U.S. $3,550,000,000 TERM LOAN CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of November 20, 2018 Among AT&T INC. as Borrower THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN as Initial Lenders and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. as Agent MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, as Sole...
Exhibit 10.1
U.S. $3,550,000,000
Dated as of November 20, 2018
Among
AT&T INC.
as Borrower
THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN
as Initial Lenders
and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
as Agent
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED,
as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Syndication Agent
BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, S.A. NEW YORK BRANCH, BNP PARIBAS,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., MIZUHO BANK, LTD., PNC BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA and MUFG BANK, LTD.
as Documentation Agents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
Article I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS |
1 | |||||
Section 1.01 |
Certain Defined Terms | 1 | ||||
Section 1.02 |
Computation of Time Periods | 13 | ||||
Section 1.03 |
Accounting Terms | 13 | ||||
Article II AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES |
14 | |||||
Section 2.01 |
The Advances | 14 | ||||
Section 2.02 |
Making the Advances | 14 | ||||
Section 2.03 |
Fees | 15 | ||||
Section 2.04 |
[Reserved] | 15 | ||||
Section 2.05 |
Repayment of Advances | 15 | ||||
Section 2.06 |
Commitment Termination | 16 | ||||
Section 2.07 |
Interest on Advances | 16 | ||||
Section 2.08 |
Interest Rate Determination | 16 | ||||
Section 2.09 |
Optional Conversion of Advances | 19 | ||||
Section 2.10 |
Optional Prepayments of Advances | 19 | ||||
Section 2.11 |
Increased Costs | 20 | ||||
Section 2.12 |
Illegality | 21 | ||||
Section 2.13 |
Payments and Computations | 21 | ||||
Section 2.14 |
Taxes | 22 | ||||
Section 2.15 |
Sharing of Payments, Etc. | 25 | ||||
Section 2.16 |
Evidence of Debt | 26 | ||||
Section 2.17 |
Use of Proceeds | 26 | ||||
Section 2.18 |
Defaulting Lenders | 27 | ||||
Section 2.19 |
Replacement of Lenders | 28 | ||||
Article III CONDITIONS PRECEDENT |
28 | |||||
Section 3.01 |
Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness and Closing | 28 | ||||
Article IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
30 | |||||
Section 4.01 |
Representations and Warranties | 30 | ||||
Article V COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER |
32 | |||||
Section 5.01 |
Affirmative Covenants | 32 | ||||
Section 5.02 |
Negative Covenants | 34 | ||||
Section 5.03 |
Financial Covenant | 36 |
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Article VI EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
36 | |||||
Section 6.01 |
Events of Default | 36 | ||||
Article VII THE AGENT |
38 | |||||
Section 7.01 |
Authorization and Authority | 38 | ||||
Section 7.02 |
Agent Individually | 39 | ||||
Section 7.03 |
Duties of Agent; Exculpatory Provisions | 39 | ||||
Section 7.04 |
Reliance by Agent | 40 | ||||
Section 7.05 |
Delegation of Duties | 40 | ||||
Section 7.06 |
Resignation of Agent | 41 | ||||
Section 7.07 |
Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders | 41 | ||||
Section 7.08 |
Indemnification | 41 | ||||
Section 7.09 |
Other Agents | 42 | ||||
Section 7.10 |
Certain ERISA Matters | 42 | ||||
Article VIII MISCELLANEOUS |
43 | |||||
Section 8.01 |
Amendments, Etc. | 43 | ||||
Section 8.02 |
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication | 44 | ||||
Section 8.03 |
No Waiver; Remedies | 46 | ||||
Section 8.04 |
Costs and Expenses | 46 | ||||
Section 8.05 |
Binding Effect | 48 | ||||
Section 8.06 |
Assignments and Participations | 48 | ||||
Section 8.07 |
Confidentiality; PATRIOT Act | 52 | ||||
Section 8.08 |
Governing Law | 53 | ||||
Section 8.09 |
Jurisdiction, Etc. | 53 | ||||
Section 8.10 |
Severability | 53 | ||||
Section 8.11 |
Waiver of Jury Trial | 54 | ||||
Section 8.12 |
No Fiduciary Duties | 54 | ||||
Section 8.13 |
Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions | 54 |
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Schedules | ||||
Schedule I |
- | Commitments | ||
Schedule 5.02(a) |
- | Existing Liens | ||
Exhibits | ||||
Exhibit A |
- | Form of Note | ||
Exhibit B-1 |
- | Form of Notice of Borrowing | ||
Exhibit B-2 |
- | Form of Notice of Continuation/Conversion | ||
Exhibit C |
- | Form of Assignment and Assumption | ||
Exhibit D |
- | Form of Opinion of In-House Counsel for the Borrower | ||
Exhibit E |
- | Non-U.S. Lender Form |
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Dated as of November 20, 2018
AT&T Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders listed on the signature pages hereof (the “Initial Lenders”), and Bank of America, N.A., as agent (in such capacity, the “Agent”) for the Lenders (as hereinafter defined), agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
Section 1.01 Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Agent.
“Advance” means an advance by a Lender pursuant to its Commitment to the Borrower as part of a Borrowing.
“Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is a director or officer of such Person. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) of a Person means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to vote 15% or more of the Voting Stock of such Person or to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Stock, by contract or otherwise; provided, however, that with respect to the Agent or any Lender, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) of a Person means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to vote 5% or more of the Voting Stock of such Person.
“Agent” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.
“Agent’s Account” means (a) the account of the Agent maintained by the Agent at Bank of America, N.A., Account No. 18555, Attention: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx or (b) such other account of the Agent as is designated in writing from time to time by the Agent to the Borrower and the Lenders for such purpose.
“Agent Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 8.02(d)(ii).
“Agreement” means this Term Loan Credit Agreement.
“Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.
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“Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Advance and such Lender’s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance.
“Applicable Margin” means, as of any date, a percentage per annum determined by reference to the applicable Public Debt Rating in effect on such date as set forth below:
Public Debt Rating S&P/Moody’s/Fitch |
Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances |
Applicable Margin for Base Rate Advances |
||||||
Xxxxx 0 X- / X0 / X- or higher |
0.875 | % | 0.000 | % | ||||
Xxxxx 0 XXXx / Xxx0 / BBB+ |
1.000 | % | 0.000 | % | ||||
Xxxxx 0 Xxxxx xxxx Xxxxx 0 |
1.125 | % | 0.125 | % |
“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
“Arranger” means Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2017, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended.
“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.
“Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.
“Base Rate” means a fluctuating interest rate per annum in effect from time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the highest of (but in no event less than zero):
(a) | the Prime Rate; |
(b) |
1/2 of one percent per annum above the Federal Funds Rate; and |
(c) | the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited Settlement Rate (or the successor thereto if ICE Benchmark Administration Limited is no longer making such a rate available) applicable to Dollars for a period of one month (“One Month LIBOR”) plus 1.00% (for the avoidance of doubt, the One Month LIBOR for any day shall be based on the rate appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or other commercially available source providing such quotations as designated by the Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 A.M. London time on such day); provided that if One Month LIBOR shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement. |
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“Base Rate Advance” means an Advance denominated in Dollars that bears interest as provided in Section 2.07(a)(i).
“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.
“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.
“Board of Directors” shall mean the governing body of a corporation, limited liability company or equivalent business organization.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.
“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Business Day” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close in New York City and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank market and banks are open for business in London.
“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 3.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 8.01.
“Commitment” means, with respect to any Lender, (a) the Dollar amount set forth under the caption “Commitments” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule I hereto or (b) if such Lender has entered into any Assignment and Assumption, the Dollar amount set forth for such Lender in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.06(c).
“Communications” has the meaning specified in Section 8.02(d)(ii).
“Confidential Information” means information that is furnished to the Agent or any Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower, but does not include any such information that is or becomes generally available to the public (other than as a result of a violation of this Agreement).
“Consolidated” refers to the consolidation of accounts in accordance with GAAP.
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“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any Person for any period, Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period adjusted to exclude the effects of (a) gains or losses from discontinued operations, (b) any extraordinary or other non-recurring non-cash gains or losses (including non-cash restructuring charges), (c) accounting changes including any changes to Accounting Standards Codification 715 (or any subsequently adopted standards relating to pension and postretirement benefits) adopted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board after the date hereof, (d) interest expense, (e) income tax expense or benefit, (f) depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges (including actuarial gains or losses from pension and postretirement plans), (g) interest income, (h) equity income and losses, and (i) other non-operating income or expense. For the purpose of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any Person for any period, if during such period such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person shall have made a Material Acquisition or Material Disposition, Consolidated EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to such Material Acquisition or Material Disposition as if such Material Acquisition or Material Disposition occurred on the first day of such period.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any Person for any period, the net income of such Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a Consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP.
