CREDIT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
dated as of
May 9, 2019,
among
MACY’S, INC.,
MACY’S RETAIL HOLDINGS, INC.
The Lenders Party Hereto
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
as Administrative Agent
CREDIT SUISSE LOAN FUNDING LLC, FIFTH THIRD BANK, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Syndication Agents
as Syndication Agents
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX, INCORPORATED, CREDIT SUISSE LOAN FUNDING LLC, FIFTH THIRD BANK, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and XXXXX FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,
as Joint Bookrunners and Lead Arrangers
as Joint Bookrunners and Lead Arrangers
S&S Reference No. 3232/80
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I | ||
Definitions | ||
SECTION 1.01 | Defined Terms | 1 |
SECTION 1.02 | Classification of Loans and Borrowings | 19 |
SECTION 1.03 | Terms Generally | 19 |
SECTION 1.04 | Accounting Terms; GAAP | 20 |
SECTION 1.05 | Letter of Credit Amounts | 20 |
ARTICLE II | ||
The Credits | ||
SECTION 2.01 | Commitments | 21 |
SECTION 2.02 | Loans and Borrowings | 21 |
SECTION 2.03 | Requests for Revolving Borrowings | 21 |
SECTION 2.04 | Competitive Bid Procedure | 22 |
SECTION 2.05 | Letters of Credit | 24 |
SECTION 2.06 | Funding of Borrowings | 30 |
SECTION 2.07 | Interest Elections | 31 |
SECTION 2.08 | Termination and Reduction of Commitments | 32 |
SECTION 2.09 | Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt | 32 |
SECTION 2.10 | Prepayment of Loans | 33 |
SECTION 2.11 | Fees | 34 |
SECTION 2.12 | Interest | 34 |
SECTION 2.13 | Alternate Rate of Interest | 35 |
SECTION 2.14 | Increased Costs | 37 |
SECTION 2.15 | Break Funding Payments | 39 |
SECTION 2.16 | Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up | 39 |
SECTION 2.17 | Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs | 43 |
SECTION 2.18 | Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders | 44 |
SECTION 2.19 | Increase in Commitments | 45 |
SECTION 2.20 | [Reserved] | 46 |
SECTION 2.21 | Extension of Maturity Date | 46 |
SECTION 2.22 | Defaulting Lenders | 47 |
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ARTICLE III | ||
Representations and Warranties | ||
SECTION 3.01 | Organization | 49 |
SECTION 3.02 | Powers; Authorization; No Conflicts; Enforceability | 49 |
SECTION 3.03 | Approvals | 49 |
SECTION 3.04 | Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change | 49 |
SECTION 3.05 | Litigation | 50 |
SECTION 3.06 | Investment Company Status | 50 |
SECTION 3.07 | ERISA | 50 |
SECTION 3.08 | Compliance with Laws | 50 |
SECTION 3.09 | Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions | 50 |
SECTION 3.10 | Federal Reserve Regulations | 51 |
ARTICLE IV | ||
Conditions | ||
SECTION 4.01 | Effective Date | 51 |
SECTION 4.02 | Each Credit Event | 52 |
ARTICLE V | ||
Affirmative Covenants | ||
SECTION 5.01 | Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information | 53 |
SECTION 5.02 | Existence | 55 |
SECTION 5.03 | Payment of Obligations | 55 |
SECTION 5.04 | Maintenance of Properties; Insurance | 55 |
SECTION 5.05 | Books and Records; Inspection Rights | 55 |
SECTION 5.06 | Compliance with Laws | 56 |
SECTION 5.07 | Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit | 56 |
ARTICLE VI | ||
Negative Covenants | ||
SECTION 6.01 | Subsidiary Indebtedness | 56 |
SECTION 6.02 | Liens | 57 |
SECTION 6.03 | Fundamental Changes; Conduct of Business | 58 |
SECTION 6.04 | Sale and Leaseback Transactions | 59 |
SECTION 6.05 | Leverage Ratio | 59 |
SECTION 6.06 | Interest Coverage Ratio | 59 |
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ARTICLE VII | ||
Events of Default |
ARTICLE VIII | ||
The Agents | ||
SECTION 8.01 | Appointment and Authority | 62 |
SECTION 8.02 | Rights as a Lender | 62 |
SECTION 8.03 | Exculpatory Provisions | 62 |
SECTION 8.04 | Reliance by Administrative Agent | 63 |
SECTION 8.05 | Delegation of Duties | 64 |
SECTION 8.06 | Resignation of Administrative Agent | 64 |
SECTION 8.07 | Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders | 65 |
SECTION 8.08 | No Other Duties, Etc. | 66 |
SECTION 8.09 | Certain ERISA Matters | 66 |
ARTICLE IX | ||
Miscellaneous | ||
SECTION 9.01 | Notices | 67 |
SECTION 9.02 | Waivers; Amendments | 69 |
SECTION 9.03 | Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver | 70 |
SECTION 9.04 | Successors and Assigns | 71 |
SECTION 9.05 | Survival | 75 |
SECTION 9.06 | Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness | 75 |
SECTION 9.07 | Severability | 76 |
SECTION 9.08 | Right of Setoff | 76 |
SECTION 9.09 | Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process | 76 |
SECTION 9.10 | WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 77 |
SECTION 9.11 | Headings | 77 |
SECTION 9.12 | Confidentiality | 77 |
SECTION 9.13 | Interest Rate Limitation | 78 |
SECTION 9.14 | Patriot Act | 78 |
SECTION 9.15 | Conversion of Currencies | 78 |
SECTION 9.16 | No Fiduciary Duty | 79 |
SECTION 9.17 | Non-Public Information | 79 |
SECTION 9.18 | Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions | 80 |
SECTION 9.19 | Waiver of Notice of Termination Under Existing Credit Agreement | 80 |
SECTION 9.20 | Conflict with Loan Documents | 80 |
SECTION 9.21 | Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents | 81 |
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SCHEDULES:
Schedule 2.01 -- Commitments and LC Commitments
Schedule 6.01 -- Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 -- Existing Liens
Schedule 9.01 -- Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A -- Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit B -- Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit C -- Form of Guarantee Agreement
Exhibit D -- Form of U.S. Tax Certificate
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CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of May 9, 2019, among MACY’S, INC.; MACY’S RETAIL HOLDINGS, INC.; the LENDERS party hereto; and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. as Administrative Agent.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
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.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Rate on such day plus 1/2 of 1.0% per annum and (c) the Eurodollar Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1.0% per annum; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of calculating the Alternate Base Rate, the Eurodollar Rate for any day shall be based on the Eurodollar Rate determined at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or the Eurodollar Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or the Eurodollar Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.13(b) hereof, then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above.
“Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery, money laundering or corruption.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment; provided that if any Defaulting Lender exists at such time, the Applicable
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Percentages shall be calculated disregarding such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Eurodollar Revolving Loan or ABR Loan, or with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Eurodollar Spread”, “ABR Spread” or “Facility Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon either the Public Debt Ratings or the Leverage Ratio in effect on such date, with the Applicable Rate being determined by reference to the Level more favorable to the Borrower; provided that the Applicable Rate may never be based upon a Level that is more favorable to the Borrower than the Level that is one Levels above that of the Public Debt Ratings:
Level | Public Debt Rating S&P/Xxxxx’x | Leverage Ratio | Eurodollar Spread | ABR Spread | Facility Fee Rate |
1 | A-/A3 | ≤1.0 to 1.0 | 0.910% | 0.00% | 0.090% |
2 | BBB+/Baa1 | ≤ 1.5 to 1.0 | 1.015% | 0.015% | 0.110% |
3 | BBB/Baa2 | ≤ 2.0 to 1.0 | 1.100% | 0.100% | 0.150% |
4 | BBB-/Baa3 | ≤ 2.5 to 1.0 | 1.200% | 0.200% | 0.175% |
5 | Lower | > 2.5 to 1.0 | 1.400% | 0.400% | 0.225% |
Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be determined based upon Level 3. Thereafter, for purposes of the foregoing, (i) the Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the end of the fiscal quarter for the Parent for which consolidated financial statements have theretofore been most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to any such delivery, Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) of the Existing Credit Agreement), (ii) if the Parent and the Borrower fail to deliver the consolidated financial statements required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) within the time period specified herein for such delivery then, during the period commencing on and including the date such financial statements were required to have been delivered and until the delivery thereof, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Public Debt Ratings, (iii) if either Xxxxx’x or S&P shall not have in effect a Public Debt Rating (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition), then the Level established based on the Public Debt Rating shall be determined by reference to the remaining Public Debt Rating and the rating assigned to the Parent’s senior unsecured debt obligations by Fitch if Fitch is then rating the Parent’s senior unsecured debt obligations, and if neither Xxxxx’x nor S&P has in effect a Public Debt Rating (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition), then the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Leverage Ratio and/or the rating assigned to the Parent’s senior unsecured debt obligations by Fitch if Fitch is then rating the Parent’s senior unsecured debt obligations; (iv) if the Public Debt Ratings established or deemed to have been established by Xxxxx’x and S&P shall fall within different Levels, then the Level established based on the Public Debt Rating shall be based on the higher of the two Public Debt Ratings unless one of the two Public Debt Ratings is two or more Levels lower than the other, in which
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case the Level established based on the Public Debt Rating shall be determined by reference to the Level next below that of the higher of the two Public Debt Ratings; and (v) if the Public Debt Ratings established or deemed to have been established by Xxxxx’x, S&P and Fitch shall be changed (other than as a result of a change in the ratings system of Xxxxx’x, S&P or Fitch), 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 pursuant to Section 5.01 or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate (a) resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall apply during the period commencing on and including the Business Day following the date of delivery pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) of the consolidated financial statements indicating such change and (b) resulting from a change in the Public Debt Ratings shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and, in each case, ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of Xxxxx’x, S&P or Fitch shall change, or if any 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 (unless two of such rating agencies are unaffected by the foregoing), the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Leverage Ratio.
“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 B or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Augmenting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).
“Auto-Extension Letter of Credit” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(o).
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.
“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of such EEA Financial Institution.
“Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.
“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.
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“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Borrower” means Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York 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 Competitive Loan or group of Competitive Loans of the same Type made on the same date and as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
“Borrowing Request” means a notice of a Borrowing, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer or Financial Officer of the Borrower.
“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.
“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Parent; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Parent by Persons who were not (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Parent (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or (iii) approved by the board of directors of the Parent as director candidates prior to their election; or (c) after the Effective Date the Borrower ceases to be a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Parent.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption of any rule, regulation, treaty or other law, (b) any change in any rule, regulation, treaty or other law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation, or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, promulgated or issued.
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“Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Competitive Loans.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit 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 Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $1,500,000,000.
“Commitment Increase” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(b).
“Competitive Bid” means an offer by a Lender to make a Competitive Loan in accordance with Section 2.04.
“Competitive Bid Rate” means, with respect to any Competitive Bid, the Margin or the Fixed Rate, as applicable, offered by the Lender making such Competitive Bid.
