FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
Exhibit
4.1
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT
AGREEMENT
THIS
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is
entered into as of April 17, 2008 (“First Amendment Effective
Date”), by and among the lenders identified on the signature pages hereof
(such lenders, together with their respective successors and permitted assigns,
are referred to hereinafter each individually as a “Lender” and
collectively, as the “Lenders”), XXXXX
FARGO FOOTHILL, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company, as administrative agent for the Lenders (in
such capacity, together with its successors and assigns in such capacity, “Agent”), the
Guarantors signatory hereto, and STORM CAT ENERGY (USA) CORPORATION, a Colorado
corporation (“Borrower”). All
terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to
them in the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined).
W I T N E
S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
Agent, the Lenders, and Borrower, entered into that certain Credit Agreement
dated as of December 27, 2007 (as the same may be from time to time further
amended, extended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Credit Agreement”),
pursuant to which the Lenders made available to the Borrower a Revolver
Commitment and Term Loan Commitment (each term as defined in the Credit
Agreement);
WHEREAS,
Borrower intends to acquire certain property as set forth on Exhibit A attached
hereto (the “Acquisition”);
and
WHEREAS,
in connection with the Acquisition, the Borrower, the Lenders and Agent have
agreed to amend the terms of the Credit Agreement, all on the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valid
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as
follows:
1. Defined
Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall
have the meanings ascribed to them in the Credit Agreement.
2. Amendment to Credit
Agreement. Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Section 4 hereof, the Credit Agreement is hereby amended as
follows:
a. Schedule 1.1 of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following definitions in
appropriate alphabetical order:
“ ‘Existing Term Loan’
has the meaning specified therefor in Section
2.2.”
“ ‘Existing Term Loan
Lender’ shall mean Regiment.”
“ ‘First Amendment’
shall mean that certain First Amendment to Credit Agreement, by and among the
Borrower, Agent and the Lenders, dated as of April 16, 2008.”
“ ‘First Amendment Effective
Date’ has the meaning given to such term by the First
Amendment.”
“ ‘New Term Loan’ has
the meaning specified therefor in Section
2.2.”
“ ‘New Term Loan Lender’
shall mean Ableco Finance LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company.”
“ ‘Participant Register’
has the meaning specified therefor in Section
13.1(j).”
“ ‘Rating Agencies’ has
the meaning specified therefor in Section
2.15.”
“ ‘Register’ has the
meaning specified therefor in Section
13.1(h).”
“ ‘Registered Loan’
means a loan recorded on the Register (or Related Party Register) pursuant to
Section
13.1(h).”
“ ‘Registered Note’ has
the meaning specified therefor in Section
2.16.”
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“ ‘Related Party
Assignment’ has the meaning specified therefore in Section
13.1(a).”
“ ‘Related Party
Register’ has the meaning specified therefor in Section
13.1(h).”
“ ‘Securitization’ has
the meaning specified therefor in Section
2.15.”
b. Schedule
1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the text “(together
with its Affiliates)” appearing in clause (f) of the definition of “Eligible
Assignee” and replacing it with the text “(together with its Affiliates and
Approved Funds)”.
c. Schedule
1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating sub
clause (ii) of the definition of “Interest Period” with the following: “(ii) (a)
the Existing Term Loan (I) with respect to the first interest payment date, the
period from and including the Closing Date to and including the last day of the
calendar quarter in which the Closing Date occurs and (II) with respect to any
subsequent interest payment date, the last day of each subsequent calendar
quarter, and (b) the New Term Loan (I) with respect to the first interest
payment date, the period from and including the First Amendment Effective Date
to and including the last day of the calendar quarter in which the First
Amendment Effective Date occurs and (II) with respect to any subsequent interest
payment date, the last day of each subsequent calendar quarter”.
d. Schedule
1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating the
following definitions in their entirety:
“ ‘Base Rate Margin’
means (i) for purposes of determining the interest rate applicable to the Term
Loan or upon the occurrence of an event described in Section 2.13(d)(ii),
6.75% and (ii) for purposes of determining the interest rate applicable to Base
Rate Loans that are Advances, the applicable Base Rate Margin set forth in the
table below opposite the Borrowing Base Utilization on the date of
determination:
Tier
|
Borrowing
Base Utilization
|
Base
Rate Margin for Advances
|
I
|
<0.33
|
0.75%
|
II
|
>=0.33
< 0.66
|
1.00%
|
III
|
>=0.66
|
1.25%
|
“ ‘Lender-Related
Person’ means, with respect to any Lender, such Lender, together with
such Lender’s Affiliates, Approved Funds, officers, directors, employees,
attorneys, and agents.”
