06. | Restrictive Agreements |
52
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SECTION 6.07. |
Sale
and Lease-Back Transactions
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53
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SECTION 6.08. | Leverage Ratio |
53
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SECTION 6.09. | Consolidated Coverage Ratio |
53
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ARTICLE
VII
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Events
of
Default
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ii
ARTICLE
VIII
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The
Administrative Agent
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ARTICLE
IX
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Miscellaneous
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SECTION 9.01. |
Notices
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58
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SECTION 9.02. |
Waivers;
Amendments
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59
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SECTION 9.03. | Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver |
60
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SECTION 9.04. | Successors and Assigns |
61
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SECTION 9.05. | Survival |
65
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SECTION 9.06. | Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness |
65
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SECTION 9.07. |
Severability
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65
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SECTION 9.08. | Right of Setoff |
66
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SECTION 9.09. |
Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process
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66
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SECTION 9.10. |
WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
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67
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SECTION 9.11. | Headings |
67
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SECTION 9.12. |
Confidentiality
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67
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SECTION 9.13. |
Interest
Rate Limitation
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68
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SECTION 9.14. | USA Patriot Act |
68
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SCHEDULES:
Schedule 2.01 | — | Revolving Commitments |
Schedule 3.06 | — | Disclosed Matters |
Schedule 3.12 | — | Subsidiaries |
Schedule 3.13 | — | Insurance |
Schedule 6.01 | — | Existing Indebtedness |
Schedule 6.02 | — | Existing Liens |
Schedule 6.04 | — | Existing Investments |
Schedule 6.06 | — | Existing Restrictions |
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A | — |
Form
of Assignment and Assumption
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Exhibit B | — |
Form
of Guarantee Agreement
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Exhibit C | — |
Form
of Opinion of Counsel for the Loan
Parties
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iii
CREDIT
AGREEMENT dated as of October 5, 2006, among ADVANCE AUTO PARTS, INC., ADVANCE
STORES COMPANY, INCORPORATED, the LENDERS party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE
BANK,
N.A., as Administrative Agent.
The
parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
SECTION
1.01. Defined
Terms.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified
below:
“ABR”,
when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan,
or the
Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined
by
reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income”
means,
for any period, net income or loss of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such
period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, provided
that,
without duplication, (a) there shall be excluded (i) the income of any
Person in which any other Person (other than the Borrower or any of the
Subsidiaries or any director holding qualifying shares in compliance with
applicable law) has a joint interest, except such income shall be included
to
the extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid
to
the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries by such Person during such period,
(ii) the income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it
becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower
or any
of the Subsidiaries or the date that Person’s assets are acquired by the
Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries and (iii) gains and losses from, or
incurred in connection with, the sale, liquidation or other disposition of
assets outside the ordinary course of business and (b) for purposes of
calculating the Leverage Ratio, Adjusted Consolidated Net Income shall be
determined on a pro forma basis to give effect to any Permitted Acquisitions
and
any divestitures by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of all or substantially
all
the assets of , or all the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line
of
business of a Person occurring during such period as if such transactions
had
occurred on the first day of such period.
“Adjusted
LIBO Rate”
means
an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16
of
1%) equal to, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period,
(i) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (ii) the Statutory
Reserve Rate.
“Administrative
Agent”
means
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the
Lenders hereunder.
“Administrative
Questionnaire”
means
an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative
Agent.
2
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under
common Control with the Person specified.
“Alternate
Base Rate”
means,
for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in
effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on
such
day plus ½ of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in
the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from
and
including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal
Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
“Applicable
Percentage”
means,
with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Revolving Commitments
represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment. If the Revolving Commitments
have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined
based
upon the Revolving Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to
any
assignments.
“Applicable
Rate”
means,
for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan or with respect
to
commitment fees in respect of Revolving Commitments payable under
Section 2.11(a), as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set
forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurodollar Spread” or “Commitment
Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Ratings by S&P and Xxxxx’x,
respectively, applicable on such date:
Index
Debt Ratings
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ABR
Spread
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Eurodollar
Spread
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Commitment
Fee
Rate
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Category
1
Equal
to or greater than BBB+/Baa1
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0.0%
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0.40%
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0.090%
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Category
2
Equal
to or greater than BBB/Baa2
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0.0%
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0.50%
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0.100%
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Category
3
Equal
to or greater than BBB-/Baa3
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0.0%
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0.625%
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0.125%
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Category
4
Equal
to or greater than BB+/Ba1
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0.0%
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0.75%
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0.150%
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Category
5
Equal
to or greater than BB/Ba2
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0.0%
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1.00%
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0.200%
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Category
6
Lower
than BB/Ba2
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0.25%
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1.25%
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0.250%
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For
purposes of the foregoing, (a) if either Xxxxx’x or S&P shall not have
in effect a Rating (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to
in the
last sentence of this paragraph), then such rating agency shall be deemed
to
have established a Rating in Category 6; (b) if the Ratings established or
deemed to have been established by Xxxxx’x and S&P for the Index Debt shall
fall within different Categories, the Applicable Rate shall be based on the
higher of the two Ratings unless one of the two Ratings is two or more
Categories lower than the other, in which case the Applicable Rate shall
be
determined by reference to the Category next below that of the higher of
the
3
two
Ratings; and (c) if the Ratings established or deemed to have been
established by Xxxxx’x and S&P shall be changed (other than as a result of a
change in the rating system of Xxxxx’x or S&P), such change shall be
effective as of the date on which it is first announced by the applicable
rating
agency, irrespective of when notice of such change shall have been furnished
by
the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section
5.01 or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate apply during the period
commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date
immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the
rating
system of Xxxxx’x or S&P shall change, or if either such rating agency shall
cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower
and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to
reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of Ratings from
such
rating agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the
Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Rating most recently
in
effect prior to such change or cessation.
“Approved
Fund”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).
“Assessment
Rate”
means,
for any day, the annual assessment rate in effect on such day that is payable
by
a member of the Bank Insurance Fund classified as “well-capitalized” and within
supervisory subgroup “B” (or a comparable successor risk classification) within
the meaning of 12 C.F.R. Part 327 (or any successor provision) to the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for insurance by such Corporation of
time
deposits made in dollars at the offices of such member in the United States;
provided
that if,
as a result of any change in any law, rule or regulation, it is no longer
possible to determine the Assessment Rate as aforesaid, then the Assessment
Rate
shall be such annual rate as shall be determined by the Administrative Agent
to
be representative of the cost of such insurance to the Lenders.
“Assignment
and Assumption”
means
an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with
the
consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and
accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other
form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Board”
means
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States
of
America.
“Borrower”
means
Advance Stores Company, Incorporated, a Virginia corporation.
“Borrowing”
means
(a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the
same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest
Period is in effect, or (b) a Swingline Loan.
“Borrowing
Request”
means
a
request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section
2.03.
4
“Business
Day”
means
any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks
in
New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided
that,
when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall
also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits
in the London interbank market.
“Capital
Lease Obligations”
of
any
Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts
under
any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal
property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be
classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such
Person
under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount
thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Change
in Control”
means
at any time, (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly,
beneficially or of record, by any Person other than Holdings of any shares
of
capital stock of the Borrower; (b) the acquisition of ownership, directly
or
indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the
meaning of Rule 13d-5 under the United States Securities and Exchange Act
of 1934 in effect on the date hereof), of shares representing more than 25%
of
the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding
capital stock of Holdings; or (c) occupation of a majority of the seats (other
than vacant seats) on the board of directors of Holdings by Persons who were
not
Continuing Directors.
“Change
in Law”
means
(a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this
Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the
interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after
the
date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank
(or, for purposes of Section 2.14(b), by any lending office of such Lender
or by
such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request,
guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any
Governmental Authority made or issued after the Effective Date.
“Code”
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Consolidated
Coverage Ratio”
means,
for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDAR for such period to
(b) the
sum of Consolidated Interest Expense plus Consolidated Rent Expense for such
period.
“Commitment”
means
a
Revolving Commitment, an Incremental Revolving Commitment, or any combination
thereof (as the context requires).
“Consolidated
EBITDA”
means,
for any period, Adjusted Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus, without
duplication and to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (a) consolidated interest expense for
such period, (b) the aggregate amount of letter of credit fees accrued
during such period, (c) the aggregate amount of income tax expense for such
period,
5
(d) all
depreciation and amortization expense for such period and (e) other
non-cash charges for such period (excluding any non-cash charges that constitute
an accrual of or reserve for future cash payments), and minus, without
duplication and to the extent added to revenues in determining Adjusted
Consolidated Net Income for such period, all non-cash gains during such period,
all as determined on a consolidated basis with respect to Holdings and the
Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
EBITDAR”
means,
for any period, the sum of Consolidated EBITDA for such period plus Consolidated
Rent Expense for such period.
“Consolidated
Interest Expense”
means,
for any period, the interest expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for
such
period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, less,
to the
extent included in interest expense, the amortization during such period
of debt
issuance and deferred financing costs, commissions and fees; provided,
however,
that
the aggregate amount of such amortization that may be excluded in calculating
Consolidated Interest Expense in respect of any financing transaction shall
not
exceed 3.5% of the aggregate amount of such financing.
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means,
for any period, net income or loss of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such
period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Rent Expense”
means,
for any period , the rental expense attributable to leases of real property
that
is deducted in determining Adjusted Consolidated Net Income for such period,
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Continuing
Directors”
means
the directors of Holdings on the Effective Date and each other director,
if, in
each case, such other director’s nomination for election to the board of
directors of Holdings is approved by a majority of the then Continuing
Directors.
“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.
“Default”
means
any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon
notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event
of
Default.
“Deferred
Compensation Obligations”
means
a
non-qualified deferred compensation plan that allows executives of the Borrower
and the Subsidiaries to defer receipt of specified portions of base and bonus
earnings each calendar year. Deferrals are maintained as a liability, along
with
assets owned by the Borrower, in a trust owned by the Borrower.
6
“Designated
Vendor”
means
any vendor or supplier from which the Borrower purchases inventory and that
has
been designated by the Borrower as a participant in a Permitted Vendor
Financing.
“Designated
Vendor Accounts”
means
(a) accounts receivable owed by the Borrower in respect of inventory purchased
from a Designated Vendor or (b) drafts issued by the Borrower as payment
in full
of one or more of such accounts receivable; provided
that
such accounts receivable or drafts shall constitute Designated Vendor Accounts
only after having been sold by such Designated Vendor to a DVA Creditor pursuant
to a Permitted Vendor Financing and only so long as owed to a DVA
Creditor.
