CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 7, 2006 among HURON CONSULTING GROUP INC., as the Company THE VARIOUS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PARTY HERETO, as Lenders, and LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,...
EXHIBIT
10.1
dated
as of June 7, 2006
among
as
the Company
THE
VARIOUS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PARTY HERETO,
as
Lenders,
and
LASALLE
BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
Administrative Agent
LASALLE
BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
Arranger
and
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as
Syndication Agent
SECTION
1.
|
DEFINITIONS.
|
1
|
1.1
|
Definitions
|
1
|
1.2
|
Other
Interpretive Provisions
|
16
|
SECTION
2.
|
COMMITMENTS
OF THE LENDERS; BORROWING, CONVERSION AND LETTER OF CREDIT
PROCEDURES.
|
17
|
2.1
|
Commitments
|
17
|
2.2
|
Loan
Procedures
|
17
|
2.3
|
Letter
of Credit Procedures
|
21
|
2.4
|
Commitments
Several
|
24
|
2.5
|
Certain
Conditions
|
24
|
SECTION
3.
|
EVIDENCING
OF LOANS.
|
24
|
3.1
|
Notes
|
24
|
3.2
|
Recordkeeping
|
24
|
SECTION
4.
|
INTEREST.
|
24
|
4.1
|
Interest
Rates
|
24
|
4.2
|
Interest
Payment Dates
|
25
|
4.3
|
Setting
and Notice of LIBOR Rates
|
25
|
4.4
|
Computation
of Interest
|
25
|
SECTION
5.
|
FEES.
|
25
|
5.1
|
Non-Use
Fee
|
25
|
5.2
|
Letter
of Credit Fees
|
26
|
5.3
|
Administrative
Agent’s Fees
|
26
|
SECTION
6.
|
REDUCTION
OR TERMINATION OF THE REVOLVING COMMITMENT; PREPAYMENTS.
|
26
|
6.1
|
Reduction
or Termination of the Revolving Commitment
|
26
|
6.2
|
Prepayments
|
27
|
6.3
|
Manner
of Prepayments
|
27
|
6.4
|
Repayments
|
27
|
SECTION
7.
|
MAKING
AND PRORATION OF PAYMENTS; SETOFF; TAXES.
|
27
|
7.1
|
Making
of Payments
|
28
|
7.2
|
Application
of Certain Payments
|
28
|
7.3
|
Due
Date Extension
|
28
|
7.4
|
Setoff
|
29
|
7.5
|
Proration
of Payments
|
29
|
7.6
|
Taxes
|
29
|
SECTION
8.
|
INCREASED
COSTS; SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR LIBOR LOANS.
|
31
|
8.1
|
Increased
Costs
|
31
|
8.2
|
Basis
for Determining Interest Rate Inadequate or Unfair
|
32
|
8.3
|
Changes
in Law Rendering LIBOR Loans Unlawful
|
33
|
8.4
|
Funding
Losses
|
33
|
8.5
|
Right
of Lenders to Fund through Other Offices
|
33
|
8.6
|
Discretion
of Lenders as to Manner of Funding
|
34
|
8.7
|
Mitigation
of Circumstances; Replacement of Lenders
|
34
|
8.8
|
Conclusiveness
of Statements; Survival of Provisions
|
35
|
SECTION
9.
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES.
|
35
|
9.1
|
Organization
|
35
|
9.2
|
Authorization;
No Conflict
|
35
|
9.3
|
Validity
and Binding Nature
|
35
|
9.4
|
Financial
Condition
|
36
|
9.5
|
No
Material Adverse Change
|
36
|
9.6
|
Litigation
and Contingent Liabilities
|
36
|
9.7
|
Ownership
of Properties; Liens
|
36
|
9.8
|
Equity
Ownership; Subsidiaries
|
36
|
9.9
|
Pension
Plans
|
37
|
9.10
|
Investment
Company Act
|
37
|
9.11
|
[Intentionally
Omitted]
|
38
|
9.12
|
Regulation
U
|
38
|
9.13
|
Taxes
|
38
|
9.14
|
Solvency,
etc
|
38
|
9.15
|
Environmental
Matters
|
38
|
9.16
|
Insurance
|
39
|
9.17
|
Real
Property
|
39
|
9.18
|
Information
|
39
|
9.19
|
Intellectual
Property
|
40
|
9.20
|
Burdensome
Obligations
|
40
|
9.21
|
Labor
Matters
|
40
|
9.22
|
No
Default
|
40
|
SECTION
10.
|
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS.
|
40
|
10.1
|
Reports,
Certificates and Other Information
|
40
|
10.2
|
Books,
Records and Inspections
|
43
|
10.3
|
Maintenance
of Property; Insurance
|
43
|
10.4
|
Compliance
with Laws; Payment of Taxes and Liabilities
|
44
|
10.5
|
Maintenance
of Existence, etc
|
44
|
10.6
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
44
|
10.7
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
45
|
10.8
|
Environmental
Matters
|
45
|
10.9
|
Further
Assurances
|
45
|
SECTION
11.
|
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
46
|
11.1
|
Debt
|
46
|
11.2
|
Liens
|
47
|
11.3
|
Restricted
Payments
|
48
|
11.4
|
Mergers,
Consolidations, Sales
|
48
|
11.5
|
Modification
of Organizational Documents
|
49
|
11.6
|
Transactions
with Affiliates
|
49
|
11.7
|
Unconditional
Purchase Obligations
|
50
|
11.8
|
Inconsistent
Agreements
|
50
|
11.9
|
Business
Activities; Issuance of Equity
|
50
|
11.10
|
Investments
|
50
|
11.11
|
Fiscal
Year
|
52
|
11.12
|
Financial
Covenants
|
52
|
SECTION
12.
|
EFFECTIVENESS;
CONDITIONS OF LENDING, ETC.
|
52
|
12.1
|
Initial
Credit Extension
|
53
|
12.2
|
Conditions
|
54
|
SECTION
13.
|
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND THEIR EFFECT.
|
55
|
13.1
|
Events
of Default
|
55
|
13.2
|
Effect
of Event of Xxxxxxx
|
00
|
XXXXXXX
00.
|
THE
AGENT.
|
57
|
14.1
|
Appointment
and Authorization
|
57
|
14.2
|
Issuing
Lender
|
57
|
14.3
|
Delegation
of Duties
|
57
|
14.4
|
Exculpation
of Administrative Agent
|
57
|
14.5
|
Reliance
by Administrative Agent
|
58
|
14.6
|
Notice
of Default
|
58
|
14.7
|
Credit
Decision
|
59
|
14.8
|
Indemnification
|
59
|
14.9
|
Administrative
Agent in Individual Capacity
|
60
|
14.10
|
Successor
Administrative Agent
|
60
|
14.11
|
Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim
|
61
|
14.12
|
Other
Agents; Arrangers and Managers
|
61
|
SECTION
15.
|
GENERAL.
|
62
|
15.1
|
Waiver;
Amendments
|
62
|
15.2
|
Confirmations
|
62
|
15.3
|
Notices
|
63
|
15.4
|
Computations
|
63
|
15.5
|
Costs,
Expenses and Taxes
|
63
|
15.6
|
Assignments;
Participations
|
64
|
15.7
|
Register
|
65
|
15.8
|
GOVERNING
LAW
|
66
|
15.9
|
Confidentiality
|
66
|
15.10
|
Severability
|
67
|
15.11
|
Nature
of Remedies
|
67
|
15.12
|
Entire
Agreement
|
67
|
15.13
|
Counterparts
|
67
|
15.14
|
Successors
and Assigns
|
67
|
15.15
|
Captions
|
68
|
15.16
|
Customer
Identification - USA Patriot Act Notice
|
68
|
15.17
|
INDEMNIFICATION
BY THE COMPANY
|
68
|
15.18
|
Nonliability
of Lenders
|
69
|
15.19
|
FORUM
SELECTION AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
|
70
|
15.20
|
WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
|
70
|
ANNEXES
ANNEX
A Lenders
and Pro Rata Shares
ANNEX
B Addresses
for Notices
SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE
9.6 Litigation
and Contingent Liabilities
SCHEDULE
9.8 Subsidiaries
SCHEDULE
9.16 Insurance
SCHEDULE
9.17 Real
Property
SCHEDULE
9.21 Labor
Matters
SCHEDULE
11.1 Existing
Debt
SCHEDULE
11.2 Existing
Liens
SCHEDULE
11.11 Investments
SCHEDULE
12.1 Debt
to
be Repaid
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT
A Revolving
Note (Section 3.1)
EXHIBIT
B Form
of
Compliance Certificate (Section 10.1.3)
EXHIBIT
C Form
of
Assignment Agreement (Section 15.6.1)
EXHIBIT
D Form
of
Notice of Borrowing (Section 2.2.2)
EXHIBIT
E Form
of
Notice of Conversion/Continuation (Section 2.2.3)
THIS
CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June
7, 2006
(this
“Agreement”)
is
entered into among HURON
CONSULTING GROUP INC. (the
“Company”),
the
financial institutions that are or may from time to time become parties hereto
(together with their respective successors and assigns, the “Lenders”)
and
LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (in its individual capacity, “LaSalle”),
as
administrative agent for the Lenders.
The
Lenders have agreed to make available to the Company an unsecured revolving
credit facility (which includes letters of credit) upon the terms and conditions
set forth herein.
In
consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
SECTION 1. |
DEFINITIONS.
|
1.1 Definitions
.
When
used herein the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Account
Debtor
is
defined in the Guaranty Agreement.
Acquired
Debt
means
mortgage Debt or Debt with respect to Capital Leases of a Person existing at
the
time such Person became a Subsidiary or assumed by the Company or a Subsidiary
of the Company pursuant to an Acquisition permitted hereunder (and not created
or incurred in connection with or in anticipation of such Acquisition) which
is
otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
Acquisition
means
any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or
resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or
substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of all or substantially all
of
any business or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50%
of
the Capital Securities of any Person, or otherwise causing any Person to become
a Subsidiary, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with
another Person (other than a Person that is already a Subsidiary).
Administrative
Agent
means
LaSalle in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder and
any successor thereto in such capacity.
Affected
Loan
- see
Section
8.3.
Affiliate
of any
Person means (a) any other Person which, directly or indirectly, controls or
is
controlled by or is under common control with such Person, (b) any officer
or
director of such Person and (c) with respect to any Lender, any entity
administered or managed by such Lender or an Affiliate or investment advisor
thereof and which is
-
1
-
engaged
in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans.
A
Person shall be deemed to be “controlled by” any other Person if such Person
possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 25% or more of the securities
(on a fully diluted basis) having ordinary voting power for the election of
directors or managers or power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise. Unless
expressly stated otherwise herein, neither the Administrative Agent nor any
Lender shall be deemed an Affiliate of any Loan Party.
Agent
Fee Letter
means
the Fee letter dated as of June 7, 2006 between the Company and the
Administrative Agent.
Agreement
- see
the Preamble.
Applicable
Margin
means,
for any day, the rate per annum set forth below opposite the level (the
“Level”)
then
in effect, it being understood that the Applicable Margin for (i) LIBOR Loans
shall be the percentage set forth under the column “LIBOR Margin”,
(ii) Base Rate Loans shall be the percentage set forth under the column
“Base Rate Margin”, (iii) the Non-Use Fee Rate shall be the percentage set forth
under the column “Non-Use Fee Rate” and (iv) the L/C Fee shall be the percentage
set forth under the column “L/C Fee Rate”:
Level
|
Total
Debt
to
EBITDA Ratio
|
LIBOR
Margin
|
Base
Rate Margin
|
Non-Use
Fee
Rate
|
L/C
Fee
Rate
|
I
|
Greater
than 2.5:1
|
150.0
bps
|
0
bps
|
27.5
bps
|
150.0
bps
|
II
|
Greater
than 2.00:1 but less than or equal to 2.50:1
|
125.0
bps
|
0
bps
|
25.0
bps
|
125.0
bps
|
III
|
Greater
than 1.50:1 but less than or equal to 2.00:1
|
100.0
bps
|
0
bps
|
25.0
bps
|
100.0
bps
|
IV
|
Greater
than 1.00:1 but less than or equal to 1.50:1
|
75.0
bps
|
-50.0
bps
|
20.0
bps
|
75.0
bps
|
V
|
Greater
than .50:1 but less than or equal to 1.00:1
|
62.5
bps
|
-50.0
bps
|
15.0
bps
|
62.5
bps
|
VI
|
Less
than or equal to .50:1
|
50.0
bps
|
-50.0
bps
|
12.5
bps
|
50.0
bps
|
The
LIBOR
Margin, the Base Rate Margin, the Non-Use Fee Rate and the L/C Fee Rate shall
be
adjusted, to the extent applicable, on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the
Company provides or is required to provide the annual and quarterly financial
statements and other information pursuant to Section
10.1.1
or
10.1.2,
as
applicable, and the related Compliance Certificate, pursuant to Section
10.1.3.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this paragraph to the contrary, (a) if
the
Company fails to deliver the financial statements and Compliance Certificate
in
accordance with the provisions of
-
2
-
Sections
10.1.1, 10.1.2 and 10.1.3, the LIBOR Margin, the Base Rate
Margin, the Non-Use Fee Rate and the L/C Fee Rate shall be based upon Level
I
above beginning on the date such financial statements and Compliance Certificate
were required to be delivered until the fifth (5th) Business Day after such
financial statements and Compliance Certificate are actually delivered,
whereupon the Applicable Margin shall be determined by the then current Level;
(b) no reduction to any Applicable Margin shall become effective at any time
when an Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing; and (c) the initial Applicable Margin on the Closing Date shall
be
based upon Level VI until the date on which the financial statements and
Compliance Certificate are required to be delivered for the Fiscal Quarter
ending June 30, 2006.
Asset
Disposition
means
the sale, lease, assignment or other transfer for value (each, a “Disposition”)
by any
Loan Party to any Person (other than a Loan Party) of any asset or right of
such
Loan Party (including, the loss, destruction or damage of any thereof or any
actual or threatened (in writing to any Loan Party) condemnation, confiscation,
requisition, seizure or taking thereof) other than (a) the Disposition of any
asset which is to be replaced, and is in fact replaced, within 30 days with
another asset performing the same or a similar function, (b) the sale or lease
of inventory in the ordinary course of business and (c) other Dispositions
in
any Fiscal Year the Net Proceeds of which do not in the aggregate exceed, singly
or in the aggregate, $500,000.00.
Assignee
- see
Section
15.6.1.
Assignment
Agreement
- see
Section
15.6.1.
Attorney
Costs
means,
with respect to any Person, all reasonable fees and charges of any counsel
to
such Person, the reasonable allocable cost of internal legal services of such
Person, all reasonable disbursements of such internal counsel and all court
costs and similar legal expenses.
Bank
Products
means
any service or facility extended to any Loan Party by any Lender or its
Affiliates in connection with the Loan Documents or the transactions
contemplated thereby including: (a) credit cards, (b) credit card processing
services, (c) debit cards, (d) purchase cards, (e) ACH transactions, (f) cash
management, including controlled disbursement, accounts or services, or (g)
Hedging Agreements.
Base
Rate
means at
any time the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.5% and (b) the
Prime Rate.
Base
Rate Loan
means
any Loan which bears interest at or by reference to the Base Rate.
Base
Rate Margin
- see
the definition of Applicable Margin.
BSA
- see
Section
10.4.
-
3
-
Business
Day
means
any day on which LaSalle is open for commercial banking business in Chicago,
Illinois and, in the case of a Business Day which relates to a LIBOR Loan,
on
which dealings are carried on in the London interbank eurodollar
market.
Capital
Lease
means,
with respect to any Person, any lease of (or other agreement conveying the
right
to use) any real or personal property by such Person that, in conformity with
GAAP, is accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of such
Person.
Capital
Securities
means,
with respect to any Person, all shares, interests, participations or other
equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) of such Person’s
capital, whether now outstanding or issued or acquired after the Closing Date,
including common shares, preferred shares, membership interests in a limited
liability company, limited or general partnership interests in a partnership,
interests in a trust, interests in other unincorporated organizations or any
other equivalent of such ownership interest.
Cash
Collateralize
means to
deliver cash collateral to the Administrative Agent, to be held as cash
collateral for outstanding Letters of Credit, pursuant to documentation
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Derivatives of such term have
corresponding meanings.
Cash
Equivalent Investment
means,
at any time, (a) any evidence of Debt, maturing not more than one year after
such time, issued or guaranteed by the United States Government or any agency
thereof, (b) commercial paper, maturing not more than one year from the date
of
issue, or corporate demand notes, in each case (unless issued by a Lender or
its
holding company) rated at least A-l by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a
division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc. or P-l by Xxxxx’x Investors Service,
Inc., (c) any certificate of deposit, time deposit or banker’s acceptance,
maturing not more than one year after such time, or any overnight Federal Funds
transaction that is issued or sold by any Lender or its holding company (or
by a
commercial banking institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System
and has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than
$500,000,000), (d) any repurchase agreement entered into with any Lender (or
commercial banking institution of the nature referred to in clause
(c))
which
(i) is secured by a fully perfected security interest in any obligation of
the
type described in any of clauses
(a)
through
(c)
above
and (ii) has a market value at the time such repurchase agreement is entered
into of not less than 100% of the repurchase obligation of such Lender (or
other
commercial banking institution) thereunder and (e) money market accounts or
mutual funds which invest exclusively in assets satisfying the foregoing
requirements, and (f) other short term liquid investments approved in writing
by
the Administrative Agent.
Change
of Control
means
the occurrence of any of the following events: (a) Any Person or group of
Persons (within the meaning of Section 13 or 14 of the Securities Exchange
Act
of 1934 (the "Act"), but excluding any Specified Person (as
defined
-
4
-
below))
shall acquire beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under such Act) of more than 25% of the outstanding securities (on a fully
diluted basis and taking into account any securities or contract rights
exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into equity securities) of the Company
having voting rights in the election of directors under normal circumstances;
(b) a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company shall
cease to be Continuing Members; or (c) the Company shall cease to, directly
or
indirectly, own and control 66% of each class of the outstanding Capital
Securities of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary. For purposes of the foregoing,
"Continuing
Member"
means a
member of the Board of Directors of the Company who either (i) was a member
of
the Company's Board of Directors on the day before the Closing Date and has
been
such continuously thereafter or (ii) became a member of such Board of Directors
after the day before the Closing Date and whose election or nomination for
election was approved by a vote of the majority of the Continuing Members then
members of the Company's Board of Directors; and "Specified
Person"
means
HCG Holdings LLC and its current or former members and their Affiliates (as
defined under the Act).
Closing
Date
- see
Section
12.1
Code
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Commitment
means,
as to any Lender, such Lender’s commitment to make Loans, and to issue or
participate in Letters of Credit, under this Agreement. The initial amount
of
each Lender’s commitment to make Loans is set forth on Annex
A.
Company
- see
the Preamble.
Compliance
Certificate
means a
Compliance Certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit
B.
Computation
Period
means
each period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ending on the last day of a
Fiscal Quarter.
Consolidated
Net Income
means,
with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries for any period, the net income
(or loss) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period.