“ ‘LIBOR Rate Margin’
means with respect to (a) the Term Loan, 8.00% and (b) any Advances, the
applicable LIBOR Rate Margin set forth in the table below opposite the Borrowing
Base Utilization on the date of determination:
Tier
|
Borrowing
Base Utilization
|
LIBOR
Rate Margin for Advances
|
I
|
<0.33
|
2.00%
|
II
|
>=0.33
< 0.66
|
2.25%
|
III
|
>=0.66
|
2.50%
|
“ ‘Loan Documents’ means
the Agreement, the First Amendment, the Bank Product Agreements, the Cash
Management Agreements, the Control Agreements, the Copyright Security Agreement,
the Canadian Pledge Agreement, the Fee Letter, the Guaranty, the Lender
Agreement, the Letters of Credit, the Mortgages, the Patent Security Agreement,
the Security Agreement, the Trademark Security Agreement, any note or notes
executed by Borrower in connection with the Agreement and payable to a member of
the Lender Group, and any other agreement entered into, now or in the future, by
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and the Lender Group in connection with the
Agreement.”
“ ‘Term Loan Amount’
means Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000).”
e. Schedule
C-1 is hereby amended and restated in its entirety and substituted with Exhibit B attached
hereto.
f. Section 2.2 of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating Section 2.2 in its
entirety with the following:
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“2.2
Term
Loan.
On the
Closing Date, the Existing Term Loan Lender made a term loan to Borrower in the
amount of $30,000,000 (the “Existing Term
Loan”). Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement
and the First Amendment, New Term Loan Lender agrees to make a term loan of
$10,000,000 (the “New
Term Loan” and together with the Existing Term Loan, the “Term
Loan”). The principal of the Term Loan shall be repaid in
accordance with Section 2.4(c)(iii),
with the outstanding unpaid principal balance and all accrued and unpaid
interest on the Term Loan becoming due and payable on the earliest of (i) the
Maturity Date, (ii) the date of the acceleration of the Term Loan in accordance
with the terms hereof, and (iii) the date of termination of this Agreement
pursuant to Section
8.1(d). All principal of, interest on, and other amounts
payable in respect of the Term Loan shall constitute Obligations. Term Loan
amounts borrowed and repaid hereunder may not be reborrowed.”
g. Section 2.13(b)(iii)
of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating Section 2.13(b)(iii)
in its entirety with the following:
“ (iii)
Borrower shall have not more than five (5) LIBOR Rate Loans in effect at any
given time, of which no more than one LIBOR Rate Loan may be the Existing Term
Loan and no more than one LIBOR Rate Loan may be the New Term
Loan. Borrower only may exercise the LIBOR Option for LIBOR Rate
Loans of at least One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) and integral multiples of
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) in excess thereof.”
h. The
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following new Sections 2.15 and
2.16
immediately following Section 2.14
thereof:
“2.15 Securitization. The
Loan Parties hereby acknowledge that the Lenders and their Affiliates may sell
or securitize the Obligations in respect of the Term Loan (a "Securitization")
through the pledge of the Obligations as collateral security for loans to the
Lenders or their Affiliates or through the sale of the Obligations or the
issuance of direct or indirect interests in the Obligations, which loans to the
Lenders or their Affiliates or direct or indirect interests will be rated by
Xxxxx'x, S&P or one or more other rating agencies (the “Rating Agencies”).
The Loan Parties shall, at the cost and expense of the requesting Lender, take
such actions as the Lenders may reasonably request in connection with the
Securitization including, without limitation, by (a) amending this Agreement and
the other Loan Documents, and executing such additional documents, as reasonably
requested by the Lenders in connection with the Securitization, provided that
(i) any such amendment or additional documentation does not impose additional
costs on the Loan Parties and (ii) any such amendment or additional
documentation does not adversely affect the rights, or increase the obligations,
of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents or change or affect in a manner
adverse to the Loan Parties the financial terms of the Obligations and (b)
providing such information as may be reasonably requested by the Lenders in
connection with the rating of the Obligations or the
Securitization.