“Convert”, “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of the other Type pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.09 or 2.12.
“Debt” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments and (c) all guarantees by such Person of Debt of others.
“Default” means any Event of Default or any event that would constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both.
“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.18(c), at any time, any Lender that, at such time (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder, including in respect of its Advances, on the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Agent or the Borrower (based on its reasonable belief that such Lender may not fulfill its funding obligations hereunder), to confirm in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its funding obligations hereunder, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender upon receipt of such confirmation by, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to, the Agent and the Borrower, (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any debtor relief law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it, (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment or (iv) become
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the subject of a Bail-In Action, or (e) shall generally not pay its debts as those debts come due or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts or shall become insolvent; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the control, ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a governmental authority, so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such governmental authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.
“Dollars” and the “$” sign each means lawful currency of the United States of America.
“Domestic Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office” in its Administrative Questionnaire delivered to the Agent, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrower and the Agent.
“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
“Eligible Assignee” means any (i) Lender, Affiliate of a Lender or Approved Fund and (ii) bank, financial institution or other institutional lender that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 8.06(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 8.06(b)(iii)).
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any Person that for purposes of Title IV of ERISA is a member of the Borrower’s controlled group, or under common control with the Borrower, within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.
“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.
“Eurocurrency Liabilities” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.
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“Eurodollar Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Eurodollar Lending Office” in its Administrative Questionnaire delivered to the Agent, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrower and the Agent.
“Eurodollar Rate” means, for any Interest Period for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, an interest rate per annum equal to the rate per annum obtained by dividing (a) the rate per annum appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any successor page) as the London interbank offered rate (“LIBOR”) for deposits in Dollars at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period for a term comparable to such Interest Period or, if for any reason such rate is not available, the average of the rate per annum at which deposits in Dollars are offered by the principal office of each of the Reference Banks in London, England to prime banks in the London interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period in an amount substantially equal to such Reference Bank’s Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of such Borrowing to be outstanding during such Interest Period and for a period equal to such Interest Period by (b) a percentage equal to 100% minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage for such Interest Period; provided that if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement. If the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any successor page) is unavailable, the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing shall be determined by the Agent on the basis of applicable rates furnished to and received by the Agent from the Reference Banks two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period, subject, however, to the provisions of Section 2.08.
“Eurodollar Rate Advance” means an Advance denominated in Dollars that bears interest as provided in Section 2.07(a)(ii).
“Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage” for any Interest Period for all Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing means the reserve percentage applicable two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period under regulations issued from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) for a member bank of the Federal Reserve System in New York City with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect to any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Eurodollar Rate Advances is determined) having a term equal to such Interest Period.
“Events of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“Existing Revolving Credit Agreement” means the $12,000,000,000 Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2015, among the Borrower, the lenders parties thereto and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent, as such credit agreement may be amended from time to time.
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“Existing Term Loan Credit Agreement” means the Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of November 15, 2016, among the Borrower, the lenders parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, as amended from time to time prior to the Closing Date.
“Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments or Advances, as applicable, at such time.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as in effect on the date hereof, (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum 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, 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; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.
“Fee Letter” means that certain fee letter, dated as of November 12, 2018, between the Arranger and the Borrower.
“Fitch” means Fitch, Inc.
“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“GAAP” has the meaning specified in Section 1.03.
“Indemnified Costs” has the meaning specified in Section 7.08.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04(b).
“Initial Lenders” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.
“Interest Period” means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Base Rate Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, two, three or six months as the Borrower may, upon notice received by the Agent not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided, however, that:
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(a) | the Borrower may not select any Interest Period that ends after the Maturity Date; |
(b) | Interest Periods commencing on the same date for Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing shall be of the same duration; |
(c) | whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day, provided, however, that, if such extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding Business Day; and |
(d) | whenever the first day of any Interest Period occurs on a day of an initial calendar month for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months equal to the number of months in such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such succeeding calendar month. |
“Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
“IRS” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(f)(i).
“Lender Appointment Period” has the meaning specified in Section 7.06.
“Lenders” means the Initial Lenders, and each Person that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.06.
“LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
“LIBOR Screen Rate” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Agent from time to time).
“LIBOR Successor Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(f).
“LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(f).
“Lien” means any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential arrangement, including, without limitation, the lien or retained security title of a conditional vendor.
“Material Acquisition” means any acquisition or series of related acquisitions that involves consideration (including non-cash consideration) with a fair market value, as of the date of the closing thereof, in excess of $10,000,000,000.
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“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the financial condition, properties, assets, liabilities, business or results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the material rights and remedies of the Agent or any Lender under this Agreement or any Note or (c) the ability of the Borrower to perform its payment obligations under this Agreement or any Note.
“Material Disposition” means any disposition of property or series of related dispositions of property that involves consideration (including non-cash consideration) with a fair market value, as of the date of the closing thereof, in excess of $1,000,000,000.
“Material Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary of the Borrower to which 5% or more of Net Tangible Assets of the Borrower are attributable.
“Maturity Date” means the date that is four years and six months after the Closing Date on which such Advances were made.
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc.
“Multiple Employer Plan” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other than the Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.
“Net Debt for Borrowed Money” of any Person means (a) all items that, in accordance with GAAP, would be classified as indebtedness on a Consolidated balance sheet of such Person minus (b) the amount by which the sum of (i) 100% of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents held by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the United States (it being understood and agreed that any proceeds of any issuance by the Borrower of unsecured debt securities, other debt securities or borrowing of term loans in connection with financing an acquisition, investment, refinancing or other transaction held or placed into escrow shall be deemed to be unrestricted for purposes of this definition), and funds available on demand by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the United States (including but not limited to time deposits), and (ii) 65% of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents held by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries outside of the United States, exceeds $2,000,000,000 in the aggregate. For the avoidance of doubt, any cash and cash equivalents held by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries outside of the United States shall not be considered “restricted” solely as a result of the repatriation of such cash and cash equivalents being subject to any legal limitation or otherwise resulting in adverse tax consequences to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Net Tangible Assets” means, at any date, with respect to the Borrower, the total assets appearing on the most recently prepared Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which such balance sheet is available, prepared in accordance with GAAP, less (a) all current liabilities as shown on such balance sheet and (b) the value (net of any applicable reserves), as shown on such balance sheet of (i) all trade names, trademarks, licenses, patents, copyrights and goodwill,
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(ii) organizational costs and (iii) deferred charges (other than prepaid items such as insurance, taxes, interest, commissions, rents and similar items and tangible assets being amortized), as adjusted in good faith by the Borrower to give pro forma effect to any Material Acquisition or Material Disposition occurring after the end of such fiscal quarter.
“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (i) requires the approval of all or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 8.01 and (ii) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
“Non-U.S. Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(f)(i).
“Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Lender, delivered pursuant to a request made under Section 2.16 in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Advances made by such Lender under the Facility.
“Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Lender or Agent, taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Person and the jurisdiction imposing such tax (other than connections arising solely from such Person having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced this Agreement, or the Notes or any other documents to be delivered hereunder, or sold or assigned an interest in any such documents).
“Other Taxes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(b).
“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 8.06(d).
“PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, as it may be amended or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Permitted Liens” means such of the following as to which no enforcement, collection, execution, levy or foreclosure proceeding shall have been commenced: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies to the extent not required to be paid under Section 5.01(b) hereof; (b) Liens imposed by law, such as materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s and repairmen’s Liens and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business securing obligations that are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days; (c) pledges or deposits to secure obligations under workers’ compensation laws or similar legislation or to secure public or statutory obligations; (d) easements, rights of way and other encumbrances on title to real property that do not render title to the property encumbered thereby unmarketable or materially adversely affect the use of such property for its present purposes; (e) any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under, and Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases and subleases entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of its business and covering only the assets so leased or subleased; (f) Liens that are
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contractual rights of set-off generally; (g) licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases of intellectual property granted to Persons who are not Affiliates of the Borrower in the ordinary course of business not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; and (h) Liens on deposit or securities accounts arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provisions or ordinary course contractual provisions, in each case, relating to banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies for account and transaction fees and other amounts due to the depository institution or securities intermediary where any deposit, securities or brokerage accounts are maintained so long as the amounts subject to such Liens do not secure Debt.
“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency thereof.
“Plan” means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 8.02(d)(i).
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Agent).
“Process Agent” has the meaning specified in Section 8.09(c).
“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.