“Competitive Bid Request” means a request by the Borrower for Competitive Bids in accordance with Section 2.04.
“Competitive Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
“Consenting Lenders” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(b).
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, (a) the sum of (without duplication and in the case of clauses (ii) through (viii) to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income) (i) Consolidated Net Income (or net loss), (ii) interest expense, (iii) income tax expense, (iv) depreciation expense, (v) amortization expense (including amortization of (A) excess of cost over net assets acquired, (B) reorganization value in excess of amounts allocable to identifiable assets and (C) unearned restricted stock), (vi) non-cash charges for such period (including non-cash charges arising from impairment of goodwill, impairment of intangibles, impairments/write downs of real estate or other long-term assets and post-retirement settlement charges), (vii) extraordinary losses and (viii) non-recurring cash charges in an aggregate amount for all periods commencing on or after the Effective Date, not to exceed $200,000,000 (and not more than 20% of which shall be inventory valuation adjustments pursuant to clause (D) below), in respect of (A) store, corporate office and support function closings, eliminations, relocations and divisional realignments, (B) employee severance costs, (C) fees, costs and expenses resulting from, or incurred in connection with, any of the foregoing and (D) inventory valuation adjustments resulting from, or incurred in connection with, any of the foregoing, less (b) the sum of (i) non-recurring or extraordinary gains, (ii) interest income
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and (iii) any payments made during such period that were added as a non-cash charge in a previous period pursuant to clause (a)(vi) above, in each case in clauses (a) and (b) of the Parent and the Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income or loss of the Parent and the Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Interest Expense” means, for any period, the amount (if any) by which (a) interest payable on all Indebtedness (including the interest component of Finance Lease Obligations, but excluding tender and open market repurchase premiums) and amortization of deferred financing fees and debt discount in respect of all Indebtedness exceeds (b) interest income, in each case in clauses (a) and (b), of the Parent and the Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, at any date of determination, (a) the aggregate amount of assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items), minus (b) all current liabilities, minus (c) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, in each case in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of the Parent and the Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“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.
“Declining Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(b).
“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.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender, as determined by the Administrative Agent, that has (a) failed to fund any portion of its Loans or participations in Letters of Credit within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent, the Parent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, (b) notified the Parent, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, an Issuing Bank or any Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement or has made a public statement to the effect that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public
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statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit; provided that confirmation received by the Administrative Agent beyond three Business Days shall remedy the default under this clause (c), (d) otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within three Business Days of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, (e)(i) been adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Person or its assets to be, insolvent or has a parent company that has been adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Person or its assets to be, insolvent or (ii) become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment or has a direct or indirect parent company that has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment (the events described in this clause (e) each, a “Bankruptcy Event”); provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority; provided, however, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States of America or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any agreements made by such Person, or (f) become the subject of a Bail-In Action, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, become the subject of a Bail-In Action.
“Documentary LC” means any letter of credit (other than a Letter of Credit) that is issued by a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Parent for the benefit of a supplier of inventory to the Parent or any Subsidiary to effect payment for such inventory.
“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Economic Development Transaction” means a conveyance of real property (which may include improvements thereon and related assets) made by the Parent or a Subsidiary to a Governmental Authority (or related industrial development agency) in order to obtain tax exemptions or other inducements or accommodations in connection with economic development activity; provided that (a) the Parent or applicable Subsidiary retains possession and control of the applicable property pursuant to a lease or similar arrangement, (b) payments due by the Parent or applicable Subsidiary in connection therewith are made in order to obtain reduced obligations the Parent or such Subsidiary would otherwise incur or other economic benefits, or offset by corresponding payments owed by the transferee and (c) title to the applicable property reverts to the Parent or applicable Subsidiary upon termination of such lease or similar arrangement.
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“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clause (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
“EEA Member Country” means any member state of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
“Effective Date” means May 9, 2019.
“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, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.
“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 Parent, 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) failure by any Plan to meet the minimum funding standards (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Plan, in each case, whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Parent 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 Parent 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 Parent 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 Parent or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Parent 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.
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“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.
“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 Eurodollar Rate.
“Eurodollar Rate” means:
(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for U.S. Dollars for a period equal in length to such Interest Period (“LIBOR”) as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and
(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day; and
(c) if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any payment made by any Loan Party under any Loan Document, any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient: (a) income or franchise Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income (i) that are imposed by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar Taxes imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.18(b)), any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes resulting from any law in effect on the date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding Taxes pursuant to Section 2.16(a), (d) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(f) and (e) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.
“Existing Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of May 6, 2016, among the Parent, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
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and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agents and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as paying agent.
“Existing Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(b).
“Existing Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued for the account of the Parent or the Borrower and outstanding on the Effective Date under the Existing Credit Agreement; provided that the issuer of such letter of credit is a Lender and such Lender becomes an Issuing Bank under this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Existing Maturity Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(c).
“Extension Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(b).
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate, determined as provided above, would be less than zero, the Federal Funds Rate shall for all purposes of this Agreement be zero.
“Finance 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 finance leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof, to be determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Parent or the Borrower, as applicable.
“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. or any successor thereto.
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“Fixed Rate” means, with respect to any Competitive Loan (other than a Eurodollar Competitive Loan), the fixed rate of interest per annum specified by the Lender making such Competitive Loan in its related Competitive Bid.
“Fixed Rate Loan” means a Competitive Loan bearing interest at a Fixed Rate.
“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 exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“Guarantee” 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 among the Parent, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments (other than performance, surety and appeals bonds arising in the ordinary course of business), (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than obligations for property (excluding real property, capital stock and property subject to capital leases) and services purchased, and expense accruals and deferred compensation items arising in the ordinary course of business), (f) 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
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been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Finance Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor under applicable law 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.
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.
“Initial Loans” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(b).
“Interest Coverage Ratio” means, at any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the Measurement Period then most recently ended to (b) Consolidated Net Interest Expense for such Measurement Period.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR 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 Fixed Rate 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 Fixed Rate Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than 90 days’ duration (unless otherwise specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request), each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of 90 days’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and any other dates that are specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request as Interest Payment Dates with respect to such Borrowing.
“Interest Period” means (a) 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 seven days or one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect and (b) with respect to any Fixed Rate Borrowing, the period (which shall not be less than seven days or more than 180 days) commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the date specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request; 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, if such Interest Period is measured in months and in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, 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 measured in months pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that
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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, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISP 98” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).
“Issuing Bank” means, as the context may require, (a) Bank of America, N.A., (b) Fifth Third Bank, (c) U.S. Bank National Association, (d) Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, (e) solely in respect of any Existing Letter of Credit, the Person that is the issuer thereof and (f) any other Lender that becomes an Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.05(k), in each case, in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and each such Person’s successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.05(i). Any 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.
“Issuing Bank Agreement” means an agreement referred to in Section 2.05(k) under which a Lender becomes an Issuing Bank.
“LC Commitment” means, as to any Issuing Bank, the maximum permitted amount of the LC Exposure that may be attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank. The initial amount of each Issuing Bank’s LC Commitment is set forth in Schedule 2.01 or in the agreement referred to in such Issuing Bank’s Issuing Bank Agreement. The LC Commitment of any Issuing Bank may be increased or decreased by an agreement between the Borrower and such Issuing Bank.
“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by an 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 Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
“Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person in respect of which such Lender is a Subsidiary.
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“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.
“Letter of Credit” means each Existing Letter of Credit and any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.
“Letter of Credit Expiration Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(c).
“Leverage Ratio” means, at any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Total Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Measurement Period (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Parent most recently ended prior to such date).
“LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
“LIBOR Screen Rate” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Administrative Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).
“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 Guarantee Agreement and any promissory notes delivered pursuant to Section 2.09(e).
“Loan Parties” means the Parent and the Borrower.
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Margin” means, with respect to any Competitive Loan bearing interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate, the marginal rate of interest, if any, to be added to or subtracted from the Eurodollar Rate to determine the rate of interest applicable to such Loan, as specified by the Lender making such Loan in its related Competitive Bid.
“Material Adverse Effect” means an effect that causes or results in or has a reasonable likelihood of causing or resulting in any material adverse change in (a) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance or properties of the Parent and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document, (c) the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to
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perform their obligations under any Loan Document or (d) the legality, validity or enforceability of 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 the Parent and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $150,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Parent 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 the Parent or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
“Material Subsidiary” means, as of any date of determination, (a) the Borrower and (b) any other Subsidiary having (i) assets with a value of not less than 5.0% of the total value of the assets of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) Consolidated EBITDA of not less than 5.0% of the Consolidated EBITDA of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case as of the end of or for the most recently completed fiscal year of the Parent.
“Maturity Date” means the date that is five years after the Effective Date, as such date may be extended pursuant to Section 2.21; provided that, if such date is not a Business Day, then the Maturity Date shall be the next succeeding Business Day.
“Maturity Date Extension Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(a).
“Measurement Period” means, as of any date of determination, the period of four fiscal quarters of the Parent most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination.
“Minor Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Material Subsidiary.
“MNPI” means material information concerning the Parent, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and their securities that has not been disseminated in a manner making it available to investors generally, within the meaning of Regulation FD under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. or any successor thereto.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.
“Non-Extension Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(o).
“Non-U.S. Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.
“Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Guarantee Agreement.
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“OFAC” means the United States Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control.
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes (other than a connection arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, or engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property Taxes 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, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment under Section 2.18(b)).
“Parent” means Macy’s, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Parent Materials” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.17(a).
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).
“Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
“Permitted Encumbrances” means:
(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.03;
(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 30 days or are being contested in good faith by proper proceedings;
(c) Liens (if any) arising by operation of law and pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, old-age pensions and other social security laws or regulations;
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(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety 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; and
(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 materially detract from the value of the affected property to the Parent or any Subsidiary or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Parent or any Subsidiary;
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“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, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
“Platform” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.17(b).
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America, 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. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.
“Private Side Lender Representatives” means, with respect to any Lender, representatives of such Lender that are not Public Side Lender Representatives.
“Public Debt Ratings” means, as of any date of determination, (a) the Parent’s “Senior Unsecured Rating” most recently announced by Moody’s and (b) the Parent’s “Corporate Credit Rating” most recently announced by S&P. If Moody’s or S&P shall change the basis on which such ratings are established, then the foregoing references shall be to the then equivalent rating by Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be, as determined by the Administrative Agent.
“Public Side Lender Representatives” means, with respect to any Lender, representatives of such Lender that do not wish to receive MNPI.
“Recipient” means, as applicable, (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank.
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“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 partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors, consultants, service providers and representatives of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII and the Commitments expire or terminate, the outstanding Competitive Loans of the Lenders shall be included in their respective Revolving Credit Exposures in determining the Required Lenders.
“Responsible Officer” means any executive officer of the Parent or any Subsidiary or any other officer of the Parent or any Subsidiary responsible for overseeing or reviewing compliance with this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
“Revolving Credit 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 at such time.