2.16 Registered
Notes. Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a
non-fiduciary agent on behalf of Borrower (or in the case of an assignment not
recorded in the Register in accordance with Section 13.1(h), the assigning
Lender) agrees to record the Commitments, Advances and the Term Loan on the
Register (or in the case of an assignment not recorded in the Register in
accordance with Section 13.1(h), a Related Party Register). Each Commitment,
Advance and Term Loan recorded on the Register (or Related Party Register) may
not be evidenced by promissory notes other than Registered Notes (as defined
below). Upon the registration of each Commitment and Term Loan, Borrower agrees,
at the request of any Lender, to execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory
note, in conformity with the terms of this Agreement, in registered form to
evidence such Registered Loan, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
such Lender, and registered as provided in Section 13.1(i) (a "Registered Note"),
payable to such Lender or its registered assigns and otherwise duly
completed. Once recorded on the Register (or Related Party Register),
no Commitment, Advance or Term Loan may be removed from the Register (or Related
Party Register) so long as it or they remain outstanding, and a Registered Note
may not be exchanged for a promissory note that is not a Registered
Note.”
i. Section 6.15 of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating Section 6.15 in its
entirety with the following:
"6.15 Financial
Covenants.
(a) Minimum
EBITDA. Fail to achieve EBITDA, calculated on the last day of
the quarterly period indicated below, of at least the required amount set forth
in the following table for the applicable quarterly period set forth opposite
thereto:
Applicable
Amount
|
Applicable
Period
|
||
$ |
5,220,000
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2008
|
|
$ |
9,000,000
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2008
|
|
$ |
13,000,000
|
For
the quarter ending
September 30, 2008
|
|
$ |
17,500,000
|
For
the quarter ending
December 31, 2008
|
|
$ |
25,000,000
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2009
|
|
$ |
32,500,000
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2009
|
|
$ |
37,300,000
|
For
the quarter ending
September 30, 2009, and for each quarter ending
thereafter
|
(b) Minimum Average Daily Production. Fail to achieve minimum
average daily production for Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any quarterly
period indicated below, of at least the required amount set forth
in the
following table for the applicable quarterly period set forth opposite
thereto:
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Applicable
Amount
|
Applicable
Period
|
||
10,500
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2008
|
||
16,750
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2008
|
||
23,000
|
For
the quarter ending
September 30, 2008
|
||
30,200
|
For
the quarter ending
December 31, 2008
|
||
33,200
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2009
|
||
38,500
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2009
|
||
40,600
|
For
the quarter ending
September 30, 2009, and for each quarter ending
thereafter
|
;
provided that if a Force Majeure Event occurs during any quarterly period
indicated above, for purposes of calculating the Minimum Average Daily
Production, the Borrower shall be entitled to exclude the days during which such
Force Majeure Event was in existence up to an aggregate of forty-five (45) days
per Force Majeure Event.
(c) Minimum Asset Coverage Ratio. Fail to achieve a
minimum Asset Coverage Ratio, calculated on the last day of each calendar
quarter, of at least 1.60:1.00, based on the Total Reserve Value reflected in
the most recently delivered report by Borrower.