Contingent
Liability
means,
with respect to any Person, each obligation and liability of such Person and
all
such obligations and liabilities of such Person incurred pursuant to any
agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person: (a) guarantees,
endorses or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon (by direct or
indirect agreement, contingent or otherwise, to provide funds for payment,
to
supply funds to, or otherwise to invest in, a debtor, or otherwise to assure
a
creditor against loss) the indebtedness, dividend, obligation or other liability
of any other Person in any manner (other than by endorsement of instruments
in
the course of collection), including any indebtedness, dividend or other
obligation which may be issued or incurred at some future time; (b) guarantees
the payment of dividends or other distributions upon the Capital Securities
of
any other Person; (c) undertakes or agrees (whether contingently
-
5
-
or otherwise): (i) to purchase, repurchase, or otherwise acquire any indebtedness, obligation or liability of any other Person or any property or assets constituting security therefor, (ii) to advance or provide funds for the payment or discharge of any indebtedness, obligation or liability of any other Person (whether in the form of loans, advances, stock purchases, capital contributions or otherwise), or to maintain solvency, assets, level of income, working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or (iii) to make payment to any other Person other than for value received; (d) agrees to lease property or to purchase securities, property or services from such other Person with the purpose or intent of assuring the owner of such indebtedness or obligation of the ability of such other Person to make payment of the indebtedness or obligation; (e) to induce the issuance of, or in connection with the issuance of, any letter of credit for the benefit of such other Person; or (f) undertakes or agrees otherwise to assure a creditor against loss. The amount of any Contingent Liability shall (subject to any limitation set forth herein) be deemed to be the outstanding principal amount (or maximum permitted principal amount, if larger) of the indebtedness, obligation or other liability guaranteed or supported thereby. The term “Contingent Liability” shall exclude endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business and product and services warranties extended in the ordinary course of business.
Controlled
Group
means
all members of a controlled group of corporations, all members of a controlled
group of trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control
and all members of an affiliated service group which, together with the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section
414
of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.
Debt
of any
Person means, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person, (b)
all
borrowed money of such Person, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures,
notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person as lessee
under
Capital Leases which have been or should be recorded as liabilities on a balance
sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, (d) all obligations of such Person
to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade
accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (e) all indebtedness
secured by a Lien on the property of such Person, whether or not such
indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person; provided
that if
such Person has not assumed or otherwise become liable for such indebtedness,
such indebtedness shall be measured at the fair market value of such property
securing such indebtedness at the time of determination, (f) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, with respect to the face amount of all letters of
credit (whether or not drawn), bankers’ acceptances and similar obligations
issued for the account of such Person (including the Letters of Credit), (g)
all
Hedging Obligations of such Person, (h) all Contingent Liabilities of such
Person, (i) all Debt of any partnership of which such Person is a general
partner and (j) any Capital Securities or other equity instrument, whether
or
not mandatorily redeemable, that under GAAP is characterized as debt, whether
pursuant to financial accounting standards board issuance No. 150 or
otherwise.
Debt
to be Repaid
means
Debt listed on Schedule
12.1.
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6
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Defaulting
Lender
- see
Section
2.4.
Dollar
and the
sign “$”
mean
lawful money of the United States of America.
EBITDA
means,
for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus,
to the
extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, Interest Expense,
income tax expense, depreciation, amortization, non-cash stock compensation
expense (including FAS123R impact) for such period.
Environmental
Claims
means
all claims, however asserted, by any governmental, regulatory or judicial
authority or other Person alleging potential liability or responsibility for
violation of any Environmental Law, or for release or injury to the
environment.
Environmental
Laws
means
all present or future federal, state or local laws, statutes, common law duties,
rules, regulations, ordinances and codes, together with all administrative
or
judicial orders, consent agreements, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any governmental authority,
in each case relating to any matter arising out of or relating to public health
and safety, or pollution or protection of the environment or workplace,
including any of the foregoing relating to the presence, use, production,
generation, handling, transport, treatment, storage, disposal, distribution,
discharge, emission, release, threatened release, control or cleanup of any
Hazardous Substance.
ERISA
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
Event
of Default
means
any of the events described in Section
13.1.
Excluded
Taxes
means
taxes based upon, or measured by, the Lender’s or Administrative Agent’s (or a
branch of the Lender’s or Administrative Agent’s) overall net income, overall
net receipts, or overall net profits (including franchise taxes imposed in
lieu
of such taxes), but only to the extent such taxes are imposed by a taxing
authority (a) in a jurisdiction in which such Lender or Administrative Agent
is
organized, (b) in a jurisdiction which the Lender’s or Administrative Agent’s
principal office is located, or (c) in a jurisdiction in which such Lender’s or
Administrative Agent’s lending office (or branch) in respect of which payments
under this Agreement are made is located.
Federal
Funds Rate
means,
for any day, a fluctuating interest rate equal for each day during such period
to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions
with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers,
as
published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next
preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such
rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the average of
the
quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative
Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the
Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent’s determination of such rate
shall be binding and conclusive absent manifest error.
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7
-
Fiscal
Quarter
means a
fiscal quarter of a Fiscal Year.
Fiscal
Year
means
the fiscal year of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which period shall be
the
12-month period ending on December 31 of each year. References to a Fiscal
Year
with a number corresponding to any calendar year (e.g., “Fiscal
Year 2006”)
refer
to the Fiscal Year ending on December 31 of such calendar year.
Foreign
Subsidiary
shall
mean any Subsidiary of the Company not organized in the United States of America
or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
FRB
means
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any successor
thereto.
GAAP
means
generally accepted accounting principles set forth from time to time in the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of
the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies with similar functions
of
comparable stature and authority within the U.S. accounting profession) and
the
Securities and Exchange Commission, which are applicable to the circumstances
as
of the date of determination.
Group
- see
Section
2.2.1.
Guaranty
Agreement
means
the Guaranty Agreement dated as of the date hereof executed and delivered by
the
Guarantors, together with any joinders thereto and any other Guaranty Agreement
executed by a Guarantor, in each case in form and substance satisfactory to
the
Administrative Agent.
Guarantor
means
each Subsidiary of the Company, and its respective successors and assigns;
provided, however, that no Foreign Subsidiary of the Company shall be required
to become a Guarantor to the extent that, and so long as, the Company notifies
the Administrative Agent that the Company has determined in good faith that:
(i)
doing so would result in material adverse tax consequences upon any Loan Party;
and (ii) the failure of such Foreign Subsidiary to become a Guarantor shall
not,
and is not reasonably anticipated to, have a material adverse affect on the
financial condition, business operations or creditworthiness of any Loan Party.
If it is determined pursuant to the foregoing sentence that a Foreign Subsidiary
is required to become a Guarantor, it shall become a Guarantor within sixty
(60)
days after its formation or acquisition by a Loan Party. If it is determined
that a Foreign Subsidiary is not required to be a Guarantor and thereafter
that
either of the conditions in (i) or (ii) of this paragraph ceases to be
applicable (due to a change in the tax laws or a financial restructuring of
the
Foreign Subsidiary or any other reason), then the Foreign Subsidiary shall
become a Guarantor within sixty (60) days after such determination is made.
Notwithstanding the above, Huron Consulting Group Holdings (UK) Limited and
Huron Consulting Group Limited shall not be required to become Guarantors
hereunder so long as such Subsidiaries are dissolved on or before December
31,
2006.
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8
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Hazardous
Substances
means
(a) any petroleum or petroleum products, radioactive materials, asbestos in
any form that is or could become friable, urea formaldehyde foam insulation,
dielectric fluid containing levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas
and
mold; (b) any chemicals, materials, pollutant or substances defined as or
included in the definition of “hazardous substances”, “hazardous waste”,
“hazardous materials”, “extremely hazardous substances”, “restricted hazardous
waste”, “toxic substances”, “toxic pollutants”, “contaminants”, “pollutants” or
words of similar import, under any applicable Environmental Law; and
(c) any other chemical, material or substance, the exposure to, or release
of which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any governmental authority
or
for which any duty or standard of care is imposed pursuant to, any Environmental
Law.
Hedging
Agreement
means
any interest rate, currency or commodity swap agreement, cap agreement or collar
agreement, and any other agreement or arrangement designed to protect a Person
against fluctuations in interest rates, currency exchange rates or commodity
prices.
Hedging
Obligation
means,
with respect to any Person, any liability of such Person under any Hedging
Agreement.
Indemnified
Liabilities
- see
Section
15.17.
Interest
Coverage Ratio
means,
for any Computation Period, the ratio of (a) EBITDA for such Computation Period
to (b) cash Interest Expense for such Computation Period.
Interest
Expense
means
for any period the consolidated interest expense of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for such period (including all imputed interest on Capital
Leases).
Interest
Period
means,
as to any LIBOR Loan, the period commencing on the date such Loan is borrowed
or
continued as, or converted into, a LIBOR Loan and ending on the date one, two,
three or six months thereafter as selected by the Company pursuant to
Section
2.2.2
or
2.2.3,
as the
case may be; provided
that:
(a) if
any
Interest Period would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such
Interest Period shall be extended to the following Business Day unless the
result of such extension would be to carry such Interest Period into another
calendar month, in which event such Interest Period shall end on the preceding
Business Day;
(b) any
Interest Period that begins on a day for which there is no numerically
corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period
shall
end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest
Period; and
(c) the
Company may not select any Interest Period for a Revolving Loan which would
extend beyond the scheduled Termination Date.
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9
-
Investment
means,
with respect to any Person, any investment in another Person, whether by
acquisition of any debt or Capital Security, by making any loan or advance,
by
becoming obligated with respect to a Contingent Liability in respect of
obligations of such other Person (other than travel and similar advances to
employees in the ordinary course of business) or by making an
Acquisition.
Issuing
Lender
means
LaSalle, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any
Affiliate of LaSalle that may from time to time issue Letters of Credit, and
their successors and assigns in such capacity.
LaSalle
- see
the Preamble.
L/C
Application
means,
with respect to any request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit, a letter
of
credit application in the form being used by the Issuing Lender at the time
of
such request for the type of letter of credit requested.
L/C
Fee Rate
- see
the definition of Applicable Margin.
Lender
- see
the Preamble.
References to the “Lenders” shall include the Issuing Lender; for purposes of
clarification only, to the extent that LaSalle (or any successor Issuing Lender)
may have any rights or obligations in addition to those of the other Lenders
due
to its status as Issuing Lender, its status as such will be specifically
referenced.
Letter
of Credit
- see
Section
2.1.2.
LIBOR
Loan
means
any Loan which bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the LIBOR
Rate.
LIBOR
Margin
- see
the definition of Applicable Margin.
LIBOR
Office
means
with respect to any Lender the office or offices of such Lender which shall
be
making or maintaining the LIBOR Loans of such Lender hereunder. A LIBOR Office
of any Lender may be, at the option of such Lender, either a domestic or foreign
office.
LIBOR
Rate
means a
rate of interest equal to (a) the per annum rate of interest at which United
States dollar deposits in an amount comparable to the amount of the relevant
LIBOR Loan and for a period equal to the relevant Interest Period are offered
in
the London Interbank Eurodollar market at 11:00 A.M. (London time) two (2)
Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period (or three (3)
Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period if banks in
London, England were not open and dealing in offshore United States dollars
on
such second preceding Business Day), as displayed in the Bloomberg
Financial Markets
system
(or other authoritative source selected by the Administrative Agent in its
sole
discretion) or, if the Bloomberg
Financial Markets
system
or another authoritative source is not available, as the LIBOR Rate is otherwise
determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole and absolute discretion,
divided by (b) a number determined by subtracting from 1.00 the
-
10
-
then stated maximum reserve percentage for determining reserves to be maintained by member banks of the Federal Reserve System for Eurocurrency funding or liabilities as defined in Regulation D (or any successor category of liabilities under Regulation D), such rate to remain fixed for such Interest Period. The Administrative Agent’s determination of the LIBOR Rate shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
Lien
means,
with respect to any Person, any interest granted by such Person in any real
or
personal property, asset or other right owned or being purchased or acquired
by
such Person (including an interest in respect of a Capital Lease) which secures
payment or performance of any obligation and shall include any mortgage, lien,
encumbrance, title retention lien, charge or other security interest of any
kind, whether arising by contract, as a matter of law, by judicial process
or
otherwise.
Loan
Documents
means
this Agreement, the Notes, the Letters of Credit, the Master Letter of Credit
Agreement, the L/C Applications, the Agent Fee Letter, the Guaranty Agreement,
and all documents, instruments and agreements delivered in connection with
the
foregoing.
Loan
Party
means
the Company and each Subsidiary, excluding Huron Consulting Group Holdings
(UK)
Limited and Huron Consulting Group Limited so long as such two Subsidiaries
are
dissolved on or before December 31, 2006.
Loan
or Loans
means,
as the context may require, Revolving Loans, and/or Swing Line
Loans.
Margin
Stock
means
any “margin stock” as defined in Regulation U.
Master
Letter of Credit Agreement
means,
at any time, with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, a master letter
of credit agreement or reimbursement agreement in the form, if any, being used
by the Issuing Lender at such time.
Material
Adverse Effect
means
(a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the
financial condition, operations, assets, business or properties of the Loan
Parties taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan
Party to perform any of the Obligations under any Loan Document or (c) a
material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or
enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document.
Multiemployer
Pension Plan
means a
multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the
Company or any other member of the Controlled Group may have any
liability.
Net
Cash Proceeds
means:
(a) with
respect to any Asset Disposition, the aggregate cash proceeds (including cash
proceeds received pursuant to policies of insurance or by way of deferred
payment of principal pursuant to a note, installment receivable or otherwise,
but only as and when received) received by any
-
11
-
Loan
Party pursuant to such Asset Disposition net of (i) the direct costs relating
to
such sale, transfer or other disposition (including sales commissions and legal,
accounting and investment banking fees), (ii) taxes paid or reasonably estimated
by the Company to be payable as a result thereof (after taking into account
any
available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements) and (iii)
amounts required to be applied to the repayment of any Debt secured by a Lien
on
the asset subject to such Asset Disposition (other than the Loans);
(b) with
respect to any issuance of Capital Securities, the aggregate cash proceeds
received by any Loan Party pursuant to such issuance, net of the direct costs
relating to such issuance (including sales and underwriters’ commissions);
and
(c) with
respect to any issuance of Debt, the aggregate cash proceeds received by any
Loan Party pursuant to such issuance, net of the direct costs of such issuance
(including up-front, underwriters’ and placement fees).
Net
Worth
means,
as of any date, the sum of the capital stock and additional paid-in capital
plus
retained earnings (or minus accumulated deficit) calculated in conformity with
GAAP.
Non-U.S.
Participant
- see
Section
7.6(d).
Non-Use
Fee Rate
- see
the definition of Applicable Margin.
Note
means a
promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit
A.
Notice
of Borrowing
- see
Section 2.2.2.
Notice
of Conversion/Continuation
- see
Section 2.2.3.
Obligations
means
all obligations (monetary (including post-petition interest, allowed or not)
or
otherwise) of any Loan Party under this Agreement and any other Loan Document
including Attorney Costs and any reimbursement obligations of each Loan Party
in
respect of Letters of Credit and surety bonds, all Hedging Obligations permitted
hereunder which are owed to any Lender or its Affiliate or Administrative Agent,
and all Bank Products Obligations, all in each case howsoever created, arising
or evidenced, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, now or
hereafter existing, or due or to become due.
OFAC
- see
Section 10.4.
Operating
Lease
means
any lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) any real or
personal property by any Loan Party, as lessee, other than any Capital
Lease.
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12
-
PBGC
means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any entity succeeding to any or
all
of its functions under ERISA.
Participant
- see
Section
15.6.2.
Pension
Plan
means a
“pension plan”, as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, which is
subject to Title IV of ERISA or the minimum funding standards of ERISA (other
than a Multiemployer Pension Plan), and as to which the Company or any member
of
the Controlled Group may have any liability, including any liability by reason
of having been a substantial employer within the meaning of Section 4063 of
ERISA at any time during the preceding five years, or by reason of being deemed
to be a contributing sponsor under Section 4069 of ERISA.
Permitted
Lien
means a
Lien expressly permitted hereunder pursuant to Section
11.2.
Person
means
any natural person, corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company,
association, governmental authority or unit, or any other entity, whether acting
in an individual, fiduciary or other capacity.
Prime
Rate
means,
for any day, the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced
from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate (whether or
not
such rate is actually charged by the Administrative Agent), which is not
intended to be the Administrative Agent’s lowest or most favorable rate of
interest at any one time. Any change in the Prime Rate announced by the
Administrative Agent shall take effect at the opening of business on the day
specified in the public announcement of such change; provided
that the
Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to give notice of any change in
the
Prime Rate.
Pro
Rata Share
means
with respect to a Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans, participate in
Letters of Credit, reimburse the Issuing Lender, and receive payments of
principal, interest, fees, costs, and expenses with respect thereto,
(x) prior to the Revolving Commitment being terminated or reduced to zero,
the percentage obtained by dividing (i) such Lender’s Commitment, by (ii) the
aggregate Commitment of all Lenders and (y) from and after the time the
Revolving Commitment has been terminated or reduced to zero, the percentage
obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of such Lender’s
Revolving Outstandings (after settlement and repayment of all Swing Line Loans
by the Lenders) by (ii) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving
Outstandings;
Refunded
Swing Line Loan
-
see
Section 2.2.4(c).
Regulation
D
means
Regulation D of the FRB.
Regulation
U
means
Regulation U of the FRB.
Replacement
Lender
- see
Section
8.7(b).
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13
-
Reportable
Event
means a
reportable event as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued
thereunder as to which the PBGC has not waived the notification requirement
of
Section 4043(a), or the failure of a Pension Plan to meet the minimum funding
standards of Section 412 of the Code (without regard to whether the Pension
Plan
is a plan described in Section 4021(a)(2) of ERISA) or under Section 302 of
ERISA.
Required
Lenders
means,
at any time, Lenders whose Pro Rata Shares exceed 66⅔% as determined pursuant to
the definition of “Pro Rata Share”; provided, however, that the Pro Rata Shares
of any Defaulting Lender shall not be included in the calculation of “Required
Lenders” for so long as such Lender remains a Defaulting Lender. In the event
that at any time there are only two Lenders, then Required Lenders means both
Lenders.
Revolving
Commitment
means
$75,000,000.00, as reduced from time to time pursuant to Section
6.1.
The
Company may elect, by giving written notice to the Administrative Agent, during
the term of this Agreement to increase the Revolving Commitment by up to
$25,000,000.00; provided that at the time of such election, and after giving
effect to such election, there is and would be no Unmatured Event of Default
or
Event of Default. Upon such election, the Administrative Agent will act on
a
best efforts basis to arrange for Lenders to provide such increase, with any
arrangement fees to be agreed upon between LaSalle and the Company. No Lender
will be obligated to provide any of such increase unless it approves of such
increase in writing.
Revolving
Loan -
see
Section
2.1.1.
Revolving
Loan Availability
means
the Revolving Commitment.
Revolving
Outstandings
means,
at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding
Revolving Loans, plus (b) the Stated Amount of all Letters of
Credit.
SEC
means
the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental authority
succeeding to any of the principal functions thereof.
Senior
Officer
means,
with respect to any Loan Party, any of the chief executive officer, the chief
financial officer, the chief operating officer or the treasurer of such Loan
Party.
Stated
Amount
means,
with respect to any Letter of Credit at any date of determination, (a) the
maximum aggregate amount available for drawing thereunder under any and all
circumstances plus (b) the aggregate amount of all unreimbursed payments and
disbursements under such Letter of Credit.
Subsidiary
means,
with respect to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited liability
company or other entity of which such Person owns, directly or indirectly,
such
number of outstanding Capital Securities as have more than 50% of the ordinary
voting power for the election of directors or other managers of such
corporation, partnership,
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14
-
limited liability company or other entity. Unless the context otherwise requires, each reference to Subsidiaries herein shall be a reference to Subsidiaries of the Company.
Swing
Line Availability
means
the lesser of (a) the Swing Line Commitment Amount and (b) Revolving Loan
Availability (less Revolving Outstandings at such time).
Swing
Line Commitment Amount
means
$10,000,000.00, as reduced from time to time pursuant to Section
6.1,
which
commitment constitutes a subfacility of the Commitment of the Swing Line
Lender.
Swing
Line Lender
means
LaSalle.
Swing
Line Loan
- see
Section
2.2.4.
Taxes
means
any and all present and future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions,
assessments, charges or withholdings, and any and all liabilities (including
interest and penalties and other additions to taxes) with respect to the
foregoing, but excluding Excluded Taxes.
Termination
Date
means
the earlier to occur of (a) May 31, 2011 or (b) such other date on which the
Commitments terminate pursuant to Section 6
or
13.