“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.
“S&P” means S&P Global Ratings or any successor thereto.
“Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State, (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority.
“Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions.
“Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).
“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the
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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 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 the Parent.
“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 the Parent or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
“Syndication Agents” means each of Credit Suisse Loan Funding LLC, Fifth Third Bank, U.S. Bank National Association and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, each in its capacity as syndication agent hereunder.
“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Total Commitments” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments at such time.
“Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Parent and the Subsidiaries outstanding as of such date, in the amount that would be reflected on a balance sheet prepared as of such date on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Trade Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit that is issued for the benefit of a supplier of inventory to the Parent or any Subsidiary to effect payment for such inventory, the conditions to drawing under which include the presentation to the applicable Issuing Bank of negotiable bills of lading, invoices and related documents sufficient, in the judgment of such Issuing Bank, to create a valid and perfected lien on or security interest in such inventory, bills of lading, invoices and related documents in favor of such Issuing Bank.
“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is to be 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 comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, the Alternate Base Rate or, in the case of a Competitive Loan or Borrowing, the Eurodollar Rate or a Fixed Rate.
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“U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“U.S. Tax Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.16(f)(ii)(D)(2).
“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.
“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.
SECTION 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving 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), (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.
Any reference herein to a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, shall be deemed to apply to a division of or by a limited liability company, or an allocation of assets to a series of a limited liability company (or the unwinding of such a division or allocation), as if it were a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, as applicable, to, of or with a separate Person. Any division of a limited liability company shall constitute a separate
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Person hereunder (and each division of any limited liability company that is a Subsidiary, joint venture or any other like term shall also constitute such a Person or entity).
SECTION 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP. 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 (a) 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 and (b) notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 825, or any successor thereto, to value any Indebtedness of the Parent or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein.
SECTION 1.05 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuing Bank Agreement related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
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 in dollars from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans exceeding the Total Commitments. 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 made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. Each Competitive Loan shall be made in
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accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.04. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments and Competitive Bids of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.
(a) Subject to Section 2.13, (i) each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith, and (ii) each Competitive Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of Eurodollar Loans or Fixed Rate Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may 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.
(b) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 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 $5,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e). Each request for a Competitive Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of 10 Eurodollar Revolving Borrowings outstanding.
(c) 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 Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.03 Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent, which notice may be given by (A) telephone or (B) a Borrowing Request; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request. Each such Borrowing Request must be received by the Administrative Agent (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 12:00 noon, New York City time on 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 Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
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(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
(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 Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving 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 Competitive Bid Procedure. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the Availability Period the Borrower may request Competitive Bids and may (but shall not have any obligation to) accept Competitive Bids and borrow Competitive Loans; provided that the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans at any time shall not exceed the Total Commitments. To request Competitive Bids, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, four Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing and, in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that the Borrower may submit up to (but not more than) three Competitive Bid Requests on the same day, but a Competitive Bid Request shall not be made within five Business Days after the date of any previous Competitive Bid Request, unless any and all such previous Competitive Bid Requests shall have been withdrawn or all Competitive Bids received in response thereto rejected. Each such telephonic Competitive Bid Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Competitive Bid Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Competitive Bid Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing or a Fixed Rate Borrowing;
(iv) the Interest Period to be applicable to such Borrowing, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and
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(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.
Promptly following receipt of a Competitive Bid Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of the details thereof by telecopy, inviting the Lenders to submit Competitive Bids.
(b) Each Lender may (but shall not have any obligation to) make one or more irrevocable Competitive Bids to the Borrower in response to a Competitive Bid Request. Each Competitive Bid by a Lender must be in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and must be received by the Administrative Agent by telecopy, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing. Competitive Bids that do not conform substantially to the form approved by the Administrative Agent may be rejected by the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall notify the applicable Lender as promptly as practicable. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (i) the principal amount (which shall be a minimum of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and which may equal the entire principal amount of the Competitive Borrowing requested by the Borrower) of the Competitive Loan or Loans that the Lender is willing to make, (ii) the Competitive Bid Rate or Rates at which the Lender is prepared to make such Loan or Loans (expressed as a percentage rate per annum in the form of a decimal to no more than four decimal places) and (iii) the Interest Period applicable to each such Loan and the last day thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower by telecopy of the Competitive Bid Rate and the principal amount specified in each Competitive Bid and the identity of the Lender that shall have made such Competitive Bid, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing.
(d) Subject only to the provisions of this paragraph, the Borrower may accept or reject any Competitive Bid. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone, confirmed by telecopy in a form approved by the Administrative Agent, whether and to what extent it has decided to accept or reject each Competitive Bid, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of the Competitive Borrowing; provided that (i) the failure of the Borrower to give such notice shall be deemed to be a rejection of each Competitive Bid, (ii) the Borrower shall not accept a Competitive Bid made at a particular Competitive Bid Rate if the Borrower rejects a Competitive Bid made at a lower Competitive Bid Rate, (iii) the aggregate amount of the Competitive Bids accepted by the Borrower shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the requested Competitive Borrowing specified in the related Competitive Bid Request, (iv) to the extent necessary to
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comply with clause (iii) above, the Borrower may accept Competitive Bids at the same Competitive Bid Rate in part, which acceptance, in the case of multiple Competitive Bids at such Competitive Bid Rate, shall be made pro rata in accordance with the amount of each such Competitive Bid, and (v) except pursuant to clause (iv) above, no Competitive Bid shall be accepted for a Competitive Loan unless such Competitive Loan is in a minimum principal amount of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000,000; provided further that if a Competitive Loan must be in an amount less than $5,000,000 because of the provisions of clause (iv) above, such Competitive Loan may be for a minimum of $1,000,000 or any integral multiple thereof, and in calculating the pro rata allocation of acceptances of portions of multiple Competitive Bids at a particular Competitive Bid Rate pursuant to clause (iv) the amounts shall be rounded to integral multiples of $1,000,000 in a manner determined by the Borrower. A notice given by the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph shall be irrevocable.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each bidding Lender by telecopy whether or not its Competitive Bid has been accepted (and, if so, the amount and Competitive Bid Rate so accepted), and each successful bidder will thereupon become bound, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, to make the Competitive Loan in respect of which its Competitive Bid has been accepted.
(f) If the Administrative Agent shall elect to submit a Competitive Bid in its capacity as a Lender, it shall submit such Competitive Bid directly to the Borrower at least one quarter of an hour earlier than the time by which the other Lenders are required to submit their Competitive Bids to the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.
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 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, any Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. On the Effective Date, each Existing Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a Letter of Credit for all purposes hereof and shall be deemed to have been issued hereunder on the Effective Date. All Letters of Credit shall provide for drawings thereunder to be denominated in dollars. An Issuing Bank shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if (i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Issuing Bank from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to such Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that such Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuing Bank is not compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which such Issuing Bank in good faith
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deems material to it or (ii) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally. No Issuing Bank shall be under any obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) such Issuing Bank would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.
(a) 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 deliver (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the relevant Issuing Bank) to the relevant Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be, a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, extended, reinstated or renewed, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, extension, reinstatement or renewal (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, the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit, and such Issuing Bank shall promptly deliver a copy of such notice by telecopy to the Administrative Agent. If requested by the applicable Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on such 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 $400,000,000, (ii) the portion of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by any Issuing Bank shall not exceed the LC Commitment of such Issuing Bank; and (iii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans shall not exceed the Total Commitments.
(b) 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 Maturity Date (the “Letter of Credit Expiration Date”).
(c) 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 applicable Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank in respect of such Letter of Credit hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such 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
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furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such 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 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, the occurrence and continuance of a Default, the reduction or termination of the Commitments or any force majeure or other event that under any rule of law or uniform practices to which any Letter of Credit is subject (including Section 3.14 of ISP 98 or any successor publication of the International Chamber of Commerce) permits a drawing to be made under such Letter of Credit after the expiration thereof or of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. On the Effective Date and without any further action by any party hereto, each Issuing Bank that has issued an Existing Letter of Credit shall be deemed to have granted to each Lender, and each Lender shall be deemed to have acquired from such Issuing Bank, a participation in each such Existing Letter of Credit in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (d).
(d) Reimbursement. If an 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 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 the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing 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. 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 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 applicable 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 applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to
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this paragraph to reimburse an Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.
(e) 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 therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a 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 an 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, (iv) any force majeure or other event that under any rule of law or uniform practices to which any Letter of Credit is subject (including Section 3.14 of ISP 98 or any successor publication of the International Chamber of Commerce) permits a drawing to be made under such Letter of Credit after the expiration thereof or of the Commitments or (v) 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. None of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any Issuing Bank, or 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 any Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse an 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 such 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. Unless otherwise separately agreed in writing between the Borrower and the applicable Issuing Bank, (A) the parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of such Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination, and (B) 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, such 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.
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(f) Disbursement Procedures. The applicable Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made 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 such Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(g) Interim Interest. If an 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 Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.12(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the applicable 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 applicable Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(h) Replacement of an Issuing Bank. An Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. An Issuing Bank’s obligations to issue additional Letters of Credit hereunder may be terminated at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank; provided that after giving effect thereto there is at least one remaining Issuing Bank obligated to issue Letters of Credit. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement or termination of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement or termination shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced or terminated Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.11(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter. After the replacement or termination of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced or terminated 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 or termination, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
(i) 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 (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) 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 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
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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 either Loan Party described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. The Borrower shall also deposit cash collateral in accordance with this paragraph as and to the extent required by Section 2.22. 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 any 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 Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), 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 aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.
(j) Additional Issuing Banks. Any Lender may at any time become an Issuing Bank hereunder by written agreement between the Borrower and such Lender subject to notice to the Administrative Agent. From and after the effective date of any such Lender becoming an Issuing Bank, such Lender shall have the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement. Any Lender that becomes an Issuing Bank shall not cease to be an Issuing Bank hereunder if it later ceases to be a Lender hereunder.
(k) Certain Notices by Issuing Banks. Each Issuing Bank that is not the same Person as the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall notify the Administrative Agent of (i) the amount and expiration date of each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank at or prior to the time of issuance thereof (or in the case of an Existing Letter of Credit, such notice shall be provided on the Effective Date), (ii) any amendment or modification to, or LC Disbursement under, any such Letter of Credit at or prior to the time of such amendment, modification or LC Disbursement and (iii) any termination, surrender, cancellation or expiry of any such Letter of Credit at or prior to the time of such termination, surrender, cancellation or expiration.
(l) [Reserved].
(m) Auto-Extension Letters of Credit. If the Borrower so requests in relation to the issuance of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the Issuing Bank to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve- month period (commencing with the
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date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the Issuing Bank for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the Issuing Bank to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the Issuing Bank shall not permit any such extension if it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (i) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (ii) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the Issuing Bank not to permit such extension.