(d) Interest Coverage
Ratio. Have an Interest Coverage Ratio, calculated on the last
day of the quarterly period indicated below, of not less than the required
amount set forth in the following table for the applicable quarterly period set
forth opposite thereto:
Applicable
Ratio
|
Applicable
Period
|
|
1.00:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2008
|
|
1.50:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2008
|
|
2.00:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
September 30, 2008
|
|
2.50:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
December 31, 2008
|
|
3.00:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2009
|
|
3.50:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2009, and for each quarter ending
thereafter
|
(e) Leverage
Ratio. Have a Leverage Ratio, calculated on the last day of
the quarterly period indicated below, greater than the applicable ratio set
forth in the following table for the applicable quarterly period set forth
opposite thereto:
Applicable
Ratio
|
Applicable
Period
|
|
10.54:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
March 31, 2008
|
|
7.22:1.00
|
|
For
the quarter ending
June 30, 2008
|
5.00:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
September 30, 2008
|
|
3.71:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending
December 31, 2008
|
|
3.60:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending March
31, 2009
|
|
2.77:1.00
|
For the quarter ending June 30, 2009 | |
2.50:1.00
|
For
the quarter ending September
30, 2009, and for each quarter ending
thereafter
|
j. Section 13.1(a) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the proviso at the end of the
first sentence thereof and replacing it with the following:
“; provided, however, that
notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 13.1 to the contrary, (1) a
Lender may assign any or all of its rights hereunder to an Affiliate of such
Lender or an Approved Fund of such Lender without (A) providing any notice to
Agent or any other Person or (B) delivering an executed Assignment and
Acceptance to Agent (each a “Related Party Assignment”), (2) Borrower and Agent
may continue to deal solely and directly with the assigning Lender until an
Assignment and Acceptance has been delivered to Agent and the assigning Lender
or Assignee has paid to Agent for Agent’s separate account a processing fee in
the amount of Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($3,500), (3) the failure of
such assigning Lender to deliver an Assignment and Acceptance to Agent or any
other Person shall not affect the legality, validity or binding effect of such
assignment, and (4) an Assignment and Acceptance between an assigning Lender and
its Affiliate or Related Fund shall be effective as of the date specified in
such Assignment and Acceptance and recorded on the Related Party Register (as
defined below).”
k. Section 13.1(a) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the last sentence thereof and
replacing it with the following:
“So long
as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, any proposed
assignment pursuant to this Section 13.1, other than to an Eligible Assignee,
shall be subject to the consent of Borrower, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.”
l. Section 13.1(b) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by (i) deleting the word “From” appearing
at the beginning thereof and replacing it with the following text “Except as
otherwise provided in the proviso in Section 13.1(a), from”, and (ii) deleting
the text “if applicable, payment of the required processing fee,” and replacing
it with the text “payment of any required processing fee (if required) and such
assignment is recorded on the Register,”.
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m. Section 13.1(d) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as
follows:
“(d) Immediately
upon Agent's receipt of any required processing fee payment (if required) and
the recordation of the fully executed Assignment and Acceptance on the Register
(or, in the case of Related Party Assignment pursuant to Section 13.1(a), upon
recordation on the Related Party Register), this Agreement shall be deemed to be
amended to the extent, but only to the extent, necessary to reflect the addition
of the Assignee and the resulting adjustment of the Commitments arising
therefrom. The Commitment allocated to each Assignee shall reduce
such Commitments of the assigning Lender pro tanto.”
n. Section 13.1(e) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by (i) deleting the first occurrence of
the word “Lender” in sub clause (iv) thereof and replacing it with the text
“Originating Lender”, and (ii) inserting the following text at the end of the
second sentence thereof “; provided, however, that the parties hereto agree that
Participants shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 16 hereof as if such
Participant was a “Lender” hereunder.
o. Section 13.1(g) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby deleted and is replaced with the
following:
“(g) Any
other provision in this Agreement notwithstanding, any Lender may at any time
create a security interest in, or pledge, all or any portion of its rights under
and interest in this Agreement in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in
accordance with Regulation A of the Federal Reserve Bank or U.S. Treasury
Regulation 31 CFR § 203.24 or any other Person, including, without limitation,
as provided in Section 2.17, and such Person may enforce such pledge or security
interest in any manner permitted under applicable law; provided, that no such
pledge or grant of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or secured party (or any
transferee thereof) for such Lender as a party hereto unless such pledgee or
secured party (or transferee) becomes a Lender hereunder.
(h) Agent
shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of Borrower,
maintain, or cause to be maintained, a register (the "Register") on which it
shall enter the names and addresses of the Lenders and the Commitments of, and
the principal amount of the Advances and the Term Loan (and stated interest
thereon) and Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit owing to, each Lender
from time to time. Subject to the last sentence of this Section
13.1(h), the entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes, absent manifest error, and Borrower, Agent and Lenders may treat each
Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender hereunder for all
purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for
inspection by Borrower at any reasonable time and from time to time upon
reasonable notice. In the case of a Related Party Assignment pursuant
to the proviso in Section 13.1(a) as to which an Assignment and Acceptance is
not delivered to Agent, the assigning Lender shall, acting solely for this
purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of Borrower, maintain a register (the "Related
Party Register") comparable to the Register on behalf of
Borrower. The Related Party Register shall be available for
inspection by Borrower at any reasonable time and from time to time upon
reasonable notice.