“Disclosed
Matters”
means
the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed
in
Schedule 3.06.
“DVA
Creditor”
means
(a) any financial institution that has agreed to purchase one or more
Designated Vendor Accounts from a Designated Vendor pursuant to a Permitted
Vendor Financing and (b) any successor or assignee of any such financial
institution that holds any Designated Vendor Accounts originally purchased
by
such financial institution, provided that such successor or assignee is not
a
Designated Vendor, a Loan Party or an Affiliate of a Designated Vendor or
a Loan
Party.
“DVA
Obligations”
means
the obligations of the Borrower to pay Designated Vendor Accounts. For purposes
of this Agreement, the amount of any DVA Obligation at any time shall be
the
entire amount payable in respect thereof as and when due.
“dollars”
or
“$”
refers
to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Effective
Date”
means
the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied
(or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
“Environmental
Laws”
means
all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments,
injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered
into
by or with any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment,
preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release
or
threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety
matters.
“Environmental
Liability”
means
any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages,
costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of
Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting
from
or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the
generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal
of any
Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the
release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment
or
(e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to
which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
7
“Equity
Interests”
means
shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a
limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity
ownership interests in a Person or any warrants, options or other rights
to
acquire such interests.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time
to
time.
“ERISA
Affiliate”
means
any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the
Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of
the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412
of the
Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the
Code.
“ERISA
Event”
means
(a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the
regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event
for
which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect
to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in
Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not
waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or
Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum
funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the
Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of
ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of
any
notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint
a
trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any
of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or
partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt
by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any
Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice,
concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that
a
Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization,
within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“Eurodollar”,
when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan,
or the
Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined
by
reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Event
of Default”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
“Excluded
Margin Stock”
means
any shares of capital stock of Holdings that constitute “margin stock” within
the meaning of Regulation U of the Board and are held as treasury stock by
Holdings.
“Excluded
Taxes”
means,
with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or
any
other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation
of
the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or
measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the
jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which
its
principal
8
office
is
located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office
is
located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of
America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the
Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an
assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.18(b)), any
withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender
at the
time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates
a new
lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply
with Section 2.16(e), except to the extent that such Foreign 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 the Borrower with
respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.16(a).
“Existing
Credit Agreement”
means
the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated November 3, 2004, as
amended, among Holdings, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.
“Existing
Letters of Credit”
means
all letters of credit outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement as
of the
Effective Date.
“Federal
Funds Effective Rate”
means,
for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the
next
1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members
of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published
on
the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,
or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day,
the
average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the
quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative
Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by
it.
“Financial
Officer”
means
the chief financial officer, vice president of finance, principal accounting
officer, treasurer or controller of Holdings or the Borrower, as
applicable.
“Foreign
Lender”
means
any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than
that in
which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United
States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall
be
deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“Foreign
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than
the
United States of America or any State thereof or the District of
Columbia.
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of
America.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any
political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other
entity
9
exercising
executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers
or
functions of or pertaining to government.
“Guarantee”
of
or
by any Person (the “guarantor”)
means
any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or
having
the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation
of any
other Person (the “primary
obligor”)
in any
manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the
guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply
funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation
or
to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security
for
the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or
services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other
obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity
capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary
obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other
obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or
letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation;
provided,
that
the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in
the ordinary course of business.
“Guarantee
Agreement”
means
the Guarantee Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, made by
Holdings in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the
Lenders.
“Hazardous
Materials”
means
all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic
substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum
distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated
biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances
or
wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Holdings”
means
Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Indebtedness”
of
any
Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for
borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all
obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar
instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or
other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person,
(d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase
price of property or services (excluding (i) accounts payable incurred in
the
ordinary course of business that are not overdue by more than 90 days and
(ii) Deferred Compensation Obligations), (e) all Indebtedness of others
secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing
right,
contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or
acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby
has
been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others,
(g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of
letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (i) all obligations, contingent
or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances and (j) all DVA
Obligations. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness
of
any other entity
10
(including
any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent
such
Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or
other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such
Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. The amount
of any
Indebtedness described in clause (f) above shall be limited to the maximum
amount payable under the applicable Guarantee of such Person if such Guarantee
contains limitations on the amount payable thereunder.
“Indemnified
Taxes”
means
Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Index
Debt”
means
senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for borrowed money of Holdings
that is
not guaranteed by any other Person or subject to any other credit
enhancement.
“Information
Memorandum”
means
the Confidential Information Memorandum dated September 2006 relating to
the
Borrower and the Transactions.
“Interest
Election Request”
means
a
request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance
with
Section 2.07.
“Interest
Payment Date”
means
(a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last
day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any
Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing
of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with
an
Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last
day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration
after the first day of such Interest Period, and (c) with respect to any
Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.
“Interest
Period”
means
with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date
of
such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar
month that is one, two, three or six months (or, to the extent made
available by all Lenders, nine or twelve months) thereafter, as the Borrower
may
elect; provided,
that
(i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day,
such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day
unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar
month,
in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business
Day
and (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a
calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding
day
in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last
Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes
hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such
Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most
recent
conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Issuing
Bank”
means
(a) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the issuer of (i) Letters
of Credit hereunder and (ii) Existing Letters of Credit under the Existing
Credit Agreement, in each case including its successors in such capacity
as
11
provided
in Section 2.05(i), or (b) any other Lender approved by the Administrative
Agent and the Borrower. An Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for
one
or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank,
in
which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect
to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
“LC
Disbursement”
means
a
payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
“LC
Exposure”
means,
at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding
Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC
Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower
at such time. The LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be
its
Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
“Lenders”
means
the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have
become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than
any
such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and
Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes
the Swingline Lender.
“Letter
of Credit”
means
any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement. Each Existing Letter
of
Credit will be deemed to constitute a Letter of Credit for all purposes under
the Loan Documents as though each Existing Letter of Credit had been issued
hereunder on the Effective Date.
“Leverage
Ratio”
means,
on any date, the ratio of (a) Total Debt as of such date to
(b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters
of Holdings most recently ended as of such date (or, if such date is not
the
last day of a fiscal quarter, then most recently ended prior to such date),
all
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“LIBO
Rate”
means,
with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate
appearing on Page 3750 of the Dow Xxxxx Markets Service (or on any successor
or
substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or substitute for such
Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided
on
such page of such Service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from
time
to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable
to
dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m.,
London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such
Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time
for
any reason, then the LIBO Rate with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing
for
such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000
and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the
principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available
funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London
time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period.
12
“Lien”
means,
with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge,
hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such
asset,
(b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale
agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease
having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating
to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call
or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
“Loan
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the promissory notes, if any, executed and delivered pursuant
to
Section 2.09(e), and the Guarantee Agreement.
“Loan
Parties”
means
Holdings and the Borrower.
“Loans”
means
the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
a
material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations, prospects
or condition, financial or otherwise, of Holdings, the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform
any of its obligations under any Loan Document or (c) the rights of or
benefits available to the Lenders under any Loan Document.
“Material
Indebtedness”
means
Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations
in
respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of Holdings, the
Borrower and their Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding
$25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal
amount” of the obligations of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary in
respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate
amount
(giving effect to any netting agreements) that Holdings, the Borrower or
such
Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated
at
such time.
“Moody’s”
means
Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc.
“Multiemployer
Plan”
means
a
multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Other
Taxes”
means
any and all current or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise
or
property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made under
any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or
otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document.
“PBGC”
means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA
and
any successor entity performing similar functions.
“Permitted
Acquisition”
means
any acquisition by the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower of all or
substantially all the assets of, or all the Equity Interests in, a Person
or
division, line of business or business unit of a Person if, immediately after
giving effect thereto, (a) no Default has occurred and is continuing or
13
would
result therefrom, (b) all transactions related thereto are consummated in
accordance with applicable laws, (c) all the Equity Interests of any
Subsidiary formed for the purpose of or resulting from such acquisition shall
be
owned directly by the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower, (d) the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis after
giving effect to such acquisition, with the covenants contained in
Sections 6.08 and 6.09 recomputed as of the last day of the most recently
ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are
available, as if such acquisition (and any related incurrence or repayment
of
Indebtedness, with any new Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over
the
applicable testing period in accordance with its terms, and assuming that
any
Revolving Loans borrowed in connection with such acquisition are repaid with
excess cash balances when available) had occurred on the first day of each
relevant period for testing such compliance and (e) the Borrower has
delivered to the Administrative Agent an officers’ certificate to the effect set
forth in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) above, together with all relevant
financial information for the Person or assets to be acquired.
“Permitted
Encumbrances”
means:
(a)
Liens
imposed by law for taxes or government assessments that are not yet due or
are
being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b)
carriers’,
warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens
imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing
obligations that are not overdue by more than 60 days or are being
contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(c)
pledges
and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or
regulations;
(d)
deposits
(and, to the extent securing a trade contract or indemnity bond, Liens on
assets
to which such contract or bond relates) to secure the performance of bids,
trade
contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety, indemnity and appeal bonds,
performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in
the
ordinary course of business;
(e)
judgment
liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default
under
clause (k) of Article VII;
(f)
easements,
zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property
imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not
secure
any monetary obligations and do not interfere with the ordinary conduct of
business of Holdings or any Subsidiary;
(g)
any
interest or title of a lessor under any lease that is limited to the property
subject to such lease; and
14
(h)
unperfected
Liens of any vendor on inventory sold by such vendor securing the unpaid
purchase price of such inventory, to the extent such Liens are stated to
be
reserved in such vendor’s sale documents (and not granted by separate agreement
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary);
provided
that the
term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing
Indebtedness.
“Permitted
Investments”
means:
(a)
direct
obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are
unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency
thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit
of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from
the
date of acquisition thereof;
(b)
investments
in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition
thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, a credit rating from S&P of
A1 or higher or from Moody’s of P1 or higher;
(c)
investments
in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing
within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed
by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by,
any
domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United
States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus
and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;
(d)
fully
collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days
for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a
financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c)
above;
(e)
investments
in money market or mutual funds substantially all the assets of which are
comprised of securities of the types described in any of clauses (a) through
(d)
above; and
(f)
corporate notes and corporate bonds or municipal securities which includes
variable rate demand notes and auction rate municipals, assigned a credit
rating
from S&P of A2 or higher or from Moody’s of A or higher.