(n) Applicability of ISP and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the Issuing Bank and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of ISP98 shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.
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 1:00 p.m., New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. 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 maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request or Competitive Bid 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 applicable Issuing Bank.
(a) 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
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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 Revolving 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 Revolving 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 Competitive Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
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(c) 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.
(d) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Revolving 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 Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.08 Termination and Reduction of Commitments. (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
(a) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $10,000,000 and not less than $25,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.10, the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans would exceed the Total Commitments.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the 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 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 Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective 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 on the Maturity Date and (ii) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Competitive Loan on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan.
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(a) 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.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and 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.
(c) 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.
(d) 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 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 payee named therein 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 prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that the Borrower shall not have the right to prepay any Competitive Loan without the prior consent of the Lender thereof.
(a) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment or (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. 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 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 relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied
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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 facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the greater of (i) the amount of the Commitment (used or unused) of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates and (ii) the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure. Accrued facility 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 Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All facility 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).
(a) 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 used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans (or in the case of a Trade Letter of Credit, 50% of such Applicable Rate) 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 Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to each Issuing Bank a fronting fee separately agreed upon between the Borrower and such Issuing Bank. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the applicable Issuing Bank for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of such Issuing Bank relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable. Participation fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the fifth 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 Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the 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 shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed.
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account or for the account of the Lenders, as applicable, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(c) 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 facility fees, participation fees and other fees separately agreed upon to be payable to the Lenders, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be
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refundable under any circumstances, except to the extent that the Borrower demonstrates that any amounts paid represent overpayments.
SECTION 2.12 Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(a) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Loan, at the Eurodollar Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate, or (ii) in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, at the Eurodollar Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus (or minus, as applicable) the Margin applicable to such Loan.
(b) Each Fixed Rate Loan shall bear interest at the Fixed Rate applicable to such Loan.
(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, 2.0% per annum 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, 2.0% per annum 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, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) 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 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 Revolving 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 (including the Alternate Base Rate determined by reference to the Eurodollar 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 Eurodollar Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.13 Alternate Rate of Interest. (a) If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
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(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period; or
(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders (or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the Lender that is required to make such Loan) that the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
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, (x) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, (y) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing and (iii) any request by the Borrower for a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing shall be ineffective; provided that (A) if the circumstances giving rise to such notice do not affect all the Lenders, then requests by the Borrower for Eurodollar Competitive Borrowings may be made to Lenders that are not affected thereby and (B) if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:
(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any requested Interest Period, including, without limitation, because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or
(ii) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans (such specific date, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”), or
(iii) syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace the Eurodollar Rate,
then, reasonably promptly after such determination by the Administrative Agent or receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice, as applicable, the Administrative Agent
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and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace the Eurodollar Rate with an alternate benchmark rate (including any mathematical or other adjustments to the benchmark (if any) incorporated therein) (any such proposed rate, a “LIBOR Successor Rate”), together with any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes (as defined below) and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders do not accept such amendment. Such LIBOR Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such LIBOR Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent.
If no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined and the circumstances under clause (i) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) the Eurodollar Rate component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Alternate Base Rate. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of ABR Loans (subject to the foregoing clause (y)) in the amount specified therein.
Notwithstanding anything else herein, any definition of LIBOR Successor Rate shall provide that in no event shall such LIBOR Successor Rate be less than zero for purposes of this Agreement.
For purposes hereof, “LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Alternate Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other administrative matters as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower, to reflect the adoption of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement).
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 or any Issuing Bank;
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(ii) impose on any Lender or Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans or Fixed Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or
(iii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Excluded Taxes (other than Taxes described in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of Excluded Taxes) and (C) Other Connection Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes);
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then, from time to time upon request of such Lender, Issuing Bank or other Recipient, the Borrower will pay to such Lender, Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender or Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has had or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or 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 or liquidity), 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 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be 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.
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(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or 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 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 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.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, a Lender shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this Section in respect of any Competitive Loan if the Change in Law that would otherwise entitle it to such compensation shall have been publicly announced prior to submission of the Competitive Bid pursuant to which such Loan was made.
SECTION 2.15 Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate 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 Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate 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), (d) the failure to borrow any Competitive Loan after accepting the Competitive Bid to make such Loan, or (e) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate 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 Eurodollar 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 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 30 days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.16 Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up. (a) Each payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without withholding for any Taxes, unless such withholding is required by any law. If any withholding agent determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it is so required to withhold
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Taxes, then such withholding agent may so withhold and shall timely pay the full amount of withheld Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law. If such Taxes are Indemnified Taxes, then the amount payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that, net of such withholding (including such withholding applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section), the applicable Recipient receives the amount it would have received had no such withholding been made.
(a) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of any Other Taxes.
(b) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.16, such Loan Party 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.
(c) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient for any Indemnified Taxes that are paid or payable by or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient in connection with any Loan Document (including amounts paid or payable under this Section 2.16(d)) and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The indemnity under this Section 2.16(d) shall be paid within 10 days after the Recipient delivers to the Borrower a certificate stating the amount of any Indemnified Taxes so paid or payable by such Recipient and describing the basis for the indemnification claim. Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable absent manifest error. Such Recipient shall deliver a copy of such certificate to the Administrative Agent.
(d) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent for any Taxes (but, in the case of any Indemnified Taxes, only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so) attributable to such Lender (including Excluded Taxes and any taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register) that are paid or payable by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The indemnity under this Section 2.16(e) shall be paid within 10 days after the applicable Agent delivers to the applicable Lender a certificate stating the amount of Taxes so paid or payable by the Administrative Agent. Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable absent manifest error.
(e) Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from, or reduction of, any applicable withholding Tax with respect to any payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably
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requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent and at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without, or at a reduced rate of, withholding. In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to any withholding (including backup withholding) or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Sections 2.16(f)(ii)(A) through (E) and 2.16(f)(iii) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender. Upon the reasonable request of such Borrower or the Administrative Agent, any Lender shall update any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.16(f). If any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect with respect to a Lender, such Lender shall promptly (and in any event within 10 days after such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy) notify such Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy and shall update the form or certification if it is legally eligible to do so or, if not legally eligible to do so, shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such legal inability.
(i) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, any Lender with respect to such Borrower shall, if it is legally eligible to do so, deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies reasonably requested by such Borrower and the Administrative Agent) on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a party hereto, duly completed and executed originals of whichever of the following is applicable:
(A) in the case of a Lender that is a U.S. Person, an executed original of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal backup withholding tax;
(B) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (1) with respect to payments of interest under this Agreement, executed originals of IRS Form W- 8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (2) with respect to any other applicable payments under this Agreement, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;
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(C) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender for whom payments under this Agreement constitute income that is effectively connected with such Lender’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States, an executed original of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(D) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code both (1) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, and (2) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D (a “U.S. Tax Certificate”) to the effect that such Lender is not (a) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (b) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (c) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (d) conducting a trade or business in the United States with which the relevant interest payments are effectively connected;
(E) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender that is not the beneficial owner of payments made under this Agreement (including a partnership or a participating Lender) (1) an executed original of IRS Form W-8IMY on behalf of itself and (2) the relevant forms prescribed in clauses (A), (B), (C), (D) and (F) of this paragraph (f)(ii) that would be required of each such beneficial owner or partner of such partnership if such beneficial owner or partner were a Lender; provided, however, that (x) if the Lender is a partnership and one or more of its partners are claiming the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, such Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Certificate on behalf of such partners substantially in the form of Exhibit D-2 and (y) a Participant may provide a U.S. Tax Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-3 or D-4; or
(F) any other form prescribed by law as a basis for claiming exemption from, or a reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax together with such supplementary documentation necessary to enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the amount of Tax (if any) required by law to be withheld.
(ii) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and,
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as necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 2.16(f)(iii), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.16 (including additional amounts paid pursuant to this Section 2.16), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid to such indemnifying party pursuant to the previous sentence (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.16(g), in no event will any indemnified party be required to pay any amount to any indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 2.16(g) if such payment would place such indemnified party in a less favorable position (on a net after-Tax basis) than such indemnified party would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This Section 2.16(g) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(g) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under this Agreement.
(h) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.
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 (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.14, 2.15 or 2.16, or otherwise) prior to 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off, defense, recoupment 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 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. 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 hereunder shall be due
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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 hereunder shall be made in dollars.
(a) 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, 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.
(b) 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 resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements 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 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; 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.
(c) 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 any 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 such 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
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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.
(d) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(d) or (e), 2.06(b), 2.16(e) or 2.17(d), 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, in the judgment of such Lender, 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) 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.
(a) If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, (ii) 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, (iii) any Lender is a Declining Lender or a Defaulting Lender or (iv) any Lender has failed to consent to a proposed amendment, waiver or modification that under Section 9.02 requires the consent of all the Lenders (or each affected Lender) and with respect to which the Required Lenders shall have granted their consent, 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 (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.14 or 2.16 and any outstanding Competitive Loans held by it) to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (A) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (B) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans (other than Competitive Loans) and participations in LC Disbursements, 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), (C) 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 reduction in such compensation or payments, (D) in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender being a Declining Lender, the assignee shall have agreed to the
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applicable Maturity Date Extension Request and (E) in the case of any such assignment resulting from the failure to provide a consent, the assignee shall have given such consent. 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. Each party hereto agrees that an assignment and delegation required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and that the Lender required to make such assignment and delegation need not be a party thereto.
SECTION 2.19 Increase in Commitments. (a) At any time after the Effective Date and no more than two times during any calendar year, the Borrower may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent, request at any time or from time to time that the Total Commitments be increased; provided that the aggregate amount of each such increase pursuant to this Section 2.19 shall not be less than $20,000,000 and the aggregate amount of all such increases pursuant to this Section 2.19 shall not cause the aggregate amount of Total Commitments to exceed $1,750,000,000. Any such notice shall set forth the amount of the requested increase in the Total Commitments and the date on which such increase is requested to become effective. 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 Lenders, to extend Commitments or increase their existing Commitments in an aggregate amount equal to the requested amount of the increase in the Total Commitments; provided that each Augmenting Lender, if not already a Lender hereunder, shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld). Increases of Commitments and new Commitments created pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall become effective upon the execution and delivery by the Parent, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and any Lenders (including any Augmenting Lenders) agreeing to increase their existing Commitments or extend new Commitments, as the case may be, of an agreement providing for such increased or additional Commitments, subject to the satisfaction of any conditions set forth in such agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the Total Commitments (or in the Commitment of any Lender) shall become effective under this paragraph (a) unless, on the date of such increase, (i) the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Sections 4.02 shall be satisfied (as though a Borrowing were being made on such date); provided that for purposes of this Section, the representations and warranties contained in Section 3.04(a) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent audited financial statements available on the date of such increase and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Responsible Officer or a Financial Officer of the Parent and the Borrower. The Borrower is not required to offer any Lender an opportunity to participate in any increase pursuant to this Section 2.19 and, if offered an opportunity to participate, a Lender shall not have any obligation to participate.