Termination
Event
means,
with respect to a Pension Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, (a) a
Reportable Event, (b) the withdrawal of Company or any other member of the
Controlled Group from such Pension Plan during a plan year in which Company
or
any other member of the Controlled Group was a “substantial employer” as defined
in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or was deemed such under Section 4068(f) of
ERISA, (c) the termination of such Pension Plan, the filing of a notice of
intent to terminate the Pension Plan or the treatment of an amendment of such
Pension Plan as a termination under Section 4041 of ERISA, (d) the institution
by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate such Pension Plan or (e) any event
or
condition that might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the
termination of, or appointment of a trustee to administer, such Pension
Plan.
Total
Debt
means
all Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated
basis, excluding (a) contingent obligations in respect of Contingent Liabilities
(except to the extent constituting Contingent Liabilities in respect of Debt
of
a Person other than any Loan Party), (b) Hedging Obligations and (c) Debt of
the
Company to Subsidiaries and Debt of Subsidiaries to the Company or to other
Subsidiaries.
Total
Debt to EBITDA Ratio
means,
as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter, the ratio of (a) Total Debt as of
such
day to (b) EBITDA for the Computation Period ending on such day.
Total
Plan Liability
means,
at any time, the present value of all vested and unvested accrued benefits
under
all Pension Plans, determined as of the then most recent valuation date for
each
Pension Plan, using PBGC actuarial assumptions for single employer plan
terminations.
Type
- see
Section
2.2.1.
Unfunded
Liability
means
the amount (if any) by which the present value of all vested and unvested
accrued benefits under all Pension Plans exceeds the fair market value of all
assets allocable to those benefits, all determined as of the then
most
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15
-
recent valuation date for each Pension Plan, using PBGC actuarial assumptions for single employer plan terminations.
Type
- see
Section
2.2.1.
Unfunded
Liability means the amount (if any) by which the present value of all vested
and unvested accrued benefits under all Pension Plans exceeds the fair market
value of all assets allocable to those benefits, all determined as of the
then
most recent valuation date for each Pension Plan, using PBGC actuarial
assumptions for single employer plan terminations.
Unmatured
Event of Default
means
any event that, if it continues uncured, will, with lapse of time or notice
or
both, constitute an Event of Default.
Withholding
Certificate
- see
Section
7.6(d).
Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary
means,
as to any Person, a Subsidiary all of the Capital Securities of which (except
directors’ qualifying Capital Securities) are at the time directly or indirectly
owned by such Person and/or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of such
Person.
1.2 Other
Interpretive Provisions
.
The
meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural
forms of the defined terms.
(a) Section,
Annex,
Schedule and Exhibit references are to this Agreement unless otherwise
specified.
(b) The
term
“including” is not limiting and means “including without
limitation.”
(c) In
the
computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date,
the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean
“to but excluding”, and the word “through” means “to and
including.”
(d) Unless
otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) references to agreements
(including this Agreement and the other Loan Documents) and other contractual
instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements,
supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent such
amendments, restatements, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited
by the terms of any Loan Document, and (ii) references to any statute or
regulation shall be construed as including all statutory and regulatory
provisions amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such statute
or
regulation.
(e) This
Agreement and the other Loan Documents may use several different limitations,
tests or measurements to regulate the same or similar
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16
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matters. All such limitations, tests and measurements are cumulative and each shall be performed in accordance with its terms.
(f) This
Agreement and the other Loan Documents are the result of negotiations among
and
have been reviewed by counsel to the Administrative Agent, the Company, the
Lenders and the other parties thereto and are the products of all parties.
Accordingly, they shall not be construed against the Administrative Agent or
the
Lenders merely because of the Administrative Agent’s or Lenders’ involvement in
their preparation.
SECTION 2. |
COMMITMENTS
OF THE LENDERS; BORROWING, CONVERSION AND LETTER OF CREDIT
PROCEDURES.
|
2.1 Commitments
.
On and
subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the Lenders,
severally and for itself alone, agrees to make loans to, and to issue or
participate in letters of credit for the account of, the Company as
follows:
2.1.1 Revolving
Commitment.
Each
Lender agrees to make loans on a revolving basis (“Revolving
Loans”)
from
time to time until the Termination Date in such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such
aggregate amounts as the Company may request from all Lenders; provided
that the
Revolving Outstandings will not at any time exceed the Revolving Loan
Availability (less the amount of any Swing Line Loans outstanding at such
time).
2.1.2 L/C
Commitment.
Subject
to Section
2.3.1,
the
Issuing Lender agrees to issue letters of credit, in each case containing such
terms and conditions as are permitted by this Agreement and are reasonably
satisfactory to the Issuing Lender (each, a “Letter
of Credit”),
at
the request of and for the account of the Company from time to time before
the
scheduled Termination Date and, as more fully set forth in Section 2.3.2,
each
Lender agrees to purchase a participation in each such Letter of Credit;
provided
that (a)
the aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit shall not at any time
exceed $20,000,000.00, and (b) the Revolving Outstandings shall not at any
time exceed the Revolving Loan Availability (less the amount of any Swing Line
Loans outstanding at such time).
2.2 Loan
Procedures
.
2.2.1 Various
Types of Loans.
Each
Revolving Loan shall be divided into tranches which are either Base Rate Loans
or LIBOR Loans (each a “type”
of
Loan), as the Company shall specify in the related notice of borrowing or
conversion pursuant to Section 2.2.2
or 2.2.3.
LIBOR
Loans having the same Interest Period which expire on the same day are sometimes
called a “Group”
or
collectively “Groups”.
Base
Rate Loans and LIBOR Loans may be outstanding at the same time, provided
that not
more than fifteen different Groups of LIBOR Loans shall be outstanding at any
one time. All
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borrowings, conversions and repayments of Revolving Loans shall be effected so that each Lender will have a ratable share (according to its Pro Rata Share) of all types and Groups of Loans.
2.2.2 Borrowing
Procedures.
The
Company shall give written notice (each such written notice, a “Notice
of Borrowing”)
substantially in the form of Exhibit
D
or
telephonic notice (followed immediately by a Notice of Borrowing) to the
Administrative Agent of each proposed borrowing not later than (a) in the
case of a Base Rate borrowing,11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the proposed date
of
such borrowing, and (b) in the case of a LIBOR borrowing,11:00 a.m. Chicago
time, at least two Business Days prior to the proposed date of such borrowing.
Each such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Administrative Agent,
shall be irrevocable, and shall specify the date, amount and type of borrowing
and, in the case of a LIBOR borrowing, the initial Interest Period therefor.
Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise
each
Lender thereof. Not later than 1:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the date of a
proposed borrowing, each Lender shall provide the Administrative Agent at the
office specified by the Administrative Agent with immediately available funds
covering such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such borrowing and, so long as the
Administrative Agent has not received written notice that the conditions
precedent set forth in Section 11
with
respect to such borrowing have not been satisfied, the Administrative Agent
shall pay over the funds received by the Administrative Agent to the Company
on
the requested borrowing date. Each borrowing shall be on a Business Day. Each
Base Rate borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of at least $10,000.00
and
an integral multiple of $10,000.00 and each LIBOR borrowing shall be in an
aggregate amount of at least $250,000.00 and an integral multiple of at least
$250,000.00.
2.2.3 Conversion
and Continuation Procedures.
(a) Subject
to Section
2.2.1,
the
Company may, upon irrevocable written notice to the Administrative Agent in
accordance with clause
(b)
below:
(A) elect,
as
of any Business Day, to convert any Loans (or any part thereof in an aggregate
amount not less than $250,000.00 a higher integral multiple of $250,000.00)
into
Loans of the other type; or
(B) elect,
as
of the last day of the applicable Interest Period, to continue any LIBOR Loans
having Interest Periods expiring on such day (or any part thereof in an
aggregate amount not less than $250,000.00 or a higher integral multiple of
$250,000.00) for a new Interest Period;
provided
that
after giving effect to any prepayment, conversion or continuation, the aggregate
principal amount of each Group of LIBOR Loans shall be at least $250,000.00
and
an integral multiple of $250,000.00.
(b) The
Company shall give written notice (each such written notice, a “Notice of
Conversion/Continuation”) substantially in the form of Exhibit E or
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18
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telephonic notice (followed immediately by a Notice of Conversion/Continuation) to the Administrative Agent of each proposed conversion or continuation not later than (i) in the case of conversion into Base Rate Loans, 11:00 A.M. Chicago time, on the proposed date of such conversion and (ii) in the case of conversion into or continuation of LIBOR Loans, 11:00 A.M. Chicago time, at least three Business Days prior to the proposed date of such conversion or continuation, specifying in each case:
(A) the
proposed date of conversion or continuation;
(B) the
aggregate amount of Loans to be converted or continued;
(C) the
type
of Loans resulting from the proposed conversion or continuation;
and
(D) in
the
case of conversion into, or continuation of, LIBOR Loans, the duration of the
requested Interest Period therefor.
(c) If
upon
the expiration of any Interest Period applicable to LIBOR Loans, the Company
has
failed to select timely a new Interest Period to be applicable to such LIBOR
Loans, the Company shall be deemed to have elected to convert such LIBOR Loans
into Base Rate Loans effective on the last day of such Interest
Period.
(d) The
Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of a Notice
of Conversion/Continuation pursuant to this Section
2.2.3
or, if
no timely notice is provided by the Company, of the details of any automatic
conversion.
(e) Any
conversion of a LIBOR Loan on a day other than the last day of an Interest
Period therefor shall be subject to Section
8.4.
2.2.4 Swing
Line Facility.
(a) The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Swing Line Lender upon the Administrative
Agent’s receipt of any Notice of Borrowing. Subject to the terms and conditions
hereof, the Swing Line Lender may, in its sole discretion, make available from
time to time until the Termination Date advances (each, a “Swing
Line Loan”)
in
accordance with any such notice, notwithstanding that after making a requested
Swing Line Loan, the sum of the Swing Line Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the
Revolving Outstanding and all outstanding Swing Line Loans, may exceed the
Swing
Line Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Commitment. The provisions of this
Section
2.2.4
shall
not relieve Lenders of their obligations to make Revolving Loans under
Section
2.1.1;
provided
that if
the Swing Line Lender makes a Swing Line Loan pursuant to any such notice,
such
Swing Line Loan shall be in lieu of any Revolving Loan that otherwise may be
made by the Lenders pursuant to such notice. The aggregate amount of Swing
Line
Loans outstanding shall not exceed at any time the Swing Line Availability.
Until the Termination Date, the Company may from time to time borrow, repay
and
reborrow under this Section
2.2.4.
Each
Swing Line Loan shall be made pursuant to a Notice of Borrowing delivered by
the
Company to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section
2.2.2.
Any
such notice must be given no later than
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19
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2:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the Business Day of the proposed Swing Line Loan. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received at least one Business Day’s prior written notice from the Required Lenders instructing it not to make a Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender shall, notwithstanding the failure of any condition precedent set forth in Section 12.2, be entitled to fund that Swing Line Loan, and to have such Lender make Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.2.4(c) or purchase participating interests in accordance with Section 2.2.4(d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, each Swing Line Loan shall constitute a Base Rate Loan. The Company shall repay the aggregate outstanding principal amount of each Swing Line Loan upon demand therefor by the Administrative Agent.
(b) The
entire unpaid balance of each Swing Line Loan and all other noncontingent
Obligations shall be immediately due and payable in full in immediately
available funds on the Termination Date if not sooner paid in full.
(c) The
Swing
Line Lender, at any time and from time to time no less frequently than
once
weekly, shall on behalf of the Company (and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so act on its behalf) request each
Lender
with a Commitment (including the Swing Line Lender) to make a Revolving
Loan to
the Company (which shall be a Base Rate Loan) in an amount equal to that
Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the principal amount of all Swing Line Loans (the
“Refunded
Swing Line Loan”)
outstanding on the date such notice is given. Unless any of the events
described
in Section
13.1.3
has
occurred (in which event the procedures of Section
2.2.4(d)
shall
apply) and regardless of whether the conditions precedent set forth in
this
Agreement to the making of a Revolving Loan are then satisfied, each Lender
shall disburse directly to the Administrative Agent, its Pro Rata Share
on
behalf of the Swing Line Lender, prior to 2:00 P.M., Chicago time, in
immediately available funds on the date that notice is given (provided
that
such notice is given by 12:00 noon, Chicago time, on such date). The proceeds
of
those Revolving Loans shall be immediately paid to the Swing Line Lender
and
applied to repay the Refunded Swing Line Loan.
(d) If,
prior
to refunding a Swing Line Loan with a Revolving Loan pursuant to Section
2.2.4(c),
one of
the events described in Section
13.1.3
has
occurred, then, subject to the provisions of Section
2.2.4(e)
below,
each Lender shall, on the date such Revolving Loan was to have been made
for the
benefit of the Company, purchase from the Swing Line Lender an undivided
participation interest in the Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to its
Pro Rata
Share of such Swing Line Loan. Upon request, each Lender shall promptly
transfer
to the Swing Line Lender, in immediately available funds, the amount of
its
participation interest.
(e) Each
Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans in accordance with Section
2.2.4(c)
and to
purchase participation interests in accordance with Section
2.2.4(d)
shall be
absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance,
including (i) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right
that
such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Company or any
other
Person for any reason whatsoever; (ii) the occurrence or continuance of
any
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20
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Unmatured
Event of Default or Event of Default; (iii) any inability of the Company to
satisfy the conditions precedent to borrowing set forth in this Agreement at
any
time or (iv) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether
or
not similar to any of the foregoing. If and to the extent any Lender shall
not
have made such amount available to the Administrative Agent or the Swing Line
Lender, as applicable, by 2:00 P.M., Chicago time, the amount required pursuant
to Section 2.2.4(c) or 2.2.4(d), as the case may be, on the
Business Day on which such Lender receives notice from the Administrative Agent
of such payment or disbursement (it being understood that any such notice
received after noon, Chicago time, on any Business Day shall be deemed to have
been received on the next following Business Day), such Lender agrees to pay
interest on such amount to the Administrative Agent for the Swing Line Lender’s
account forthwith on demand, for each day from the date such amount was to
have
been delivered to the Administrative Agent to the date such amount is paid,
at a
rate per annum equal to (a) for the first three days after demand, the Federal
Funds Rate from time to time in effect and (b) thereafter, the Base Rate from
time to time in effect.
2.3 Letter
of Credit Procedures
2.3.1 L/C
Applications.
The
Company shall execute and deliver to the Issuing Lender the Master Letter of
Credit Agreement from time to time in effect. The Company shall give notice
to
the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender of the proposed issuance of
each
Letter of Credit on a Business Day which is at least three Business Days (or
such lesser number of days as the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender
shall agree in any particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the
proposed date of issuance of such Letter of Credit. Each such notice shall
be
accompanied by an L/C Application, duly executed by the Company and in all
respects satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender,
together with such other documentation as the Administrative Agent or the
Issuing Lender may request in support thereof, it being understood that each
L/C
Application shall specify, among other things, the date on which the proposed
Letter of Credit is to be issued, the expiration date of such Letter of Credit
(which shall not be later than the scheduled Termination Date (unless such
Letter of Credit is Cash Collateralized)) and whether such Letter of Credit
is
to be transferable in whole or in part. Any Letter of Credit outstanding after
the scheduled Termination Date which is Cash Collateralized for the benefit
of
the Issuing Lender shall be the sole responsibility of the Issuing Lender.
So
long as the Issuing Lender has not received written notice that the conditions
precedent set forth in Section
12
with
respect to the issuance of such Letter of Credit have not been satisfied, the
Issuing Lender shall issue such Letter of Credit on the requested issuance
date.
The Issuing Lender shall promptly advise the Administrative Agent of the
issuance of each Letter of Credit and of any amendment thereto, extension
thereof or event or circumstance changing the amount available for drawing
thereunder. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of the Master
Letter of Credit Agreement, any L/C Application and the terms of this Agreement,
the terms of this Agreement shall control.
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21
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2.3.2 Participations
in Letters of Credit.
Concurrently with the issuance of each Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender
shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Lender with a Commitment,
and each such Lender shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have
purchased and received from the Issuing Lender, without recourse or warranty,
an
undivided interest and participation, to the extent of such Lender’s Pro Rata
Share, in such Letter of Credit and the Company’s reimbursement obligations with
respect thereto. If the Company does not pay any reimbursement obligation when
due, the Company shall be deemed to have immediately requested that the Lenders
make a Revolving Loan which is a Base Rate Loan in a principal amount equal
to
such reimbursement obligations. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify
such Lenders of such deemed request and, without the necessity of compliance
with the requirements of Section
2.2.2,
Section
12.2
or
otherwise, such Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent its
Pro
Rata Share of such Loan. The proceeds of such Loan shall be paid over by the
Administrative Agent to the Issuing Lender for the account of the Company in
satisfaction of such reimbursement obligations. For the purposes of this
Agreement, the unparticipated portion of each Letter of Credit shall be deemed
to be the Issuing Lender’s “participation” therein. The Issuing Lender hereby
agrees, upon request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, to deliver
to
the Administrative Agent or such Lender a list of all outstanding Letters of
Credit issued by the Issuing Lender, together with such information related
thereto as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may reasonably
request.
2.3.3 Reimbursement
Obligations.
(a) The
Company hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees to reimburse the Issuing
Lender for each payment or disbursement made by the Issuing Lender under any
Letter of Credit honoring any demand for payment made by the beneficiary
thereunder, in each case on the date that such payment or disbursement is made.
Any amount not reimbursed on the date of such payment or disbursement shall
bear
interest from the date of such payment or disbursement to the date that the
Issuing Lender is reimbursed by the Company therefor, payable on demand, at
a
rate per annum equal to the Base Rate from time to time in effect plus
the Base
Rate Margin from time to time in effect plus,
beginning on the third Business Day after receipt of notice from the Issuing
Lender of such payment or disbursement, 2%. The Issuing Lender shall notify
the
Company and the Administrative Agent whenever any demand for payment is made
under any Letter of Credit by the beneficiary thereunder; provided
that the
failure of the Issuing Lender to so notify the Company or the Administrative
Agent shall not affect the rights of the Issuing Lender or the Lenders in any
manner whatsoever.
(b) The
Company’s reimbursement obligations hereunder shall be irrevocable and
unconditional under all circumstances, including (a) any lack of validity or
enforceability of any Letter of Credit, this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, (b) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right which
any Loan Party may have at any time against a beneficiary named in a Letter
of
Credit, any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any
such
transferee may be acting), the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, any
Lender or any other Person, whether in
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22
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connection with any Letter of Credit, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transactions (including any underlying transaction between any Loan Party and the beneficiary named in any Letter of Credit), (c) the validity, sufficiency or genuineness of any document which the Issuing Lender has determined in good faith complies on its face with the terms of the applicable Letter of Credit, even if such document should later prove to have been forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein shall have been untrue or inaccurate in any respect, or (d) the surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of any of the terms hereof. Without limiting the foregoing, no action or omission whatsoever by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (excluding any Lender in its capacity as the Issuing Lender) under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or any related matters shall result in any liability of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to the Company, or relieve the Company of any of its obligations hereunder to any such Person.
2.3.4 Funding
by Lenders to Issuing Lender.
If the
Issuing Lender makes any payment or disbursement under any Letter of Credit
and
(a) the Company has not reimbursed the Issuing Lender in full for such payment
or disbursement by 11:00 A.M. Chicago time, on the date of such payment or
disbursement, (b) a Revolving Loan cannot be made in accordance with
Section
2.3.2
or (c)
any reimbursement received by the Issuing Lender from the Company is or must
be
returned or rescinded upon or during any bankruptcy or reorganization of the
Company or otherwise, each other Lender with a Commitment shall be obligated
to
pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender, in full
or partial payment of the purchase price of its participation in such Letter
of
Credit, its Pro Rata Share of such payment or disbursement (but no such payment
shall diminish the obligations of the Company under Section 2.3.3),
and,
upon notice from the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent shall promptly
notify each other Lender thereof. Each other Lender irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees to so pay to the Administrative Agent in immediately
available funds for the Issuing Lender’s account the amount of such other
Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such payment or disbursement. If and to the extent
any Lender shall not have made such amount available to the Administrative
Agent
by 2:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the Business Day on which such Lender receives
notice from the Administrative Agent of such payment or disbursement (it being
understood that any such notice received after noon, Chicago time, on any
Business Day shall be deemed to have been received on the next following
Business Day), such Lender agrees to pay interest on such amount to the
Administrative Agent for the Issuing Lender’s account forthwith on demand, for
each day from the date such amount was to have been delivered to the
Administrative Agent to the date such amount is paid, at a rate per annum equal
to (a) for the first three days after demand, the Federal Funds Rate from time
to time in effect and (b) thereafter, the Base Rate from time to time in effect.