“Permitted
Vendor Financing”
means
a
financing arrangement pursuant to which a Designated Vendor sells to a financial
institution that is a DVA Creditor (a) accounts receivable owed to such
Designated Vendor by the Borrower or (b) drafts issued by the Borrower to
replace such accounts receivable.
“Person”
means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other
entity.
15
“Plan”
means
any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject
to
the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or
Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of
ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of
ERISA.
“Prime
Rate”
means
the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A., as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in
New
York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including
the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
“Rating”
means
(a) the rating by the applicable rating agency of the Index Debt or (b) in
the
absence of Index Debt, the “corporate rating” or “corporate family rating” or
the equivalent applicable to Holdings by the applicable rating agency.
“Register”
has
the
meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“Related
Parties”
means,
with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the
respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person
and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required
Lenders”
means,
at any time, Lenders having Revolving Exposures and unused Revolving Commitments
representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Exposures and
unused Revolving Commitments at such time.
“Revolving
Commitment”
means,
with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make
Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline
Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate
amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be
(a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08 and
(b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to
such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s
Revolving Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and
Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Revolving
Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’
Revolving Commitments is $750,000,000.
“Revolving
Exposure”
means,
with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal
amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline
Exposure at such time.
“Revolving
Lender”
means
a
Lender with a Revolving Commitment or, if the Revolving Commitments have
terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.
16
“Revolving
Loan”
means
a
Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Revolving
Maturity Date”
means
October 5, 2011.
“Sale
and Leaseback”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.07.
“S&P”
means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc.
“Statutory
Reserve Rate”
means
a
fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one
and
the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum
reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental
reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the
Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred
to
as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve
percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D.
Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to
be
subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration,
exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender
under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve
Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any
change in any reserve percentage.
“subsidiary”
means,
with respect to any Person (the “parent”)
at any
date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association
or
other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the
parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial
statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well
as any
other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or
other
entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing
more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power
or, in
the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests
are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such
date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of
the
parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary”
means
any subsidiary of Holdings or the Borrower, as the context
requires.
“Swap
Agreement”
means
any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative
transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference
to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments
or
securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic,
financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination
of these transactions; provided
that no
phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services
provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants
of
Holdings, the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap
Agreement.
17
“Swingline
Exposure”
means,
at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding
at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its
Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Swingline
Lender”
means
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans
hereunder or any successor in such capacity pursuant to
Section 2.04(d).
“Swingline
Loan”
means
a
Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
“Taxes”
means
any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions,
charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
“Total
Debt”
means,
as of the date of determination, an amount equal to all Indebtedness of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, excluding Indebtedness
described in clauses (e), (f) and (h) of the definition of “Indebtedness”;
provided
that any
letters of credit and letters of guaranty referred to in clause (h) of the
definition “Indebtedness” shall not be excluded from Total Debt to the extent
issued to support any other obligations constituting Indebtedness.
“Transactions”
means
the execution and delivery by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which
it
is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the
issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“Type”,
when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of
interest on such Loan, or on the Loans constituting such Borrowing, is
determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base
Rate.
“Withdrawal
Liability”
means
liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial
withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in
Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION
1.02. Classification
of Loans and Borrowings.
For
purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Type
(e.g.,
a
“Eurodollar Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Type
(e.g.,
a
“Eurodollar Borrowing”).
SECTION
1.03. Terms
Generally.
The
definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural
forms
of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words
“include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the
phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same
meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise
(a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other
document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument
or
other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified
(subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications
set forth herein),
18
(b) any
reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s
successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”,
and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement
in
its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references
herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to
refer
to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement
and
(e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same
meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets
and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract
rights.
SECTION
1.04. Accounting
Terms; GAAP; Fiscal Month.
Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial
nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time
to
time; provided
that, if
the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests
an
amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change
occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on
the
operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the
Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision
hereof
for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before
or
after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision
shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately
before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have
been
withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Except as otherwise
provided herein, all references to a fiscal month shall mean any period of
four
or five calendar weeks used by the Borrower for recording or reporting its
interim financial information.
ARTICLE
II
The
Credits
SECTION
2.01. Commitments.
Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make
Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Revolving
Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result
in
such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment.
Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving
Loans.
SECTION
2.02. Loans
and Borrowings. (a)
Each
Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving
Loans of the same Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their
respective Revolving Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any
Revolving Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender
of
its obligations hereunder; provided
that the
Revolving Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be
responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Revolving Loans as
required.
(b)
Subject
to Section 2.13, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of
ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance
herewith. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each Lender at its option
may
19
make
any
Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of
such
Lender to make such Loan; provided
that any
exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to
repay
such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c)
At
the
commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such
Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving
Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is
an
integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided
that
(i) an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal
to the entire unused balance of the total Revolving Commitments and (ii)
an ABR
Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the amount
that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as
contemplated by Section 2.05(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount
that
is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $200,000. Borrowings
of
more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided
that
there shall not at any time be more than a total of 8 Eurodollar Borrowings
outstanding.
(d)
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled
to
request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest
Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Revolving Maturity
Date.
SECTION
2.03. Requests
for Borrowings.
To
request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative
Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business
Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR
Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day
before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided
that any
such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of
an LC
Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e) may be given not later than
10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each
such
telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed
promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written
Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed
by
the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify
the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i)
the
aggregate amount of such Borrowing;
(ii)
the
date
of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii)
whether
such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
20
(iv)
in
the
case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable
thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term
“Interest Period”; and
(v)
the
location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be
disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section
2.06.
If
no
election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing
shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect
to
any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to
have
selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt
of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative
Agent
shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such
Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION
2.04. Swingline
Loans. (a)
Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees
to
make Swingline Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Revolving
Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding
that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding
Swingline Loans exceeding $50,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total
Revolving Exposures exceeding the total Revolving Commitments; provided
that the
Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance
an
outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the
terms
and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow
Swingline Loans.
(b)
To
request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent
of
such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 12:00 noon,
New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice
shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be
a
Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The Administrative
Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received
from
the Borrower. The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available
to
the Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit account of the Borrower
with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance
the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), by
remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
requested date of such Swingline Loan.
(c)
The
Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent
not
later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the
Revolving Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or
a
portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the
aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Revolving Lenders will participate.
Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give
notice
thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Lender hereby
absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon
21
receipt
of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the
account
of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline
Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation
to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is
absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance
whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction
or termination of the Revolving Commitments, and that each such payment shall
be
made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.
Each
Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer
of
immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06
with respect to Revolving Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall
apply, mutatis mutandis,
to the
payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly
pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.
The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any
Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments
in
respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent
and not
to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from
the
Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline
Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of
participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent;
any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted
by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments
pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests
may
appear. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this
paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment
thereof.
(d)
Replacement
of Swingline Lender.
A
Swingline Lender may be replaced by any other Lender at any time that there
are
no outstanding Swingline Loans by a written agreement among the Administrative
Agent, the Borrower and successor Swingline Lender. The Administrative Agent
shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Swingline Lender.
From
and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor
Swingline Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of the Swingline
Lender under this Agreement and (ii) references herein to the term “Swingline
Lender” shall be deemed to refer to such successor Swingline Lender. After the
replacement of the Swingline Lender pursuant to this clause (d), the replaced
Swingline Lender shall not be required to make any Swingline Loans.
Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in Section 9.04, at no time
following the replacement of the Swingline Lender pursuant to this clause
(d),
may the Swingline Lender as of such time make an assignment or assignments
the
effect of which would be to reduce its Revolving Commitment to
zero.
SECTION
2.05. Letters
of Credit. (a)
General.
Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the
issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account, in a form reasonably
acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank, at
any
time and from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period. In the
event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement
and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application
or
other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower
with,
22
an
Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of
this
Agreement shall control.
(b)
Notice
of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.
To
request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or
extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver
or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for
doing
so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to the applicable Issuing
Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested
date
of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance
of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended,
renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal
or
extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter
of
Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this
Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the
beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare,
amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If there is more than one Issuing
Bank, the Borrower may select among the Issuing Banks in connection with
the
issuance of any Letter of Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower
also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard
form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit
shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall
be
deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed
$300,000,000 and (ii) the total Revolving Exposures shall not exceed the
total Revolving Commitments.
(c)
Expiration
Date.
Each
Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the
earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such
Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one
year
after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business
Days prior to the Revolving Maturity Date; provided,
however,
that a
Letter of Credit may, if requested by the Borrower, provide by its terms
for
renewal for successive periods of up to one year each (but not beyond the
Revolving Maturity Date) unless and until the Issuing Bank shall have delivered
a notice of nonrenewal, in accordance with such Letter of Credit, prior to
the
then expiry thereof to the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit.
(d)
Participations.
By the
issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing
the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing
Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each
Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter
of
Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount
available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in
furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally
agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing
Bank,
such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing
Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph
(e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded
to
the Borrower for any reason. Each
23
Lender
acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant
to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional
and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any
amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence
and
continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments,
and
that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding
or reduction whatsoever.
(e)
Reimbursement.
If the
Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit,
the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the
Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than
12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is
made,
if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior
to
10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not
been
received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later
than
12:00 noon, New York City time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower
receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New
York
City time, on the day of the receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately
following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice
is not
received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided
that, if
such LC Disbursement is not less than $100,000, the Borrower may, subject
to the
conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section
2.03 or 2.04 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing
or
Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the
Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by
the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Borrower
fails
to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each
Lender
of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower
in
respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly
following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative
Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower,
in
the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Revolving Loans
made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis mutandis,
to the
payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly
pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly
following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower
pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such
payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders
and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a
Lender
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement
(other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as
contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the
Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.
(f)
Obligations
Absolute.
The
Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in
paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and
irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms
of
this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective
of
(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this
Agreement, or any term or provision herein or therein, (ii) any draft or
other document presented under a
24
Letter
of
Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any
statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment
by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft
or
other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit
or
(iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to
any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section,
constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff
against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent,
the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties, shall
have
any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance
or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any
payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to
in the
preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay
in
transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under
or
relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make
a
drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any
consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank;
provided
that the
foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability
to
the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential
damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to
the
extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused
by
the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and
other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms
thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross
negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall
be
deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance
of the
foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree
that,
with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in
substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing
Bank
may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents
without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice
or
information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such
documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of
such
Letter of Credit.
(g)
Disbursement
Procedures.
The
Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all
documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of
Credit.
The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower
by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether
the
Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided
that any
failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower
of
its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect
to any
such LC Disbursement.