“Public Debt Rating” means, as of any date, the rating that has been most recently announced by any of S&P, Xxxxx’x or Fitch, as the case may be, for any class of non-credit enhanced long-term senior unsecured debt issued by the Borrower or, if any such rating agency shall have issued more than one such rating, the lowest such rating issued by such rating agency. For purposes of the foregoing, (a) if only one of S&P, Xxxxx’x and Fitch shall have in effect a Public Debt Rating, the Applicable Margin shall be determined by reference to the available rating; (b) if none of S&P, Xxxxx’x or Fitch shall have in effect a Public Debt Rating, the Applicable Margin will be set in accordance with Level 3 under the definition of “Applicable Margin”; (c) if the ratings established by S&P, Xxxxx’x and Fitch fall within different levels, the Applicable Margin shall be based upon the highest rating, unless the lowest of such ratings is more than one level below the highest of such ratings, in which case the Applicable Margin shall be based upon the rating that is one level above the lowest of such ratings; (d) if any rating established by S&P, Xxxxx’x or Fitch shall be changed, such change shall be effective as of the date on which such change is first announced publicly by the rating agency making such change; and (e) if S&P, Xxxxx’x or Fitch shall change the basis on which ratings are established, each reference to the Public Debt Rating announced by S&P, Xxxxx’x or Fitch, as the case may be, shall refer to the then equivalent rating by S&P, Xxxxx’x or Fitch, as the case may be.
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“Quarterly Financial Statements” means the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2018, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the nine-month period then ended.
“Receivables Securitization” means sales of accounts receivable of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with agreements for limited recourse or non-recourse sales by the Borrower or Subsidiary for cash; provided that (a) any such agreement is of a type and on terms customary for comparable transactions in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Borrower or Subsidiary and (b) such agreement does not create any interest in any asset other than accounts receivable (and property securing or otherwise supporting accounts receivable), proceeds of the foregoing and accounts into which such proceeds are paid or held.
“Reference Banks” means Bank of America, N.A. and such other Lenders, if any, so appointed by the Borrower and the Agent that agrees to serve in such role.
“Refinancing” means the repayment in part of loans outstanding under the Existing Term Loan Credit Agreement.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 8.06(c).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means at any time Lenders owed at least a majority in interest of the then aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances, or, if no such principal amount is then outstanding, Lenders having at least a majority in interest of the Commitments, provided that if any Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender at such time, there shall be excluded from the determination of Required Lenders at such time the Advances or Commitments, as applicable, of such Lender at such time.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC.
“Sanctions” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
“Single Employer Plan” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than the Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.
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“Subsidiary” of any Person means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate of which (or in which) more than 50% of (a) the issued and outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time capital stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency), (b) the interest in the capital or profits of such limited liability company, partnership or joint venture or (c) the beneficial interest in such trust or estate is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person, by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or by one or more of such Person’s other Subsidiaries.
“Taxes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).
“Telco” has the meaning specified in Section 5.02(a)(vi).
“Threshold Amount” means $1,000,000,000 or, if higher, the cross default threshold, judgment threshold or ERISA threshold, as applicable, then set forth in the Existing Revolving Credit Agreement (or any credit agreement refinancing thereof), but in no event exceeding $2,000,000,000.
“Type” refers to a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance.
“Voting Stock” means capital stock issued by a corporation, or equivalent interests in any other Person, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even if the right to so vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.
“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.
Section 1.02 Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”.
Section 1.03 Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistent with those applied in the preparation of the Audited Financial Statements (“GAAP”); provided that whether a lease constitutes a capital lease or an operating lease shall be determined based on GAAP as in effect on the date hereof, notwithstanding any modification or interpretative change thereto after the date hereof (including without giving effect to any treatment of leases under Accounting Standards Codification 842 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect)), and provided further that all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 000-00-00 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Debt or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof at “fair value”, as defined therein and
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(ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Debt in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Debt in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Debt shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES
Section 2.01 The Advances. (a) Each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make an Advance to the Borrower on the Closing Date in an amount not to exceed such Lender’s Commitment immediately prior to the making of the Advance. The Borrowing shall consist of Advances of the same Type made simultaneously by the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments under the Facility. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01 and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed.
Section 2.02 Making the Advances. (a) The Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later than (x) 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, or (y) 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Base Rate Advances, by the Borrower to the Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier. Such notice of a Borrowing (a “Notice of Borrowing”) shall be by telephone, confirmed immediately in writing, or telecopier in substantially the form of Exhibit B-1 hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such Borrowing, (ii) Type of Advances comprising such Borrowing, (iii) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, initial Interest Period for such Advance. Each Lender shall, before 12:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of such Borrowing, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent’s Account, in same day funds, such Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing in accordance with the Commitments under the Facility of such Lender and the other Lenders. After the Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower at the Agent’s address referred to in Section 8.02.
(b) Anything in subsection (a) above to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) the Borrower may not select Eurodollar Rate Advances for any Borrowing if the aggregate amount of such Borrowing is less than $10,000,000 or if the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances shall then be suspended pursuant to Section 2.08 or 2.12 and (ii) the Eurodollar Rate Advances may not be outstanding as part of more than 12 separate Borrowings.
(c) The Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing that the related Notice of Borrowing specifies is to be comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure to fulfill on or before the date specified in such Notice of Borrowing for such Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (excluding loss of anticipated profits), cost or
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expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing when such Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on such date.
(d) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the time of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Agent such Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Lender has made such portion available to the Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the higher of (A) the interest rate applicable at the time to Advances comprising such Borrowing and (B) the cost of funds incurred by the Agent in respect of such amount and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate. If such Lender shall repay to the Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.
(e) The failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Advance on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make any Advance to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.
Section 2.03 Fees.
(a) [Reserved].
(b) Agent’s Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for its own account such fees as may from time to time be agreed between the Borrower and the Agent.
(c) Other Fees. The Borrower also agrees to pay to the Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders the other applicable fees respectively required to be paid to them in the amounts and the times set forth in the Fee Letter.
Section 2.04 [Reserved].
Section 2.05 Repayment of Advances. The Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders an amount of the Advances equal to (i) 2.5% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Advances on the date that is two years and nine months after the Closing Date and on each date that occurs on a three month interval from such date but prior to the date that is three years and nine months after the Closing Date, and (ii) 5.0% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Advances on the date that is three years and nine months after the Closing Date and on each date that occurs on a three month interval from such date (which amounts, in each case, shall be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with Section 2.10); provided, however, that the final principal installment shall be repaid on the Maturity Date and shall be in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Advances outstanding on such date.
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Section 2.06 Commitment Termination. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate upon the borrowing of the Advances on the Closing Date.
Section 2.07 Interest on Advances
(a) Scheduled Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made to it owing to each Lender from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:
(i) Base Rate Advances. During such periods as such Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, payable in arrears quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and December during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.
(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances. During such periods as such Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of (x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period for such Advance plus (y) the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.
(b) Default Interest. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a), the Agent shall, and upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any other Event of Default, the Agent may, and upon the request of the Required Lenders shall, require the Borrower to pay interest (“Default Interest”) on (A) the unpaid principal amount of each Advance, payable in arrears on the dates referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Advance pursuant to clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above and (B) to the fullest extent permitted by law, the amount of any interest, fee or other amount payable hereunder by the Borrower that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate Advances pursuant to clause (a)(i) above, provided, however, that following acceleration of the Advances pursuant to Section 6.01, Default Interest shall accrue and be payable hereunder whether or not previously required by the Agent.
Section 2.08 Interest Rate Determination. (a) Each Reference Bank agrees to furnish to the Agent timely information for the purpose of determining each Eurodollar Rate. If any one or more of the Reference Banks shall not furnish such timely information to the Agent for the purpose of determining any such interest rate, the Agent shall determine such interest rate on the basis of timely information furnished by the remaining Reference Banks. The Agent shall give prompt notice (i) to the Borrower and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined
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by the Agent for purposes of Section 2.07(a)(i) or (a)(ii) and (ii) to the Borrower the rate, if any, furnished by each Reference Bank for the purpose of determining the interest rate under Section 2.07(a)(ii) (it being understood that the Agent shall not be required to disclose to any party hereto (other than the Borrower) any information regarding any Reference Bank or any rate provided by such Reference Bank in accordance with the definition of “Eurodollar Rate”, including, without limitation, whether a Reference Bank has provided a rate or the rate provided by any individual Reference Bank). Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances under the Facility, Lenders owed at least 50% of the then aggregate unpaid principal amount thereof notify the Agent that (i) they are unable to obtain matching deposits in the London interbank market at or about 11:00 A.M. (London time) on the second Business Day before the making of a Borrowing in sufficient amounts to fund their respective Advances as a part of such Borrowing during its Interest Period or (ii) the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon (A) the Borrower will, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor either (x) prepay such Advances or (y) Convert such Advances into Base Rate Advances and (B) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
(c) If the Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advances made to it in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, the Agent will forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders and such Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances; provided, that the Borrower may direct the Agent in the applicable Notice of Borrowing to continue Eurodollar Rate Advances as successive Interest Periods of the same duration until the Borrower shall give the Agent written notice at least five Business Days prior to the end of an Interest Period in the form of Exhibit B-2 that, as of the end of such Interest Period, the applicable Eurodollar Rate Advances shall Convert into Base Rate Advances or shall be continued as Eurodollar Rate Advances having an Interest Period as so notified.