Any Lender’s failure to make available to the Administrative Agent its Pro Rata
Share of any such payment or disbursement shall not relieve any other Lender
of
its obligation hereunder to make available to the Administrative Agent such
other Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such payment, but no Lender shall be
responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make available to the
Administrative Agent such other Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any such payment or
disbursement.
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23
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2.4 Commitments
Several
.
The
failure of any Lender to make a requested Loan on any date in breach of the
provisions of this Agreement (any such Lender, a “Defaulting
Lender”)
shall
not relieve any other Lender of its obligation (if any) to make a Loan on such
date, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender
to
make any Loan to be made by such other Lender.
2.5 Certain
Conditions
.
Except
as otherwise provided in Section
2.2.4
and
2.3.4
of this
Agreement, no Lender shall have an obligation to make any Loan, or to permit
the
continuation of or any conversion into any LIBOR Loan, and the Issuing Lender
shall not have any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit, if an Event of
Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists.
SECTION 3. |
EVIDENCING
OF LOANS.
|
3.1 Notes
.
The
Loans of each Lender shall be evidenced by a Note, with appropriate insertions,
payable to the order of such Lender in a face principal amount equal to the
sum
of such Lender’s Commitment.
3.2 Recordkeeping
.
The
Administrative Agent, on behalf of each Lender, shall record in its records,
the
date and amount of each Loan made by each Lender, each repayment or conversion
thereof and, in the case of each LIBOR Loan, the dates on which each Interest
Period for such Loan shall begin and end. The aggregate unpaid principal amount
so recorded shall be rebuttably presumptive evidence of the principal amount
of
the Loans owing and unpaid. The failure to so record any such amount or any
error in so recording any such amount shall not, however, limit or otherwise
affect the Obligations of the Company hereunder or under any Note to repay
the
principal amount of the Loans hereunder, together with all interest accruing
thereon.
SECTION 4. |
INTEREST.
|
4.1 Interest
Rates
.
The
Company promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan
for
the period commencing on the date of such Loan until such Loan is paid in full
as follows:
(a) at
all
times while such Loan is a Base Rate Loan, at a rate per annum equal to the
sum
of the Base Rate from time to time in effect plus the Base Rate Margin from
time
to time in effect; and
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24
-
(b) at
all
times while such Loan is a LIBOR Loan, at a rate per annum equal to the sum
of
the LIBOR Rate applicable to each Interest Period for such Loan plus the LIBOR
Margin from time to time in effect;
provided
that at
any time an Event of Default exists, unless the Required Lenders otherwise
consent, the interest rate applicable to each Loan shall be increased by 2%
(and, in the case of Obligations not bearing interest, such Obligations shall
bear interest at the Base Rate applicable to Revolving Loans plus 2%),
provided further
that
such increase may thereafter be rescinded by the Required Lenders,
notwithstanding Section
15.1.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under
Section
13.1.3,
such
increase shall occur automatically.
4.2 Interest
Payment Dates
.
Accrued
interest on each Base Rate Loan shall be payable in arrears on the last day
of
each calendar quarter and at maturity. Accrued interest on each LIBOR Loan
shall
be payable on the last day of each Interest Period relating to such Loan (and,
in the case of a LIBOR Loan with an Interest Period in excess of three months,
on the three-month anniversary of the first day of such Interest Period), upon
a
prepayment of such Loan, and at maturity. After maturity, and at any time an
Event of Default exists, accrued interest on all Loans shall be payable on
demand.
4.3 Setting
and Notice of LIBOR Rates
.
The
applicable LIBOR Rate for each Interest Period shall be determined by the
Administrative Agent, and notice thereof shall be given by the Administrative
Agent promptly to the Company and each Lender. Each determination of the
applicable LIBOR Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive and
binding upon the parties hereto, in the absence of demonstrable error. The
Administrative Agent shall, upon written request of the Company or any Lender,
deliver to the Company or such Lender a statement showing the computations
used
by the Administrative Agent in determining any applicable LIBOR Rate
hereunder.
4.4 Computation
of Interest
.
Interest on LIBOR Loans shall be computed for the actual number of days elapsed
on the basis of a year of 360 days. Interest on Base Rate Loans shall be
computed for the actual number of days elapsed on the basis of a year of 365
or
366 days, as applicable. The applicable interest rate for each Base Rate Loan
shall change simultaneously with each change in the Base Rate.
SECTION 5. |
FEES.
|
5.1 Non-Use
Fee
.
The
Company agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender
a non-use fee, for the period from the Closing Date to the Termination Date,
at
the Non-Use Fee Rate in effect from time to time of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share
(as
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25
-
adjusted from time to time) of the unused amount of the Revolving Commitment. For purposes of calculating usage under this Section, the Revolving Commitment shall be deemed used to the extent of Revolving Outstandings. Such non-use fee shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each calendar quarter and on the Termination Date for any period then ending for which such non-use fee shall not have previously been paid. The non-use fee shall be computed for the actual number of days elapsed on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable.
5.2 Letter
of Credit Fees
.
The
following Letter of Credit fees shall be payable by the Company:
(a)
The
Company agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender
a letter of credit fee for each Letter of Credit at the L/C Fee Rate in effect
from time to time of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share (as adjusted from time to
time) of the undrawn amount of such Letter of Credit (computed for the actual
number of days elapsed on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as
applicable); provided that, unless the Required Lenders otherwise consent,
the
rate applicable to each Letter of Credit shall be increased by 2% at any time
that an Event of Default exists. Such letter of credit fee shall be payable
in
arrears on the last day of each calendar quarter and on the Termination Date
(or
such later date on which such Letter of Credit expires or is terminated) for
the
period from the date of the issuance of each Letter of Credit (or the last
day
on which the letter of credit fee was paid with respect thereto) to the date
such payment is due or, if earlier, the date on which such Letter of Credit
expired or was terminated.
(b) In
addition, with respect to each Letter of Credit, the Company agrees to pay
to
the Issuing Lender, for its own account, (i) such reasonable fees and expenses
as the Issuing Lender customarily requires in connection with the issuance,
negotiation, processing and/or administration of letters of credit in similar
situations, and (ii) a letter of credit fronting fee in the amount and at the
times agreed to by the Company and the Issuing Lender.
5.3 Administrative
Agent’s Fees
.
The
Company agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent such agent’s fees as are
mutually agreed to from time to time by the Company and the Administrative
Agent
including the fees set forth in the Agent Fee Letter.
SECTION 6. |
REDUCTION
OR TERMINATION OF THE REVOLVING COMMITMENT;
PREPAYMENTS.
|
6.1 Reduction
or Termination of the Revolving Commitment
6.1.1 Voluntary
Reduction or Termination of the Revolving Commitment.
The
Company may from time to time on at least five Business Days’ prior written
notice
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26
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received by the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly advise each Lender thereof) permanently reduce the Revolving Commitment to an amount not less than the Revolving Outstandings plus the outstanding amount of all Swing Line Loans. Any such reduction shall be in an amount not less than $250,000.00 or a higher integral multiple of $250,000.00. Concurrently with any reduction of the Revolving Commitment to zero, the Company shall pay all interest on the Revolving Loans, all non-use fees and all letter of credit fees and shall Cash Collateralize in full all obligations arising with respect to the Letters of Credit.
6.1.2 All
Reductions of the Revolving Commitment.
All
reductions of the Revolving Commitment shall reduce the Commitments ratably
among the Lenders according to their respective Pro Rata Shares.
6.2 Prepayments
6.2.1 Voluntary
Prepayments.
The
Company may from time to time prepay the Loans in whole or in part; provided
that the
Company shall give the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly advise each
Lender) notice thereof not later than 11:00 A.M. Chicago time, on the day of
such prepayment (which shall be a Business Day), specifying the Loans to be
prepaid and the date and amount of prepayment.
6.2.2 Mandatory
Prepayment Events.
If on
any day the Revolving Outstandings plus
the
outstanding amount of the Swing Line Loan exceeds the Revolving Loan
Availability, then the Company shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans or
Cash
Collateralize the outstanding Letters of Credit, or do a combination of the
foregoing, in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.
6.3 Manner
of Prepayments
.
Each
voluntary partial prepayment shall be in a principal amount of $250,000.00
or a
higher integral multiple of $250,000.00. Any partial prepayment of a Group
of
LIBOR Loans shall be subject to the proviso to Section
2.2.3(a).
Any
prepayment of a LIBOR Loan on a day other than the last day of an Interest
Period therefor shall include interest on the principal amount being repaid
and
shall be subject to Section
8.4.
Except
as otherwise provided by this Agreement, all principal payments in respect
of
the Loans (other than the Swing Line Loans) shall be applied first, to repay
outstanding Base Rate Loans and then to repay outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans
in
direct order of Interest Period maturities.
6.4 Repayments
.
The
Revolving Loans of each Lender shall be paid in full and the Revolving
Commitment shall terminate on the Termination Date.
SECTION 7. |
MAKING
AND PRORATION OF PAYMENTS; SETOFF;
TAXES.
|
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27
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7.1 Making
of Payments
.
All
payments of principal or interest on the Notes, and of all fees, shall be made
by the Company to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at
the
office specified by the Administrative Agent not later than noon, Chicago time
(2:00 in the case of Swing Line Loans), on the date due; and funds received
after that hour shall be deemed to have been received by the Administrative
Agent on the following Business Day. The Administrative Agent shall promptly
remit to each Lender its share of all such payments received in collected funds
by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender. All payments under
this Section
7.1
shall be
made by the Company directly to the Lender entitled thereto without setoff,
counterclaim or other defense.
7.2 Application
of Certain Payments
.
So long
as no Unmatured Event of Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, (a) payments matching specific scheduled payments then due shall
be
applied to those scheduled payments and (b) voluntary and mandatory prepayments
shall be applied as set forth in Sections
6.2
and
6.3.
After
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Unmatured Event of Default
or
Event of Default, all amounts collected or received by the Administrative Agent
or any Lender as proceeds from the sale of, or other realization upon, all
or
any part of the Collateral shall be applied in accordance with the following
priority:
(a) First,
to
pay attorneys’ fees to attorneys retained by the Administrative Agent, and all
costs and expenses of collection incurred by Administrative Agent to the extent
not previously paid;
(b) Then,
to
accrued interest on the Loan (the application of such funds to be to the Lenders
and Participants allocated to Lenders and Participants in proportion to their
respective Pro Rata Shares from time to time); and
(c) Then,
to
unpaid principal of the Loan, allocated to Lenders and Participants in
proportion to their respective Pro Rata Shares from time to time.
Concurrently
with each remittance to any Lender or Participant of its share of any such
payment, the Administrative Agent shall advise such Lender or Participant as
to
the application of such payment.
7.3 Due
Date Extension
.
If any
payment of principal or interest with respect to any of the Loans, or of any
fees, falls due on a day which is not a Business Day, then such due date shall
be extended to the immediately following Business Day (unless, in the case
of a
LIBOR Loan, such immediately following Business Day is the first Business Day
of
a calendar month, in which case such due date shall be the immediately preceding
Business Day) and, in the case of principal, additional interest shall accrue
and be payable for the period of any such extension.
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28
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7.4 Setoff
.
The
Company, for itself and each other Loan Party, agrees that the Administrative
Agent and each Lender have all rights of set-off and bankers’ lien provided by
applicable law, and in addition thereto, the Company, for itself and each other
Loan Party, agrees that at any time any Event of Default exists, the
Administrative Agent and each Lender may apply to the payment of any Obligations
of the Company and each other Loan Party hereunder, whether or not then due,
any
and all balances, credits, deposits, accounts or moneys of the Company and
each
other Loan Party then or thereafter with the Administrative Agent or such
Lender. Such rights shall also extend to any Participants.
7.5 Proration
of Payments
.
If any
Lender shall obtain any payment or other recovery (whether voluntary,
involuntary, by application of offset or otherwise, on account of (a) principal
of or interest on any Loan, but excluding (i) any payment pursuant to
Section
8.7
or
15.6
and (ii)
payments of interest on any Affected Loan) or (b) its participation in any
Letter of Credit) in excess of its applicable Pro Rata Share of payments and
other recoveries obtained by all Lenders on account of principal of and interest
on the Loans (or such participation) then held by them, then such Lender shall
purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans (or
sub-participations in Letters of Credit) held by them as shall be necessary
to
cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment or other recovery
ratably with each of them; provided
that if
all or any portion of the excess payment or other recovery is thereafter
recovered from such purchasing Lender, the purchase shall be rescinded and
the
purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery.
7.6 Taxes
(a) All
payments made by the Company hereunder or under any Loan Documents shall be
made
without setoff, counterclaim, or other defense. To the extent permitted by
applicable law, all payments hereunder or under the Loan Documents (including
any payment of principal, interest, or fees) to, or for the benefit, of any
person shall be made by the Company free and clear of and without deduction
or
withholding for, or account of, any Taxes now or hereinafter imposed by any
taxing authority.
(b) If
the
Company makes any payment hereunder or under any Loan Document in respect of
which it is required by applicable law to deduct or withhold any Taxes, the
Company shall increase the payment hereunder or under any such Loan Document
such that after the reduction for the amount of Taxes withheld (and any taxes
withheld or imposed with respect to the additional payments required under
this
Section
7.6(b)),
the
amount paid to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent equals the amount that
was payable hereunder or under any such Loan Document without regard to
this
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29
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Section 7.6(b). To the extent the Company withholds any Taxes on payments hereunder or under any Loan Document, the Company shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxing authority within the time allowed for payment under applicable law and shall deliver to the Administrative Agent within 30 days after it has made payment to such authority a receipt issued by such authority (or other evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) evidencing the payment of all amounts so required to be deducted or withheld from such payment.
(c) If
any
Lender or the Administrative Agent is required by law to make any payments
of
any Taxes on or in relation to any amounts received or receivable hereunder
or
under any other Loan Document, or any Tax is assessed against a Lender or the
Administrative Agent with respect to amounts received or receivable hereunder
or
under any other Loan Document, the Company will indemnify such person against
(i) such Tax (and any reasonable counsel fees and expenses associated with
such
Tax) and (ii) any taxes imposed as a result of the receipt of the payment under
this Section
7.6(c).
A
certificate prepared in good faith as to the amount of such payment by such
Lender or the Administrative Agent shall, absent manifest error, be final,
conclusive, and binding on all parties.
(d) (i)
To
the extent permitted by applicable law, each Lender that is not a United States
person within the meaning of Code Section 7701(a)(30) (a “Non-U.S.
Participant”)
shall
deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing
Date (or in the case of a Lender that is an Assignee, on the date of such
assignment to such Lender) two accurate and complete original signed copies
of
IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8ECI, or W-8IMY (or any successor or other applicable form
prescribed by the IRS) certifying to such Lender’s entitlement to a complete
exemption from, or a reduced rate in, United States withholding tax on interest
payments to be made hereunder or any Loan. If a Lender that is a Non-U.S.
Participant is claiming a complete exemption from withholding on interest
pursuant to Code Sections 871(h) or 881(c), the Lender shall deliver (along
with
two accurate and complete original signed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN) a
certificate in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Administrative Agent
(any such certificate, a “Withholding
Certificate”).
In
addition, each Lender that is a Non-U.S. Participant agrees that from time
to
time after the Closing Date, (or in the case of a Lender that is an Assignee,
after the date of the assignment to such Lender), when a lapse in time (or
change in circumstances occurs) renders the prior certificates hereunder
obsolete or inaccurate in any material respect, such Lender shall, to the extent
permitted under applicable law, deliver to the Company and the Administrative
Agent two new and accurate and complete original signed copies of an IRS Form
W-8BEN, W-8ECI, or W-8IMY (or any successor or other applicable forms prescribed
by the IRS), and if applicable, a new Withholding Certificate, to confirm or
establish the entitlement of such Lender or the Administrative Agent to an
exemption from, or reduction in, United States withholding tax on interest
payments to be made hereunder or any Loan.
(ii) Each
Lender that is not a Non-U.S. Participant (other than any such Lender which
is
taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) shall provide
two
properly completed and duly executed copies of IRS Form
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30
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W-9 (or any successor or other applicable form) to the Company and the Administrative Agent certifying that such Lender is exempt from United States backup withholding tax. To the extent that a form provided pursuant to this Section 7.6(d)(ii) is rendered obsolete or inaccurate in any material respects as result of change in circumstances with respect to the status of a Lender, such Lender shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent revised forms necessary to confirm or establish the entitlement to such Lender’s or Agent’s exemption from United States backup withholding tax.
(iii) The
Company shall not be required to pay additional amounts to a Lender, or
indemnify any Lender, under this Section
7.6
to the
extent that such obligations would not have arisen but for the failure of such
Lender to comply with Section
7.6(d).
(iv) Each
Lender agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and hold the Administrative
Agent harmless for the full amount of any and all present or future Taxes and
related liabilities (including penalties, interest, additions to tax and
expenses, and any Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable to the
Administrative Agent under this Section
7.6)
which
are imposed on or with respect to principal, interest or fees payable to such
Lender hereunder and which are not paid by the Company pursuant to this
Section
7.6,
whether
or not such Taxes or related liabilities were correctly or legally asserted.
This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date the
Administrative Agent makes written demand therefor.
SECTION 8. |
INCREASED
COSTS; SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR LIBOR
LOANS.
|
8.1 Increased
Costs
(a) If,
after
the date hereof, the adoption of, or any change in, any applicable law, rule
or
regulation, or any change in the interpretation or administration of any
applicable law, rule or regulation by any governmental authority, central bank
or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof,
or compliance by any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having
the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency:
(i)
shall impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve (including any reserve
imposed by the FRB, but excluding any reserve included in the determination
of
the LIBOR Rate pursuant to Section
4),
special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or
for
the account of, or credit extended by any Lender; or (ii) shall impose on any
Lender any other condition affecting its LIBOR Loans, its Note or its obligation
to make LIBOR Loans; and the result of anything described in clauses (i) and
(ii) above is to increase the cost to (or to impose a cost on) such Lender
(or
any LIBOR Office of such Lender) of making or maintaining any LIBOR Loan, or
to
reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (or its
LIBOR
Office) under this Agreement or under its Note with respect thereto, then upon
demand by such Lender (which demand shall be accompanied by a statement setting
forth the basis for such demand and a calculation of the amount thereof in
reasonable detail, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Administrative
Agent), the Company shall pay directly to such Lender such additional amount
as
will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or such reduction, so long
as such amounts have accrued on or after the day which is 180 days prior to
the
date on which such Lender first made demand therefor.
(b) If
any
Lender shall reasonably determine that any change in, or the adoption or
phase-in of, any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy,
or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any
governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the
interpretation or administration thereof, or the compliance by any Lender or
any
Person controlling such Lender with any request or directive regarding capital
adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central
bank or comparable agency, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate
of
return on such Lender’s or such controlling Person’s capital as a consequence of
such Lender’s obligations hereunder or under any Letter of Credit to a level
below that which such Lender or such controlling Person could have achieved
but
for such change, adoption, phase-in or compliance (taking into consideration
such Lender’s or such controlling Person’s policies with respect to capital
adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender or such controlling Person to
be
material, then from time to time, upon demand by such Lender (which demand
shall
be accompanied by a statement setting forth the basis for such demand and a
calculation
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of the amount thereof in reasonable detail, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Administrative Agent), the Company shall pay to such Lender such additional amount as will compensate such Lender or such controlling Person for such reduction so long as such amounts have accrued on or after the day which is 180 days prior to the date on which such Lender first made demand therefor.