(h)
Interim
Interest.
If the
Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall
reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is
made,
the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including
the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the
Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable
to ABR Revolving Loans; provided
that, if
the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC
25
Disbursement
when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.12(c)
shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the
account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the
date
of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse
the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of
such
payment.
(i)
Replacement
of the Issuing Bank.
An
Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the successor to such Issuing Bank.
The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of
an
Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the
Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced
Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.11(c). From and after the effective date
of
any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the
rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect
to
Letters of Credit to be issued by it thereafter and (ii) references herein
to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any
previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks,
as
the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder,
the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue
to have
all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with
respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but
shall
not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
(j)
Cash
Collateralization.
If any
Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that
the
Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders
demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the
Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the
name
of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount
in
cash equal to 105% of the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and
unpaid interest thereon; provided
that the
obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately,
and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand
or
other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with
respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII.
Each such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral
for
the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this
Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control,
including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than
any
interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall
be
made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at
the
Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or
profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys
in
such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the
Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and,
to
the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the
reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time
or,
if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent
of
the Required Lenders), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower
under this Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of
cash
collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default,
such
amount (to the extent not applied as
26
aforesaid)
shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events
of
Default have been cured or waived.
(k)
The
Issuing Bank shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, on or prior to the
Effective Date, a schedule identifying all Existing Letters of Credit issued
by
it. The Issuing Bank also shall notify the Administrative Agent of any LC
Disbursement or any expiration, termination or renewal of any Existing Letters
of Credit issued by it.
SECTION
2.06. Funding
of Borrowings. (a)
Each
Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date
thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New
York
City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated
by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided
that
Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04. The
Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly
crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower
designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided
that ABR
Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as
provided in Section 2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent
to the
Issuing Bank.
(b)
Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to
the
proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to
the
Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative
Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date
in
accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section 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 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 (i) in the case of such Lender,
the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by
the
Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank
compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate
applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative
Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such
Borrowing.
SECTION
2.07. Interest
Elections. (a)
Each
Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable
Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have
an
initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter,
the
Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue
such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest
Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect
different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing,
in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders
holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each
such
portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not
apply
to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
27
(b)
To
make
an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing
Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting
a
Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on
the
effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request
shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or
telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request
in a
form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the
Borrower.
(c)
Each
telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following
information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i)
the
Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different
options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the
portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case
the
information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall
be
specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii)
the
effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request,
which shall be a Business Day;
(iii)
whether
the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
and
(iv)
if
the
resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be
applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a
period
contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.
If
any
such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not
specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected
an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
(d)
Promptly
following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent
shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of
each resulting Borrowing.
(e)
If
the
Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect
to a
Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto,
then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such
Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing.
Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of
the
Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of
Default
is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued
as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing
shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period
applicable thereto.
28
SECTION
2.08. Termination
and Reduction of Commitments. (a)
Unless
previously terminated, the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the
Revolving Maturity Date.
(b)
The
Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Revolving
Commitments; provided
that
(i) each reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount that
is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and
(ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments
if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans
in
accordance with Section 2.10, the sum of the Revolving Exposures would
exceed the total Revolving Commitments.
(c)
The
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate
or
reduce the Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at
least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination
or
reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly
following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the
Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant
to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided
that a
notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Borrower
may
state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit
facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by
notice
to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date)
if such
condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving
Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Revolving Commitments
shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective
Revolving Commitments.
SECTION
2.09. Repayment of
Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a)
The
Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative
Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of
each
Revolving Loan of such Lender on the Revolving Maturity Date and (ii) to
the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan
on
the earlier of the Revolving Maturity Date and the first date after such
Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and
is
at least two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided
that on
each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all
Swingline Loans then outstanding.
(b)
Each
Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or
accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting
from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and
interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time
hereunder.
(c)
The
Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record
(i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Type thereof and the
Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or
interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to
each
Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the
Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s
share thereof.
29
(d)
The
entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b)
or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie
evidence
of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided
that the
failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts
or
any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower
to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e)
Any
Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.
In
such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender
a
promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by
such
Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved
by the
Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory
note
and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant
to
Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form
payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note
is
a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION
2.10. Prepayment
of Loans. (a)
The
Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay
any
Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to the requirements of this
Section.
(b)
The
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment
of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by telecopy)
of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar
Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business
Days
before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR
Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business
Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a
Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date
of
prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the
prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof
to
be prepaid; provided
that, if
a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of
termination of the Revolving Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.08,
then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination
is
revoked in accordance with Section 2.08. Promptly following receipt of any
such notice (other than a notice relating solely to Swingline Loans), the
Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each
partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be
permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided
in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably
to the
Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied
by
accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.12.
SECTION
2.11. Fees. (a)
The
Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each
Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the
average daily unused amount of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender during
the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date
on
which the Revolving Commitments terminate. Accrued
30
commitment
fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September
and
December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments
terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective
Date.
All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days
and
shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first
day
but excluding the last day). For purposes of computing commitment fees, a
Revolving Commitment of a Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent
of the
outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure of such Lender (and the Swingline
Exposure of such Lender shall be disregarded for such purpose).
(b)
The
Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of
each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters
of
Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate as interest on Eurodollar
Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure
(excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements)
during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding
the
later of the date on which such Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the
date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to each
Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 1/8 of 1%
per
annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters
of
Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (excluding any portion thereof attributable
to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the
Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the
Revolving Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any such LC
Exposure, as well as such Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the
issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing
of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through
and
including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year
shall
be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing
on the
first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided
that all
such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitments
terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving
Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable
to an
Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after
demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the
basis
of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days
elapsed
(including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c)
The
Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account,
fees
payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d)
All
fees
payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available
funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the applicable Issuing Bank, in
the
case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees
and
participation fees, to the Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid shall not
be
refundable under any circumstances.
31
SECTION
2.12. Interest. (a)
The
Loans
comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear
interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b)
The
Loans
comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted
LIBO
Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable
Rate.
(c)
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or
other
amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at
stated
maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear
interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to
(i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate
otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs
of
this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate
applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this
Section.
(d)
Accrued
interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment
Date
for such Loan and upon termination of the Revolving Commitments; provided
that
(i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be
payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any
Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of
the
Revolving Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount
repaid
or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and
(iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the
end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan
shall
be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
(e)
All
interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days,
except
that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when
the
Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis
of
a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be
payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Adjusted LIBO
Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION
2.13. Alternate
Rate of Interest.
If prior
to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar
Borrowing:
(a)
the
Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive
absent
manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining
the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period; or
(b)
the
Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted
LIBO
Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the
cost to
such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing
for
such Interest Period;
32
then
the
Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders
by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until
the
Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest
Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or
continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective
and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such
Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.
SECTION
2.14. Increased
Costs. (a)
If
any
Change in Law shall:
(i)
impose,
modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended
by,
any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted
LIBO
Rate) or any Issuing Bank; or
(ii)
impose
on
any Lender or any Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other
condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender
or
any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
and
the
result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender
of
making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation
to
make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or Issuing Bank
of
participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce
the
amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or Issuing Bank
hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower
will
pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount
or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may
be,
for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b)
If
any
Lender or any Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital
requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return
on such
Lender’s or any Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or any
Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or
the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender,
or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that
which such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding
company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into
consideration such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such
Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy),
then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank,
as
the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such
Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company for
any such reduction suffered.
(c)
A
certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts
necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or its holding company,
as
the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, and,
in reasonable detail, the basis therefor, shall be delivered to the Borrower
and
shall be
33
conclusive
absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or Issuing Bank,
as
the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within
10 days after receipt thereof.
(d)
Failure
or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuing Bank to demand compensation
pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or
Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided
that the
Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuing Bank
pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more
than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or an Issuing Bank, as the
case
may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased
costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or an Issuing Bank’s intention to claim
compensation therefor; provided further
that, if
the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is
retroactive, then the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended
to
include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION
2.15. Break
Funding Payments.
In the
event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than
on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a
result
of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other
than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the
failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Revolving Loan on the
date
specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether
such
notice may be revoked under Section 2.10(b) and is revoked in accordance
therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the
last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request
by
the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.18, then, in any such event, the
Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense
attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss,
cost or
expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by
such
Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would
have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred,
at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for
the
period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest
Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue,
for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over
(ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for
such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid,
at
the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount
and
period from other banks in the Eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender
setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive
pursuant to this Section, and, in reasonable detail, the basis therefor,
shall
be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
The
Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate
within 10 days after receipt thereof.
SECTION
2.16. Taxes. (a)
Any
and
all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder
or
under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without
deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided
that if
the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as
necessary so
34
that
after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to
additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender
or
Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it
would
have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall
make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount
deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable
law.
(b)
In
addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental
Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c)
The
Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing
Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of
any
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender
or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment
by
or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other
Loan Document (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted
on
or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties,
interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto,
whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally
imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate
as to
the amount of such payment or liability, and setting forth, in reasonable
detail, the basis therefor, delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or an Issuing
Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a
Lender
or an Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d)
As
soon
as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the
Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued
by
such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return
reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent.
(e)
Any
Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding
tax under the Code, the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is
located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect
to
payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy
to the
Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law,
such
properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law
or
reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made
without withholding or at a reduced rate. Any Foreign Lender which is not
a
“bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code and intends
to claim exemption from U.S. Federal withholding tax under Section 871(h)
or 881(c) of the Code with respect to payments of “portfolio interest” shall
deliver to the Borrower (with a copy for the Administrative Agent) a Form
W-8BEN, or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto (and, if
such
Foreign Lender delivers a Form W-8BEN, a certificate representing that such
Foreign Lender is not a bank for purposes of Section 881(c) of the Code,
is not
a ten-percent shareholder (within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of
the
Code) of the Borrower and is not a controlled foreign corporation related
to the
Borrower (within the meaning of Section
35
864(d)(4)
of the Code)), properly completed and duly executed by such Foreign Lender
claiming complete exemption from, or a reduced rate of, U.S. Federal withholding
tax on payments of interest by the Borrower under this Agreement and the
other
Loan Documents.
(f)
If
the
Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that
it has
received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been
indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid
additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.16, it shall pay over such
refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made,
or
additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.16 with
respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all
out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without
interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority
with respect to such refund); provided
that the
Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees
to
repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest
or
other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the
Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent
or
such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.