(d) On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $10,000,000, such Advances shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(e) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, be Converted into Base Rate Advances and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended.
(f) If Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page is unavailable and no Reference Bank furnishes timely information to the Agent for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any Eurodollar Rate Advances,
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(i) the Agent shall forthwith notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the interest rate cannot be determined for such Eurodollar Rate Advances,
(ii) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances, each such Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period, Convert into a Base Rate Advance (or if such Advance is then a Base Rate Advance, will continue as a Base Rate Advance), and
(iii) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to Convert Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if the Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:
(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any requested Interest Period, including, without limitation, because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or
(ii) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans (such specific date, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”), or
(iii) syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR,
then, reasonably promptly after such determination by the Agent or receipt by the Agent of such notice, as applicable, the Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace LIBOR with an alternate benchmark rate (including any mathematical or other adjustments to the benchmark (if any) incorporated therein), giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar U.S. dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks (any such proposed rate, a “LIBOR Successor Rate”), together with any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes (as defined below) and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day after the Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Agent written notice that such Required Lenders do not accept such amendment. Such LIBOR Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such LIBOR Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent.
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If no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined and the circumstances under clause (i) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Advances or Interest Periods), and (y) the One Month LIBOR component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Base Rate. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Advances (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Advances or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Advances (subject to the foregoing clause (y)) in the amount specified therein.
Notwithstanding anything else herein, any definition of LIBOR Successor Rate shall provide that in no event shall such LIBOR Successor Rate be less than zero for purposes of this Agreement.
For purposes hereof, “LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other administrative matters as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Agent in consultation with the Borrower, to reflect the adoption of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Agent determines is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement in consultation with the Borrower).
Section 2.09 Optional Conversion of Advances. The Borrower of any Advance may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.08 and 2.12, Convert all Advances of one Type comprising the same Borrowing into Advances of the other Type; provided, however, that any Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Advances into Base Rate Advances shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances, any Conversion of Base Rate Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be in an amount not less than the minimum amount specified in Section 2.02(b) and no Conversion of any Advances shall result in more separate Borrowings than permitted under Section 2.02(b). Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Advances to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Advances, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Advance. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower giving such notice.
Section 2.10 Optional Prepayments of Advances. The Borrower may at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Advances under the Facility in whole or in part without premium or penalty, upon notice to the Agent (i) at least two Business Days’ prior to the date of such prepayment, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Advances, and (ii) not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such prepayment, in the case of Base Rate Advances, stating the relevant Facility, the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the
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prepayment; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $10,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.04(c). On the prepayment date, the Borrower shall prepay the principal amount specified in the prepayment notice, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid. Each prepayment of any Advances shall be applied to the installments thereof as specified by the Borrower in its prepayment notice (or, if not so specified, shall be applied pro rata to all remaining installments thereof).
Section 2.11 Increased Costs. (a) If, due to either (i) the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation or (ii) the compliance with any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority including, without limitation, any agency of the European Union or similar monetary or multinational authority (whether or not having the force of law), there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, continuing, converting to, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Advances (excluding for purposes of this Section 2.11(a) and Section 2.11(b) any such increased costs resulting from (i) Taxes or taxes described in clauses (w) – (z) of the definition of Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower, or Other Taxes (as to which Section 2.14 shall govern) and (ii) Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by overall net income, or that are franchise taxes or branch profits taxes), then the Borrower shall, from time to time, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender for such increased cost provided, however, that before making any such demand, each Lender agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Applicable Lending Office if the making of such a designation would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, such increased cost and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, submitted to the Borrower and the Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If any Lender determines that compliance with any law or regulation or any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law) affects or would affect the amount of capital or liquidity required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any corporation or other entity controlling such Lender and that the amount of such capital is increased by or based upon the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder and other commitments of this type, then, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), the Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender, from time to time as specified by such Lender, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such corporation in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender reasonably determines such increase in capital or liquidity to be allocable to the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to the Borrower and the Agent by such Lender shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 2.11(b) shall apply to all requests, rules, guidelines or directives concerning capital adequacy or liquidity issued in connection with the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and
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Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives concerning capital adequacy or liquidity promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Regulations and Supervisory Practices (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States financial regulatory authorities, regardless of the date adopted, issued, promulgated or implemented.
Section 2.12 Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances hereunder (a) each Eurodollar Rate Advance in respect of the Commitments will automatically, upon such demand, be Converted into a Base Rate Advance and (b) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to Convert Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist; provided, however, that before making any such demand, each Lender agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Eurodollar Lending Office if the making of such a designation would allow such Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to continue to perform its obligations to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to continue to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances and would not, in the judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.
Section 2.13 Payments and Computations. (a) The Borrower shall make each payment hereunder, without counterclaim or set-off, not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Agent at the Agent’s Account in same day funds. The Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.11, 2.14 or 8.04(c)) to the Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Assumption and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 8.06(c), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Assumption, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the Notes in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Assumption shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between themselves.
(b) All computations of interest based on the Base Rate shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds Rate shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest is payable. Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
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(c) Whenever any payment hereunder or under the Notes shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest; provided, however, that, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.
(d) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender or each Lender (as applicable) on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent the Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Agent, each such Lender shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.
Section 2.14 Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on behalf of the Borrower to or for the account of any Lender or the Agent hereunder or under the Notes or any other documents to be delivered hereunder shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.13 or the applicable provisions of such other documents, free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable with respect thereto, excluding, in the case of each Lender and the Agent, (v) taxes imposed on overall net income, branch profits taxes, franchise taxes imposed in lieu of net income taxes and other similar taxes, in each case by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) is organized or any political subdivision thereof and, in the case of each Lender, taxes imposed on its overall net income, branch profits taxes, franchise taxes imposed on it in lieu of net income taxes, by the jurisdiction of such Lender’s Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof, or by any other jurisdiction with respect to which the Lender or the Agent, as the case may be, has a present or former connection (other than connections arising from such Person having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced this Agreement, or the Notes or any other documents to be delivered hereunder, or sold or assigned an interest in any such documents), (w) taxes that are attributable to a Lender’s failure to comply with the requirements of paragraph (f) of this Section, (x) United States federal withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to such Lender on the date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, or changes its Applicable Lending Office except to the extent that such Lender or its assignor (if any) was entitled, at the time of the change in Applicable Lending Office (or assignment) to receive additional amounts from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, (y) any United States withholding taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA and (z) any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable to such excluded taxes (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities in respect of payments hereunder or under the Notes being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”). If any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or under any Note or any other documents to be delivered hereunder to any Lender or the Agent are required by law to be deducted or withheld,
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(i) the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required withholdings or deductions (including withholdings or deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.14) such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made and (ii) if the Borrower is the withholding agent under applicable law, the Borrower shall make such deductions and shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or under the Notes or any other documents to be delivered hereunder or from the execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or the Notes or any other documents to be delivered hereunder except any such taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to any assignment (other than an assignment pursuant to Section 2.14(g)) (hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and the Agent for and hold it harmless against the full amount of Taxes or Other Taxes (including, without limitation, taxes of any kind imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.14) imposed on or paid by such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand therefor.
(d) Within 30 days after the date of any payment of Taxes by the Borrower, the Borrower shall furnish to the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 8.02, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing such payment to the extent such a receipt is issued therefor, or other written proof of payment thereof that is reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.
(e) Each Lender shall indemnify the Agent for the full amount of any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions, withholdings or similar charges imposed by any governmental authority that are attributable to such Lender and that are payable or paid by the Agent in good faith, and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date the Agent makes written demand therefor. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, nothing in this Section 2.14(e) shall affect the Lender’s rights with respect to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement or the Notes.