(a) At the time that any increase in the Total Commitments pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 2.19 (a “Commitment Increase”) becomes effective, if any Revolving Loans are outstanding, the Borrower shall prepay the aggregate principal amount outstanding in respect of such Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.10 (the “Initial Loans”); provided that (i) nothing in this Section 2.19 shall prevent the Borrower from funding
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the prepayment of Initial Loans with concurrent Revolving Loans hereunder in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, giving effect to the Commitment Increase, and (ii) no such prepayment shall be required if, after giving effect to the Commitment Increase, each Lender has the same Applicable Percentage as immediately prior to such Commitment Increase.
SECTION 2.20 [Reserved].
SECTION 2.21 Extension of Maturity Date. (a) The Borrower may, by delivery of a written request (a “Maturity Date Extension Request”) to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders) not less than 30 days and not more than 90 days prior to any anniversary of the Effective Date, request that the Lenders extend the Maturity Date for an additional period of one year; provided that there shall be no more than two extensions of the Maturity Date pursuant to this Section.
(a) Each Lender shall, by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent given not later than the 20th day after the date of the Administrative Agent’s receipt of the Borrower’s Maturity Date Extension Request (or such other date as the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may agree; such date, the “Extension Date”), advise the Borrower whether or not it agrees to the requested extension (each Lender agreeing to a requested extension being called a “Consenting Lender”, and each Lender declining to agree to a requested extension being called a “Declining Lender”). Any Lender that has not so advised the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Extension Date shall be deemed to have declined to agree to such extension and shall be a Declining Lender.
(b) If Lenders constituting the Required Lenders shall have agreed to a Maturity Date Extension Request by the Extension Date, then the Maturity Date shall, as to the Consenting Lenders, be extended to the first anniversary of the Maturity Date theretofore in effect. The decision to agree or withhold agreement to any Maturity Date Extension Request shall be at the sole discretion of each Lender. The Commitment of any Declining Lender shall terminate on the Maturity Date in effect prior to giving effect to any such extension (such Maturity Date being called the “Existing Maturity Date”). The principal amount of any outstanding Loans made by Declining Lenders, together with any accrued interest thereon and any accrued fees and other amounts payable to or for the account of such Declining Lenders hereunder, shall be due and payable on the Existing Maturity Date, and on the Existing Maturity Date the Borrower shall also make such other prepayments of Loans as shall be required in order that, after giving effect to the termination of the Commitments of, and all payments to, Declining Lenders pursuant to this sentence, the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans would not exceed the Total Commitments.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.21, the Borrower shall have the right, pursuant to Section 2.18(b), at any time prior to the Existing Maturity Date, to replace a Declining Lender with a Lender or other financial institution that will agree to the applicable Maturity Date Extension Request, and any such replacement Lender shall for all purposes constitute a Consenting Lender.
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(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.21, no extension of the Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.21 shall become effective unless, on or promptly following the Extension Date, (i) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 shall be satisfied (with all references in such Section to a Borrowing being deemed to be references to such extension and without giving effect to the parenthetical in Section 4.02(a)); provided that for purposes of this Section, the representations and warranties contained in Section 3.04(a) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent audited financial statements available on the Extension Date and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated the Extension Date and executed by a Responsible Officer or a Financial Officer of each of the Parent and the Borrower.
SECTION 2.22 Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:
(a) facility fees shall cease to accrue on the unused amount of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(a);
(b) the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders or any other requisite Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided that any amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or all Lenders affected thereby shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, require the consent of such Defaulting Lender in accordance with the terms hereof;
(c) if any LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(i) so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that the sum of all Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure does not exceed the sum of all Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments;
(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Banks the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure that has not been reallocated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;
(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be
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required to pay participation fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(b) with respect to such portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure for so long as such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;
(iv) if any portion of the LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.11(a) and 2.11(b) shall be adjusted to give effect to such reallocation; and
(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all facility fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment utilized by such LC Exposure) and participation fees payable under Section 2.11(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Banks (and allocated among them ratably based on the amount of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by each Issuing Bank) until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and
(d) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, unless in each case it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be fully covered by the Commitments of the Non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.22(c), and participating interests in any such issued, amended, reviewed or extended Letter of Credit will be allocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.22(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).
In the event that (x) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to a Lender Parent shall have occurred following the date hereof and for so long as such Bankruptcy Event shall continue or (y) any Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, unless such Issuing Bank shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender satisfactory to such Issuing Bank to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.
In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Issuing Bank each agree (provided that the Borrower’s agreement shall not be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
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ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
Representations and Warranties
Each of the Parent and the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01 Organization. Each of the Parent and the Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation.
SECTION 3.02 Powers; Authorization; No Conflicts; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not contravene (a) any Loan Party’s charter or by-laws or (b) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting any Loan Party. This Agreement has been, and each of the other Loan Documents to which any Loan Party is to be a party when delivered hereunder will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is a party hereto or thereto, as applicable. This Agreement is, and each of the other Loan Documents to which any Loan Party is to be a party when delivered will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is a party hereto or thereto, as applicable, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms.
SECTION 3.03 Approvals. No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is to be a party, the borrowing of the Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof or the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
SECTION 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. (a) The consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its subsidiaries as at February 2, 2019, and the related consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Parent and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, accompanied by an opinion of KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, copies of which have been furnished to the Lenders, fairly present the consolidated financial condition of the Parent and its subsidiaries as at such date and the consolidated results of the operations of the Parent and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended on such date, all in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.
(a) Since February 2, 2019, there has been no material adverse change in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance, properties or prospects of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 3.05 Litigation. There is no pending or threatened action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting the Parent or any Subsidiary pending or threatened before any Governmental Authority or arbitrator that (a) would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or (b) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
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SECTION 3.06 Investment Company Status. None of the Loan Parties is an “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
SECTION 3.07 ERISA. (a) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Plan that has resulted in or is reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(a) Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any Withdrawal Liability to any Multiemployer Plan that could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Each Plan satisfies the funding requirements under Section 302 of ERISA and there has been no change in the funding status of any such Plan since the last annual actuarial valuation date that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.08 Compliance with Laws. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws applicable to it, except where the failure to comply, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.09 Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. The Parent and the Borrower have implemented and maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Parent, the Borrower, their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Parent, the Borrower, their Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors and to the knowledge of the Parent and the Borrower their employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) the Parent, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or to the knowledge of the Parent or the Borrower or such Subsidiary any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Parent or the Borrower, any agent of the Parent or the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will violate any Anti-Corruption Law or applicable Sanctions.
SECTION 3.10 Federal Reserve Regulations. None of the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation (including on the part of any Lender) of any of the regulations of the Board, including Regulations U and X.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
Conditions
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SECTION 4.01 Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become 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 from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from the Parent and the Borrower either (i) a counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement (in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C) signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page of the Guarantee Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated as of the Effective Date) of (i) Xxxxx Day, counsel to the Loan Parties and (ii) Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, the Chief Legal Officer of the Parent, in each case covering such matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Transactions or the Loan Documents as the Required Lenders or the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request. The Parent and the Borrower hereby request such counsel to deliver such opinions.
(d) 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 and the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Transactions or the Loan Documents, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, including all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act.
(e) The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Effective Date, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing as of the Effective Date and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by a Responsible Officer or a Financial Officer of the Parent and the Borrower, confirming the foregoing.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable 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 under the Loan Documents.
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(g) Prior to or substantially contemporaneously with the satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein on the Effective Date, the principal of all loans or advances, and all interest, fees and other amounts accrued or otherwise owing, under the Existing Credit Agreement shall have been or shall be paid in full and the commitments thereunder shall have been or shall be terminated, and the Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory evidence thereof.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the effectiveness of the obligations of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of any Issuing Bank to issue any Letter of Credit and the incorporation of the Existing Letters of Credit as Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied or waived prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 15, 2019 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 8.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
SECTION 4.02 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of each 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 the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement (other than those in Section 3.04(b) and clause (a) of Section 3.05, at such times when the Public Debt Ratings are Baa3 and BBB- or better) 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.
(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 the Loan Parties on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
Affirmative Covenants
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Until the 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 the Parent and the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01 Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information. The Parent or the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) as soon as available and in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Parent, a copy of the annual audit report for such year for the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries, containing a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each case accompanied by an opinion by KPMG 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) and certificates of a Financial Officer of the Parent (i) as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement, (ii) setting forth in reasonable detail the then applicable Public Debt Ratings and the Interest Coverage Ratio and the Leverage Ratio as of the end of such fiscal year and the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Sections 6.05 and 6.06 as of the end of such fiscal year and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the last consolidated financial statements of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries referred to in Section 3.04(a) that materially affects the financial statements accompanying such certificate and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(b) as soon as available and in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Parent, a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year of the Parent and ending with the end of such quarter, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by a Financial Officer of the Parent as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP, and certificates of a Financial Officer of the Parent (i) as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement, (ii) setting forth in reasonable detail the then applicable Public Debt Ratings and the Interest Coverage Ratio and the Leverage Ratio as of the end of such fiscal quarter and the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Sections 6.05 and 6.06 as of the end of such fiscal quarter and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the last consolidated financial statements of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries referred to in Section 3.04(a) that materially affects the financial statements accompanying such certificate and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(c) as soon as possible and in any event within five days after any Responsible Officer becomes aware of the occurrence of a Default or an event, development or
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circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, in each case continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of a Financial Officer of the Parent or the Borrower setting forth details of such Default, event, development or other circumstance (including the anticipated effect thereof) and the action that the Parent or the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;
(d) promptly after the sending thereof, copies of all reports that the Parent or the Borrower sends to any of the holders of any class of its outstanding securities;
(e) promptly after the commencement thereof, notice of all actions, suits, investigations, litigation and proceedings before any Governmental Authority or arbitrator affecting the Parent or any Subsidiary of the type described in Section 3.05;
(f) as soon as possible and in any event within five Business Days after any change in either Public Debt Rating, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Parent setting forth such Public Debt Rating; and
(g) such other information respecting the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance, properties or prospects of the Parent or any Subsidiary as any Lender through the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request.
The Borrower and the Parent also agree that promptly after any report or registration statement, other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or any successor form thereto, is filed by the Parent or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange a copy thereof will be made available on the Parent’s website.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Parent posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Parent’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 9.01; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Parent’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents.