Nothing contained in this Section 2.16(f) shall require the Administrative
Agent
or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information
relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any
other
Person.
SECTION
2.17. Payments
Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a)
The
Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder or under
any other Loan Document (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement
of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.14, 2.15, 2.16,
or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date when due,
in
immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts
received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the
Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding
Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments
shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, except payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank or
the
Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant
to Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons
entitled thereto and payments pursuant to other Loan Documents shall be made
to
the Persons specified therein. The Administrative Agent shall distribute
any
such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the
appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment
under
any Loan Document shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date
for
payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the
case
of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the
period of such extension. All payments under each Loan Document shall be
made in
dollars.
(b)
If
at any
time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative
Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements,
interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied
(i) first,
36
towards
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 (ii) second, towards payment of principal and
unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties
entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed
LC
Disbursements then due to such parties.
(c)
If
any
Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise,
obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its
Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans
resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the
aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements
and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received
by
any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall
purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and
participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to
the
extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared
by the
Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and
accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in
LC
Disbursements and Swingline Loans; 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 paragraph shall not be construed
to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance
with
the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as
consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of
its
Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant,
other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to
which
the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). 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 set-off 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.
(d)
Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior
to
the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the
account
of the Lenders or an Issuing Bank hereunder that the Borrower will not make
such
payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such
payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such
assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the applicable Issuing Bank, as
the
case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact
made
such payment, then each of the Lenders or the applicable Issuing Bank, as
the
case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith
on
demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest
thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed
to
it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the
greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the
Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank
compensation.
37
(e)
If
any
Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant
to
Section 2.04(c), 2.05(d) or (e), 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or 9.03(c), then the
Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary
provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative
Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under
such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully
paid.
SECTION
2.18. Mitigation
Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a)
If
any
Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if the Borrower is
required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, then such
Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office
for
funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations
hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, such
designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable
pursuant to Section 2.14 or 2.16, as the case may be, in the future and
(ii) in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, would not subject such
Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be
disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable
costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such
designation or assignment.
(b)
If
any
Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if the Borrower is
required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, or if any
Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower
may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the
Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without
recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in
Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this
Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee
may
be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided
that
(i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent (and, if a Revolving Commitment is being assigned, the
Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably
be
withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal
to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements
and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other
amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such
outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in
the
case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment
resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.14 or payments
required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16, such assignment will result
in a material reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall
not be
required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as
a
result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling
the
Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
SECTION
2.19. Increase
in Revolving Commitments. (a)
The
Borrower may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall
promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders), request that the total
Revolving Commitments be increased; provided
that the
total Revolving Commitments shall not be increased by more than
38
$250,000,000
during the term of this Agreement pursuant to this Section. Such notice shall
set forth the amount of the requested increase in the total Revolving
Commitments and the date on which such increase is requested to become effective
(which shall be not less than 10 Business Days or more than 60 days
after the date of such notice), and shall offer each Lender the opportunity
to
increase its Revolving Commitment by its Applicable Percentage of the proposed
increased amount. Each Lender shall, by notice to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent given not more than 10 days after the date of the
Borrower’s notice, either agree to increase its Revolving Commitment by all or a
portion of the offered amount (each Lender so agreeing being an “Increasing
Lender”)
or
decline to increase its Revolving Commitment (and any Lender that does not
deliver such a notice within such period of 10 days shall be deemed to have
declined to increase its Revolving Commitment). In the event that, on the
10th
day after the Borrower shall have delivered a notice pursuant to the first
sentence of this paragraph, the Lenders shall have agreed pursuant to the
preceding sentence to increase their Commitments by an aggregate amount less
than the increase in the total Revolving Commitments requested by the Borrower,
the Borrower may arrange for one or more banks or other financial institutions
(any such bank or other financial institution being called an “Augmenting
Lender”),
which
may include any Lender, to extend Revolving Commitments or increase their
existing Revolving Commitments in an aggregate amount equal to the unsubscribed
amount; provided that each Augmenting Lender, if not already a Lender hereunder,
shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, each Issuing
Bank
and the Swingline Lender (such approvals not to be unreasonably withheld),
and
the Borrower and each Augmenting Lender shall execute all such documentation
as
the Administrative Agent shall reasonably specify to evidence its Revolving
Commitment and/or its status as a Lender hereunder. Any increase in the total
Revolving Commitments may be made in an amount which is less than the increase
requested by the Borrower if the Borrower is unable to arrange for, or chooses
not to arrange for, Augmenting Lenders.
(b)
On
the
effective date (the “Increase
Effective Date”)
of any
increase in the total Revolving Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.20
(the “Commitment
Increase”),
if
any Revolving Loans are outstanding, then (unless the Commitment Increase
is
being effected by an increase in each Lender’s Revolving Commitment ratably in
accordance with their Applicable Percentage) the Borrower (i) shall prepay
all Revolving Loans then outstanding (including all accrued but unpaid interest
thereon) and (ii) may, at its option, fund such prepayment by
simultaneously borrowing Revolving Loans of the Types and for the Interest
Periods specified in a Borrowing Request delivered pursuant to
Section 2.03, which Revolving Loans shall be made by the Lenders (including
the Increasing Lenders and the Augmenting Lenders, if any) ratably in accordance
with their respective Revolving Commitments (calculated after giving effect
to
the Commitment Increase). The payments made pursuant to clause (i) above in
respect of each Eurodollar Loan shall be subject to
Section 2.15.
(c)
Increases
and new Commitments created pursuant to this Section 2.19 shall become
effective on the date specified in the notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant
to the first sentence of paragraph (a) above; provided
that the
Borrower may, with the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent
not to
be unreasonably withheld), extend such date by up to 30 days by delivering
written notice to the
39
Administrative
Agent no less than two Business Days prior to the date specified in the notice
delivered by the Borrower pursuant to the first sentence of paragraph (a)
above.
(d)
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no increase in the total Revolving Commitments (or in the
Revolving Commitment of any Lender) or addition of an Augmenting Lender shall
become effective under this Section unless (i) on the date of such
increase, the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of
Section 4.02 shall be satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have
received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a
Financial Officer of the Borrower, and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall
have received (with sufficient copies for each of the Lenders) documents
consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date under clauses (b) and
(c) of Section 4.01.
ARTICLE
III
Representations
and Warranties
Each
of
Holdings and the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders on the
Effective Date and on each date thereafter as required hereunder
that:
SECTION
3.01. Organization;
Powers.
Each of
Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business
as
now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in
the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every
jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
SECTION
3.02. Authorization;
Enforceability. The
Transactions to be entered into by each Loan Party are within such Loan Party’s
corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
and,
if required, stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by each Loan Party and constitutes, and each other Loan Document
to
which either Loan Party is to be a party, when executed and delivered by
such
Loan Party, will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such
Loan
Party (as the case may be), enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject
to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of
equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law.
SECTION
3.03. Governmental
Approvals; No Conflicts. The
Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except
(i) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect or
(ii) where the failure to obtain such consent or approval or make such
registration or filing, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate
any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational
documents of Holdings, the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries or any order
of
any Governmental
40
Authority,
(c) will not violate or result in a default under any material indenture,
agreement or other instrument binding upon Holdings, the Borrower or any
of
their Subsidiaries or their assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to
require any payment to be made by Holdings, the Borrower or any of their
Subsidiaries (other than under the Existing Credit Agreement), and (d) will
not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of Holdings,
the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries.
SECTION
3.04. Financial
Condition; No Material Adverse Change. (a)
Holdings
has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and
statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, reported on by Deloitte & Touche
LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal
quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended July 15, 2006, certified
by one
of its Financial Officers. Such financial statements present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash
flows of Holdings and its consolidated subsidiaries as of such dates and
for
such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to customary year-end audit
adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred
to in clause (ii) above.
(b)
Except
as
disclosed in the financial statements referred to above or the notes thereto
and
except for the Disclosed Matters, after giving effect to the Transactions,
none
of Holdings, the Borrower or their Subsidiaries has, as of the Effective
Date,
any material contingent liabilities.
(c)
Since
December 31, 2005, there has been no material adverse change in the business,
assets, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of Holdings,
the Borrower and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION
3.05. Properties. (a)
Each
of
Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid
leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its
business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its
ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such
properties for their intended purposes.
(b)
Each
of
Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use,
all
trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property
material to its business, and the use thereof by Holdings, the Borrower and
their Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person,
except
for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, would
not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.06. Litigation
and Environmental Matters. (a)
There
are
no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental
Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Borrower,
threatened against or affecting Holdings, the Borrower or any of their
Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an
adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, would reasonably
be
expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material
41
Adverse
Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve any of the
Loan Documents or the Transactions.
(b)
Except
for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result
in
a Material Adverse Effect, neither Holdings, the Borrower nor any of their
Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to
obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required
under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental
Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any
Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental
Liability.
(c)
Since
December 31, 2005, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed
Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially
increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.07. Compliance
with Laws and Agreements.
Each of
Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws,
regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or
its
property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon
it or
its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION
3.08. Investment
Company Status.
Neither
Holdings, the Borrower nor any of their Subsidiaries is an “investment company”
as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act
of
1940.
SECTION
3.09. Taxes.
Each of
Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused
to be
filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid
or
caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except
(a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
and for which Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has
set
aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure
to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
SECTION
3.10. ERISA.
No ERISA
Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together
with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected
to
occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
The
present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based
on
the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements
reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $1,000,000 the fair market value
of
the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit
obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes
of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the
date of the most
42
recent
financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $1,000,000
the
fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.
SECTION
3.11. Disclosure.
Holdings
and the Borrower have disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments
and
corporate or other restrictions to which Holdings, the Borrower or any of
their
Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to any of them, that,
individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result
in a
Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the
other
reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished
by or
on behalf of either Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender
in
connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document
or
delivered hereunder or thereunder (as modified or supplemented by other
information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits
to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided
that,
with respect to projected financial information, Holdings and the Borrower
represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon
assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
SECTION
3.12. Subsidiaries.
Holdings
does not have any Subsidiaries other than the Borrower and the Borrower’s
Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.12 sets forth the name of, and the ownership
interest of the Borrower in, each Subsidiary of the Borrower as of the Effective
Date.
SECTION
3.13. Insurance.
Schedule
3.13 sets forth a description of all insurance maintained by or on behalf
of
Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date. As
of
the Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance have been
paid.