(f) (i) (A) Each Lender that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and duly signed originals of U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or any successor form) certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax. (B) Each Lender that is not a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “Non-U.S. Lender”) shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent, whichever of the following is applicable: (w) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (i) with respect to payments of interest under this Agreement
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and the Notes, two properly completed and duly signed originals of U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-8BEN-E (or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto) establishing an exemption from or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to an “interest” article of such tax treaty, and (ii) with respect to any other applicable payments under this Agreement and the Notes, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty, (x) two properly completed and duly signed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto); (y) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming exemption from U.S. federal withholding tax under Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to payments of “portfolio interest”, a statement substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Non-U.S. Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and two properly completed and duly signed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto), (z) to the extent the Non-U.S. Lender is not the beneficial owner, two properly completed and signed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2 or Exhibit E-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable, provided that if a Non-U.S. Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Non-U.S. Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Non-U.S. Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-4 on behalf of each such direct or indirect partner. Any Non-U.S. Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Agent any other form prescribed by applicable requirements of U.S. federal income tax law as a basis for claiming exemption from, or a reduction in, U.S. federal withholding tax, in each case, duly completed and signed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable requirements of law which permits the Borrower and/or the Agent to determine any withholdings or deductions required to be made. Forms referred to in this Section 2.14(f)(i) shall be delivered by each Lender on or before the date it becomes a party to this Agreement and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Agent. In addition, each Lender shall deliver such forms promptly upon the obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered by such Lender. Each Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Agent at any time it determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any previously delivered certificate to the Borrower and the Agent (or any other form of certification adopted by the U.S. taxing authorities for such purpose). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, a Lender shall not be required to deliver any form pursuant to this Section that such Lender is not legally able to deliver or would materially prejudice the commercial position of such Lender.
(ii) If a payment made to a Lender hereunder would be subject to United States federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law
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(including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower or the Agent to comply with its obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (ii), FATCA shall include any amendments to FATCA after the date hereof.
(g) Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.11 or this Section 2.14 agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Eurodollar Lending Office if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender; provided, however, that if any such Lender fails to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office to a jurisdiction with respect to which no additional amounts are owed under this Section 2.14 within of 30 days of receiving such a request from the Borrower, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 2.19.
(h) If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any amount as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.14 (including additional amounts paid pursuant to this Section 2.14), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the amounts giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant governmental authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid to such indemnified party pursuant to the previous sentence (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant governmental authority) in the event such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such governmental authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.14(h), in no event will any indemnified party be required to pay any amount to any indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 2.14(h) if such payment would place such indemnified party in a less favorable position (on a net after-tax basis) than such indemnified party would have been in if the tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed, and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such tax had never been paid. This Section 2.14(h) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
Section 2.15 Sharing of Payments, Etc. If any Lender shall obtain any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Advances owing to it (other than pursuant to Sections 2.11, 2.14 or 8.04(c)) in excess of its ratable share of payments on account of the Advances obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Advances owing to them as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, such purchase from each Lender
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shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together with an amount equal to such Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered; provided, further, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the Advances shall not have become due and payable pursuant to Section 6.01, any excess payment received by any Lender that is not by its terms payable to all Lenders shall be calculated and shared on a pro rata basis only with other Lenders. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender pursuant to this Section 2.15 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
Section 2.16 Evidence of Debt. (a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Advance owing to such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder in respect of Advances. The Borrower agrees that upon notice by any Lender to the Borrower (with a copy of such notice to the Agent) to the effect that a Note is required or appropriate in order for such Lender to evidence (whether for purposes of pledge, enforcement or otherwise) the Advances owing to, or to be made by, such Lender in respect of its Commitment, the Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to such Lender in a principal amount up to the Commitment of such Lender. Each Lender that receives a Note pursuant to this Section 2.16 agrees that, upon the Maturity Date, such Lender will return such Note to the Borrower.
(b) The Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.06(c) shall include a control account, and a subsidiary account for each Lender, in which accounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i) the date and amount of each Borrowing made hereunder, the Type of Advances comprising such Borrowing and, if appropriate, the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the terms of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to and accepted by it, (iii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iv) the amount of any sum received by the Agent from the Borrower hereunder and each Lender’s share thereof.
(c) Entries made in good faith by the Agent in the Register pursuant to subsection (b) above, and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to subsection (a) above, shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and, in the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement, absent manifest error; provided, however, that the failure of the Agent or such Lender to make an entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.
Section 2.17 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Advances shall be available (and the Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) solely for the Refinancing.
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Section 2.18 Defaulting Lenders. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any payment by the Borrower for the account of a Defaulting Lender under this Agreement shall not be paid or distributed to such Defaulting Lender, but shall instead be retained by the Agent in a segregated non-interest bearing account until the earlier of the date the Defaulting Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender or the termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all obligations of the Borrower hereunder and shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Advance in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as reasonably determined by the Agent or if no such funding has been requested, to be held by the Agent as cash collateral to fund future Advances by such Defaulting Lender; third, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fourth, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and fifth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that any amounts held as cash collateral for funding obligations of a Defaulting Lender shall be returned to such Defaulting Lender upon the termination or expiration of this Agreement and the satisfaction of such Defaulting Lender’s obligations hereunder. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.18 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(b) No Commitment of any Lender shall be increased or otherwise affected, and, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Section 2.18, performance by the Borrower of its obligations shall not be excused or otherwise modified as a result of the operation of this Section 2.18. The rights and remedies against a Defaulting Lender under this Section 2.18 are in addition to any other rights and remedies which the Borrower, the Agent or any Lender may have against such Defaulting Lender.
(c) If the Borrower and the Agent agree in writing in their reasonable determination that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any cash collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Advances of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Advances to be funded and held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their pro rata share, whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from such Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.
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Section 2.19 Replacement of Lenders. If (a) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.11, (b) the Borrower is required to pay additional amounts to any Lender or any governmental authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14 or (c) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort and so long as no Default is continuing, upon notice to such Lender and the Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 8.06), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:
(i) the Borrower shall have paid to the Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 8.06;
(ii) such assigning Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts then payable to it hereunder (including any amounts under Section 8.04(c)) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.11 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.14, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments after the date of such assignment;
(iv) such assignment does not conflict with applicable law; and
(v) in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
Section 3.01 Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness and Closing. The effectiveness of this Agreement and the obligation of each Lender to make an Advance shall be subject to all of the following conditions precedent having been satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 8.01) on or before the Closing Date:
(a) The Agent’s receipt of the following, each properly executed by a duly authorized officer of the Borrower (where applicable), each dated as of the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date):
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(i) (x) executed counterparts of this Agreement signed on behalf of each party hereto or (y) written evidence (which may include electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that each party hereto has signed a counterpart of this Agreement;
(ii) certified copies of resolutions or other action of the Board of Directors of the Borrower, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Borrower establishing the identities of and verifying the authority and capacity of each officer thereof authorized to sign this Agreement and the Notes; and
(iii) certified copies of the Borrower’s organizational documents and certificate of good standing in the Borrower’s jurisdiction of incorporation.
(b) All costs, fees, expenses to the extent invoiced at least three Business Days prior to the Closing Date and the fees payable pursuant to Section 2.03 to the Arranger, the Agent or the Lenders shall have been paid on or prior to the Closing Date, in each case, to the extent required by this Agreement to be paid on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) (i) To the extent reasonably requested reasonably in advance of the Closing Date by any of the Agent, the Arranger or the Lenders, the Agent shall have received, prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know-your-customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act.
(ii) At least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date, if the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, it shall deliver, to each Lender that so requests, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower.
(d) Except as disclosed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the date hereof, there shall have occurred no Material Adverse Effect since December 31, 2017.
(e) Except as disclosed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the date hereof, there shall exist no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any Note or the borrowing contemplated hereunder.
(f) The Agent shall have received (i) a customary legal opinion of the Associate General Counsel of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto and (ii) a customary legal opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, special New York counsel to the Agent, as to the enforceability of this Agreement and the Notes.
(g) All governmental and third party consents and approvals necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained (without the imposition of any conditions that are not acceptable to the Lenders) and shall remain in effect, and no law or regulation shall be applicable in the reasonable judgment of the Lenders that restrains, prevents or imposes materially adverse conditions upon the transactions contemplated hereby.
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(h) On the Closing Date, the following statements shall be true and the Agent shall have received for the account of each Lender a certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Borrower, dated the Closing Date, stating that: (i) the representations and warranties contained in Article IV are correct in all material respects (except such representations that are qualified by materiality, which shall be correct in all respects) on and as of the Closing Date, before and after giving effect to the Borrowing of the Advances and to the application of the proceeds therefrom and (ii) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Borrowing of the Advances or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that would constitute a Default.
(i) The Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.02(a).
(j) The Borrower shall prepay loans outstanding under the Existing Term Loan Credit Agreement on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the proceeds of the Advances substantially simultaneously with the borrowing of the Advances.
Promptly upon the occurrence thereof, the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders as to the Closing Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Delivery by any Lender or the Agent of an executed signature page to this Agreement shall be conclusive evidence that such Person has determined the conditions to the Closing Date have been met for purposes of this Section 3.01.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Section 4.01 Representations and Warranties. The Borrower represents and warrants as of the Closing Date as follows:
(a) The Borrower is (i) a corporation duly organized and validly existing and (ii) in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.