SECTION 5.02 Existence. The Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, preserve and maintain, its corporate existence, rights (charter and statutory), permits, licenses, approvals, privileges and franchises, except, with respect to such rights, permits, licenses, approvals, privileges and franchises, where the failure to do so could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the Parent and the Subsidiaries may consummate any merger or consolidation permitted under Section 6.03 and, provided, further, that, unless required in order to comply with Section 6.03, neither the Parent nor any Subsidiary shall be required to preserve or maintain (i) the corporate existence of any Minor Subsidiary if the Board of Directors of the parent of such Minor Subsidiary, or an
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executive officer of such parent to whom such Board of Directors has delegated the requisite authority, shall determine that the preservation and maintenance thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of such parent and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Parent, the Borrower, such parent, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Lenders or (ii) any right, permit, license, approval, privilege or franchise if the Board of Directors of the Parent or such Subsidiary shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Parent or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Parent, such Subsidiary, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Lenders.
SECTION 5.03 Payment of Obligations. The Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent, (a) all Taxes imposed upon it or upon its property and (b) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon its property; provided that neither the Parent nor any Subsidiary shall be required to pay or discharge any such Tax or claim (i) that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom attaches to its property and becomes enforceable against its other creditors or (ii) if such non-payments, either individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.04 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. (a) Except where the failure to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, maintain and preserve all of its properties that are used or useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
(a) The Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, maintain insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations in such amounts and covering such risks as is usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas in which the Parent or such Subsidiary operates, except where failure to maintain such insurance could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.05 Books and Records; Inspection Rights. (a) The Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in such detail as is necessary to allow the delivery of the reports required by Section 5.01, in which full and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
(a) The Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, at any reasonable time and from time to time, upon reasonable notice, permit the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders or any agents or representatives thereof, to examine the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Parent or any Subsidiary and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Parent or any Subsidiary with any of their financial officers.
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SECTION 5.06 Compliance with Laws. (a) The Parent will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects, with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders (including ERISA and environmental laws), except, in any case, where the failure so to comply, either individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.
SECTION 5.07 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. (a) The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for working capital and general corporate purposes. 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 T, U and X. Letters of Credit will be issued only for general corporate purposes.
(a) The Borrower shall not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall ensure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, business or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States, or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Negative Covenants
Until the 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 the Parent and the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01 Subsidiary Indebtedness. The Parent will not permit any Subsidiary (other than the Borrower) to create, assume or suffer to exist, any Indebtedness, other than:
(a) Indebtedness owed to the Parent or to a wholly owned Subsidiary;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the Effective Date (whether such Indebtedness is Indebtedness of a subsidiary of the Parent or a subsidiary of the Borrower) and described on Schedule 6.01 (the “Existing Indebtedness”), and any Indebtedness extending the maturity of, or refunding or refinancing, in whole or in part, the Existing Indebtedness;
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provided that the principal amount of such Existing Indebtedness shall not be increased above the principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such extension, refunding or refinancing, and the direct and contingent obligors therefor shall not be changed as a result of, or in connection with, such extension, refunding or refinancing;
(c) endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business;
(d) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof that is existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness incurred solely in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary) and any Indebtedness extending the maturity of, or refunding or refinancing, such Indebtedness, in whole or in part; provided that the principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not be increased above the principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such extension, refunding or refinancing, and the direct and contingent obligors therefor shall not be changed as a result of, or in connection with, such extension, refunding or refinancing; and
(e) other Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $500,000,000.
SECTION 6.02 Liens. The Parent will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien on or with respect to any of its assets of any character (including accounts) whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign any accounts or other right to receive income, except:
(a) Liens created or existing under the Loan Documents;
(b) Permitted Encumbrances;
(c) the Liens existing on the Effective Date and described on Schedule 6.02 (whether such Liens are on the assets of the Parent or any of its subsidiaries);
(d) purchase money Liens upon or in real property or equipment acquired or held in the ordinary course of business to secure the purchase price of such property or equipment or to secure Indebtedness incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition, construction or improvement of any such property or equipment to be subject to such Liens, or Liens existing on any such property or equipment at the time of acquisition (other than any such Liens created in contemplation of such acquisition that were not incurred to finance the acquisition of such property or equipment), or extensions, renewals or replacements of any of the foregoing for the same or a lesser amount; provided that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any properties of any character other than the real property or equipment being acquired, constructed or improved (except that Liens incurred in connection with the construction or improvement of real property may extend to additional real property immediately contiguous to such property being constructed or improved) and no such extension, renewal or replacement
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shall extend to or cover any such properties not theretofore subject to the Lien being extended, renewed or replaced;
(e) Liens arising in connection with Finance Lease Obligations; provided that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any assets other than the assets subject to the applicable capital leases;
(f) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Parent or any Subsidiary or becomes a Subsidiary; provided that such Liens (other than replacement Liens permitted under clause (j) below) were not created in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or investment and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Parent or such Subsidiary or acquired by the Parent or such Subsidiary;
(g) Liens securing Documentary LCs or Trade Letters of Credit; provided that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any assets of the Parent or any Subsidiary other than the inventory (and bills of lading and other documents related thereto) being financed by any such Documentary LCs or Trade Letter of Credit, as the case may be;
(h) Liens in respect of goods consigned to the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Liens are limited to the goods so consigned;
(i) Liens (other than on inventory) securing Indebtedness incurred by the Parent or the Subsidiaries; provided that the sum of the aggregate amount of such Indebtedness at any time outstanding shall not exceed $500,000,000; and
(j) the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (c) or (f) above upon or in the same property theretofore subject thereto or, in the case of Liens on real property and related personal property of the Parent or any of the Subsidiaries, upon or in substitute property of like kind of the Parent or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Parent or such Subsidiary to be of the same or lesser value than the property theretofore subject thereto, or the replacement, extension or renewal (without increase in the amount or change in any direct or contingent obligor) of the Indebtedness secured thereby.
SECTION 6.03 Fundamental Changes; Conduct of Business. (a) The Parent will not, and will not permit the Borrower or any other Material Subsidiary to, merge or consolidate with or into any Person except that (i) any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any other Subsidiary (provided that, if the Borrower is a party to any such merger or consolidation, the Borrower shall be the surviving entity and shall remain a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Parent), (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into the Parent and the Parent may merge with any other Person, so long as in either case the Parent is the surviving corporation and (iii) in connection with any acquisition, any Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, so long as the Person surviving such merger shall be a Subsidiary (provided that, if the Borrower is a party to
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any such merger or consolidation, the Borrower shall be the surviving entity and shall remain a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Parent); provided that in each case, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such proposed transaction or would result therefrom.
(a) The Parent and the Borrower will not liquidate or dissolve, the Borrower will not reorganize in any jurisdiction located outside of the United States of America, and the Parent will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (whether now owned or hereafter acquired).
(b) The Parent will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Parent and its subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.
SECTION 6.04 Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Parent will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, except for (a) any such sale of any fixed or capital assets that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the cost of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after the Parent or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset and (b) pursuant to Economic Development Transactions and (c) any such sale of any fixed or capital assets for fair market value; provided that the fair market value of all such assets sold in reliance upon this clause (c) plus the aggregate amount of Indebtedness at any time outstanding secured by Liens in reliance on Section 6.02(i) shall not exceed 12.5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, determined as of the date of any such sale.
SECTION 6.05 Leverage Ratio. The Parent will not permit the Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any Measurement Period to exceed 3.75 to 1.00.
SECTION 6.06 Interest Coverage Ratio. The Parent will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any Measurement Period to be less than 3.25 to 1.00.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
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 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;
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(b) the Borrower or the Parent 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, when and as the same shall become 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 any Loan Party in or in connection with any Loan Document shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;
(d) either the Parent or the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.01(c) or (e), 5.02 (with respect to the Parent’s or the Borrower’s existence) or 5.07 or in Article VI;
(e) any 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 Parent or the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f) the Parent, the Borrower or any other 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 (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods);
(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods) 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 the Parent, the Borrower or any other 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 the Parent, the Borrower or any other 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) the Parent, the Borrower or any other 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
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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 the Parent, the Borrower or any other 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) the Parent, the Borrower or any other 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 $150,000,000 shall be rendered against the Parent, the Borrower, any other 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 to attach or levy upon any assets of the Parent, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment; provided that any such judgments shall only result in an Event of Default under this clause (k) if and to the extent that the aggregate amount of such judgments not covered by a valid and binding policy of insurance between the defendant and the insurer covering the payment thereof exceeds $150,000,000 so long as such insurer, which shall be rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of, and has not disputed the claim made for payment of, the amount of such judgments;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Parent, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary in an aggregate amount exceeding $150,000,000;
(m) the Parent’s Guarantee of the Obligations purported to be created under the Guarantee Agreement shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the express terms of any Loan Document); or
(n) 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 Parent or the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the 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 Loan
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Parties 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 Loan Parties; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the 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 Loan Parties 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 Loan Parties.
ARTICLE VIII
The Agents
The Agents
SECTION 8.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and neither the Parent nor the Borrower shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
SECTION 8.02 Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.
SECTION 8.03 Exculpatory Provisions. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
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(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any debtor relief law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any debtor relief law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 9.02 and Article VII) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or an Issuing Bank.
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 this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 8.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for
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relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or such Issuing Bank prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
SECTION 8.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub‑agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub‑agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub‑agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub‑agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
SECTION 8.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Parent. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent (so long as no Event of Default is continuing) of the Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above, provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b) If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (e) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Parent and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, with the consent (so long as no Event of Default is continuing) of the
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Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each Issuing Bank directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Parent or the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between such Loan Party and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed 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 (i) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.
(d) Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as an Issuing Bank. If Bank of America resigns as an Issuing Bank, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of an Issuing Bank hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as Issuing Bank and all LC Exposure with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make ABR Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.05(d). Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor Issuing Bank hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Bank, (b) the retiring Issuing Bank shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor Issuing Bank shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of
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America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.
SECTION 8.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
SECTION 8.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Bookrunners, Arrangers or Syndication Agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an Issuing Bank hereunder.
SECTION 8.09 Certain ERISA Matters.
(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Parent or the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,
(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,
(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments
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and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or
(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and is Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Parent or the Borrower, that neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).
As used in this Section:
“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.
“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
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 the Parent, the Borrower or Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 9.01; and
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(ii) if to any other Lender or Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(a) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including e‑mail, FpML messaging, and Internet or intranet websites) 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, the Parent 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.
(b) 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 (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient).
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE PARENT MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE PARENT MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE PARENT MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Parent, the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Parent’s, the Borrower’s or the
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Administrative Agent’s transmission of Parent Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.
(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Parent, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Parent, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank.
(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic notices, Borrowing Requests and requests for Letters of Credit) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof; provided that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders must act reasonably in determining the validity of any purported notices given by or on behalf of the Borrower. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
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 any 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.