8.2 Basis
for Determining Interest Rate Inadequate or Unfair
.
If:
(a) the
Administrative Agent reasonably determines (which determination shall be binding
and conclusive on the Company) that by reason of circumstances affecting the
interbank LIBOR market adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
ascertaining the applicable LIBOR Rate; or
(b) the
Required Lenders advise the Administrative Agent that the LIBOR Rate as
determined by the Administrative Agent will not adequately and fairly reflect
the cost to such Lenders of maintaining or funding LIBOR Loans for such Interest
Period (taking into account any amount to which such Lenders may be entitled
under Section
8.1)
or that
the making or funding of LIBOR Loans has become impracticable as a result of
an
event occurring after the date of this Agreement which in the opinion of such
Lenders materially affects such Loans;
then
the
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the other parties thereof and, so
long as such circumstances shall continue, (i) no Lender shall be under any
obligation to make or convert any Base Rate Loans into LIBOR Loans and (ii)
on
the last day of the
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current Interest Period for each LIBOR Loan, such Loan shall, unless then repaid in full, automatically convert to a Base Rate Loan.
8.3 Changes
in Law Rendering LIBOR Loans Unlawful
.
If any
change in, or the adoption of any new, law or regulation, or any change in
the
interpretation of any applicable law or regulation by any governmental or other
regulatory body charged with the administration thereof, should make it (or
in
the good faith judgment of any Lender cause a substantial question as to whether
it is) unlawful for any Lender to make, maintain or fund LIBOR Loans, then
such
Lender shall promptly notify each of the other parties hereto and, so long
as
such circumstances shall continue, (a) such Lender shall have no obligation
to
make or convert any Base Rate Loan into a LIBOR Loan (but shall make Base Rate
Loans concurrently with the making of or conversion of Base Rate Loans into
LIBOR Loans by the Lenders which are not so affected, in each case in an amount
equal to the amount of LIBOR Loans which would be made or converted into by
such
Lender at such time in the absence of such circumstances), and (b) on the last
day of the current Interest Period for each LIBOR Loan of such Lender (or,
in
any event, on such earlier date as may be required by the relevant law,
regulation or interpretation), such LIBOR Loan shall, unless then repaid in
full, automatically convert to a Base Rate Loan. Each Base Rate Loan made by
a
Lender which, but for the circumstances described in the foregoing sentence,
would be a LIBOR Loan (an “Affected
Loan”)
shall
remain outstanding for the period corresponding to the Group of LIBOR Loans
of
which such Affected Loan would be a part absent such circumstances.
8.4 Funding
Losses
.
The
Company hereby agrees that upon demand by any Lender (which demand shall be
accompanied by a statement setting forth the basis for the amount being claimed,
a copy of which shall be furnished to the Administrative Agent), the Company
will indemnify such Lender against any net loss or expense which such Lender
may
sustain or incur (including any net loss or expense incurred by reason of the
liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender
to fund or maintain any LIBOR Loan), as reasonably determined by such Lender,
as
a result of (a) any payment, prepayment or conversion of any LIBOR Loan of
such
Lender on a date other than the last day of an Interest Period for such Loan
(including any conversion pursuant to Section
8.3),
or (b)
any failure of the Company to borrow, convert or continue any Loan on a date
specified therefor in a notice of borrowing, conversion or continuation pursuant
to this Agreement. For this purpose, all notices to the Administrative Agent
pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be irrevocable.
8.5 Right
of Lenders to Fund through Other Offices
.
Each
Lender may, if it so elects, fulfill its commitment as to any LIBOR Loan by
causing a foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan;
provided
that in
such event for the purposes of this Agreement such Loan shall be deemed to
have
been made by such Lender and the obligation of the Company to repay such Loan
shall
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33
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nevertheless be to such Lender and shall be deemed held by it, to the extent of such Loan, for the account of such branch or Affiliate.
8.6 Discretion
of Lenders as to Manner of Funding
.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, each Lender
shall be entitled to fund and maintain its funding of all or any part of its
Loans in any manner it sees fit, it being understood, however, that for the
purposes of this Agreement all determinations hereunder shall be made as if
such
Lender had actually funded and maintained each LIBOR Loan during each Interest
Period for such Loan through the purchase of deposits having a maturity
corresponding to such Interest Period and bearing an interest rate equal to
the
LIBOR Rate for such Interest Period.
8.7 Mitigation
of Circumstances; Replacement of Lenders
(a)
Each
Lender shall promptly notify the Company and the Administrative Agent of any
event of which it has knowledge which will result in, and will use reasonable
commercial efforts available to it (and not, in such Lender’s sole judgment,
otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender) to mitigate or avoid, (i) any
obligation by the Company to pay any amount pursuant to Section
7.6
or
8.1,
or (ii)
the occurrence of any circumstances described in Section
8.2
or
8.3
(and, if
any Lender has given notice of any such event described in clause (i) or (ii)
above and thereafter such event ceases to exist, such Lender shall promptly
so
notify the Company and the Administrative Agent). Without limiting the
foregoing, each Lender will designate a different funding office if such
designation will avoid (or reduce the cost to the Company of) any event
described in clause (i) or (ii) above and such designation will not, in such
Lender’s sole judgment, be otherwise disadvantageous to such
Lender.
(b) If
the
Company becomes obligated to pay additional amounts to any Lender pursuant
to
Section
7.6
or
8.1,
or any
Lender gives notice of the occurrence of any circumstances described in
Section
8.2
or
8.3,
the
Company may designate another bank which is acceptable to the Administrative
Agent and the Issuing Lender in their reasonable discretion (such other bank
being called a “Replacement
Lender”)
to
purchase the Loans of such Lender and such Lender’s rights hereunder, without
recourse to or warranty by, or expense to, such Lender, for a purchase price
equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Loans payable to such Lender
plus any accrued but unpaid interest on such Loans and all accrued but unpaid
fees owed to such Lender and any other amounts payable to such Lender under
this
Agreement, and to assume all the obligations of such Lender hereunder, and,
upon
such purchase and assumption (pursuant to an Assignment Agreement), such Lender
shall no longer be a party hereto or have any rights hereunder (other than
rights with respect to indemnities and similar rights applicable to such Lender
prior to the date of such purchase and assumption) and shall be relieved from
all obligations to the Company hereunder, and the Replacement Lender shall
succeed to the rights and obligations of such Lender hereunder.
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8.8 Conclusiveness
of Statements; Survival of Provisions
.
Determinations and statements of any Lender pursuant to Sections
8.1,
8.2,
8.3
or
8.4
shall be
conclusive absent demonstrable error. Lenders may use reasonable averaging
and
attribution methods in determining compensation under Section
8.1
and
8.4,
and the
provisions of such Sections shall survive repayment of the Obligations,
cancellation of any Notes, expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit
and termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 9. |
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES.
|
To
induce
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to
induce the Lenders to make Loans and issue and participate in Letters of Credit
hereunder, the Company represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent
and
the Lenders that:
9.1 Organization
.
Each
Loan Party is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of organization; and each Loan Party is duly qualified to do
business in each jurisdiction where, because of the nature of its activities
or
properties, such qualification is required, except for such jurisdictions where
the failure to so qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
9.2 Authorization;
No Conflict
.
Each
Loan Party is duly authorized to execute and deliver each Loan Document to
which
it is a party, the Company is duly authorized to borrow monies hereunder and
each Loan Party is duly authorized to perform its Obligations under each Loan
Document to which it is a party. The execution, delivery and performance by
each
Loan Party of each Loan Document to which it is a party, and the borrowings
by
the Company hereunder, do not and will not (a) require any consent or approval
of any governmental agency or authority (other than any consent or approval
which has been obtained and is in full force and effect), (b) conflict with
(i)
any provision of law, (ii) the charter, by-laws or other organizational
documents of any Loan Party or (iii) any agreement, indenture, instrument or
other document, or any judgment, order or decree, which is binding upon any
Loan
Party or any of their respective properties (except for any such agreement,
indenture, instrument or other document, or any judgment, order or decree the
conflict with which would not have a Material Adverse Effect or (c) require,
or
result in, the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Loan
Party
(other than any Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent created pursuant
to
the Loan Documents and other Permitted Liens).
9.3 Validity
and Binding Nature
.
Each of
this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is a party
is the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person, enforceable against
such Person in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency
and
similar laws
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35
-
affecting the enforceability of creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity.
9.4 Financial
Condition
.
The
audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries
as
at December 31, 2002, December 31, 2003, and December 31, 2004 and the unaudited
consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries as at
December 31, 2005 and for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 31, 2006, copies of
each of which have been delivered to each Lender, were prepared in accordance
with GAAP (subject, in the case of such unaudited statements, to the absence
of
footnotes and to normal year-end adjustments) and present fairly the
consolidated financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at
such
dates and the results of their operations for the periods then
ended.
9.5 No
Material Adverse Change
.
Since
December 31, 2005, there has been no material adverse change in the financial
condition, operations, assets, business, or properties of the Loan Parties
taken
as a whole.
9.6 Litigation
and Contingent Liabilities
.
No
litigation (including derivative actions), arbitration proceeding or
governmental investigation or proceeding is pending or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened against any Loan Party which might reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in Schedule
9.6.
Other
than any liability incident to such litigation or proceedings, no Loan Party
has
any material contingent liabilities not listed on Schedule
9.6
or
permitted by Section
11.1.
9.7 Ownership
of Properties; Liens
.
Each
Loan Party owns good and, in the case of real property, marketable title to
all
of its properties and assets, real and personal, tangible and intangible, of
any
nature whatsoever (including patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks
and
copyrights), free and clear of all Liens, charges and claims (including
infringement claims with respect to patents, trademarks, service marks,
copyrights and the like) except as permitted by Section
11.2.
9.8 Equity
Ownership; Subsidiaries
.
All
issued and outstanding Capital Securities of each Loan Party are duly authorized
and validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable, and free and clear of all Liens
other than those in favor of the Administrative Agent, and such securities
were
issued in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws concerning
the
issuance of securities. Schedule
9.8
sets
forth the authorized Capital Securities of each Loan Party as of the Closing
Date. All of the issued and outstanding Capital Securities of the Company and
such Loan Parties are owned as set forth on Schedule
9.8
as of
the
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36
-
Closing Date. As of the Closing Date, except as set forth on Schedule 9.8, there are no pre-emptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights or other similar agreements or understandings for the purchase or acquisition of any Capital Securities of any Loan Party.
9.9 Pension
Plans
(a) The
Unfunded Liability of all Pension Plans does not in the aggregate exceed twenty
percent of the Total Plan Liability for all such Pension Plans. Each Pension
Plan complies in all material respects with all applicable requirements of
law
and regulations. No contribution failure under Section 412 of the Code, Section
302 of ERISA or the terms of any Pension Plan has occurred with respect to
any
Pension Plan, sufficient to give rise to a Lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA,
or otherwise to have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no pending or, to
the
knowledge of Company, threatened, claims, actions, investigations or lawsuits
against any Pension Plan, any fiduciary of any Pension Plan, or Company or
other
any member of the Controlled Group with respect to a Pension Plan or a
Multiemployer Pension Plan which could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled
Group
has engaged in any prohibited transaction (as defined in Section 4975 of the
Code or Section 406 of ERISA) in connection with any Pension Plan or
Multiemployer Pension Plan which would subject that Person to any material
liability. Within the past five years, neither the Company nor any other member
of the Controlled Group has engaged in a transaction which resulted in a Pension
Plan with an Unfunded Liability being transferred out of the Controlled Group,
which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No
Termination Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect
to any Pension Plan, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(b) All
contributions (if any) have been made to any Multiemployer Pension Plan that
are
required to be made by the Company or any other member of the Controlled Group
under the terms of the plan or of any collective bargaining agreement or by
applicable law; neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled
Group
has withdrawn or partially withdrawn from any Multiemployer Pension Plan,
incurred any withdrawal liability with respect to any such plan or received
notice of any claim or demand for withdrawal liability or partial withdrawal
liability from any such plan, and no condition has occurred which, if continued,
could result in a withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any such plan; and
neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled Group has received
any notice that any Multiemployer Pension Plan is in reorganization, that
increased contributions may be required to avoid a reduction in plan benefits
or
the imposition of any excise tax, that any such plan is or has been funded
at a
rate less than that required under Section 412 of the Code, that any such plan
is or may be terminated, or that any such plan is or may become
insolvent.
9.10 Investment
Company Act
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.
No Loan
Party is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment
company” or a “subsidiary” of an “investment company,” within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
9.11 [Intentionally
Omitted]
9.12 Regulation
U
.
The
Company is not engaged principally, or as one of its important activities,
in
the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying
Margin Stock.
9.13 Taxes
.
Each
Loan Party has timely filed all tax returns and reports required by law to
have
been filed by it and has paid all taxes and governmental charges due and payable
with respect to such return, except any such taxes or charges which are being
diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its
books. The Loan Parties have made adequate reserves on their books and records
in accordance with GAAP for all taxes that have accrued but which are not yet
due and payable. No Loan Party has participated in any transaction that relates
to a year of the taxpayer (which is still open under the applicable statute
of
limitations) which is a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2) (irrespective of the date when the transaction
was entered into).
9.14 Solvency,
etc
.
On the
Closing Date, and immediately prior to and after giving effect to the issuance
of each Letter of Credit and each borrowing hereunder and the use of the
proceeds thereof, with respect to each Loan Party, individually, (a) the fair
value of its assets is greater than the amount of its liabilities (including
disputed, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) as such value is established
and liabilities evaluated in accordance with GAAP, (b) the present fair saleable
value of its assets is not less than the amount that will be required to pay
the
probable liability on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) it
is
able to realize upon its assets and pay its debts and other liabilities
(including disputed, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) as they mature
in
the normal course of business, (d) it does not intend to, and does not believe
that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond its ability to pay as such
debts
and liabilities mature and (e) it is not engaged in business or a transaction,
and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which its property
would constitute unreasonably small capital.
9.15 Environmental
Matters
.
The
on-going operations of each Loan Party comply in all material respects with
all
Environmental Laws, except such non-compliance which could not (if enforced
in
accordance with applicable law) reasonably be expected to result, either
individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Party
has obtained, and maintained in good standing, all licenses, permits,
authorizations, registrations and
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other approvals required under any Environmental Law and required for their respective ordinary course operations, and for their reasonably anticipated future operations, and each Loan Party is in compliance with all terms and conditions thereof, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to any Loan Party and could not reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. No Loan Party or any of its properties or operations is subject to, or reasonably anticipates the issuance of, any written order from or agreement with any Federal, state or local governmental authority, nor subject to any judicial or docketed administrative or other proceeding, respecting any Environmental Law, Environmental Claim or Hazardous Substance. There are no Hazardous Substances or other conditions or circumstances existing with respect to any property, arising from operations prior to the Closing Date, or relating to any waste disposal, of any Loan Party that would reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. No Loan Party has any underground storage tanks that are not properly registered or permitted under applicable Environmental Laws or that at any time have released, leaked, disposed of or otherwise discharged Hazardous Substances.
9.16 Insurance
.
Set
forth on Schedule
9.16
is a
complete and accurate summary of the property and casualty insurance program
of
the Loan Parties as of the Closing Date (including the names of all insurers,
policy numbers, expiration dates, amounts and types of coverage). Each Loan
Party and its properties are insured with financially sound and reputable
insurance companies which are not Affiliates of the Loan Parties, in such
amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily
carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties
in localities where such Loan Parties operate.
9.17 Real
Property
.
Set
forth on Schedule
9.17
is a
complete and accurate list, as of the Closing Date, of the address of all real
property owned or leased by any Loan Party, together with, in the case of leased
property, the name and mailing address of the lessor of such
property.
9.18 Information
.
All
information heretofore or contemporaneously herewith furnished in writing by
any
Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of or in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is,
and
all written information hereafter furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party
to
the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant hereto or in connection herewith
will be, true and accurate in every material respect on the date as of which
such information is dated or certified, and none of such information is or
will
be incomplete by omitting to state any material fact necessary to make such
information not misleading in light of the circumstances under which made (it
being recognized by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that any
projections and forecasts provided by the Company are based on
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39
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good faith estimates and assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable as of the date of the applicable projections or assumptions and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections and forecasts may differ from projected or forecasted results).
9.19 Intellectual
Property
.
Each
Loan Party owns and possesses or has a license or other right to use all
patents, patent rights, trademarks, trademark rights, trade names, trade name
rights, service marks, service xxxx rights and copyrights as are necessary
for
the conduct of the businesses of the Loan Parties, without any infringement
upon
rights of others which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
9.20 Burdensome
Obligations
.
No Loan
Party is a party to any agreement or contract or subject to any restriction
contained in its organizational documents which could reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
9.21 Labor
Matters
.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
9.21,
no Loan
Party is subject to any labor or collective bargaining agreement. There are
no
existing or threatened strikes, lockouts or other labor disputes involving
any
Loan Party that singly or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to
have
a Material Adverse Effect. Hours worked by and payment made to employees of
the
Loan Parties are not in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other
applicable law, rule or regulation dealing with such matters.
9.22 No
Default
.
No
Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists or would result from
the
incurrence by any Loan Party of any Debt hereunder or under any other Loan
Document.
SECTION 10. |
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS.
|
Until
the
expiration or termination of the Commitments and thereafter until all
Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are paid in full and
all Letters of Credit have been terminated, the Company agrees that, unless
at
any time the Required Lenders shall otherwise expressly consent in writing,
it
will:
10.1 Reports,
Certificates and Other Information
.
Furnish
to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
10.1.1 Annual
Report.
Promptly when available and in any event within 90 days after the close of
each
Fiscal Year: (a) a copy of the annual audit report of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for such Fiscal Year, including therein consolidated
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40
-
balance sheets and statements of earnings and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Year, certified without adverse reference to going concern value and without qualification by independent auditors of recognized standing selected by the Company and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, together with (i) a written statement from such accountants to the effect that in making the examination necessary for the signing of such annual audit report by such accountants, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the Company was not in compliance with any provision of Sections 11.1, 11.3, 11.4 or Section 11.12 of this Agreement insofar as such provision relates to accounting matters or, if something has come to their attention that caused them to believe that the Company was not in compliance with any such provision, describing such non-compliance in reasonable detail and (ii) a comparison with the budget for such Fiscal Year and a comparison with the previous Fiscal Year; and (b) a consolidating balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such Fiscal Year and consolidating statement of earnings and cash flows for the Company and its Subsidiaries for such Fiscal Year, certified by a Senior Officer of the Company.
10.1.2 Interim
Reports.
Promptly when available and in any event within 45 days after the end of each
Fiscal Quarter, consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of the Company
and
its Subsidiaries as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter, together with
consolidated and consolidating statements of earnings and cash flows for such
Fiscal Quarter and for the period beginning with the first day of such Fiscal
Year and ending on the last day of such Fiscal Quarter, together with a
comparison with the corresponding period of the previous Fiscal Year and a
comparison with the budget for such period of the current Fiscal Year, certified
by a Senior Officer of the Company.
10.1.3 Compliance
Certificates.
Contemporaneously with the furnishing of a copy of each annual audit report
pursuant to Section
10.1.1
and each
set of quarterly statements pursuant to Section
10.1.2,
a duly
completed compliance certificate in the form of Exhibit
B,
with
appropriate insertions, dated the date of such annual report or such quarterly
statements and signed by a Senior Officer of the Company, containing (i) a
computation of each of the financial ratios and restrictions set forth in
Section
11.12
and to
the effect that such officer has not become aware of any Event of Default or
Unmatured Event of Default that has occurred and is continuing or, if there
is
any such event, describing it and the steps, if any, being taken to cure it
and
(ii) a written statement of the Company’s management setting forth a discussion
of the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition and results
of operations.