SECTION
3.14. Solvency.
Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective
Date and immediately following the making of each Loan made on the Effective
Date, (a) the fair value of the assets of each Loan Party, at a fair
valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent
or
otherwise; (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of each Loan
Party will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable
liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or
otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured;
(c) each Loan Party will be able to pay its debts and liabilities,
subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become
absolute and matured; and (d) each Loan Party will not have unreasonably
small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as
such
business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted following the
Effective Date.
ARTICLE
IV
Conditions
SECTION
4.01. Effective
Date.
The
obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue
Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become
43
effective
until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or
waived
in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a)
The
Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party
hereto either a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party
or
written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include
telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that
such
party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and (ii) from Holdings a
counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement signed on behalf of Holdings or written
evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy
transmission of a signed signature page of the Guarantee Agreement) that
Holdings has signed a counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received favorable written opinions (addressed
to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date)
of
Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxxx LLP and XxXxxxx Xxxx, counsel for the Loan Parties,
substantially in the form of Exhibits C-1 and C-2, respectively, and covering
such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the
Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request. Holdings and
the
Borrower hereby request such counsel to deliver such opinions.
(b)
The
Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates
as the
Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the
organization, existence and good standing of the Loan Parties, the authorization
of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Loan Parties,
the Loan Documents or the Transactions, all in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(c)
The
Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory
to it
that, prior to or on the Effective Date, all commitments under the existing
Credit Agreement shall be terminated and all loans and other amounts accrued
and
owing thereunder shall be paid.
(d)
The
Administrative Agent shall have received, from the agents and/or lenders
under
the Existing Credit Agreement, all releases, terminations and other documents
necessary to release all Liens securing obligations thereunder, in form suitable
for filing or recording.
(e)
The
Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and other information
as
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may reasonably request to satisfy
the
requirements of bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your
customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA
Patriot Act.
(f)
The
conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 shall be
satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate
to such
effect, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President
or a Financial Officer of the Borrower.
44
(g)
The
Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and
payable by the Borrower on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to
the
extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required
to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(h)
The
Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory
to it
that the insurance required by Section 5.06 is in effect.
(i)
The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective
Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing
Bank
to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each
of
the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02)
at or
prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 5, 2006 (and, in the
event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Revolving Commitments
shall terminate at such time).
SECTION
4.02. Each
Credit Event.
The
obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing,
and
of any Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit,
is
subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a)
The
representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan
Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing
or
the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit,
as applicable, except for representations and warranties expressly made as
of an
earlier date, which shall be true and correct as of such earlier
date.
(b)
At
the
time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable,
no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each
Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter
of
Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by Holdings
and the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs
(a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE
V
Affirmative
Covenants
Until
the
Revolving Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of
and
interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid
in
full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC
Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each of Holdings and the Borrower
covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION
5.01. Financial
Statements and Other Information. Holdings
and the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each
Lender:
45
(a)
within
90 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, Holdings’ audited
consolidated balance sheets and related statements of operations, stockholders’
equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in
each
case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported
on by Deloitte & Touche LLP or other independent public accountants of
recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or
exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such
audit or other material qualification or exception) to the effect that such
consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects
the
financial condition and results of operations of Holdings and its consolidated
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied;
(b)
within
45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each
fiscal year of Holdings, Holdings’ consolidated balance sheets and related
statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of
and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year,
setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding
period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end
of)
the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers
as
presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results
of operations of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end
audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c)
concurrently
with any delivery of financial statements (or within three Business Days
after
any deemed delivery) under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a
Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default
has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof
and
any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting
forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with
Sections 6.08 and 6.09 as of the end of the period covered by such
financial statements and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the
application thereof has occurred since the date of Holdings’ audited financial
statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has
occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements
accompanying such certificate;
(d)
concurrently
with any delivery of financial statements (or within three Business Days
after
any deemed delivery) under clause (a) above, a certificate of the
accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether
they
obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial
statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent
required by accounting rules or guidelines);
(e)
as
soon
as the same are complete, but in no event more that 60 days after the
commencement of each fiscal year of Holdings, a detailed consolidated budget
presented on a quarterly basis for such fiscal year (including a projected
consolidated balance sheet and related statements of projected operations
and
cash flow as of the end of and for such fiscal year) and, promptly when
available, any significant revisions of such budget;
46
(f)
promptly
after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other
reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by Holdings, the Borrower
or
any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental
Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or
with
any national securities exchange, or distributed by Holdings to its shareholders
generally, as the case may be;
(g)
promptly
following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations,
business affairs and financial condition of Holdings, the Borrower or any
Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of any Loan Document, as the
Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request;
(h)
promptly
upon the occurrence of any change of Rating by Xxxxx’x or S&P, a certificate
of a Financial Officer setting forth the new Rating, the effective date thereof
and, if applicable, notice of any change in the Applicable Rate as a result
thereof; and
(i)
promptly
after the same are furnished to the Borrower, copies of any “Management Letter”
delivered to Holdings and the Borrower by their independent certified public
accountants in connection with the delivery of financial statements contemplated
by Section 5.01(a) if such Letter discloses any material weaknesses in internal
financial controls or other material concerns relating to the financial
statements identified by such accountants.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any financial statements or other reports or filings required
to
be furnished by Holdings and the Borrower pursuant to clause (a), (b) or
(f) of
this Section 5.01 shall be deemed to have been furnished if Holdings or the
Borrower has (i) filed the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission
via
the XXXXX filing system and the same are publicly available and (ii) delivered
notice thereof to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION
5.02. Notices
of Material Events.
Upon
Holdings or the Borrower obtaining knowledge thereof, Holdings and the Borrower
will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice
of the following:
(a)
the
occurrence of any Default;
(b)
the
filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any
arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting Holdings, the Borrower
or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably
be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c)
the
occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA
Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability
of Holdings, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount
exceeding $1,000,000; and
47
(d)
any
other
development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in,
a
Material Adverse Effect.
Each
notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of
a
Financial Officer or other executive officer of Holdings or the Borrower
setting
forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any
action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
SECTION
5.03. Existence;
Conduct of Business.
Each of
Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
do
or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full
force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits,
privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material
to the conduct of its business; provided
that the
foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or
dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
SECTION
5.04. Payment
of Obligations.
Each of
Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
pay
its Indebtedness and other obligations, including Tax liabilities, that,
if not
paid, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect
before
the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the
validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith (in the case
of Tax
liabilities or obligations to Government Authorities by appropriate
proceedings), (b) Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside
on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP,
(c) such contest effectively suspends collection of the contested
obligation and the enforcement of any Lien securing such obligation and
(d) the failure to make payment pending such contest would not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.05. Maintenance
of Properties.
Each of
Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
keep
and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good
working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
SECTION
5.06. Insurance.
Each of
Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies adequate
insurance for its insurable properties, all to such extent and against such
risks, including fire, casualty and other risks insured against by extended
coverage, as is customary with companies in the same or similar businesses
operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION
5.07. Books
and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights. Each
of
Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
keep
proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries
are
made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and
activities. Each of Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of
its
Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its
properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records,
48
and
to
discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent
accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested;
provided
that the
Borrower shall be given the opportunity to be present at any discussion with
its
independent accountants.
SECTION
5.08. Compliance
with Laws.
Each of
Holdings and the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental
Authority applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do
so,
individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result
in
a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.09. Use
of
Proceeds and Letters of Credit.
The
proceeds of the Loans will be used for general corporate purposes, including
to
prepay all loans under the Existing Credit Agreement outstanding on the
Effective Date. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether
directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of
the
Regulations of the Board, including Regulations U and X. Letters of Credit
will be issued only for general corporate purposes.
ARTICLE
VI
Negative
Covenants
Until
the
Revolving Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and
interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full
and
all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements
shall
have been reimbursed, each of Holdings and the Borrower covenants and agrees
with the Lenders that:
SECTION
6.01. Subsidiary
Indebtedness.
The
Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary of the Borrower to create, incur
assume
or permit to exist any Indebtedness (including pursuant to any Guarantee
of
Indebtedness of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary),
except:
(a) Indebtedness
existing on the Effective Date and set forth in Schedule 6.01, but not any
extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness;
(b) Indebtedness
of any Subsidiary of the Borrower owing to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary
of the Borrower;
(c) Guarantees
by any Subsidiary of the Borrower of Indebtedness of any other Subsidiary
of the
Borrower; provided
that the
Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section;
(d) Indebtedness
of any Subsidiary of the Borrower incurred to finance the acquisition,
construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets after the Effective
Date, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in
connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a
49
Lien
on
any
such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals
and
replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding
principal amount thereof or result in an earlier maturity date or decreased
weighted average life thereof; provided
that
(i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 270 days after
such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement
and
(ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this
clause (d) (and that is not listed in Schedule 6.01) and clause (e) below
shall not exceed $100,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(e) Indebtedness
of (i) any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Effective Date
pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition to the extent that such Indebtedness
exists
at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation
of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) a
Subsidiary to the extent that such Indebtedness is assumed in connection
with a
Permitted Acquisition made by such Subsidiary and is not created in
contemplation of such Permitted Acquisition provided
that the
aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) and
clause (d) above shall be subject to the limitations set forth in clause
(ii) of
the proviso at the end of clause (d) above;
and
(f) other
Indebtedness of Subsidiaries of the Borrower in an aggregate principal amount
at
any time outstanding not exceeding $75,000,000.
SECTION
6.02. Liens. (a)
The
Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur,
assume
or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter
acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts
receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(i)
Liens
created under the Loan Documents;
(ii)
Permitted
Encumbrances;
(iii)
any
Lien
on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the
Effective Date and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided
that
(i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the
Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those
obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals
and
replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
thereof;
(iv)
any
Lien
existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the
Borrower or any Subsidiary after the Effective Date or existing on any property
or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Effective Date
prior
to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided
that
(A) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such
acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be,
(B) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the
Borrower or any Subsidiary and (C) such Lien shall secure only those
obligations which it secures on the date of
50
such
acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may
be,
and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the
outstanding principal amount thereof; and
(v)
Liens
on
fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower
or any
Subsidiary after the Effective Date; provided
that
(A) such security interests secure Indebtedness incurred to finance the
acquisition, construction or improvement of such fixed or capital assets,
including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection
with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such
assets
prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements
of
any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
thereof or result in an earlier maturity date or decreased weighted average
life
thereto (and, in the case of any such Indebtedness of a Subsidiary of the
Borrower, is Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01), (B) such security
interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within
270 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or
improvement, (C) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost
(including design, engineering, sales taxes, delivery, installation and other
similar costs) of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital
assets and (D) such security interests shall not apply to any other
property or assets (other than proceeds of the property and assets originally
encumbered by such security interests) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
and
(vi)
other
Liens securing Indebtedness or other monetary obligations of the Borrower
or any
Subsidiary (other than Liens on inventory); provided
that the
sum of all Indebtedness and other monetary obligations at any time outstanding
secured by Liens permitted by this clause (vi), plus the fair market value
of
all assets sold after the Effective Date pursuant to Sale and Leaseback
Transactions in reliance on clause (b) of Section 6.07, shall not at any
time
exceed $125,000,000.