(i) A
Registered Loan (and the Registered Note, if any, evidencing the same) may be
assigned or sold in whole or in part only by registration of such assignment or
sale on the Register or the Related Party Register (and each Registered Note
shall expressly so provide). Any assignment or sale of all or part of
such Registered Loan (and the Registered Note, if any, evidencing the same) may
be effected only by registration of such assignment or sale on the Register or
the Related Party Register, together with the surrender of the Registered Note,
if any, evidencing the same duly endorsed by (or accompanied by a written
instrument of assignment or sale duly executed by) the holder of such Registered
Note, whereupon, at the request of the designated assignee(s) or transferee(s),
one or more new Registered Notes in the same aggregate principal amount shall be
issued to the designated assignee(s) or transferee(s) and such requestor shall
surrender to Borrower the Registered Note being replaced. Prior to
the registration of assignment or sale of any Registered Loan (and the
Registered Note, if any evidencing the same), Agent and Borrower shall treat the
Person in whose name such Registered Loan (and the Registered Note, if any,
evidencing the same) is registered as the owner thereof for the purpose of
receiving all payments thereon, notwithstanding notice to the
contrary.
(j) In
the event that a Lender sells participations in the Registered Loan, such Lender
shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of Borrower,
maintain a register on which it enters the name of all participants in the
Registered Loans held by it and the principal amount (and stated interest
thereon) of the portion of the Registered Loan that is the subject of the
participation (the "Participant Register"). A Registered Loan (and
the Registered Note, if any, evidencing the same) may be participated in whole
or in part only by registration of such participation on the Participant
Register (and each Registered Note shall expressly so provide). Any
participation of such Registered Loan (and the Registered Note, if any,
evidencing the same) may be effected only by the registration of such
participation on the Participant Register. The Participant Register
shall be available for inspection by Administrative Borrower at any reasonable
time and from time to time upon reasonable notice.”
p. Section 14.1(k) of
the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as
follows:
“(k)
change the definition of “Borrowing Base”, “Maximum Revolver Amount”, or “Term
Loan Amount”, or change Section 2.1(b), Section 2.1(d) or Section 2.1(e)(iii),
or”
q. Section 16(a) of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the following text appearing
therein “; provided, however, that no such Loan Party shall be required to
increase any such amounts if the increase in such amount payable results from
Agent’s or such Lender’s own willful misconduct or gross negligence (as finally
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction)”.
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r. Sections 16(b), 16(c), 16(d), 16(e) and 16(f) of the Credit
Agreement are amended and restated in their entirety as follows:
“(b) If a
Lender claims an exemption from United States withholding tax, such Lender shall
deliver to Agent (or, in the case of a Related Party Assignment that is made
pursuant to the proviso in Section 13.1(a), the
assigning Lender):
(i) if
such Lender claims an exemption from United States withholding tax pursuant to
its portfolio interest exception, (A) a statement of the Lender, signed under
penalty of perjury, that it is not a (I) a "bank" as described in Section
881(c)(3)(A) of the IRC, (II) a 10% shareholder of any Borrower (within the
meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the IRC), or (III) a controlled foreign
corporation related to any Borrower within the meaning of Section 864(d)(4) of
the IRC, and (B) a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8BEN, before
receiving its first payment under this Agreement and at any other time
reasonably requested by Agent or the assigning Lender, as
applicable;
(ii) if
such Lender claims an exemption from, or a reduction of, withholding tax under a
United States tax treaty, properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8BEN before
receiving its first payment under this Agreement and at any other time
reasonably requested in writing by Agent or the assigning Lender, as
applicable;
(iii) if
such Lender claims that interest paid under this Agreement is exempt from United
States withholding tax because it is effectively connected with a United States
trade or business of such Lender, two properly completed and executed copies of
IRS Form W-8ECI before receiving its first payment under this Agreement and at
any other time reasonably requested in writing by Agent or the assigning Lender,
as applicable; or
(iv) such
other form or forms, including IRS Form W-9, as may be required under the IRC or
other laws of the United States as a condition to exemption from, or reduction
of, United States withholding or backup withholding tax before receiving its
first payment under this Agreement and at any other time reasonably requested in
writing by Agent or the assigning Lender, as applicable.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, such Lender may provide a form W-8IMY, where applicable, with
appropriate forms attached thereto.