10.1.4 Reports
to the SEC and to Shareholders.
Promptly upon the filing or sending thereof, copies of all regular, periodic
or
special reports of any Loan Party filed with the SEC; copies of all registration
statements of any Loan Party filed with the SEC (other than on Form S-8); and
copies of all proxy statements or other communications made to security holders
generally.
10.1.5 Notice
of Default, Litigation and ERISA Matters.
Promptly upon becoming aware of any of the following, written notice describing
the same and the
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steps being taken by the Company or the Subsidiary affected thereby with respect thereto:
(a) the
occurrence of an Event of Default or an Unmatured Event of Default;
(b) any
litigation, arbitration or governmental investigation or proceeding not
previously disclosed by the Company to the Lenders which has been instituted
or,
to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened against any Loan Party or to
which any of the properties of any thereof is subject which might reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the
institution of any steps by any member of the Controlled Group or any other
Person to terminate any Pension Plan, or the failure of any member of the
Controlled Group to make a required contribution to any Pension Plan (if such
failure is sufficient to give rise to a Lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA)
or
to any Multiemployer Pension Plan, or the taking of any action with respect
to a
Pension Plan which could result in the requirement that the Company furnish
a
bond or other security to the PBGC or such Pension Plan, or the occurrence
of
any event with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Pension Plan which
could result in the incurrence by any member of the Controlled Group of any
material liability, fine or penalty (including any claim or demand for
withdrawal liability or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Pension Plan),
or any material increase in the contingent liability of the Company with respect
to any post-retirement welfare benefit plan or other employee benefit plan
of
the Company or another member of the Controlled Group, or any notice that any
Multiemployer Pension Plan is in reorganization, that increased contributions
may be required to avoid a reduction in plan benefits or the imposition of
an
excise tax, that any such plan is or has been funded at a rate less than that
required under Section 412 of the Code, that any such plan is or may be
terminated, or that any such plan is or may become insolvent;
(d) any
cancellation or material change in any insurance maintained by any Loan Party;
or
(e) any
other
event (including (i) any violation of any Environmental Law or the assertion
of
any Environmental Claim or (ii) the enactment or effectiveness of any law,
rule
or regulation) which might reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
10.1.6 Management
Reports.
Promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of all detailed financial and management
reports submitted to the Company by independent auditors in connection with
each
annual or interim audit made by such auditors of the books of the
Company.
10.1.7 Projections.
As soon
as practicable, and in any event not later than 60 days following the
commencement of each Fiscal Year, financial projections for the Company and
its
Subsidiaries for such Fiscal Year (including quarterly operating
and
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42
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cash flow budgets) prepared in a manner consistent with the projections delivered by the Company to the Lenders prior to the Closing Date or otherwise in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Officer of the Company on behalf of the Company to the effect that (a) such projections were prepared by the Company in good faith, (b) the Company has a reasonable basis for the assumptions contained in such projections and (c) such projections have been prepared in accordance with such assumptions.
10.1.8 Other
Information.
Promptly from time to time, such other information concerning the Loan Parties
as any Lender or the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
10.2 Books,
Records and Inspections
.
Keep,
and cause each other Loan Party to keep, its books and records in accordance
with sound business practices sufficient to allow the preparation of financial
statements in accordance with GAAP; permit, and cause each other Loan Party
to
permit, any Lender or the Administrative Agent or any representative thereof
to
inspect the properties and operations of the Loan Parties; and permit, and
cause
each other Loan Party to permit, at any reasonable time, with reasonable notice,
and without undue disruption to the Company’s or such other Loan Party’s
business operation (or at any time without notice if an Event of Default or
Unmatured Event of Default exists), any Lender or the Administrative Agent
or
any representative thereof to visit any or all of its offices, to discuss its
financial matters with its officers and its independent auditors (and the
Company hereby authorizes such independent auditors to discuss such financial
matters with any Lender or the Administrative Agent or any representative
thereof), and to examine (and, at the expense of the Loan Parties, photocopy
extracts from) any of its books or other records; and permit, and cause each
other Loan Party to permit, the Administrative Agent and its representatives
to
inspect the Inventory and other tangible assets of the Loan Parties, to perform
appraisals of the equipment of the Loan Parties, and to inspect, audit, check
and make copies of and extracts from the books, records, computer data, computer
programs, journals, orders, receipts, correspondence and other Company data.
All
such inspections or audits by the Administrative Agent during the occurrence
of
any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default shall be at the Company’s
expense. In the absence of any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default,
the Company and the other Loan Parties only one such inspection or audit per
calendar year shall be at the Company’s expense.
10.3 Maintenance
of Property; Insurance
.
Keep,
and cause each other Loan Party to keep, all property useful and necessary
in
the business of the Loan Parties in good working order and condition, ordinary
wear and tear excepted. The Company shall maintain, and cause each other Loan
Party to maintain, with responsible insurance companies, such insurance coverage
as may be required by any law or governmental regulation or court decree or
order applicable to it and such other insurance, to such extent and against
such
hazards and liabilities, as is customarily maintained by companies similarly
situated, but which shall insure against
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all risks and liabilities of the type identified on Schedule 9.16 and shall have insured amounts no less than, and deductibles no higher than, those set forth on such schedule; and, upon request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, furnish to the Administrative Agent or such Lender a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the nature and extent of all insurance maintained by the Loan Parties. The Company shall cause each issuer of an insurance policy to provide the Administrative Agent with a certificate (i) showing the Administrative agent as an additional insured with respect to each policy of liability insurance, (ii) providing that 30 days' notice will be given to the Administrative Agent prior to any cancellation of, material reduction or change in coverage provided by or other material modification to such policy and (iii) reasonably acceptable in all other respects to the Administrative Agent.
10.4 Compliance
with Laws; Payment of Taxes and Liabilities
.
Comply,
and cause each other Loan Party to comply, in all material respects with all
applicable laws, rules, regulations, decrees, orders, judgments, licenses and
permits, except where failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to
have
a Material Adverse Effect, and cause each other Loan Party to ensure, that
no
person who owns a controlling interest in or otherwise controls a Loan Party
is
or shall be (i) listed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Person
List maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”),
Department of the Treasury, and/or any other similar lists maintained by OFAC
pursuant to any authorizing statute, Executive Order or regulation or (ii)
a
person designated under Section 1(b), (c) or (d) of Executive Order No. 13224
(September 23, 2001), any related enabling legislation or any other similar
Executive Orders, (c) without limiting clause
(a)
above,
comply, and cause each other Loan Party to comply, with all applicable Bank
Secrecy Act (“BSA”)
and
anti-money laundering laws and regulations and (d) pay, and cause each other
Loan Party to pay, prior to delinquency, all taxes and other governmental
charges against it, as well as claims of any kind which, if unpaid, could become
a Lien on any of its property; provided
that the
foregoing shall not require any Loan Party to pay any such tax or charge so
long
as it shall contest the validity thereof in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and shall set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect
thereto in accordance with GAAP and, in the case of a claim which could become
a
lien on any Company assets or other Loan Party's assets, such contest
proceedings shall stay the foreclosure of such lien or the sale of the portion
of the collateral to satisfy such claim.
10.5 Maintenance
of Existence, etc
.
Maintain and preserve, and (subject to Section 11.4)
cause
each other Loan Party to maintain and preserve, (a) its existence and good
standing in the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) its qualification
to do
business and good standing in each jurisdiction where the nature of its business
makes such qualification necessary (other than such jurisdictions in which
the
failure to be qualified or in good standing could not reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect).
10.6 Use
of
Proceeds
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-
.
Use the
proceeds of the Loans, and the Letters of Credit, solely to refinance amounts
outstanding under the Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement among
the
Loan Parties and LaSalle dated February 10, 2005, as amended from time to time
for working capital purposes, and for Acquisitions permitted by Section
11.4,
for
capital expenditures and for other general business purposes, and may use up
to
$10,000,000.00 of such proceeds per Fiscal Year to purchase or redeem its
Capital Securities. The Company shall not use or permit any proceeds of any
Loan
to be used, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate,
incidental or ultimate, of “purchasing or carrying” any Margin
Stock.
10.7 Employee
Benefit Plans
(a) Maintain,
and cause each other member of the Controlled Group to maintain, each Pension
Plan in substantial compliance with all applicable requirements of law and
regulations.
(b) Make,
and
cause each other member of the Controlled Group to make, on a timely basis,
all
required contributions to any Multiemployer Pension Plan.
(c) Not,
and
not permit any other member of the Controlled Group to (i) seek a waiver of
the
minimum funding standards of ERISA, (ii) terminate or withdraw from any Pension
Plan or Multiemployer Pension Plan or (iii) take any other action with respect
to any Pension Plan that would reasonably be expected to entitle the PBGC to
terminate, impose liability in respect of, or cause a trustee to be appointed
to
administer, any Pension Plan, unless the actions or events described in clauses
(i), (ii) and (iii) individually or in the aggregate would not have a Material
Adverse Effect.
10.8 Environmental
Matters
.
If any
release or threatened release or other disposal of Hazardous Substances shall
occur or shall have occurred on any real property or any other assets of any
Loan Party, the Company shall, or shall cause the applicable Loan Party to,
cause the prompt containment and removal of such Hazardous Substances and the
remediation of such real property or other assets as necessary to comply with
all Environmental Laws and to preserve the value of such real property or other
assets. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall,
and
shall cause each other Loan Party to, comply with any Federal or state judicial
or administrative order requiring the performance at any real property of any
Loan Party of activities in response to the release or threatened release of
a
Hazardous Substance. To the extent that the transportation of Hazardous
Substances is permitted by this Agreement, the Company shall, and shall cause
its Subsidiaries to, dispose of such Hazardous Substances, or of any other
wastes, only at licensed disposal facilities operating in compliance with
Environmental Laws.
10.9 Further
Assurances
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45
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.
Take,
and cause each other Loan Party to take, such actions as are necessary or as
the
Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request from time
to
time to ensure that the Obligations of each Loan Party under the Loan Documents
are guaranteed by each domestic Subsidiary (including, upon the acquisition
or
creation thereof, any Subsidiary acquired or created after the Closing Date),
in
each case as the Administrative Agent may determine, including but, not matured
to the execution and delivery of guaranties, joinder agreements and other
documents.
SECTION 11. |
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
Until
the
expiration or termination of the Commitments and thereafter until all
Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are paid in full and
all Letters of Credit have been terminated, the Company agrees that, unless
at
any time the Required Lenders shall otherwise expressly consent in writing,
it
will:
11.1 Debt
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, create, incur, assume or suffer to
exist
any Debt, except:
(a) Obligations
under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(b) Debt
secured by Liens permitted by Section
11.2(d),
and
extensions, renewals and refinancings thereof; provided
that the
aggregate amount of all such Debt at any time outstanding shall not exceed
$1,000,000.00;
(c) Debt
of
the Company to any domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary or Debt of any domestic
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary to the Company or another domestic Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary; provided
that
such Debt shall be evidenced by a demand note in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and the obligations under such demand
note shall be subordinated to the Obligations of the Company hereunder in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(d) Hedging
Obligations incurred in favor of a Lender or an Affiliate thereof for bona
fide
hedging purposes and not for speculation;
(e) Debt
described on Schedule
11.1
and any
extension, renewal or refinancing thereof so long as the principal amount
thereof is not increased;
(f) the
Debt
to be Repaid (so long as such Debt is repaid on the Closing Date with the
proceeds of the initial Loans hereunder);
(g) Contingent
Liabilities arising with respect to customary indemnification obligations in
favor of sellers in connection with Acquisitions permitted under Section
11.4
and
purchasers in connection with dispositions permitted under Section
11.4;
and
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46
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(h)
Debt
assumed or issued in connection with Acquisitions permitted under Section
11.4,
so long
as such Debt would not cause a violation of the maximum aggregate debt covenant
set forth in Section
11.4(c)(iii)(C).
11.2 Liens
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, create or permit to exist any Lien
on
any of its real or personal properties, assets or rights of whatsoever nature
(whether now owned or hereafter acquired), except:
(a) Liens
for
taxes or other governmental charges not at the time delinquent or thereafter
payable without penalty or being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and, in each case, for which it maintains adequate
reserves;
(b) Liens
arising in the ordinary course of business (such as (i) Liens of carriers,
warehousemen, mechanics and materialmen and other similar Liens imposed by
law
and (ii) Liens in the form of deposits or pledges incurred in connection with
worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation and other types of social
security (excluding Liens arising under ERISA) or in connection with surety
bonds, bids, performance bonds and similar obligations) for sums not overdue
or
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and not involving
any
advances or borrowed money or the deferred purchase price of property or
services and, in each case, for which it maintains adequate
reserves;
(c) Liens
described on Schedule
11.2
as of
the Closing Date;
(d) subject
to the limitation set forth in Section
11.1(b),
(i)
Liens arising in connection with Capital Leases (and attaching only to the
property being leased), (ii) Liens existing on property at the time of the
acquisition thereof by any Loan Party (and not created in contemplation of
such
acquisition) and (iii) Liens that constitute purchase money security interests
on any property securing debt incurred for the purpose of financing all or
any
part of the cost of acquiring such property, provided
that any
such Lien attaches to such property within 20 days of the acquisition thereof
and attaches solely to the property so acquired;
(e) attachments,
appeal bonds, judgments and other similar Liens arising in connection with
court
proceedings, provided
the
execution or other enforcement of such Liens is effectively stayed and the
claims secured thereby are being actively contested in good faith and by
appropriate proceedings;
(f) easements,
rights of way, restrictions, minor defects or irregularities in title and other
similar Liens not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct
of the business of any Loan Party;
(g) Any
Liens
arising under the Loan Documents; and
(h) the
replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause
(c)
above
upon or in the same property subject thereto arising out of the
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47
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extension, renewal or replacement of the Debt secured thereby (without increase in the amount thereof).
11.3 Restricted
Payments
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, (a) make any distribution to any holders
of its Capital Securities, (b) pay any management fees or similar fees to any
of
its equityholders or any Affiliate thereof, or (c) make any redemption,
prepayment, defeasance, repurchase or any other payment in respect of any debt
subordinated to Lenders or set aside funds for any of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) any Subsidiary may pay dividends or make
other distributions to the Company or to a domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary;
and
(ii) so long as no Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists or
would result therefrom, the Company may make such restricted payments in an
amount up to $10,000,000.00 per Fiscal Year plus 50% of the quarterly
Consolidated Net Income (adjusted for non-cash stock compensation expense)
for
such Fiscal Year plus 50% of the Net Cash Proceeds received during such Fiscal
Year with respect to any issuance of Capital Securities.
11.4 Mergers,
Consolidations, Sales
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, (a) be a party to any merger or
consolidation, or purchase or otherwise acquire all or substantially all of
the
assets or any Capital Securities of any class of, or any partnership or joint
venture interest in, any other Person, (b) sell, transfer, convey or lease
all
or any substantial part of its assets or Capital Securities (including the
sale
of Capital Securities of any Subsidiary) except for sales of inventory in the
ordinary course of business, or (c) sell or assign with or without recourse
any
receivables, except for (i) any such merger, consolidation, sale, transfer,
conveyance, lease or assignment of or by any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary into the
Company or into any other domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary; (ii) any such
purchase or other acquisition by the Company or any domestic Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary of the assets or Capital Securities of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary;
and (iii) any Acquisition by the Company or any domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary
where:
(A)
the
business or division acquired is in the consulting or professional service
business;
(B)
immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition, no Event of
Default or Unmatured Event of Default shall exist;
(C)
the
aggregate debt utilized by the Loan Parties (including any Debt assumed or
issued in connection therewith, the amount thereof to be calculated in
accordance with GAAP) in connection with such Acquisition (or any series of
related Acquisitions) is less than $30,000,000.00;
(D) immediately
after giving effect to such Acquisition, the Company is in pro forma compliance
with all the financial ratios and restrictions set forth in Section
11.12;
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(E)
in
the case of the Acquisition of any Person, the board of directors or similar
governing body of such Person has approved such Acquisition;
(F)
reasonably prior to such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall have
received complete executed or conformed copies of each material document,
instrument and agreement to be executed in connection with such Acquisition
together with all lien search reports and lien release letters and other
documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence the
termination of Liens on the assets or business to be acquired;
(G)
not
less than ten Business Days prior to such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent
shall have received an acquisition summary with respect to the Person and/or
business or division to be acquired, such summary to include a reasonably
detailed description thereof (including financial information) and operating
results (including financial statements for the most recent 12 month period
for
which they are available and as otherwise available), the terms and conditions,
including economic terms, of the proposed Acquisition, and the Company’s
calculation of pro forma EBITDA relating thereto;
(H)
the
Administrative Agent shall have approved the Company’s computation of pro forma
EBITDA, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed;
(I)
simultaneously with the closing of such Acquisition, the target company (if
such
Acquisition is structured as a purchase of equity) or the Loan Party (if such
Acquisition is structured as a purchase of assets or a merger and a Loan Party
is the surviving entity) executes and delivers to Administrative Agent an
unlimited Guaranty of the Obligations, or at the option of Administrative Agent
in Administrative Agent's absolute discretion, a joinder agreement satisfactory
to Administrative Agent in which such target company or surviving company,
and
their respective Subsidiaries becomes a borrower under this Agreement and
assumes primary, joint and several liability for the Obligations;
and
(J)
if
the Acquisition is structured as a merger, the Company is the surviving
entity.
11.5 Modification
of Organizational Documents
.
Not
permit the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party
to be amended or modified in any way which could reasonably be expected to
materially adversely affect the interests of the Lenders; not change, or allow
any Loan Party to change, its state of formation or its organizational
form.
11.6 Transactions
with Affiliates
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into, or cause, suffer or permit
to exist any transaction, arrangement or contract with any of its other
Affiliates (other than the Loan Parties) which is on terms which are less
favorable than are obtainable from
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any Person which is not one of its Affiliates; provided, however, that nothing set forth in this Section 11.6 or elsewhere in this Agreement or the exhibits hereto shall prevent any Loan Party from providing indemnification or otherwise to another Loan Party.
11.7 Unconditional
Purchase Obligations
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into or be a party to any contract
for the purchase of materials, supplies or other property or services if such
contract requires that payment be made by it regardless of whether delivery
is
ever made of such materials, supplies or other property or
services.
11.8 Inconsistent
Agreements
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into any agreement containing
any
provision which would (a) be violated or breached by any borrowing by the
Company hereunder or by the performance by any Loan Party of any of its
Obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document in any material respect,
(b) prohibit any Loan Party from granting to the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders a Lien on any of its assets, or (c) create or permit to exist or become
effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to
(i)
pay dividends or make other distributions to the Company or any other
Subsidiary, or pay any Debt owed to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (ii)
make loans or advances to any Loan Party or (iii) transfer any of its assets
or
properties to any Loan Party, other than (A) customary restrictions and
conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of all or a substantial
part of the assets of any Subsidiary pending such sale, provided
that
such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary to be sold and
such sale is permitted hereunder, (B) restrictions or conditions imposed by
any agreement relating to purchase money Debt, Capital Leases and other secured
Debt permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only
to the property or assets securing such Debt, and (C) customary provisions
in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.
11.9 Business
Activities; Issuance of Equity
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, engage in any line of business other
than the businesses engaged in on the date hereof and businesses reasonably
related thereto. Not permit any other Loan Party to issue any Capital Securities
other than (a) any issuance of shares of the Company’s common Capital Securities
pursuant to any employee or director option program, benefit plan or
compensation program or (b) any issuance by a Subsidiary to the Company or
another Subsidiary in accordance with Section
11.4.
11.10 Investments
.