(b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and the Notes, and the borrowing of the Advances hereunder on the Closing Date, (i) are within the Borrower’s corporate powers, (ii) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and (iii) do not contravene (A) the Borrower’s charter or by-laws, (B) any material law applicable to the Borrower in any material respect or (C) any material contractual restriction binding on or affecting the Borrower.
(c) No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement or the Notes.
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(d) This Agreement has been, and each of the Notes when delivered hereunder will have been, duly executed and delivered by the Borrower. This Agreement is, and each of the Notes when delivered hereunder will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).
(e) (i) The Audited Financial Statements, accompanied by an opinion of Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants (or other independent public accountants of national standing), and the Quarterly Financial Statements, duly certified by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, copies of which have been furnished to each Lender, fairly present in all material respects, subject, in the case of said Quarterly Financial Statements, to year-end audit adjustments, the Consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at such dates and the Consolidated results of the operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on such dates, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
(ii) Except as disclosed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the date hereof, since December 31, 2017, there has been no Material Adverse Effect.
(f) There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) is not disclosed in a filing by the Borrower with the Securities and Exchange Commission and would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any Note or the borrowings contemplated hereunder.
(g) The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no proceeds of any Advance will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock. Following application of the proceeds of each Advance, not more than 25 percent of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis) that are subject to a restriction on sale, pledge, or disposal under this Agreement will be represented by margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).
(h) The Borrower is not an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(i) (i) None of the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries is a Person that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are the subject or target of any Sanctions; (ii) the Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to promote compliance by the Borrower with Anti-Corruption Laws, and (iii) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects.
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(j) The Borrower is not an EEA Financial Institution.
(k) As of the Closing Date, to the knowledge of the Borrower, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification, if applicable, is true and correct in all respects.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER
Section 5.01 Affirmative Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower will:
(a) Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, such compliance to include, without limitation, compliance with ERISA and the PATRIOT Act, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Payment of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent, all federal and other material taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or discharge any such tax, assessment, charge or levy that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom attaches to its property and becomes enforceable against its other creditors.
(c) [Reserved].
(d) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. Preserve and maintain its corporate existence and its material rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided, however, that the Borrower may consummate any merger or consolidation permitted under Section 5.02(b) and provided further that the Borrower shall not be required to preserve any right or franchise if the Board of Directors of the Borrower shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Borrower, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Borrower.
(e) Visitation Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to time during normal business hours, permit the Agent or any of the Lenders or any agents or representatives thereof, to examine the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries, and, upon execution of a confidentiality agreement, to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries with any of the officers or directors of the Borrower and with their independent certified public accountants, provided, however, that examination of the records and books of account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall occur only at times when an Advance shall be outstanding.
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(f) Keeping of Books. Keep proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of the Borrower in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect from time to time.
(g) Maintenance of Properties, Etc. Maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of its properties that are used or useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Reporting Requirements. Furnish to the Lenders:
(i) as soon as available and in any event within 40 days after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by the chief financial officer of the Borrower as having been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (it being understood that the certification provided by the chief financial officer in compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act is acceptable for this purpose) and prepare and deliver a certificate of the chief financial officer of the Borrower as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.03 (it being understood that the only certification regarding pro forma adjustments included in such calculation shall be that the adjustments are reasonable good faith estimates prepared on the basis of information available as of the date that such pro forma adjustments are determined), provided that in the event of any change since the date hereof in generally accepted accounting principles used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Borrower shall provide the financial information required for the determination of compliance with Section 5.03 based on GAAP in effect as of the date hereof;
(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 75 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the annual report for such year for the Borrower containing the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each case accompanied by an opinion by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of national standing to the effect that such Consolidated financial statements fairly present its financial condition and results of operations on a Consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied and prepare and deliver a certificate of the chief financial officer of the Borrower as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.03 (it being understood that the only certification regarding pro forma adjustments included in such calculation shall be that the adjustments are reasonable good faith
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estimates prepared on the basis of information available as of the date that such pro forma adjustments are determined), provided that in the event of any change since the date hereof in generally accepted accounting principles used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Borrower shall provide the financial information required for the determination of compliance with Section 5.03 based on GAAP in effect as of the date hereof;
(iii) as soon as possible and in any event within five Business Days after the occurrence of each Default continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of the chief financial officer of the Borrower setting forth details of such Default and the action that the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;
(iv) if Advances are outstanding and if such are not available on the Internet at xxx.xxx.xxx, xxx.xxx.xxx or another website designated by the Borrower, promptly after the sending or filing thereof, copies of all reports that the Borrower sends to any of its security holders, and copies of all reports and registration statements that the Borrower files with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange;
(v) prompt notice of the commencement of all actions and proceedings before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 4.01(f);
(vi) such other information respecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as any Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request of a material nature that may reasonably relate to the condition (financial or otherwise), operations, properties or prospects of the Borrower or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and
(vii) promptly following any request therefor, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money-laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
Reports and financial statements required to be furnished by the Borrower pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) of this subsection (h) shall be deemed to have been furnished on the earlier of (A) the date on which such reports and financial statements are posted on the Internet at xxx.xxx.xxx or (B) the date on which the Borrower posts such reports, or reports containing such financial statements, on its website on the Internet at xxx.xxx.xxx or at such other website identified by the Borrower in a notice to the Agent and the Lenders and that is accessible by the Lenders without charge; provided that the Lenders shall be deemed to have received the information specified in clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) of this subsection (h) on the date (x) such information is posted at the website of the Agent identified from time to time by the Agent to the Lenders and the Borrower and (y) such posting is notified to the Lenders (it being understood that the Borrower shall have satisfied the timing obligations imposed by those clauses as of the earliest date such information is posted on the Internet at xxx.xxx.xxx or the website referred to in clause (B) above).
Section 5.02 Negative Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower shall not:
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(a) Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to create or suffer to exist, any Lien on or with respect to any of its properties, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to assign, any right to receive income, other than:
(i) Permitted Liens,
(ii) purchase money Liens upon or in any real property or equipment acquired or held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in the ordinary course of business to secure the purchase price of such property or equipment or to secure Debt incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property or equipment (including capital leases), or Liens existing on such property or equipment at the time of its acquisition (other than any such Liens created in contemplation of such acquisition that were not incurred to finance the acquisition of such property) or extensions, renewals or replacements of any of the foregoing for the same or a lesser amount, provided, however, that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any properties of any character other than the real property or equipment being acquired, and no such extension, renewal or replacement shall extend to or cover any properties not theretofore subject to the Lien being extended, renewed or replaced,
(iii) the Liens existing on the date hereof and described on Schedule 5.02(a) hereto,
(iv) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that such Liens were not created in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person so merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or such Subsidiary or acquired by the Borrower or such Subsidiary,
(v) Liens securing Debt incurred by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in connection with a financing based on accounts receivable (including any Receivables Securitization),
(vi) Liens on assets of a Subsidiary that is a regulated telephone company (a “Telco”) that, pursuant to the public debt indenture(s) of such Telco, are created upon the merger or conveyance or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Telco,
(vii) Liens on real property securing Debt and other obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $1,000,000,000 at any time outstanding,
(viii) other Liens securing Debt and other obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding ten percent of Net Tangible Assets, and
(ix) the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (iii) or (iv) above upon or in the same property theretofore subject thereto or the replacement, extension or renewal (without increase in the amount or change in any direct or contingent obligor) of the Debt secured thereby.
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(b) Mergers, Etc. Merge or consolidate with or into, or, directly or indirectly, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to, any Person, except in the event that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person following such merger or consolidation.
(c) Accounting Changes. Make or permit any change in accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required or permitted by generally accepted accounting principles.
(d) Sanctions and Anti-Corruption. Request a Borrowing, nor directly or to its knowledge indirectly use the proceeds of such Borrowing, in each case (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, or (ii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any other party hereto.
Section 5.03 Financial Covenant. Beginning on the last day of the first full fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date, the Borrower will maintain, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, a ratio of Net Debt for Borrowed Money to Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the four quarters then ended of not more than 3.5 to 1.