Each
Lender agrees promptly to notify Agent or the assigning Lender, as applicable,
of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed
exemption or reduction. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 16, no
Lender shall be required to deliver any form that such Lender is not legally
able to deliver.
(c) If
a Lender claims an exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax in a
jurisdiction other than the United States, such Lender shall deliver to Agent
(or, in the case of a Related Party Assignment that is made pursuant to the
proviso in Section 13.1(a), the assigning Lender) any such form or forms, as may
be required under the laws of such jurisdiction as a condition to exemption
from, or reduction of, foreign withholding or backup withholding tax before
receiving its first payment under this Agreement and at any other time
reasonably requested in writing by Agent or the assigning Lender, as
applicable.
Each
Lender agrees promptly to notify Agent or the assigning Lender, as applicable,
of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed
exemption or reduction.
(d) If
any Lender claims exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax and such
Lender sells, assigns, or otherwise transfers all or part of the Obligations of
Borrower to such Lender (other than in the case of a transfer to an Affiliate or
Approved Fund), such Lender agrees to notify Agent (or, in the case
of a Related Party Assignment that is made pursuant to the proviso in
Section
13.1(a), the assigning Lender) of the percentage amount in which it is no
longer the beneficial owner of Obligations of Borrower. To the extent
of such percentage amount, Agent and Borrower will treat such Lender's
documentation provided pursuant to Sections 16(b) or
16(c) as no
longer valid. With respect to such percentage amount, the Assignee of
such Lender may provide new documentation, pursuant to Sections 16(b) or
16(c), if
applicable.
(e) If
any Lender is entitled to a reduction in the applicable withholding tax, Agent
may withhold from any interest payment to such Lender an amount equivalent to
the applicable withholding tax after taking into account such
reduction. If the forms or other documentation required by subsection
(b) or (c) of this Section 16 are not
delivered in accordance with such subsections, then Agent may withhold from any
interest payment to such Lender not providing such forms or other documentation
an amount equivalent to the applicable withholding tax.
(f) If
the IRS or any other Governmental Authority of the United States or other
jurisdiction asserts a claim that Agent did not properly withhold tax from
amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender due to a failure on the part of
the Lender (because the appropriate form was not delivered, was not properly
executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the proper Person of a change
in circumstances which rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding
tax ineffective) such Lender shall indemnify and hold Agent harmless for all
amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by Agent, as tax or otherwise, including
penalties and interest, and including any Indemnified Taxes and Other Taxes
imposed by any jurisdiction on the amounts payable to Agent under this Section
16. The obligation of the Lenders under this subsection shall
survive the payment of all Obligations and the resignation or replacement of
Agent.
3. Amendment
Fee. Borrower hereby agrees to pay to (i) Agent a fee in the
amount of $15,000 (for the account of the Agent), (ii) the Existing Term Loan
Lender a fee in the amount of $100,000 (for the account of the Existing Term
Loan Lender) and (iii) the Term Loan Lender funding the New Term Loan (the
“New Term Loan
Lender”) a fee in the amount of $100,000 (for the account of the New Term
Loan Lender), each such fee shall be due and payable in full on the First
Amendment Effective Date.
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a. Agent
shall have received counterparts of this Agreement which shall bear the
signatures of Borrower, the Guarantors, Agent and Lenders;
b. Borrower
shall have paid the fees referred to in Section 3 above in the aggregate amount
of $215,000 on the date hereof and shall have reimbursed Agent and Lenders for
all other fees, costs and expenses as of the date hereof;
c. Agent
shall have received a certificate of status with respect to Borrower, dated
within 10 days of the First Amendment Effective Date, such certificate to be
issued by the appropriate officer of the jurisdiction of organization of
Borrower, which certificate shall indicate that Borrower is in good standing in
such jurisdiction;
d. Agent
shall have received certificates of status with respect to Borrower, each dated
within 30 days of the First Amendment Effective Date, such certificates to be
issued by the appropriate officer of the jurisdictions (other than the
jurisdiction of organization of such Borrower) in which its failure to be duly
qualified or licensed would constitute a Material Adverse Change, which
certificates shall indicate that Borrower is in good standing in such
jurisdictions;
e. To the
extent required to make the representations and warranties given in Section 5(a)
below true and correct in all material respects, Agent shall have received an
updated schedule to the Credit Agreement, which schedule shall replace the
previously distributed versions of such schedule as of the date of this
Agreement;
f. Agent
shall have received an opinion of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent relating solely to the due execution, performance, and
delivery of the Agreement and the enforceability of the Agreement and the Credit
Agreement as amended hereby;
g. Agent
shall have received a direction letter in form and substance satisfactory to
Agent outlining the sources and uses associated with the funds to be provided in
connection with the New Term Loan, and
h. legal
matters incident to the execution and delivery of this Agreement shall be
satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel.