Not,
and not permit any other Loan Party to, make or permit to exist any Investment
in any other Person, except the following:
(a) contributions
by the Company to the capital of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, or by any
Subsidiary to the capital of any other domestic Wholly-
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Owned Subsidiary, so long as the recipient of any such capital contribution has guaranteed the Obligations;
(b) Investments
constituting Debt permitted by Section
11.1;
(c) Contingent
Liabilities constituting Debt permitted by Section
11.1
or Liens
permitted by Section
11.2;
(d) Cash
Equivalent Investments;
(e) bank
deposits in the ordinary course of business;
(f) Investments
in securities of Account Debtors received pursuant to any plan of reorganization
or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such account
debtors;
(g) Investments
to consummate Acquisitions permitted by Section
11.4;
(h) Investments
listed on Schedule
11.11
as of
the Closing Date; and
(i) AAA-Rated
money market mutual funds:
(i) Obligations
issued by the U.S. Treasury such as Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and/or
Treasury Bond;
(ii) Obligations
issued by a U.S. Government Agency or Government Sponsored Entity (GSE) (i.e.,
Federal Home Loan Bank, Federal Farm Credit Bank, Xxxxxx Xxx,
etc.);
(iii) Obligations
of major corporations and bank holding companies and limited to:
1.
Commercial paper with an A1, P1 rating or better
2.
Corporate Notes with an A2 by Xxxxx'x, A by S&P or better
3.
Corporate Bonds with an A2 by Xxxxx'x, A by S&P or better
4.
Medium-Term-Notes with an A2 by Xxxxx'x, A by S&P or better;
(iv) Negotiable
Certificates of Deposit, Time Deposits, Bankers Acceptance of banks with a
network in excess of $500m and a rating from at least two nationally recognized
rating agencies of at least a single A on the S&P scale;
(v) Taxable
and/or tax exempt municipal securities, which also includes variable rate demand
notes (VRDNs) and auction rate securities, taxable and tax-free with a AAA
(long-term) rating by Xxxxx'x, S&P and/or Fitch, or short-term rating of
MIG1/VMIG1 by Xxxxx'x and SP1 by S&P;
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(vi) Repurchase
agreements fully collateralized by U.S. government and/or Federal Agency
securities with a maximum maturity of seven days. The market value of the
collateral securities, when marked to market daily, must be equal to or greater
than 102% of the face value of the agreement; and
(vii) Reasonable
loans and advances by the Company to its current and prospective employees
in
the ordinary course of its business, including, without limitation, payments
to
current and prospective employees in connection with travel, business
entertainment and releases from existing non-compete agreements, provided that
such loans and advances shall not exceed an aggregate of Five Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($500,000.00) in any calendar year.
provided
that (x)
any Investment which when made complies with the requirements of the definition
of the term “Cash
Equivalent Investment”
may
continue to be held notwithstanding that such Investment if made thereafter
would not comply with such requirements; (y) no Investment otherwise permitted
by clause (b),
(c),
or
(g)
shall be
permitted to be made if, immediately before or after giving effect thereto,
any
Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists.
11.11 Fiscal
Year
.
Not
change its Fiscal Year.
11.12 Financial
Covenants
11.12.1 Interest
Coverage Ratio.
Not
permit the Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter
for
the Computation Period ending on such day (with EBITDA measured on a trailing
twelve month basis) to be less than 3.00 to 1.00.
11.12.2 Total
Debt to EBITDA Ratio.
Not
permit the Total Debt to EBITDA Ratio as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter
for the Computation Period ending on such day (with EBITDA measured on a
trailing twelve month basis and to be adjusted for Acquisitions permitted under
Section 11.4 (pro forma)) to exceed 3.00 to 1.00 for such Fiscal
Quarter.
11.12.3 Minimum
Net Worth.
Not
permit the Net Worth of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the last day
of
any Fiscal Quarter to be an amount less than 85% of the Net Worth as of December
31, 2005, plus an amount equal to (i) 50% of positive Consolidated Net Income
thereafter, and (ii) 50% of Net Cash Proceeds with respect to the issuance
of
Capital Securities thereafter.
SECTION 12. |
EFFECTIVENESS;
CONDITIONS OF LENDING, ETC.
|
The
obligation of each Lender to make its Loans and of the Issuing Lender to issue
Letters of Credit is subject to the following conditions precedent:
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12.1 Initial
Credit Extension
.
The
obligation of the Lenders to make the initial Loans and the obligation of the
Issuing Lender to issue its initial Letter of Credit (whichever first occurs)
is, in addition to the conditions precedent specified in Section
12.2,
subject
to the conditions precedent that (a) all Debt to be Repaid has been (or
concurrently with the initial borrowing will be) paid in full, and that all
agreements and instruments governing the Debt to be Repaid and that all Liens
securing such Debt to be Repaid have been (or concurrently with the initial
borrowing will be) terminated and (b) the Administrative Agent shall have
received all of the following, each duly executed and dated the Closing Date
(or
such earlier date as shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), in
form
and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (and the date on which
all such conditions precedent have been satisfied or waived in writing by the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders is called the “Closing
Date”):
12.1.1 Notes.
A Note
for each Lender.
12.1.2 Authorization
Documents.
For
each Loan Party, such Person’s (a) charter (or similar formation document),
certified by the appropriate governmental authority; (b) good standing
certificates in its state of incorporation (or formation) and in each other
state requested by the Administrative Agent; (c) bylaws (or similar governing
document); (d) resolutions of its board of directors (or similar governing
body)
approving and authorizing such Person’s execution, delivery and performance of
the Loan Documents to which it is party and the transactions contemplated
thereby; and (e) signature and incumbency certificates of its officers executing
any of the Loan Documents (it being understood that the Administrative Agent
and
each Lender may conclusively rely on each such certificate until formally
advised by a like certificate of any changes therein), all certified by its
secretary or an assistant secretary (or similar officer) as being in full force
and effect without modification.
12.1.3 Consents,
etc.
Certified copies of all documents evidencing any necessary corporate or
partnership action, consents and governmental approvals (if any) required for
the execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of the documents
referred to in this Section 12.
12.1.4 Letter
of Direction.
A
letter of direction containing funds flow information with respect to the
proceeds of the Loans on the Closing Date.
12.1.5 Guaranty
Agreement.
A
counterpart of the Guaranty Agreement executed by each Loan Party, together
with
all instruments, transfer powers and other items required to be delivered in
connection therewith.
12.1.6 Opinions
of Counsel.
Opinions of counsel for each Loan Party, including local counsel reasonably
requested by the Administrative Agent.
12.1.7 Insurance.
Evidence of the existence of insurance required to be maintained pursuant to
Section
10.3,
together with evidence that the Administrative Agent has been named as an
additional insured on all related insurance policies.
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12.1.8 Payment
of Fees.
Evidence of payment by the Company of all accrued and unpaid fees, costs and
expenses to the extent then due and payable on the Closing Date, together with
all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior
to
the Closing Date, plus
such
additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute the Administrative
Agent’s reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by the
Administrative Agent through the closing proceedings (provided
that
such estimate shall not thereafter preclude final settling of accounts between
the Company and the Administrative Agent).
12.1.9 Search
Results; Lien Terminations.
Certified copies of Uniform Commercial Code search reports dated a date
reasonably near to the Closing Date, listing all effective financing statements
which name any Loan Party (under their present names and any previous names)
as
debtors, together with (a) copies of such financing statements, (b) payoff
letters evidencing repayment in full of all Debt to be Repaid, the termination
of all agreements relating thereto and the release of all Liens granted in
connection therewith, with Uniform Commercial Code or other appropriate
termination statements and documents effective to evidence the foregoing (other
than Liens permitted by Section
11.2)
and (c)
such other Uniform Commercial Code termination statements as the Administrative
Agent may reasonably request.
12.1.10 Closing
Certificate, Consents and Permits.
A
certificate executed by an officer of the Company on behalf of the Company
certifying the matters set forth in Section
12.2.1
as of
the Closing Date.
12.1.11 Other.
Such
other documents as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably
request.
12.2 Conditions
.
The
obligation (a) of each Lender to make each Loan, and (b) of the Issuing
Lender to issue each Letter of Credit is subject to the following further
conditions precedent that:
12.2.1 Compliance
with Warranties, No Default, etc.
Both
before and after giving effect to any borrowing and the issuance of any Letter
of Credit, the following statements shall be true and correct:
(a) the
representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in this Agreement
and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects
with the same effect as if then made (except to the extent stated to relate
to a
specific earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall
be true and correct as of such earlier date); and
(b) no
Event
of Default or Unmatured Event of Default shall have then occurred and be
continuing.
12.2.2 Confirmatory
Certificate.
If
requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, the Administrative Agent
shall have received (in sufficient counterparts to provide one to each
Lender) a certificate dated the date of such requested Loan or
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Letter of Credit and signed by a duly authorized representative of the Company as to the matters set out in Section 12.2.1 (it being understood that each request by the Company for the making of a Loan or the issuance of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Company that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 12.2.1 will be satisfied at the time of the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit), together with such other documents as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request in support thereof.
SECTION 13. |
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND THEIR EFFECT.
|
13.1 Events
of Default
.
Each of
the following shall constitute an Event of Default under this
Agreement:
13.1.1 Non-Payment
of the Loans, etc.
Default
in the payment when due of the principal of any Loan; or default, and
continuance thereof for five days, in the payment when due of any interest,
fee,
reimbursement obligation with respect to any Letter of Credit or other amount
payable by the Company hereunder or under any other Loan Document.
13.1.2 Default
under Other Agreements.
Any
default in the payment of principal, interest or any other sum for any other
obligation beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto or in the
performance of any other term, condition or covenant contained in any agreement
(including, but not limited to any capital or operating lease or any agreement
in connection with the deferred purchase price of property or any other
agreement with any Lenders) under which any such obligation is created, the
effect of which default is to cause or permit the holder of such obligation
(or
the other party to such other agreement) to cause such obligation to become
due
prior to its stated maturity or terminate such other agreement, except where
the
amount of any such obligation(s), either singly or in the aggregate when
combined with such obligations resulting from other defaults of any Loan Party
(whether related or unrelated), is less than Three Million Dollars
($3,000,000.00).
13.1.3 Bankruptcy,
Insolvency, etc.
Any Loan
Party becomes insolvent or generally fails to pay, or admits in writing its
inability or refusal to pay, debts as they become due; or any Loan Party applies
for, consents to, or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or
other custodian for such Loan Party or any property thereof, or makes a general
assignment for the benefit of creditors; or, in the absence of such application,
consent or acquiescence, a trustee, receiver or other custodian is appointed
for
any Loan Party or for a substantial part of the property of any thereof and
is
not discharged within 60 days; or any bankruptcy, reorganization, debt
arrangement, or other case or proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency
law,
or any dissolution or liquidation proceeding, is commenced in respect of any
Loan Party, and if such case or proceeding is not commenced by such Loan Party,
it is consented to or acquiesced in by such Loan Party, or remains for 60 days
undismissed; or any Loan Party takes any action to authorize, or in furtherance
of, any of the foregoing.
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13.1.4 Non-Compliance
with Loan Documents.
(a)
Failure by any Loan Party to comply with or to perform any covenant set forth
in
Sections
10.1.5, 10.3
or
10.5
or
Section
11;
(b)
failure by any Loan Party to comply with or perform any covenant set forth
in
Sections
10.1.1, 10.1.2 and 10.1.3
and
continuance of such failure described in this clause
(b)
for 15
days or (c) failure by any Loan Party to comply with or to perform any
other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (and not
constituting an Event of Default under any other provision of this Section
13)
and
continuance of such failure described in this clause
(c)
for 30
days.
13.1.5 Representations;
Warranties.
Any
representation or warranty made by any Loan Party herein or any other Loan
Document is breached or is false or misleading in any material respect, or
any
schedule, certificate, financial statement, report, notice or other writing
furnished by any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in
connection herewith is false or misleading in any material respect on the date
as of which the facts therein set forth are stated or certified.
13.1.6 Invalidity
of Guaranty Documents, etc.
Any
Guaranty Document shall cease to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party
(or any Person by, through or on behalf of any Loan Party) shall contest in
any
manner the validity, binding nature or enforceability of any Guaranty
Document.
13.1.7 Change
of Control.
A
Change of Control shall occur.
13.2 Effect
of Event of Default
.
If any
Event of Default described in Section
13.1.3
shall
occur in respect of the Company, the Commitments shall immediately terminate
and
the Loans and all other Obligations hereunder shall become immediately due
and
payable and the Company shall become immediately obligated to Cash Collateralize
all Letters of Credit, all without presentment, demand, protest or notice of
any
kind; and, if any other Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the
Administrative Agent may (and, upon the written request of the Required Lenders
shall) declare the Commitments to be terminated in whole or in part and/or
declare all or any part of the Loans and all other Obligations hereunder to
be
due and payable and/or demand that the Company immediately Cash Collateralize
all or any Letters of Credit, whereupon the Commitments shall immediately
terminate (or be reduced, as applicable) and/or the Loans and other Obligations
hereunder shall become immediately due and payable (in whole or in part, as
applicable) and/or the Company shall immediately become obligated to Cash
Collateralize the Letters of Credit (all or any, as applicable), all without
presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind. The Administrative Agent
shall promptly advise the Company of any such declaration, but failure to do
so
shall not impair the effect of such declaration. Any cash collateral delivered
hereunder shall be held by the Administrative Agent (without liability for
interest thereon) and applied to the Obligations arising in connection with
any
drawing under a Letter of Credit. After the expiration or termination of all
Letters of Credit, such cash collateral shall be applied by the Administrative
Agent to any remaining Obligations hereunder and any excess shall be delivered
to the Company or as a court of competent jurisdiction may elect.
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SECTION 14. |
THE
AGENT.
|
14.1 Appointment
and Authorization
.
Each
Lender hereby irrevocably (subject to Section
14.10)
appoints, designates and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action
on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and each other Loan
Document and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly
delegated to it by the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document,
together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement or in any
other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or
responsibility except those expressly set forth herein, nor shall the
Administrative Agent have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with
any Lender or participant, and no implied covenants, functions,
responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the
Administrative Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence,
the use of the term “agent” herein and in other Loan Documents 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 merely as a matter of market custom, and is
intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between
independent contracting parties.
14.2 Issuing
Lender
.
The
Issuing Lender shall act on behalf of the Lenders (according to their Pro Rata
Shares) with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents
associated therewith. The Issuing Lender shall have all of the benefits and
immunities (a) provided to the Administrative Agent in this Section
14
with
respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the Issuing Lender in
connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by
it
and the applications and agreements for letters of credit pertaining to such
Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent”, as used in
this Section
14,
included the Issuing Lender with respect to such acts or omissions and (b)
as
additionally provided in this Agreement with respect to the Issuing
Lender.
14.3 Delegation
of Duties
.
The
Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document by or through agents, employees or attorneys-in-fact and
shall be entitled to advice of counsel and other consultants or experts
concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent
shall
not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agent or
attorney-in-fact that it selects in the absence of gross negligence or willful
misconduct.
14.4 Exculpation
of Administrative Agent
.
None of
the Administrative Agent nor any of its directors, officers, employees or agents
shall (a) be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of
them
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under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby (except to the extent resulting from its own gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein as determined by a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction), or (b) be responsible in any manner to any Lender or participant for any recital, statement, representation or warranty made by any Loan Party or Affiliate of the Company, or any officer thereof, contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or for any failure of the Company or any other party to any Loan Document to perform its Obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates.
14.5 Reliance
by Administrative Agent
.
The
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected
in
relying, upon any writing, communication, signature, resolution, representation,
notice, consent, certificate, electronic mail message, affidavit, letter,
telegram, facsimile, telex or telephone message, statement or other document
or
conversation reasonably believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have
been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons, and upon advice
and
statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Company), independent
accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The
Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take
any
action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first
receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems
appropriate and, if it so requests, confirmation from the Lenders of their
obligation to indemnify the Administrative Agent against any and all liability
and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to
take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully
protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Required
Lenders and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto
shall be binding upon each Lender. For purposes of determining compliance with
the conditions specified in Section 12,
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
written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying
its objection thereto.
14.6 Notice
of Default
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.
The
Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the
occurrence of any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default except with
respect to defaults in the payment of principal, interest and fees required
to
be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, unless
the
Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from a Lender or the
Company referring to this Agreement, describing such Event of Default or
Unmatured Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of
default”. The Administrative Agent will notify the Lenders of its receipt of any
such notice. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to
such Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default as may be requested by
the
Required Lenders in accordance with Section
13;
provided
that
unless and until the Administrative Agent has received any such request, the
Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action,
or
refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Event of Default or
Unmatured Event of Default as it shall deem advisable or in the best interest
of
the Lenders.
14.7 Credit
Decision
.
Each
Lender acknowledges that the Administrative Agent has not made any
representation or warranty to it, and that no act by the Administrative Agent
hereafter taken, including any consent and acceptance of any assignment or
review of the affairs of the Loan Parties, shall be deemed to constitute any
representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent to any Lender as to
any
matter, including whether the Administrative Agent has disclosed material
information in its possession. Each Lender represents to the Administrative
Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative
Agent and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate,
made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects,
operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of
the
Loan Parties, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to
extend credit to the Company hereunder. Each Lender also represents that it
will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent and
based
on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time,
continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking
or
not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to
make
such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business,
prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and
creditworthiness of the Company. Except for notices, reports and other documents
expressly herein required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative
Agent, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to
provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business,
prospects, operations, property, financial or other condition or
creditworthiness of the Company which may come into the possession of the
Administrative Agent.
14.8 Indemnification
.
Whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, each Lender shall
indemnify upon demand the Administrative Agent and its directors, officers,
employees and agents (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of the
Company
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and without limiting the obligation of the Company to do so), according to its applicable Pro Rata Share, from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities (as hereinafter defined); provided that no Lender shall be liable for any payment to any such Person of any portion of the Indemnified Liabilities to the extent determined by a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the applicable Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct. No action taken in accordance with the directions of the Required Lenders shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs and Taxes) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Company. The undertaking in this Section shall survive repayment of the Loans, cancellation of the Notes, expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit, any foreclosure under, or modification, release or discharge of, any or all of the Guaranty Documents, termination of this Agreement and the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent.
14.9 Administrative
Agent in Individual Capacity
.
LaSalle
and its Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the account
of, accept deposits from, acquire equity interests in and generally engage
in
any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting or other business
with the Loan Parties and Affiliates as though LaSalle were not the
Administrative Agent hereunder and without notice to or consent of any Lender.
14.10 Successor
Administrative Agent
.
The
Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon 30 days’ notice to
the Lenders. If the Administrative Agent resigns under this Agreement, the
Required Lenders shall, with (so long as no Event of Default exists) the consent
of the Company (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), appoint
from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders. If no successor agent
is appointed prior to the effective date of the resignation of the
Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may appoint, after consulting
with the Lenders and the Company, a successor agent from among the Lenders.
Upon
the acceptance of its appointment as successor agent hereunder, such successor
agent shall succeed to all the rights, powers and duties of the retiring
Administrative Agent and the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such
successor agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent’s appointment, powers and
duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated. After any retiring
Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the
provisions of this Section
14
and
Sections
15.5
and
15.17
shall
inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while
it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement. If no successor agent has
accepted appointment as Administrative Agent by the date which
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is 30 days following a retiring Administrative Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective and the Lenders shall perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above.
14.11 Administrative
Agent May File Proofs of Claim
.
In case
of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial
proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective
of
whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein
expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the
Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Company) shall be
entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise:
(a) to
file
and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing
and
unpaid in respect of the Loans, and all other Obligations that are owing and
unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in
order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including
any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances
of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and
counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
under
Sections
5,
15.5
and
15.17)
allowed
in such judicial proceedings; and
(b) to
collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on
any
such claims and to distribute the same;
and
any
custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other
similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each
Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event
that
the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly
to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due
the
Administrative Agent under Sections
5,
15.5
and
15.17.
Nothing
contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan
of
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations
or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote
in
respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
14.12 Other
Agents; Arrangers and Managers
.