ARTICLE VI
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
Section 6.01 Events of Default. If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:
(a) Failure to pay any principal of any Advance when the same becomes due and payable; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Advance or to make any other payment of fees or other amounts payable under this Agreement or any Note within three Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or
(b) Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower herein or in connection with this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made; or
(c) (i) The Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement applicable to it contained in Sections 5.01(d), (e) or (h), 5.02 or 5.03, or (ii) the Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement (other than those referred to in clauses (a) and (c)(i) above) contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or observed and such failure shall remain unremedied for 10 days after written notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Agent or any Lender; or
(d) (i) The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Vrio Corp. or any of its Subsidiaries) shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on any Debt that is outstanding in a principal or net amount of at least the Threshold Amount in the aggregate (but excluding Debt owing by the Borrower outstanding hereunder) of the Borrower or such Subsidiary (as the case may be), when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled
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maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Debt; (ii) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate the maturity of such Debt; or (iii) any such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid or redeemed (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or redemption), purchased or defeased, or an offer to prepay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required to be made, in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof; provided, that, (x) the Debt subject of clause (ii) or (iii) above shall not include Debt of a Person that is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or that becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower for a period of 90 days after the date that such Debt becomes Debt of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (y) clauses (ii) and (iii) above shall not apply to any prepayment, redemption, repurchase or defeasance required to be made as a result of the obligor of such Debt making a voluntary notice of prepayment, voluntary notice of redemption, voluntary notice of repurchase, voluntary notice of defeasance or taking similar action with comparable effect; or
(e) The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 30 days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or
(f) Final and non-appealable judgments or orders for the payment of money in excess of the Threshold Amount in the aggregate shall be rendered against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, 30 days shall have passed since such judgment became final and non-appealable and enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order; provided, however, that any such judgment or order shall not be an Event of Default under this Section 6.01(f) if and for so long as (i) the amount of such judgment or order is covered by a valid and binding policy of insurance between the defendant and the insurer covering payment thereof and (ii) such insurer, which shall be rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of, and has not disputed the claim made for payment of, the amount of such judgment or order; or
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(g) (i) Any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of Voting Stock of the Borrower (or other securities convertible into such Voting Stock) representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of all Voting Stock of the Borrower; or (ii) during any period of 24 consecutive months, commencing after the date of this Agreement, individuals who at the beginning of such 24-month period were directors of the Borrower shall cease for any reason (other than due to retirement, death or disability) to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Borrower (except to the extent that such individuals were replaced by individuals (x) elected by 66-2/3% of the members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower or (y) nominated for election by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower and thereafter elected as directors by the shareholders of the Borrower); or
(h) The Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate shall fail to satisfy minimum funding requirements under Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA to any Plan, or apply for a waiver of such requirements, and such failure could reasonably be expected to subject the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to any liabilities in the aggregate in excess of the Threshold Amount;
then the Agent (i) at any time prior to the Closing Date during which an Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(a) has occurred and is continuing, shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) at any time following the making of the Advances on the Closing Date during which any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Advances, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable by the Borrower under this Agreement to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon such Advances, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything in clauses (i) and (ii) to the contrary, in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, (A) the obligation of each Lender to make Advances shall automatically be terminated and (B) the Advances, all such interest and all such amounts shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.
ARTICLE VII
THE AGENT
Section 7.01 Authorization and Authority. Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America, N.A. to act on its behalf as the Agent hereunder and under the Notes and authorizes the Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall have no rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein (or any other similar term) with reference to the Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other
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implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
Section 7.02 Agent Individually. The Person serving as the Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.
Section 7.03 Duties of Agent; Exculpatory Provisions. (a) The Agent’s duties hereunder are solely ministerial and administrative in nature and the Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agent:
(i) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(ii) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein); provided that the Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Agent to liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any debtor relief law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any debtor relief law; and
(iii) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
(b) The Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 8.01 or 6.01) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default or the event or events that give or may give rise to any Default unless and until the Borrower or any Lender shall have given notice to the Agent describing such Default and such event or events.
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(c) The Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty, representation or other information made or supplied in or in connection with this Agreement or any information memorandum provided to prospective investors during syndication of the Advances (if any), (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith or the adequacy, accuracy and/or completeness of the information contained therein, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document or the perfection or priority of any Lien or security interest created or purported to be created hereby or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere herein, other than (but subject to the foregoing clause (ii)) to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Agent.
(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Agent or any of its Related Parties to carry out any “know your customer” or other checks in relation to any Person on behalf of any Lender and each Lender confirms to the Agent that it is solely responsible for any such checks it is required to carry out and that it may not rely on any statement in relation to such checks made by the Agent or any of its Related Parties.
Section 7.04 Reliance by Agent. The Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of an Advance that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless an officer of the Agent responsible for the transactions contemplated hereby shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Advance, and such Lender shall not have made available to the Agent such Lender’s ratable portion of the applicable Borrowing. The Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
Section 7.05 Delegation of Duties. The Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Agent. The Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. Each such sub-agent and the Related Parties of the Agent and each such sub-agent shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article VII and Section 8.04 (as though such sub-agents were the “Agent” hereunder) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.
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Section 7.06 Resignation of Agent. The Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. At any time when the Agent or its Affiliate is a Defaulting Lender, the Required Lenders may, and upon the request of the Borrower shall, remove the Agent by giving notice to the Agent. Upon receipt or giving of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower (unless an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(e) shall have occurred and be continuing), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation (such 30-day period, the “Lender Appointment Period”), then the retiring Agent may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. In addition and without any obligation on the part of the retiring Agent to appoint, on behalf of the Lenders, a successor Agent, the retiring Agent may at any time upon or after the end of the Lender Appointment Period notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted appointment as successor Agent and the effective date of such retiring Agent’s resignation. Upon the resignation effective date established in such notice and regardless of whether a successor Agent has been appointed and accepted such appointment, the retiring Agent’s resignation shall nonetheless become effective and (i) the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations as Agent hereunder and (ii) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Agent as provided for above in this paragraph. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties as Agent of the retiring (or retired) Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations as Agent hereunder (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this paragraph). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 8.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Agent.
Section 7.07 Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder.
Section 7.08 Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify the Agent (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting its obligation to do so), ratably according to the respective principal amounts of the Advances then owed to each of them (or if no Advances are at the time outstanding, ratably according to the respective amounts of their Commitments), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever that
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may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against the Agent in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Agent under this Agreement (collectively, the “Indemnified Costs”), provided that no Lender shall be liable for any portion of the Indemnified Costs resulting from the Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender agrees to reimburse the Agent promptly upon demand for its ratable share of any out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) incurred by the 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, to the extent that the Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by the Borrower. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Costs, this Section 7.08 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by the Agent, any Lender or a third party.
Section 7.09 Other Agents. Each Lender hereby acknowledges that neither the syndication agent, the documentation agents nor any other Lender designated as any “Agent” on the signature pages hereof (other than the Agent) has any liability hereunder other than in its capacity as a Lender.
Section 7.10 Certain ERISA Matters.
(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments or this Agreement,
(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement,
(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the
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Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement, or
(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that the Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Agent under this Agreement or any documents related hereto or thereto).
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.01 Amendments, Etc.
(a) No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes, nor consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall: (a) waive any of the conditions specified in Section 3.01 without the written consent of all Lenders, (b) increase or extend the Commitment(s) of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (c) reduce the principal of, or rate of interest on, any Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder without the written consent of all Lenders directly affected thereby, (d) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, any Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder without the written consent of all Lenders directly affected thereby, (e) change the definition of “Required Lenders”, or the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances, or the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder without the written consent of all Lenders or (f) amend this Section 8.01 without the written consent of all Lenders; and provided further that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Agent under this Agreement or any Note and (ii) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the respective parties thereto.
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(b) Any term or provision of this Section 8.01 to the contrary notwithstanding, if the Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error or any error or omission of a technical or immaterial nature in any provision of this Agreement, then the Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend such provision and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement so long as the Lenders shall have received prior written notice thereof and the Agent shall not have received, within two Business Days of the date of its delivery to the Lenders of such notice, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment.
Section 8.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.
(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, to it at 000 X. Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention: Assistant Treasurer (Telephone No. (000) 000-0000; Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000; Email: xx0000@xxx.xxx) with a copy to Attention: Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary – Securities (Telephone No.: (000) 000-0000; Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000; Email: xx0000@xxx.xxx);
(ii) if to the Agent, to it at 000 Xxxxx XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Mail Code: IL4-135-09-61, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention of Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx (Facsimile No. 000-000-0000; Email: xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx); and
(iii) if to a Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).
(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
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Unless the Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.
(c) Change of Address, etc. Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.
(d) Platform.
(i) The Borrower agrees that the Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Communications (as defined below) available to the Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar, or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”).
(ii) THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person or entity for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise), including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, arising out of the Borrower’s or the Agent’s transmission of Communications through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein which is distributed to the Agent any Lender by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through the Platform.
(iii) The Borrower hereby acknowledges that certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Communications
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that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Communications “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders to treat such Communications as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Communications constitute Confidential Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 8.07); (y) all Communications marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Agent and the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Communications that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”
(e) Each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including United States Federal and state securities laws, to make reference to Communications that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.