(b)
Holdings
will not create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property
or
asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it (other than Excluded Margin Stock),
or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable)
or
rights in respect thereof, except Permitted Encumbrances.
SECTION
6.03. Fundamental
Changes. (a)
Neither
Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, merge
into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to
merge
into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at
the
time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall
have
occurred and be continuing (i) any Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower
in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation,
(ii) any Subsidiary (other than the Borrower) may merge into any other
Subsidiary (other than the Borrower) in a transaction in which the surviving
entity is a Subsidiary, (iii) any Subsidiary (other than the Borrower ) may
liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such
liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the
51
Borrower
and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders, (vi) any Subsidiary
may merge with another entity to implement a Permitted Acquisition and (v)
any
Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge with another entity to implement a sale
or
other disposition of such Subsidiary otherwise permitted by this Agreement,
provided that, after giving effect thereto, such Subsidiary shall no longer
be a
Subsidiary; provided
that any
such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately
prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by
Section 6.04.
(b)
The
Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage
to any
material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted
by
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Effective Date and businesses
reasonably related thereto.
(c)
Holdings
will not engage in any business or activity other than the ownership of all
the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Borrower and activities incidental
thereto, including the conduct of stock repurchase programs, administering
payrolls for executive officers and other activities incidental to its existence
as a publicly-owned holding company. Holdings will not own or acquire any
assets
(other than shares of capital stock of the Borrower, cash, promissory notes
held
pursuant to clause (g) of Section 6.04 and Permitted Investments) or
incur any liabilities (other than liabilities under the Loan Documents,
liabilities imposed by law, including tax liabilities, and other liabilities
incidental to its existence and permitted business and activities). Holdings
will not have any Subsidiaries, other than the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries.
SECTION
6.04. Investments,
Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.
The
Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase,
hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was
not a
wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any Equity Interests, evidences
of
indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other
right
to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or
advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any
investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise
acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any
other
Person constituting a business unit, except:
(a)
Permitted
Investments;
(b)
investments
existing on the Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 6.04, to the
extent such investments would not be permitted under any other clause of
this
Section;
(c)
investments
in the Equity Interests of their respective Subsidiaries;
(d)
loans
or
advances made by the Borrower to any Subsidiary of the Borrower (or to Holdings)
and made by any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the Borrower or any other
Subsidiary of the Borrower;
(e)
Guarantees
by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of obligations of the Borrower or any
of
its Subsidiaries; provided
that any
such Guarantees by Subsidiaries of
52
the
Borrower of obligations of the Borrower shall be limited to Guarantees of
Indebtedness that are permitted by Section 6.01;
(f)
investments
received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement
of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each
case
in the ordinary course of business;
(g)
promissory
notes received from employees of Holdings and its Subsidiaries evidencing
loans
made for the purpose of permitting such employees to purchase capital stock
of
Holdings in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $5,000,000 at any
time
outstanding;
(h)
Permitted
Acquisitions;
(i)
loans
or
advances to employees in the ordinary course of business; provided
that the
aggregate amount of all loans and advances permitted by this clause (i)
shall not exceed $750,000 at any time outstanding;
(j)
obligations
of management to the Borrower in connection with split dollar life insurance
policies; provided
that the
aggregate amount of all obligations permitted by this clause (j) shall not
exceed $2,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(k)
investments
incurred in connection with Deferred Compensation Obligations; and
(l)
other
investments in an aggregate amount not exceeding $50,000,000 at any time
outstanding.
SECTION
6.05. Swap
Agreements.
Neither
Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, enter
into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge
or mitigate risks to which Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual
exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of Holdings, the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into
in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed
to
floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise)
with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of Holdings,
the
Borrower or any Subsidiary.
SECTION
6.06. Restrictive
Agreements.
Neither
Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, directly
or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other
arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the
ability of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit
to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of
any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any
of
its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower
or
any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any
other
Subsidiary; provided
that
(i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by
law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to
restrictions and conditions existing on the Effective Date identified on
Schedule 6.06 (but shall apply to
53
any
extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope
of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply
to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating
to the
sale of a Subsidiary or any asset or property pending such sale, provided
such
restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary, asset or property
that
is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the
foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement
relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such
restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing
such
Indebtedness and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to
customary provisions in leases, licenses, or other contracts restricting
the
assignment thereof.
SECTION
6.07. Sale
and Lease-Back Transactions.
Neither
Holdings nor the Borrower will, nor will they permit any Subsidiary to, enter
into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby it
shall
sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business,
whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such
property or other property which it intends to use for substantially the
same
purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred (a “Sale
and Leaseback Transaction”),
except for (a) any such Sale and Leaseback Transaction involving the sale
of fixed or capital assets (other than those acquired pursuant to a Permitted
Acquisition), at a price not less than the cost thereof, that is consummated
within 360 days after the date that such assets are acquired and
(b) other Sale and Leaseback Transactions consummated after the Effective
Date, subject to the limitations set forth in clause (vi) of Section
6.02(a).
SECTION
6.08. Leverage
Ratio.
The
Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio as of any date to be in excess
of
2.50 to 1.00.
SECTION
6.09. Consolidated
Coverage Ratio.
The
Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for any period of
four
consecutive fiscal quarters (commencing with the period ending on the last
day
of the first fiscal quarter ended after the Effective Date) to be less than
2.25
to 1.00.
ARTICLE
VII
Events
of Default
If
any of
the following events (“Events
of Default”)
shall
occur:
(a)
the
Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement
obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become
due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for
prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b)
the
Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other
amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article)
payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the
same
shall become
54
due
and
payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three
Business Days;
(c)
any
representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of Holdings,
the
Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with any Loan Document or
any
amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any report,
certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to
or in
connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof
or
waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect
when made or deemed made;
(d)
Holdings
or the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition
or
agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the existence of
Holdings or the Borrower) or 5.09 or in Article VI;
(e)
either
Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement
contained in any Loan Document (other than those specified in clause (a),
(b) or
(d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period
of
30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower
(which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f)
Holdings,
the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of
principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material
Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;
(g)
any
event
or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due
prior
to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the
giving
of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material
Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any
Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase,
redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided
that
this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as
a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing
such Indebtedness;
(h)
an
involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall
be
filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of
Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial
part
of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the
appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator
or
similar official for Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a
substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or
petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree
approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i)
Holdings,
the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any
proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other
relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership
or similar
55
law
now
or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to
contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described
in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the
appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator
or
similar official for Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a
substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material
allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make
a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action
for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(j)
Holdings,
the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its
inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(k)
one
or
more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess
of
$25,000,000 shall be rendered against Holdings, the Borrower, any Subsidiary
or
any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period
of
30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed,
or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor (and such action
is
not effectively stayed) to attach or levy upon any assets of Holdings, the
Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(l)
an
ERISA
Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when
taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably
be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in
an
aggregate amount exceeding (i) $3,000,000 in any year or
(ii) $5,000,000 for all periods; or
(m)
a
Change
in Control shall occur;
then,
and
in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described
in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during
the
continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request
of
the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both
of
the following actions, at the same or different
times: (i) terminate the Revolving Commitments, and thereupon
the Revolving Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the
Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which
case
any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared
to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared
to
be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and
other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and
payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice
of any
kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any
event
with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this
Article, the Revolving Commitments shall automatically terminate and the
principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon
and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall
automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest
or
other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the
Borrower.
56
ARTICLE
VIII
The
Administrative Agent
Each
of
the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative
Agent as its agent 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 of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and
powers
as are reasonably incidental thereto.
The
bank
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 such bank and its Affiliates
may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind
of
business with Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate
thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The
Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those
expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality
of
the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any
fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred
and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to
take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except
discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents
that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing by the Required
Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary
under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except
as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall
not
have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose,
any information relating to Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as 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 with the consent or at the
request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the
Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in
Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or wilful
misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed not to have knowledge
of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the
Administrative Agent by Holdings, the Borrower or a Lender, and the
Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain
or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in
connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate,
report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith,
(iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or
other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the
validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document
or
any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any
condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other
than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the
Administrative Agent.
57
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 believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative
Agent
also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed
by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability
for
relying thereon. 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.
The
Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its
rights
and powers 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 its duties and exercise its rights and powers through
their
respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding
paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of
each
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.
Subject
to the appointment and acceptance of a successor the Administrative Agent
as
provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time
by
notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower. Upon any such
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with
the
Borrower (except that no consultation is required during an Event of Default),
to appoint a successor. If no 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 and the Issuing
Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with
an
office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the
acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor,
such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers,
privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring
Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations
hereunder. 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 Administrative Agent’s
resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03
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 it was acting as
Administrative Agent.
Each
Lender acknowledges that 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 Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that
it
will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or
any
other Lender 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
58
Agreement,
any other Loan Document or related agreement or any document furnished hereunder
or thereunder.
ARTICLE
IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION
9.01. Notices. (a)
Except
in
the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given
by
telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other
communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered
by
hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail
or
sent by telecopy, as follows:
(i)
if
to
Holdings or the Borrower, to Advance Stores Company, Incorporated at 0000
Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Chief Financial
Officer (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000);
(ii)
if
to the
Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services
Group, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention
of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000), with a copy to JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A., 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000);
(iii)
if
to
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Issuing Bank, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
in
care of JPMorgan Treasury Services, 00000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx,
0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Standby LC Department
(Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000)2;
(iv)
if
to the
Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services
Group,
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention of
Deepa Madhavan (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000) ;
and
(v)
if
to any
other Lender or Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set
forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(b)
Notices
and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished
by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the
Administrative Agent; provided
that the
foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise
agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative
Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and
other
communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to
procedures approved by it; provided
that
approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or
communications.
(c)
Any
party
hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other
communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices
and
other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of
receipt.