None of
the Lenders or other Persons identified on the facing page or signature pages
of
this Agreement as a “syndication agent,” “documentation agent,” “co-agent,”
“book manager,” “lead manager,” “arranger,” “lead arranger” or “co-arranger”, if
any, shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or
duty
under this Agreement
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other than, in the case of such Lenders, those applicable to all Lenders as such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.
SECTION 15. |
GENERAL.
|
15.1 Waiver;
Amendments
.
No
delay on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in the exercise
of
any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any
single or partial exercise by any of them of any right, power or remedy preclude
other or further exercise thereof, or the exercise of any other right, power
or
remedy. No amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent with respect to,
any
provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall in any event
be
effective unless the same shall be in writing and acknowledged by Lenders having
an aggregate Pro Rata Shares of not less than the aggregate Pro Rata Shares
expressly designated herein with respect thereto or, in the absence of such
designation as to any provision of this Agreement, by the Required Lenders,
and
then any such amendment, modification, waiver or consent shall be effective
only
in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. No
amendment, modification, waiver or consent shall (a) extend or increase the
Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (b) extend
the date scheduled for payment of any principal (excluding mandatory
prepayments) of or interest on the Loans or any fees payable hereunder without
the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (c) reduce the
principal amount of any Loan, the rate of interest thereon or any fees payable
hereunder, without the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (except
for periodic adjustments of interest rates and fees resulting from a change
in
the Applicable Margin as provided for in this Agreement); or (d) release any
party from its obligations under the Guaranty Agreement, change the definition
of Required Lenders, any provision of this Section
15.1
or
reduce the aggregate Pro Rata Share required to effect an amendment,
modification, waiver or consent, without, in each case, the written consent
of
all Lenders. No provision of Sections
6.2.2
or
6.3
with
respect to the timing or application of mandatory prepayments of the Loans
shall
be amended, modified or waived without the consent of Lenders having a majority
of the aggregate Pro Rata Shares of the Loans affected thereby. No provision
of
Section
14
or other
provision of this Agreement affecting the Administrative Agent in its capacity
as such shall be amended, modified or waived without the consent of the
Administrative Agent. No provision of this Agreement relating to the rights
or
duties of the Issuing Lender in its capacity as such shall be amended, modified
or waived without the consent of the Issuing Lender. No provision of this
Agreement relating to the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender in its
capacity as such shall be amended, modified or waived without the consent of
the
Swing Line Lender.
15.2 Confirmations
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.
The
Company and each holder of a Note agree from time to time, upon written request
received by it from the other, to confirm to the other in writing (with a copy
of each such confirmation to the Administrative Agent) the aggregate unpaid
principal amount of the Loans then outstanding under such Note.
15.3 Notices
.
Except
as otherwise provided in Section 2.2.2,
all
notices hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission) and
shall be sent to the applicable party at its address shown on Annex
B
or at
such other address as such party may, by written notice received by the other
parties, have designated as its address for such purpose. Notices sent by
facsimile transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent; notices
sent by mail shall be deemed to have been given three Business Days after the
date when sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid; and notices
sent by hand delivery or overnight courier service shall be deemed to have
been
given when received. For purposes of Section
2.2.2,
the
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely on telephonic instructions from
any person that the Administrative Agent in good faith believes is an authorized
officer or employee of the Company, and the Company shall hold the
Administrative Agent and each other Lender harmless from any loss, cost or
expense resulting from any such reliance.
15.4 Computations
.
Where
the character or amount of any asset or liability or item of income or
expense is required to be determined, or any consolidation or other accounting
computation is required to be made, for the purpose of this Agreement, such
determination or calculation shall, to the extent applicable and except as
otherwise specified in this Agreement, be made in accordance with GAAP,
consistently applied; provided
that if
the Company notifies the Administrative Agent that the Company wishes to amend
any covenant in Section 10 or 11.12 (or any related definition) to eliminate
or
to take into account the effect of any change in GAAP on the operation of such
covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Required
Lenders wish to amend Section 10 or 11.12 (or any related definition) for such
purpose), then the Company’s compliance with such covenant shall be determined
on the basis of GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP
became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant (or
related definition) is amended in a manner satisfactory to the Company and
the
Required Lenders.
15.5 Costs,
Expenses and Taxes
.
The
Company agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses
of the Administrative Agent (including Attorney Costs and any Taxes) in
connection with the preparation, execution, syndication, delivery and
administration (including the costs of Intralinks (or other similar service),
if
applicable) of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and all other documents
provided for herein or delivered or to be delivered hereunder or in connection
herewith (including any amendment, supplement or waiver to any Loan Document),
whether or not the
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transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated, and all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including Attorney Costs and any Taxes) incurred by the Administrative Agent and each Lender after an Event of Default in connection with the collection of the Obligations or the enforcement of this Agreement the other Loan Documents or any such other documents or during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect thereof. In addition, the Company agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from all liability for, any fees of the Company’s auditors in connection with any reasonable exercise by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of their rights pursuant to Section 10.2. All Obligations provided for in this Section 15.5 shall survive repayment of the Loans, cancellation of the Notes, expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and termination of this Agreement.
15.6 Assignments;
Participations
15.6.1 Assignments.
(a) Any
Lender may at any time assign to one or more Persons (any such Person, an
“Assignee”)
all or
any portion of such Lender’s Loans and Commitments, with the prior written
consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and, so long as no
Event
of Default exists, the Company (which consents shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed and shall not be required for an assignment by a Lender
to a
Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender). Except as the Administrative Agent may
otherwise agree, any such assignment shall be in a minimum aggregate amount
equal to $5,000,000 or, if less, the remaining Commitment and Loans held by
the
assigning Lender. The Company and the Administrative Agent shall be entitled
to
continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with the
interests so assigned to an Assignee until the Administrative Agent shall have
received and accepted an effective assignment agreement in substantially the
form of Exhibit
C
hereto
(an “Assignment
Agreement”)
executed, delivered and fully completed by the applicable parties thereto and
a
processing fee of $3,500, payable by such assigning Lender or Assignee, as
the
assigning Lender and Assignee shall agree. No assignment may be made to any
Person if at the time of such assignment the Company would be obligated to
pay
any greater amount under Section
7.6
or
8
to the
Assignee than the Company is then obligated to pay to the assigning Lender
under
such Sections (and if any assignment is made in violation of the foregoing,
the
Company will not be required to pay such greater amounts). Any attempted
assignment not made in accordance with this Section
15.6.1
shall be
treated as the sale of a participation under Section
15.6.2.
The
Company shall be deemed to have granted its consent to any assignment requiring
its consent hereunder unless the Company has expressly objected to such
assignment within ten Business Days after notice thereof.
(a) From
and
after the date on which the conditions described above have been met, (i) such
Assignee shall be deemed automatically to have become a party hereto and, to
the
extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to such Assignee
pursuant to such Assignment Agreement, shall have the rights and obligations
of
a Lender hereunder and (ii) the assigning Lender, to the extent that rights
and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such
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Assignment Agreement, shall be released from its rights (other than its indemnification rights) and obligations hereunder. Upon the request of the Assignee (and, as applicable, the assigning Lender) pursuant to an effective Assignment Agreement, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent for delivery to the Assignee (and, as applicable, the assigning Lender) a Note in the principal amount of the Assignee’s Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Commitment (and, as applicable, a Note in the principal amount of the Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Commitment retained by the assigning Lender). Each such Note shall be dated the effective date of such assignment. Upon receipt by the assigning Lender of such Note, the assigning Lender shall return to the Company any prior Note held by it.
(b) 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.
15.6.2 Participations.
Any
Lender may at any time sell to one or more Persons participating interests
in
its Loans, Commitments or other interests hereunder (any such Person, a
“Participant”).
In
the event of a sale by a Lender of a participating interest to a Participant,
(a) such Lender’s obligations hereunder shall remain unchanged for all purposes,
(b) the Company and the Administrative Agent shall continue to deal solely
and
directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and
obligations hereunder and (c) all amounts payable by the Company shall be
determined as if such Lender had not sold such participation and shall be paid
directly to such Lender. No Participant shall have any direct or indirect voting
rights hereunder except with respect to any event described in Section 15.1
expressly requiring the unanimous vote of all Lenders or, as applicable, all
affected Lenders. Each Lender agrees to incorporate the requirements of the
preceding sentence into each participation agreement which such Lender enters
into with any Participant. The Company also agrees that each Participant shall
be entitled to the benefits of Section
7.4 and 7.6
or
Section
8
as if it
were a Lender (provided
that on
the date of the participation no Participant shall be entitled to any greater
compensation pursuant to Section
7.6
or
8
than
would have been paid to the participating Lender on such date if no
participation had been sold and that each Participant complies with Section
7.6(d)
as if it
were an Assignee).
15.7 Register
.
The
Administrative Agent shall maintain a copy of each Assignment Agreement
delivered and accepted by it and register (the “Register”)
for
the recordation of names and addresses of the Lenders and the Commitment of
each
Lender from time to time and whether such Lender is the original Lender or
the
Assignee. No assignment shall be effective unless and until the Assignment
Agreement is accepted and registered in the Register. All records of transfer
of
a Lender’s interest in the Register shall be
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conclusive, absent manifest error, as to the ownership of the interests in the Loans. The Administrative Agent shall not incur any liability of any kind with respect to any Lender with respect to the maintenance of the Register.
15.8 GOVERNING
LAW
.
THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH NOTE SHALL BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER AND GOVERNED BY
THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND
TO
BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS
PRINCIPLES.
15.9 Confidentiality
.
As
required by federal law and the Administrative Agent's policies and practices,
the Administrative Agent may need to obtain, verify, and record certain
customer identification information and documentation in connection with opening
or maintaining accounts, or establishing or continuing to provide services.
The
Administrative Agent and each Lender agree to use commercially reasonable
efforts (equivalent to the efforts the Administrative Agent or such Lender
applies to maintain the confidentiality of its own confidential information)
to
maintain as confidential all information provided to them by any Loan Party
and
designated as confidential, except that the Administrative Agent and each Lender
may disclose such information (a) to Persons employed or engaged by the
Administrative Agent or such Lender in evaluating, approving, structuring or
administering the Loans and the Commitments; (b) to any assignee or participant
or potential assignee or participant that has agreed to comply with the covenant
contained in this Section
15.9
(and any
such assignee or participant or potential assignee or participant may disclose
such information to Persons employed or engaged by them as described in clause
(a) above); (c) as required or requested by any federal or state regulatory
authority or examiner, or any insurance industry association, or as reasonably
believed by the Administrative Agent or such Lender to be compelled by any
court
decree, subpoena or legal or administrative order or process; (d) as, on the
advice of the Administrative Agent’s or such Lender’s counsel, is required by
law; (e) in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy under the Loan
Documents or in connection with any litigation to which the Administrative
Agent
or such Lender is a party; (f) to any nationally recognized rating agency that
requires access to information about a Lender’s investment portfolio in
connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender; or (g) to an
Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any other Lender
who may provide Bank Products to the Loan Parties; provided, however, that
the
Lender agrees to use reasonable efforts to limit the amount of contact by such
Affiliates with respect to the marketing of such Bank Products; or (h) that
ceases to be confidential through no fault of the Administrative Agent or any
Lender. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company consents to the publication
by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of a tombstone or similar advertising
material relating to the financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
and the Administrative Agent reserves the right to provide to industry trade
organizations information necessary and customary for inclusion in league table
measurements.
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15.10 Severability
.
Whenever possible each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in
such
manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision
of this Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such
provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity,
without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions
of this Agreement. All obligations of the Company and rights of the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders expressed herein or in any other Loan
Document shall be in addition to and not in limitation of those provided by
applicable law.
15.11 Nature
of Remedies
.
All
Obligations of the Company and rights of the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders expressed herein or in any other Loan Document shall be in addition
to
and not in limitation of those provided by applicable law. No failure to
exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent
or
any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder, shall operate
as a
waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy,
power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof
or
the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
15.12 Entire
Agreement
.
This
Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, embodies the entire agreement
and understanding among the parties hereto and supersedes all prior or
contemporaneous agreements and understandings of such Persons, verbal or
written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof (except as relates
to
the fees described in Section
5.3)
and any
prior arrangements made with respect to the payment by the Company of (or any
indemnification for) any fees, costs or expenses payable to or incurred (or
to
be incurred) by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent or the
Lenders.
15.13 Counterparts
.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the
different parties hereto on separate counterparts and each such counterpart
shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together
constitute but one and the same Agreement. Receipt of an executed signature
page
to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall constitute
effective delivery thereof. Electronic records of executed Loan Documents
maintained by the Lenders shall deemed to be originals.
15.14 Successors
and Assigns
.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon the Company, the Lenders and the
Administrative Agent and their respective successors and assigns, and shall
inure to the benefit of the Company, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
and the successors and assigns of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.
No
other Person shall be a direct or indirect legal beneficiary of, or have any
direct or indirect cause of action or
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claim in connection with, this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents. The Company may not assign or transfer any of its rights or Obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender.
15.15 Captions
.
Section
captions used in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not
affect the construction of this Agreement.
15.16 Customer
Identification - USA Patriot Act Notice
.
Each
Lender and LaSalle (for itself and not on behalf of any other party) hereby
notifies the Loan Parties that, pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot
Act, Title III of Pub. L. 107-56, signed into law October 26, 2001 (the “Act”),
it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the
Loan
Parties, which information includes the name and address of the Loan Parties
and
other information that will allow such Lender or LaSalle, as applicable, to
identify the Loan Parties in accordance with the Act.
15.17 INDEMNIFICATION
BY THE COMPANY
.
IN
CONSIDERATION OF THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT BY THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS AND THE AGREEMENT TO EXTEND THE COMMITMENTS
PROVIDED HEREUNDER, THE COMPANY HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, EXONERATE AND HOLD
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, EACH LENDER AND EACH OF THE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS,
EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES AND AGENTS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER
(EACH A “LENDER PARTY”) FREE AND HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL ACTIONS,
CAUSES OF ACTION, SUITS, LOSSES, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING
ATTORNEY COSTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES”), INCURRED BY THE
LENDER PARTIES OR ANY OF THEM AS A RESULT OF, OR ARISING OUT OF, OR RELATING
TO
(A) ANY TENDER OFFER, MERGER, PURCHASE OF CAPITAL SECURITIES, PURCHASE OF ASSETS
OR OTHER SIMILAR TRANSACTION FINANCED OR PROPOSED TO BE FINANCED IN WHOLE OR
IN
PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, WITH THE PROCEEDS OF ANY OF THE LOANS, (B) THE
USE, HANDLING, RELEASE, EMISSION, DISCHARGE, TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE, TREATMENT
OR DISPOSAL OF ANY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE AT ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR LEASED BY ANY
LOAN PARTY, (C) ANY VIOLATION OF ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS WITH RESPECT TO
CONDITIONS AT ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR LEASED BY ANY LOAN PARTY OR THE OPERATIONS
CONDUCTED THEREON, (D) THE INVESTIGATION, CLEANUP OR REMEDIATION OF OFFSITE
LOCATIONS AT WHICH ANY LOAN PARTY OR THEIR RESPECTIVE PREDECESSORS ARE ALLEGED
TO HAVE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY DISPOSED OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES OR (E) THE
EXECUTION, DELIVERY, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY
OTHER
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LOAN DOCUMENT BY ANY OF THE LENDER PARTIES, EXCEPT FOR ANY SUCH INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES ARISING ON ACCOUNT OF THE APPLICABLE LENDER PARTY’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT AS DETERMINED BY A FINAL, NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. IF AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE FOREGOING UNDERTAKING MAY BE UNENFORCEABLE FOR ANY REASON, THE COMPANY HEREBY AGREES TO MAKE THE MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION TO THE PAYMENT AND SATISFACTION OF EACH OF THE INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES WHICH IS PERMISSIBLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. ALL OBLIGATIONS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION 15.17 SHALL SURVIVE REPAYMENT OF THE LOANS, CANCELLATION OF THE NOTES, EXPIRATION OR TERMINATION OF THE LETTERS OF CREDIT, ANY FORECLOSURE UNDER, OR ANY MODIFICATION, RELEASE OR DISCHARGE OF, ANY OR ALL OF THE GUARANTY DOCUMENTS AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.
15.18 Nonliability
of Lenders
.
The
relationship between the Company on the one hand and the Lenders and the
Administrative Agent on the other hand shall be solely that of borrower and
lender. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary
relationship with or duty to any Loan Party arising out of or in connection
with
this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between
the Loan Parties, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders,
on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor
and creditor. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender undertakes any
responsibility to any Loan Party to review or inform any Loan Party of any
matter in connection with any phase of any Loan Party’s business or operations.
The Company agrees, on behalf of itself and each other Loan Party, that neither
the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have liability to any Loan Party
(whether sounding in tort, contract or otherwise) for losses suffered by any
Loan Party in connection with, arising out of, or in any way related to the
transactions contemplated and the relationship established by the Loan
Documents, or any act, omission or event occurring in connection therewith,
unless it is determined in a final non-appealable judgment by a court of
competent jurisdiction that such losses resulted from the gross negligence
or
willful misconduct of the party from which recovery is sought. NO
LENDER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE BY OTHERS
OF
ANY INFORMATION OR OTHER MATERIALS OBTAINED THROUGH INTRALINKS OR OTHER SIMILAR
INFORMATION TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, NOR SHALL
ANY LENDER PARTY HAVE ANY LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO, AND THE COMPANY ON BEHALF
OF ITSELF AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY, HEREBY WAIVES, RELEASES AND AGREES NOT
TO
XXX FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ARISING OUT OF ITS
ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH (WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE
CLOSING DATE). The
Company acknowledges that it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation,
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which
it is a party. No joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents
or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among
the
Lenders or among the Loan Parties and the Lenders.
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15.19 FORUM SELECTION AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
.
ANY LITIGATION BASED HEREON, OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER, OR IN CONNECTION WITH
THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, SHALL BE BROUGHT AND MAINTAINED
EXCLUSIVELY IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS OR IN THE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS; PROVIDED
THAT NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED OR OPERATE TO PRECLUDE THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT FROM BRINGING SUIT OR TAKING OTHER LEGAL ACTION IN ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION. THE COMPANY HEREBY EXPRESSLY AND IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO
THE
JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND OF THE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANY
SUCH
LITIGATION AS SET FORTH ABOVE. THE COMPANY FURTHER IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO
THE
SERVICE OF PROCESS BY REGISTERED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, OR BY PERSONAL SERVICE
WITHIN OR WITHOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. THE COMPANY HEREBY EXPRESSLY AND
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY OBJECTION WHICH
IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUCH LITIGATION
BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT REFERRED TO ABOVE AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH
LITIGATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.
15.20 WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
.
EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER HEREBY WAIVES
ANY
RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING TO ENFORCE OR DEFEND ANY
RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, ANY NOTE, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND ANY
AMENDMENT, INSTRUMENT, DOCUMENT OR AGREEMENT DELIVERED OR WHICH MAY IN THE
FUTURE BE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH OR ARISING FROM ANY
LENDING RELATIONSHIP EXISTING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE FOREGOING, AND
AGREES THAT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE TRIED BEFORE A COURT AND
NOT
BEFORE A JURY.
[SIGNATURE
PAGES FOLLOW]
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70
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The
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered
by
their duly authorized officers as of the date first set forth
above.
By:
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxx
Title:
CFO
Signature
Page to Credit
Agreement
LASALLE
BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Administrative Agent, as Issuing Lender and
as a Lender, and as Arranger
as Administrative Agent, as Issuing Lender and
as a Lender, and as Arranger
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Title: VP
Signature
Page to Credit
Agreement
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as a Lender and as
Syndication Agent
ASSOCIATION, as a Lender and as
Syndication Agent
By: /s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice
President
Signature
Page to Credit
Agreement
FIFTH
THIRD BANK (CHICAGO),
as
a
Lender
By: /s/
Xxxx Xxxxx
Title:
Loan Officer
Signature
Page to Credit
Agreement