Section 8.03 No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of any Lender or the Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
Section 8.04 Costs and Expenses. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay within 20 days of demand all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement, the Notes and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, (A) all due diligence, syndication (including printing, distribution and bank meetings), transportation, computer, duplication, appraisal, consultant, and audit expenses and (B) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of one outside counsel for the Agent with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Agent as to its rights and responsibilities under this Agreement. The Borrower further agrees to pay on demand all out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Agent and the Lenders, if any (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside counsel fees and expenses), in connection with the enforcement against the Borrower (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Agreement, the Notes and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent and each Lender in connection with the enforcement of its rights under this Section 8.04(a).
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(b) The Borrower agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent and each Lender and each of their Related Parties (each, an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and out of pocket fees and disbursements of one counsel to such Indemnified Party and its Related Parties) incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party or such Indemnified Party’s Related Parties, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including, without limitation, in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding or preparation of a defense in connection therewith) the Notes, this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Advances, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence, material breach of its obligations under this Agreement or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party or its Related Parties. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 8.04(b) applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower, its directors, equityholders or creditors, an Indemnified Party, a Related Party or any other Person (except for any disputes among any Indemnified Party and its Related Parties), whether or not any Indemnified Party or Related Party is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. The Borrower also agrees not to assert any claim for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages against the Agent, any Lender, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys and agents, on any theory of liability, arising out of or otherwise relating to the Notes, this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Advances. No Indemnified Party shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnified Party through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except to the extent such damages are found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party.
(c) If any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar Rate Advance is made by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.08(d) or (e), 2.10 or 2.12, acceleration of the maturity of the Notes pursuant to Section 6.01 or for any other reason, or by an Eligible Assignee to a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.06 as a result of a demand by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, the Borrower shall, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss (excluding loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund or maintain such Advance.
(d) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Borrower contained in Sections 2.11, 2.14 and 8.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the Notes.
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Section 8.05 Binding Effect. (a) Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Except as provided in Article III, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Agent and when the Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or in electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of an original manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) Electronic Execution of Assignments. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
Section 8.06 Assignments and Participations. (a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Agent and each Lender, and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of paragraph (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, participants to the extent provided in paragraph (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances at the time owing to it); provided any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum Amounts.
(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Advances at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
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(B) in any case not described in paragraph (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Advances outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Advances thereunder of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $10,000,000, unless each of the Agent and, so long as no Event of Default under Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(e) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Advances and/or the Commitment assigned.
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless:
(x) an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(e) has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or any Advances have been accelerated in accordance with Section 6.01, or
(y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund (provided that, in the case of an assignment of a Commitment, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise consented to such assignment, the applicable Lender shall remain obligated to fund any portion of such Commitment not funded by any Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund);
provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment made after the Closing Date unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof pursuant to clause (iv) below; and
(B) the consent of the Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any Commitments or Advances if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.
(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. The Agent shall notify the Borrower of each Assignment and Assumption within three Business Days of receipt thereof.
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(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B).
(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural Person.
(vii) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Advances previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Advances in respect of the Facility in accordance with its Commitment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
Subject to consent from the Borrower where required and acceptance and recording thereof by the Agent pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.11 and 8.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (d) of this Section.
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(c) Register. The Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in the United States a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Advances owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Each Lender may sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than the Borrower or any of its Affiliates) in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Commitment, the Advances owing to it and any Note or Notes held by it); provided, however, that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitment to the Borrower hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, (iii) such Lender shall remain the holder of any such Note for all purposes of this Agreement, (iv) the Borrower, the Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and (v) no participant under any such participation shall have any right to obtain any Confidential Information except in accordance with Section 8.06(e), or approve or disapprove any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Note or any consent or withholding of consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, except to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, in each case to the extent subject to such participation, or postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, in each case to the extent subject to such participation.
The Borrower agrees that each participant shall be entitled to the benefits of, and subject to the limitations of, Section 2.11 and 2.14 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment, provided that, such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.11 or 2.14 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such participant, unless the sale of the participation is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent, and that no participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.14 unless such participant complies with Section 2.14(f) as if it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation, acting solely for this purpose as a nonfiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each participant’s interest in the obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”). The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender, the Borrower and the Agent shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register pursuant to the terms hereof as the owner of such participation upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement. Upon the reasonable request of the Agent or the Borrower, each Lender shall promptly provide to the Agent or the Borrower, as the case may be, the identity of such Lender’s participants and the aggregate amount of the participation interests held by each such participant and its Affiliates as set forth on the Participant Register maintained by such Lender, as of the date specified in such request.
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(e) Sharing of Information. Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 8.06, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information relating to the Borrower furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower; provided that, prior to any such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall enter into a binding agreement enforceable by the Borrower containing provisions to preserve the confidentiality of any Confidential Information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates received by it from such Lender, at least as favorable to the Borrower as Section 8.07.
(f) Certain Pledges. Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time create a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including, without limitation, any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender or to a Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Section 8.07 Confidentiality; PATRIOT Act. (a) Neither the Agent nor any Lender shall disclose any Confidential Information to any other Person without the consent of the Borrower, other than (i) to the Agent’s or such Lender’s Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and advisors on a “need to know” basis and subject to the requirements of Section 8.06(e), to actual or prospective assignees and participants, (ii) as required by any law, rule or regulation or judicial process, (iii) as requested or required by any state, federal or foreign authority or examiner regulating banks or banking or other financial institutions or self regulatory authority, (iv) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (v) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to any counterparties in securitizations, or to any credit insurance provider relating to the Borrower and its obligations and (vii) with the consent of the Borrower. In the case of a disclosure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the disclosing party agrees, to the extent practicable and permitted by applicable law, to promptly notify the Borrower prior to such disclosure and to request confidential treatment.
(b) The Borrower agrees to maintain the confidentiality of any information relating to a rate provided by a Reference Bank, except (i) to its officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors or affiliates on a “need to know” basis, (ii) as required by any law, rule or regulation or judicial process, (iii) as requested or required by any state, federal or foreign authority or examiner or regulatory authority, (iv) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder and (v) with the consent of the applicable Reference Bank. In the case of a disclosure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the disclosing party agrees, to the extent practicable and permitted by applicable law, to promptly notify the applicable Reference Bank prior to such disclosure and to request confidential treatment.
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(c) Each of the Lenders hereby notifies the Borrower that, pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow it to identify the Borrower in accordance with the PATRIOT Act.
Section 8.08 Governing Law. This Agreement and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
Section 8.09 Jurisdiction, Etc. (a) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Agent, any Lender or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any Note or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action, litigation or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
(b) Waiver of Venue. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Note in any court referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(c) Service of Process. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 8.02. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. The Borrower hereby agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding brought in any such New York State court or in such federal court may be made upon the Corporate Secretary of the Borrower at 000 X. Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 (the “Process Agent”) and the Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints the Process Agent its authorized agent to accept such service of process.
Section 8.10 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid
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provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.10, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by any debtor relief laws, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
Section 8.11 Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders hereby irrevocably waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based on contract, tort or otherwise) arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes or the actions of the Agent or any Lender in the negotiation, administration, performance or enforcement thereof.
Section 8.12 No Fiduciary Duties. The Borrower acknowledges that the Agent, the Arranger, each Lender and their respective Affiliates may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrower, its stockholders and/or its Affiliates. The Borrower agrees that in connection with all aspects of the financing transactions contemplated hereby and any communications in connection therewith, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates, on the other hand, will have a business relationship that does not create, by implication or otherwise, any fiduciary duty on the part of the Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders or their respective Affiliates and no such duty will be deemed to have arisen in connection with any such transactions or communications.
Section 8.13 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under this Agreement may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and
(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement; or
(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.
AT&T INC. | ||||
By | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Assistant Vice President and Treasurer |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Agent | ||||
By | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx-Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx-Xxxxx | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
Initial Lenders |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Initial Lender | ||||
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, | ||||
as Initial Lender | ||||
By | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, S.A., NEW YORK BRANCH, | ||||
as Initial Lender | ||||
By | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
By | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
BNP Paribas, | ||||
as Initial Lender | ||||
By | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., | ||
as Initial Lender | ||
By | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Executive Director |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
Mizuho Bank, Ltd., | ||
as Initial Lender | ||
By | /s/ Xxxxx XxXxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx XxXxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, | ||
as Initial Lender | ||
By | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxx | ||
Title: Sr. Vice President |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, | ||
as Initial Lender | ||
By | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]
MUFG BANK, LTD., | ||
as Initial Lender | ||
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Director |
[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]