(a) 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 the Parent, the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Parent, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the
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consent of 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 with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the 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 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 hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender or (vi) release the Parent from its Guarantee under the Guarantee Agreement or limit its liability thereunder, 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 or an Issuing Bank hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) no consent with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be required of (1) any Defaulting Lender, except with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the first proviso of this paragraph and then only in the event such Defaulting Lender shall be affected by such amendment, waiver or other modification or (2) any Lender that receives payment in full of the principal of and interest accrued on each Loan made by, and all other amounts owing to, such Lender or accrued for the account of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents at the time such amendment, waiver or other modification becomes effective and whose Commitments terminate by the terms and upon the effectiveness of such amendment, waiver or other modification, (B) any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be amended by an agreement in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency so long as, in each case, the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from (x) the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment or (y) any Issuing Bank affected thereby stating that it objects to such amendment, and (C) this Agreement may be amended without the consent of the Required Lenders to increase the Total Commitments pursuant to Section 2.19.
SECTION 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, each Syndication Agent and their respective Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one outside counsel (and any local or special counsel where appropriate) and, in connection with a conflict, one additional counsel per affected party) for the Administrative Agent and Syndication Agents, collectively, in connection with the syndication of the credit
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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), and (ii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Syndication Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Syndication 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.
(a) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Syndication 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 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), or (iii) 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 and regardless of whether such matter is initiated by a third party, the Parent, the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Parent or the Borrower; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses arising from any non-Tax claim.
(b) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to an Agent or an Issuing Bank under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that (i) the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent or such Issuing Bank in its capacity as such and (ii) if an Issuing Bank separately agrees, as contemplated by the last sentence of Section 2.05(f), to be subject to a standard of care different than that set forth therein, no Lender shall be liable to such Issuing Bank hereunder for any greater amount than would have been due if such Issuing Bank had not agreed to such different standard of care.
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(c) To the extent permitted by applicable law, neither the Parent 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, any Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the Transactions or the other transactions contemplated hereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(d) 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) neither the Parent nor the Borrower may 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 Parent or 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.
(a) (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 Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:
(A) the Parent or the Borrower; provided that no consent of the Parent or the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee; provided further that the Parent or the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless either the Parent or the Borrower shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 10 Business Days after having received notice thereof;
(B) the Administrative Agent; provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of a Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment or an Affiliate of any such Lender; and
(C) each Issuing Bank; provided that no consent of an Issuing Bank shall be required for an assignment of a Commitment to an assignee that is a
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Lender with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment or an Affiliate of any such Lender.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Competitive Loans, the amount of the 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 $10,000,000, unless each of the Borrower (or the Parent) and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent; provided that no such consent of the Borrower (or the Parent) 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; provided that this clause shall not apply to rights in respect of outstanding Competitive Loans;
(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 and any tax forms required by Section 2.16(f).
(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 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 (subject to the requirements thereof) 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 a non-fiduciary agent of the Loan Parties, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each
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Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) 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 absent manifest error, and the Loan Parties, 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 Administrative Agent, 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 and any tax forms required by Section 2.16(f), 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.
(b) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Banks, 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 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 Loan Parties, 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 the Loan Documents. 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, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. The Loan Parties agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.16(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.16(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.17 and 2.18 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.14 or 2.16, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant
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acquired the applicable participation. 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 that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17(c) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as such) shall have any obligation to maintain a Participant Register.
(c) 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 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.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment or participation shall be made to (i) a natural person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person), (ii) the Borrower or (iii) any Affiliate of the Borrower.
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 thereto 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 or any other Loan Document is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the 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
78
Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.
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, any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank and the provisions of the commitment letter dated April 10, 2019, among the Borrower, Bank of America, N.A., Credit Suisse AG, Fifth Third Bank, U.S. Bank National Association, Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association and certain of their respective Affiliates that are acting as arrangers and bookrunners in respect of the credit facility under this Agreement (to the extent such provisions expressly survive the termination of such commitment letter) 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 or electronic transmission 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 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 any Loan Party against any of and all the obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under any Loan Document held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under any Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.17 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the obligations owing to such
79
Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.. 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.
(a) Each of the Parent and the Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank, or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the 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, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action 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 the Parent, the Borrower or their respective properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(b) Each of the Parent 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.
(c) 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 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
80
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 Banks 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, third party service providers 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 any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (g) with the consent of the Parent or 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, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Parent or the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Parent or the Borrower relating to the Parent or the Borrower or their respective businesses, other than (A) any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Parent or the Borrower and (B) information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry. 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.
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,
81
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 Patriot Act. Each Lender hereby notifies the Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Loan Parties, which information includes the name and address of the Loan Parties and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Loan Parties in accordance with the Act.
SECTION 9.15 Conversion of Currencies. (a) If, for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due under this Agreement in dollars into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may legally and effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase dollars with such other currency in New York, New York, on the Business Day immediately preceding the day on which final judgment is given.
(a) The obligations of the Borrower in respect of any sum due to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank hereunder in dollars shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than dollars, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt of any sum adjudged to be so due in the judgment currency, the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase dollars in the amount originally due to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank with the judgment currency. If the amount of dollars so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, the Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank against the resulting loss.
SECTION 9.16 No Fiduciary Duty. The Administrative Agent, each Lender and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “Lenders”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Loan Parties, their stockholders and/or their affiliates. Each Loan Party agrees that nothing in the Loan Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and such Loan Party, its stockholders or its affiliates, on the other. The Loan Parties acknowledge and agree that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Loan Parties, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party, its stockholders or its affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise
82
of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise any Loan Party, its stockholders or its Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to any Loan Party except the obligations expressly set forth in the Loan Documents and (y) each Lender is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of any Loan Party, its management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person. Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. Each Loan Party agrees that it will not claim that any Lender has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to such Loan Party, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
SECTION 9.17 Non-Public Information. (a) Each Lender acknowledges that all materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Parent or the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Parent Materials”), including requests for waivers and amendments, furnished by the Parent or the Borrower or information furnished by the Administrative Agent pursuant to or in connection with, or in the course of administering, this Agreement will be syndicate-level information, which may contain MNPI. Each Lender represents to the Parent, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that (i) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of MNPI and that it will handle MNPI in accordance with such procedures and applicable law, including Federal, state and foreign securities laws, and (ii) it has identified in its Administrative Questionnaire a credit contact who may receive information that may contain MNPI in accordance with its compliance procedures and applicable law, including Federal, state and foreign securities laws.
(a) Each of the Parent, the Borrower and each Lender acknowledges that, if information furnished by the Parent or the Borrower pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement is being distributed by the Administrative Agent through IntraLinks/IntraAgency, SyndTrak or another website or other information platform (the “Platform”), (i) the Administrative Agent may post any information that such Borrower has indicated as containing MNPI solely on that portion of the Platform designated for Private Side Lender Representatives and (ii) if the Parent or the Borrower has not indicated whether any information furnished by it pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement contains MNPI, the Administrative Agent shall post such information solely on that portion of the Platform designated for Private Side Lender Representatives.
(b) The Parent and the Borrower agree to specify whether any information furnished by such entity to any of the Administrative Agent pursuant to, or in connection with, this Agreement contains MNPI.
SECTION 9.18 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among the parties hereto, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan
83
Document, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and
(b) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.
SECTION 9.19 Waiver of Notice of Termination Under Existing Credit Agreement. Each Lender that is a “Lender” under (and as defined in) the Existing Credit Agreement hereby waives any requirement under the Existing Credit Agreement that notice be given prior to the prepayment of loans or termination of commitments thereunder; provided that such commitments are terminated by notice to the paying agent under the Existing Credit Agreement on the Effective Date.
SECTION 9.20 Conflict with Loan Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of any other Loan Document, the terms of this Agreement shall control.
SECTION 9.21 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, amendments or other modifications, Borrowing Requests, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform
84
Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
MACY’S, INC.
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx Title: Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer |
MACY’S RETAIL HOLDINGS, INC.
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx Title: Vice President and Treasurer |
[Signature Page to the Credit Agreement]
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx-Xxxxx Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx-Xxxxx Title: Vice President |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Lender and Issuing Bank
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxx Title: Director |
[Signature Page to the Credit Agreement]
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
By | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Title: Senior Vice President |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A.
By | /s/ Xxxxx Stavreska Name: Xxxxx Stavreska Title: Managing Director |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
By | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx Title: Authorized Signatory |
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxx Name: Xxxx Xxxx Title: Authorized Signatory |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
Fifth Third Bank
By | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx Title: Managing Director, Senior Vice President |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Title: Vice President |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Title: Senior Vice President |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
MUFG Union Bank, N.A.
By | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxx Name: Xxxxxx Xxx Title: Director |
Date May 8, 2019
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
CITIBANK, N.A.
By | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Title: Vice President |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
XXXXXXX XXXXX BANK USA,
By | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxx Name: Xxxxx Xxxx Title: Authorized Signatory |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Standard Chartered Bank:
By | /s/ Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Title: Director |
LENDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
THE MACY’S CREDIT AGREEMENT
DATED THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
Name of Institution
First Hawaiian Bank
By | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx Title: Senior Vice President |
Schedule 2.01
Commitments
Lender | Commitment | LC Commitment |
Bank of America, N.A. | $210,000,000.00 | $100,000,000.00 |
U.S. Bank National Association | $210,000,000.00 | $100,000,000.00 |
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association | $210,000,000.00 | $100,000,000.00 |
Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch | $200,000,000.00 | |
Fifth Third Bank | $200,000,000.00 | $100,000,000.00 |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | $100,000,000.00 | |
PNC Bank, National Association | $100,000,000.00 | |
MUFG Union Bank, N.A. | $82,500,000.00 | |
Citibank, N.A. | $62,500,000.00 | |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Bank USA | $50,000,000.00 | |
Standard Chartered Bank | $50,000,000.00 | |
First Hawaiian Bank | $25,000,000.00 | |
TOTAL: | $1,500,000,000.00 | $400,000,000.00 |
Schedule 6.01
Existing Indebtedness
($000) Amount as of May 9, 2019
Description of Debt | Amount of Debt | |
Commercial Paper $1.5 billion program | $0 | |
Finance Leases | $25,736 | |
Indenture dated as of December 15, 1994 U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee | $71,167 | |
Indenture dated as of September 10, 1997 U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee | $308,353 | |
Indenture dated as of July 20, 2004 The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as Trustee | $322,390 | |
Indenture dated as of June 17, 1996 The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as Trustee | $178,505 | |
Amended and Restated Indenture dated as of January 15, 1991 The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as Trustee | $69,432 | |
Indenture dated as of November 2, 2006 U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee | $692,532 | |
Indenture dated as of January 13, 2012 The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as Trustee | $3,066,620 |
Schedule 6.02
Existing Liens
Mortgage Debt
($000)
($000)
Obligor | Property/Location | Amount (5/ /16) |
None |
Schedule 9.01
Administrative Agent’s Office;
Certain Addresses For Notices
Certain Addresses For Notices
PARENT or BORROWER:
Macy’s, Inc.
0 Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer, with a copy to the Chief Legal Officer (other than in the case of any notice or communication provided for under Article II)
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxx.xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
Website Address: | xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx |
Taxpayer Identification Number: 00-0000000
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:
Administrative Agent’s Office
(for payments and Requests for Credit Extensions):
(for payments and Requests for Credit Extensions):
Bank of America, N.A.