5. Representations and
Warranties. Borrower hereby represents and warrants to Agent
and each Lender as follows:
a. assuming
the effectiveness of this Agreement, the representations and warranties made by
Borrower contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material
respects as of the date hereof (except to the extent such representations and
warranties expressly refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true
and correct as of such earlier date, and except to the extent such
representations and warranties are qualified by materiality, contain dollar
thresholds or have Material Adverse Change qualifiers, in which case, such
representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all
respects);
b. Borrower
is duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization and qualified to do business in any state where
the failure to be so qualified reasonably could be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Change;
c. Borrower
has the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and the Credit Agreement;
d. the
execution, delivery, and performance by Borrower of this Agreement, the Credit
Agreement and the Loan Documents to which it is a party have been duly
authorized by all necessary action on the part of Borrower;
e. this
Agreement, the Credit Agreement (as amended hereby) and the other Loan Documents
to which Borrower is a party, and all other documents contemplated hereby and
thereby, when executed and delivered by Borrower will be the legally valid and
binding obligations of Borrower, enforceable against Borrower in accordance with
their respective terms, except as enforcement may be limited by equitable
principles or by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar
laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally; and
f. assuming
the effectiveness of this Agreement, no Default or Event of Default
exists.
6. Post
Closing Deliverables. Borrower hereby agrees to
deliver to Agent, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, within 30 days
after the First Amendment Effective Date, (i) an opinion of local Wyoming counsel
in form and substance satisfactory to Agent and (ii) a Mortgage on the leasehold
identified on Exhibit A attached hereto which such Mortgage shall provide a
valid and enforceable first priority mortgage Lien on such leasehold free
and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted
Liens. Borrower hereby agrees that, notwithstanding any provision of
the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, the failure to
satisfy the requirements of this Section 6 within the period specified herein
shall constitute an Event of Default.
-7-
7. Agreement in Full Force and
Effect as Amended. Except as specifically amended and/or
waived hereby, the Credit Agreement and other Loan Documents shall remain in
full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed as so
amended. Except as expressly set forth herein, this Amendment shall
not be deemed to be a waiver, amendment or modification of any provisions of the
Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or any right, power or remedy of the
Lender, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Credit Agreement or any
other Loan Document, or any other document, instrument and/or agreement executed
or delivered in connection therewith or of any Default or Event of Default under
any of the foregoing, in each case, whether arising before or after the date
hereof or as a result of performance hereunder or thereunder. This
Amendment also shall not preclude the future exercise of any right, remedy,
power, or privilege available to the Lender whether under the Credit Agreement,
the other Loan Documents, at law or otherwise and nothing contained herein shall
constitute a course of conduct or dealing among the parties
hereto. All references to the Credit Agreement shall be deemed to
mean the Credit Agreement as modified hereby. This Amendment shall
not constitute a novation or satisfaction and accord of the Credit Agreement
and/or other Loan Documents, but shall constitute an amendment
thereof. The parties hereto agree to be bound by the terms and
conditions of the Credit Agreement and Loan Documents as amended by this
Amendment, as though such terms and conditions were set forth
herein. Each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement,”
“hereunder,” “hereof,” “herein” or words of similar import shall mean and be a
reference to the Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment, and each
reference herein or in any other Loan Document to the “Loan Agreement” or
“Agreement” shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement as amended and
modified by this Amendment.
8. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement and
any number of separate counterparts, each of which when so executed, shall be
deemed an original and all said counterparts when taken together shall be deemed
to constitute but one and the same instrument.
9. Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of Borrower and its successors and assigns and Agent and Lenders and
their successors and assigns.
10. Further
Assurance. Borrower hereby agrees from time to time, as and
when requested by Agent or any Lender, to execute and deliver or cause to be
executed and delivered, all such documents, instruments and agreements and to
take or cause to be taken such further or other action as Agent or such Lender
may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to carry out the intent and
purposes of this Agreement, the Credit Agreement and the Loan
Documents.