59
SECTION
9.02. Waivers;
Amendments. (a)
No
failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender
in
exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document
shall
operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of
any
such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce
such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or
the
exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under
the
other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or
remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any
Loan
Document or consent to any departure by either Loan Party therefrom shall
in any
event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of
this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in
the
specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter
of
Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether
the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice
or
knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b)
Except
as
necessary in order to effect an increase in the Revolving Commitments in
accordance with Section 2.19, neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document
nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except,
in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in
writing
entered into by Holdings, the Borrower and the Required Lenders or, in the
case
of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing
entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties
that
are parties thereto, in each case with the consent of the Required Lenders;
provided
that no
such agreement shall (i) increase the Revolving Commitment of any Lender
without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal
amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon,
or
reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender
affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the
principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon,
or any
fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such
payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Revolving
Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,
(iv) change Section 2.17(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter
the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent
of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the
definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document
specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or
modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent
thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender, or (vi) release
Holdings from its Guarantee under the Guarantee Agreement, or limit its
liability in respect of such Guarantee, without the written consent of each
Lender; provided further
that no
such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties
of
the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender without
the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the
Swingline Lender, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
provision of this Agreement may be amended by an agreement in writing entered
into by Holdings, the Borrower, the Required Lenders and the Administrative
Agent (and, if their rights or obligations are
60
affected
thereby, the Issuing Banks and the Swingline Lender) if (i) by the terms
of such
agreement the Revolving Commitment of each Lender not consenting to the
amendment provided for therein shall terminate upon the effectiveness of
such
amendment and (ii) at the time such amendment becomes effective, each Lender
not
consenting thereto receives payment in full of the principal of and interest
accrued on each Loan made by it and all other amounts owing to it or accrued
for
its account under this Agreement.
SECTION
9.03. Expenses;
Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a)
The
Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by
the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees,
charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection
with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the
preparation and administration of the Loan Documents or any amendments,
modifications or waivers of the provisions thereof (whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection
with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit
or
any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including
the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative
Agent,
any Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection
of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights
under
this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued
hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any
workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters
of
Credit.
(b)
The
Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and
each
Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such
Person
being called an “Indemnitee”)
against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and
disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted
against
any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of
(i) the execution or delivery of any Loan Document or any other agreement
or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties to the
Loan
Documents of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation
of the
Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan
or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal
by an Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit
if the
documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply
with
the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence
or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly
owned or operated by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or
any
Environmental Liability related in any way to Holdings, the Borrower or any
of
its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation,
investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based
on
contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee
is a
party thereto; provided
that
such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent
that
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses resulted from
the
gross negligence or wilful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
61
(c)
To
the
extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it
to
the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay
to the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as
the
case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the
applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid
amount; provided
that the
unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related
expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the
Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity
as such. For purposes hereof, a Lender’s “pro rata share” shall be determined
based upon its share of the sum of the total Revolving Exposures and unused
Revolving Commitments at the time.
(d)
To
the
extent permitted by applicable law, neither Holdings nor the Borrower shall
assert, and each 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 or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby,
the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds
thereof.
(e)
All
amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand
therefor.
SECTION
9.04. Successors
and Assigns. (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
(including any Affiliate of an Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit),
except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of
its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
each
Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without
such
consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise
transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this
Section. 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 (including any Affiliate of an Issuing
Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided
in
paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated
hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under
or by
reason of this Agreement.
(b)
(i)
Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender
may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and
obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving
Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written
consent
(such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A)
the
Borrower, provided
that no
consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender,
an
Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred
and is continuing, any other assignee;
62
(B)
the
Administrative Agent; and
(C)
each
Issuing Bank.
(ii)
Assignments
shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A)
except
in
the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate or Approved Fund of
a
Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s
Revolving Commitment, the amount of the Revolving Commitment of the assigning
Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment
and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the
Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided
that no
such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing;
(B)
each
partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part
of all
the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.
(C)
the
parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative
Agent
an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation
fee of
$3,500; and
(D)
the
assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent
an Administrative Questionnaire in
which
the assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level
information (which may contain material non-public information about the
Borrower, the Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective
securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in
accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws,
including Federal and state securities laws
For
the
purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the
following meaning:
“Approved
Fund”
means
any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing,
holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the
ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by
(a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate
of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
(iii)
Subject
to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this
Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and
Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent
of
the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights
and
obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender
thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such
63
Assignment
and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and,
in
the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s
rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be
a
party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of
Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender
of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this
Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by
such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance
with
paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv)
The
Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower,
shall
maintain at one of its offices in the City of New York 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 Revolving Commitment of, and principal
amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements 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, the Issuing Banks 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. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower,
any
Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time
upon
reasonable prior notice.
(v)
Upon
its
receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning
Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire
(unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing
and
recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any
written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this
Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption
and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment
shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded
in
the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(c) (i)
Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent,
any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more
banks or other entities (a “Participant”)
in all
or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Revolving Commitment and the Loans owing
to
it); provided
that
(A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged,
(B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto
for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue
to
deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s
rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument
pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that
such
Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce the Loan Documents and to approve
any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents;
provided
that
such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without
the
consent of the Participant,
64
agree
to
any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to
Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to
paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each
Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15 and
2.16 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest
by
assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent
permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits
of
Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees
to be subject to Section 2.17(c) as though it were a Lender.
(ii)
A
Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under
Section 2.14 or 2.16 than the applicable 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 made with the Borrower’s prior
written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were
a
Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.16 unless the
Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with
Section 2.16(e) as though it were a Lender.
(d)
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,
including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations
to a
Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge
or
assignment of a security interest; provided
that no
such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from
any
of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for
such
Lender as a party hereto.
(e)
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting
Lender”)
may
grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPV”),
identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to
the
Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrower
all
or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated
to make to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, provided
that
(i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPV to make any
Loan and (ii) if an SPV elects not to exercise such option or otherwise
fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall
be
obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a
Loan
by an SPV hereunder shall utilize the Revolving Commitment of the Granting
Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting
Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall be liable for any
indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability
for
which shall remain with the Granting Lender). In furtherance of the foregoing,
each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination
of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after
the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior
indebtedness of any SPV, it will not institute against, or join any other
person
in instituting against, such SPV any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement,
insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United States
of America or any State thereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything to
the
contrary in this
65
Section 9.04,
any SPV may (i) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of,
the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing
fee
therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting
Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to by the Borrower and
the
Administrative Agent) providing liquidity and/or credit support to or for
the
account of such SPV to support the funding or maintenance of Loans and
(ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating
to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of
any
surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPV. As this
Section 9.04(e) applies to any particular SPV, this Section may not be
amended without the written consent of such SPV.
SECTION
9.05. Survival.
All
covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties
in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered
in
connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document
shall
be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall
survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of
any
Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation
made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the
Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice
or
knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time
any
credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect
as
long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or
any
other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any
Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Revolving Commitments
have
not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and
9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect
regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the
repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit
and the Revolving Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any
provision hereof.
SECTION
9.06. Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness.
This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto
on
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but
all of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement,
the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect
to fees
payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among
the
parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous
agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter
hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become
effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and
when
the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when
taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto,
and
thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties
hereto
and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart
of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery
of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION
9.07. Severability.
Any
provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable
in any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
66
ineffective
to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without
affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions
hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular
jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
SECTION
9.08. Right
of Setoff.
If an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each
of
its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to
the
fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits
(general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held
and
other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for
the
credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations
of
the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such
Lender,
irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under
this
Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each
Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies
(including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
SECTION
9.09. Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a)
This
Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of
the
State of New York.
(b)
Each
of
Holdings and the Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits,
for
itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court
of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States
District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court
from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating
to any
Loan Document, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each
of
the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all
claims
in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in
such
New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.
Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action
or
proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions
by
suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this
Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the
Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to
bring
any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document
against Holdings, the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any
jurisdiction.
(c)
Each
of
Holdings and the Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives,
to the
fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which
it may
now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in
any
court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties
hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
the
defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding
in any such court.
(d)
Each
party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the
manner
provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement or
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any
other
Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve
process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION
9.10. WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL.
EACH
PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
LAW,
ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY
OR
INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT
OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT
OR ANY
OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE,
AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE,
THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE
THE
FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO
HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE
MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION
9.11. Headings.
Article
and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience
of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the
construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this
Agreement.
SECTION
9.12. Confidentiality.
Each of
the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain
the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that
Information may be disclosed (a) 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), (b) to the extent requested by any
regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or
regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other
party to this Agreement, (e) 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, (f) subject to an agreement
containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to
(i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or
Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or
(ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap
or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations,
(g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such
Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a
breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative
Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a
source
other than the Borrower.
For
the
purposes of this Section, "Information" means all information received from
the
Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such
information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank
or
any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower;
provided that, in the case
68
of
information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information
is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person
required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this
Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so
if
such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the
confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own
confidential information.
EACH
LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN
SECTION 9.12 FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE
MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES
OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE
PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT
IT WILL
HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES
AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
ALL
INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY
THE
BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF
ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH
MAY
CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWER, THE LOAN PARTIES
AND
THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER
REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED
IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION
THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS
COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES
LAWS.
SECTION
9.13. Interest
Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest
rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts
which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively,
the “Charges”),
shall
exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum
Rate”)
which
may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender
holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest
payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable
in
respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent
lawful,
the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such
Loan
but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be
cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect
of
other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate
therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at
the
Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received
by such Lender.
SECTION
9.14. USA
Patriot Act. Each
Lender hereby notifies each of the Borrower and Holdings that pursuant to
the
requirements of the USA Patriot Act
69
(Title
III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), (the
“Act”),
it is
required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each of
the
Borrower and Holdings, which information includes the name and address of
each
of the Borrower and Holdings and other information that will allow such Lender
to identify each of the Borrower and Holdings in accordance with the
Act.
70
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first
above written.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS, INC. | ||
by | ||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Title:
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer
|
ADVANCE STORES COMPANY, | ||
INCORPORATED, | ||
by | ||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Title:
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer
|
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
individually and as Administrative Agent,
|
||
by: | ||
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Managing Director
|
71
SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF
OCTOBER 5, 2006, AMONG ADVANCE AUTO PARTS, INC., ADVANCE STORES
COMPANY,
INCORPORATED, THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO AND JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
N.A., AS
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
|
||
By: | ||
Name:
Title:
|