Gateway Village – 900 Building
000 X Xxxxx Xx
Mail Code: NC1-026-06-04
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxxxxx0@xxxx.xxx
Account No.: 1366072250600
Attn: Wire Clearing Acct for Syn Loans - LIQ
Ref: Macys Retail Hold No 20834
ABA# 000000000
Other Notices as Administrative Agent:
Bank of America, N.A.
Agency Management
000 X. XxXxxxx Xx
Agency Management
000 X. XxXxxxx Xx
Mail Code: IL4-135-09-61
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Electronic Mail: xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF BORROWING REQUEST
Date: ___________, _____
To: | Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Macy’s Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the same meanings.
The undersigned hereby requests a Borrowing or Revolving Loans
1. On __________ (a Business Day).
2. In the amount of $__________.
3. Comprised of __________.
[Type of Committed Loan requested]
[Type of Committed Loan requested]
4. For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of [seven days] [__________ months].
The Revolving Borrowing requested herein complies with Section 2.01 of the Agreement.
MACY’S RETAIL HOLDINGS, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
EXHIBIT B
[FORM OF]
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Macy’s Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the same meanings. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
The Assignor named below hereby sells and assigns, without recourse, to the Assignee named below, and the Assignee hereby purchases and assumes, without recourse, from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, effective as of the Assignment Date set forth below, the interests set forth below (the “Assigned Interest”) in the Assignor’s rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement, including the interests set forth below in the Commitment of the Assignor on the Assignment Date and Competitive Loans and Revolving Loans owing to the Assignor which are outstanding on the Assignment Date, together with the participations in Letters of Credit and LC Disbursements held by the Assignor on the Assignment Date, but excluding accrued interest and fees to and excluding the Assignment Date. The Assignee hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Credit Agreement. From and after the Assignment Date (i) the Assignee shall be a party to and be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder and (ii) the Assignor shall, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement.
This Assignment and Assumption is being delivered to the Administrative Agent together with (i) any documentation required to be delivered by the Assignee pursuant to Section 2.16(f) of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee, and (ii) if the Assignee is not already a Lender under the Credit Agreement, an Administrative Questionnaire in the form supplied by the Administrative Agent, duly completed by the Assignee.
This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Date of Assignment: [●]
Legal Name of Assignor: [●]
Legal Name of Assignee: [●]
Assignee’s Address for Notices: [●]
Effective Date of Assignment
(“Assignment Date”): [●]
(“Assignment Date”): [●]
Facility | Principal Amount Assigned (and identifying information as to individual Competitive Loans) | Percentage Assigned of Facility and Commitment (set forth, to at least 8 decimals, as a percentage of the total Facility and the aggregate Commitments of all Lenders thereunder) |
Commitment Assigned: | ||
Revolving Loans: | ||
Competitive Loans: |
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The terms hereof are hereby agreed to:
[●], as Assignor
By: | Name: Title: |
[●], as Assignee
By: | Name: Title: |
The undersigned hereby consent to the within assignment:
Macy’s, Inc., By: Name: Title: | Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., By: Name: Title: |
Bank of America,, N.A., as Administrative Agent, By: Name: Title: | Bank of America, N.A., as Issuing Bank By: Name: Title: |
U.S. Bank National Association, as Issuing Bank By: Name: Title: | Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, as Issuing Bank By: Name: Title: |
Fifth Third Bank, as Issuing Bank, By: Name: Title: |
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EXHIBIT B
ANNEX 1
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1. Representations and Warranties.
1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim, (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and (iv) it is not a Defaulting Lender; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document, or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2 Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 9.04 of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required thereunder) , (iii) from and after the Assignment Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by the Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire the Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest, and (vii) if it is a Foreign Lender attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
2. Payments. From and after the Assignment Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts that have accrued to but excluding the Assignment Date and to the Assignee for amounts that have accrued from and after the Assignment Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments of interest, fees or other amounts paid or payable in kind from and after the Assignment Date to the Assignee.
3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
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EXHIBIT C
[FORM OF]
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT dated as of May 9, 2019, among MACY’S, INC. (the “Parent”), MACY’S RETAIL HOLDINGS, INC. (the “Borrower”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among the Parent, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent. The obligations of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks to extend credit to the Borrower are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Parent is the parent company of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and is willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Credit Agreement. (a) Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings specified in the Credit Agreement.
(b) The rules of construction specified in Section 1.03 of the Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement.
SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
“Credit Parties” means (a) the Lenders, (b) the Administrative Agent, (c) the Issuing Banks, (d) the beneficiaries of the Borrower’s indemnification obligations under the Credit Agreement and (e) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing.
“Obligations” means the due and punctual payment by the Borrower of (a) the principal of and interest (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) on the Loans, when and as due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, upon one or more dates set for prepayment or otherwise, (b) each payment required to be made by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement in respect of any Letter of Credit, when and as due, including payments in respect of reimbursement of disbursements, interest thereon (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) and obligations to provide cash collateral, and (c) all other monetary obligations of the Borrower to
any of the Credit Parties under the Credit Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents, including obligations to pay fees, expense reimbursement obligations and indemnification obligations, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed or otherwise (including monetary obligations incurred during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding).
ARTICLE II
Guarantee
SECTION 2.01. Guarantee. The Parent unconditionally guarantees, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the due and punctual payment of the Obligations. The Parent further agrees that the Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice to or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Obligation. The Parent waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Borrower of any of the Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee and notice of protest for nonpayment.
SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment. The Parent further agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due and not of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by the Administrative Agent or any other Credit Party to any security held for the payment of the Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of the Administrative Agent or any other Credit Party in favor of the Borrower or any other Person.
SECTION 2.03. Limitations. (a) Except for termination of the Parent’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section 4.10, the obligations of the Parent hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of the Parent hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent or any other Credit Party to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise; (ii) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or provisions of, any Loan Document or any other agreement; (iii) the release of any security held by the Administrative Agent or any other Credit Party for the Obligations or any of them; (iv) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the payment of the Obligations; or (v) any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of the Parent or otherwise operate as a discharge of the Parent as a matter of law or equity (other than the payment in full in cash of all the Obligations). The Parent expressly authorizes the Credit Parties to take and hold security for the payment and performance of the Obligations, to exchange, waive or release any or all such security (with or without consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner of any sale thereof in their sole discretion or to release or substitute any one or more
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other guarantors or obligors upon or in respect of the Obligations, all without affecting the obligations of the Parent hereunder.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Parent waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the Borrower or the unenforceability of the Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of the Borrower, other than the payment in full in cash of all the Obligations. The Administrative Agent and the other Credit Parties may, at their election, foreclose on any security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Obligations, make any other accommodation with the Borrower or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against the Borrower, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of the Parent hereunder except to the extent the Obligations have been paid in full in cash. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Parent waives any defense arising out of any such election even though such election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of the Parent against the Borrower or any security.
SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement. The Parent agrees that its guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Administrative Agent or any other Credit Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 2.04 shall survive any termination under Section 4.10.
SECTION 2.05. Agreement To Pay; Subrogation. In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the Administrative Agent or any other Credit Party has at law or in equity against the Parent by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Borrower to pay any Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, the Parent hereby promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the Administrative Agent for distribution to the applicable Credit Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid Obligation. Upon payment by the Parent of any sums to the Administrative Agent as provided above, all rights of the Parent against the Borrower arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise shall in all respects be subject to Article III.
SECTION 2.06. Information. The Parent assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that the Parent assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that none of the Administrative Agent or the other Credit Parties will have any duty to advise the Parent of information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.
ARTICLE III
Subordination
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SECTION 3.01. Subordination. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Parent in respect of indemnity, contribution or subrogation under applicable law or otherwise, shall be fully subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations.
ARTICLE IV
Miscellaneous
SECTION 4.01. Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 4.02. Waivers; Amendment. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under the Credit Agreement 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 Credit Agreement are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 4.02, 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. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no sale, assignment, novation, transfer or delegation by any Lender of any of its rights or obligations under the Credit Agreement shall, or shall be deemed, to extinguish any of the rights, benefits or privileges afforded by any guarantee created hereunder in relation to such of its rights or obligations, and all such rights, benefits and privileges shall continue to accrue, to the full extent thereof, for the benefit of the permitted assignee, transferee or delegee of such Lender in connection with each such sale, assignment, novation, transfer and delegation. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 9.02 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 4.03. Successors and Assigns. Whenever in this Agreement any party hereto is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to include the permitted successors and assigns of such party; and all covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of the Parent,
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the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that are contained in this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
SECTION 4.04. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments prepared or delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks 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 or on behalf of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks 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 under the Credit Agreement, 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 any Loan Document is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.
SECTION 4.05. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement. 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. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile transmission, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement. 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 Loan Party, and thereafter shall be binding upon each Loan Party and the Administrative Agent, and shall inure to the benefit of each Loan Party, the Administrative Agent and the other Credit Parties and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Loan Party shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein (and any such assignment or transfer shall be void) except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 4.06. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or uneforceability 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. The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.
SECTION 4.07. Right of Set-Off. 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
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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 Parent against any of and all the obligations of the Parent now or hereafter existing under this Agreement owed to such Lender, irrespective of whether or not any demand for payment thereof has been made under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section 4.07 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) which such Lender may have.
SECTION 4.08. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
SECTION 4.09. 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 are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
SECTION 4.10. Termination. Subject to Section 2.04, this Agreement and the guarantee made herein shall terminate when the Commitments have terminated, all the Obligations have been paid in full, the LC Exposure has been reduced to zero and the Issuing Banks have no further obligations to issue Letters of Credit under the Credit Agreement.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
MACY’S, INC.,
By | Name: Title: |
MACY’S RETAIL HOLDINGS, INC.,
By | Name: Title: |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT,
By | Name: Title: |
EXHIBIT D-1
[FORM OF]
U.S. TAX CERTIFICATE
(For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Macy’s Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (v) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF LENDER]
By: | Name: Title: |
Date: _____________ ____, 20[ ]
EXHIBIT D-2
[FORM OF]
U.S. TAX CERTIFICATE
(For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
(For Non-U.S. Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Macy’s Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (vi) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s or its direct or indirect partners/members’ conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF LENDER]
By: | Name: Title: |
Date ____________ ____, 20[ ]
EXHIBIT D-3
[FORM OF]
U.S. TAX CERTIFICATE
(For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
(For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Macy’s Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (v) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By: | Name: Title: |
Date: ____________ ____, 20[ ]
EXHIBIT D-4
[FORM OF]
U.S. TAX CERTIFICATE
(For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
(For Non-U.S. Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2019 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Macy’s Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect to such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (vi) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s or its direct or indirect partners/members’ conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W- 8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W- 8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W- 8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By: | Name: Title: |
DATE: ____________ ____, 20[ ]