11. GOVERNING
LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE
CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK.
12. Severability. Wherever
possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner
as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this
Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under such law, such provision shall
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity without
invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this
Agreement.
13. Reaffirmation.
Borrower and each Guarantor, as debtor, grantor, pledgor, guarantor, assignor,
or in any other similar capacity in which Borrower or such Guarantor, as
applicable, grants liens or security interests in its property or otherwise acts
as accommodation party or guarantor, as the case may be, hereby (i) ratifies and
reaffirms all of its payment and performance obligations, contingent or
otherwise, under each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party (after giving
effect hereto) and (ii) to the extent Borrower or Guarantor granted liens on or
security interests in any of its property pursuant to any such Loan Document as
security for or otherwise guaranteed Borrower’s Obligations under or with
respect to the Loan Documents, ratifies and reaffirms such guarantee and grant
of security interests and liens and confirms and agrees that such security
interests and liens hereafter secure all of the Obligations as amended
hereby. Borrower and each Guarantor hereby consent to this Agreement
and acknowledge that each of the Loan Documents remains in full force and effect
and is hereby ratified and reaffirmed. The execution of this
Agreement shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of Agent
or Lenders, constitute a waiver of any provision of any of the Loan Documents or
serve to effect a novation of the Obligations.
14. Release. Borrower and
each Guarantor hereby remises, releases, acquits, satisfies and forever
discharges the Lenders and Agent, their agents, employees, officers, directors,
predecessors, attorneys and all others acting or purporting to act on behalf of
or at the direction of the Lenders and Agent (“Releasees”), of and
from any and all manner of known actions, causes of action, suit, debts,
accounts, covenants, contracts, controversies, agreements, variances, damages,
judgments, claims and demands whatsoever, in law or in equity, whether known or
unknown, which any of such parties ever had, now has or, to the extent arising
from or in connection with any act, omission or state of facts taken or existing
on or prior to the date hereof, may have after the date hereof against the
Releasees, for, upon or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever
through the date hereof arising out of, founded upon, or relating (in any
manner) to the Credit Agreement, the Loan Documents or the transactions
contemplated or otherwise evidenced thereby. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, Borrower waives and affirmatively agrees not to
allege or otherwise pursue, to the extent known, any defenses, affirmative
defenses, counterclaims, claims, causes of action, setoffs or other rights they
do, shall or may have as of the date hereof, including, but not limited to, the
rights to contest any conduct of the Lenders and Agent or other Releasees on or
prior to the date hereof. As to each and every claim released
hereunder, each Obligor hereby represents that it has received the advice of
legal counsel with regard to the releases contained herein, and having been so
advised, each of them specifically waives the benefit of the provisions of any
applicable federal or state law (including without limitation the laws of the
state of New York), if any, pertaining to general releases which restricts the
effect of any such waiver with respect to causes of action or other claims that
the party does not know or suspect to exist at the time when the release is
executed.
[Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]
-8-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of
the undersigned has executed this Agreement as of the date set forth
above.
STORM
CAT ENERGY (USA) CORPORATION,
as
Borrower
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
President | |
STORM
CAT ENERGY (ALASKA) LLC,
as
a Guarantor
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
President | |
STORM
CAT ENERGY (POWDER RIVER) LLC,
as
a Guarantor
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
President | |
STORM
CAT ENERGY (FAYETTEVILLE) LLC,
as
a Guarantor
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
President | |
TRIPLE
CROWN GATHERING CORPORATION
as
a Guarantor
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
President | |
STORM
CAT ENERGY (USA) OPERATING CORPORATION,
as
a Guarantor
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
President |
-9-
STORM
CAT ENERGY CORPORATION,
as
a Guarantor
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
Chief Executive Officer |
-10-
REGIMENT
CAPITAL SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUND III, L.P.,
as
a Lender
|
||
By: Regiment
Capital GP, LLC
its
General Partner
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Title:
|
Authorized Signatory |
-11-
ABELCO
FINANCE LLC,
as a Lender
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx Xxxx | |
Title:
|
President |
-12-
XXXXX FARGO FOOTHILL, LLC,
as Agent and as a Lender
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
Vice-President |
-13-