CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as ofMarch 23, 2007 among ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, (the Company), CERTAIN OTHER SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY, THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO,

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-10.1 2 dex101.htm CREDIT AGREEMENT Credit Agreement

Exhibit 10.1

 


Published CUSIP Number:             

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of March 23, 2007

among

ALBEMARLE CORPORATION,

(the “Company”),

CERTAIN OTHER SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY,

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer,

and

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Syndication Agent

Arranged By:

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

and

WACHOVIA CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers

 



TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Section

        Page

ARTICLE I.

   DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS    1

1.01

   Defined Terms.    1

1.02

   Other Interpretive Provisions.    20

1.03

   Accounting Terms.    21

1.04

   Rounding.    21

1.05

   References to Agreements and Laws.    21

1.06

   Times of Day.    21

1.07

   Letter of Credit Amounts.    22

1.08

   Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents.    22

1.09

   Additional Alternative Currencies.    22

1.10

   Redenomination of Certain Alternative Currencies; Change of Currency.    23

ARTICLE II.

   THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS    23

2.01

   Committed Loans.    23

2.02

   Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.    25

2.03

   Letters of Credit.    26

2.04

   Swing Line Loans.    34

2.05

   Prepayments.    36

2.06

   Termination or Reduction of Commitments.    37

2.07

   Repayment of Loans.    38

2.08

   Interest.    38

2.09

   Fees.    38

2.10

   Computation of Interest and Fees.    40

2.11

   Evidence of Debt.    40

2.12

   Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.    40

2.13

   Sharing of Payments.    42

2.14

   Designated Borrowers.    43

2.15

   Extension of Maturity Date.    44

ARTICLE III.

   TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY    45

3.01

   Taxes.    45

3.02

   Illegality.    47

3.03

   Inability to Determine Rates.    47

3.04

   Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.    47

3.05

   Funding Losses.    48

3.06

   Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation.    49

3.07

   Survival.    49

ARTICLE IV.

   GUARANTY    49

4.01

   The Guaranty.    49

4.02

   Obligations Unconditional.    50

4.03

   Reinstatement.    50

4.04

   Certain Additional Waivers.    51

4.05

   Remedies.    51

4.06

   Rights of Contribution.    51

4.07

   Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.    51

ARTICLE V.

   CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS    51

5.01

   Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.    51

5.02

   Conditions to all Credit Extensions.    53


ARTICLE VI.

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES    54

6.01

   Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws.    54

6.02

   Authorization; No Contravention.    54

6.03

   Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.    54

6.04

   Binding Effect.    54

6.05

   Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change.    54

6.06

   Litigation.    55

6.07

   No Default.    55

6.08

   Ownership of Property; Liens.    55

6.09

   Environmental Compliance.    55

6.10

   Insurance.    56

6.11

   Taxes.    56

6.12

   ERISA Compliance.    56

6.13

   Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.    57

6.14

   Disclosure.    57

6.15

   Compliance with Laws.    57

6.16

   Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.    57

6.17

   Subsidiaries.    58

6.18

   Solvency.    58

6.19

   Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers.    58

ARTICLE VII.

   AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS    59

7.01

   Financial Statements.    59

7.02

   Certificates; Other Information.    59

7.03

   Notices.    61

7.04

   Payment of Obligations.    61

7.05

   Preservation of Existence, Etc.    62

7.06

   Maintenance of Properties.    62

7.07

   Maintenance of Insurance.    62

7.08

   Compliance with Laws.    62

7.09

   Books and Records.    62

7.10

   Inspection Rights.    62

7.11

   Use of Proceeds.    63

7.12

   Joinder of Guarantors.    63

ARTICLE VIII.

   NEGATIVE COVENANTS    63

8.01

   Liens.    63

8.02

   Mergers, Dispositions, etc.    65

8.03

   Change in Nature of Business.    66

8.04

   Transactions with Affiliates.    66

8.05

   Use of Proceeds.    66

8.06

   Financial Covenant.    66

8.07

   Assets in Loan Parties.    66

8.08

   Subsidiary Indebtedness.    67

ARTICLE IX.

   EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES    67

9.01

   Events of Default.    67

9.02

   Remedies Upon Event of Default.    69

9.03

   Application of Funds.    70

ARTICLE X.

   ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT    70

10.01

   Appointment and Authority.    70


10.02

   Rights of a Lender.    71

10.03

   Exculpatory Provisions.    71

10.04

   Reliance by Administrative Agent.    72

10.05

   Delegation of Duties.    72

10.06

   Resignation of Administrative Agent.    72

10.07

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.    73

10.08

   No Other Duties, Etc.    73

10.09

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.    73

10.10

   Guaranty Matters.    74

ARTICLE XI.

   MISCELLANEOUS    74

11.01

   Amendments, Etc.    74

11.02

   Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.    75

11.03

   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies    77

11.04

   Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.    77

11.05

   Concerning Joint and Several Liability of the Borrowers.    79

11.06

   Payments Set Aside.    80

11.07

   Successors and Assigns.    81

11.08

   Confidentiality.    84

11.09

   Set-off.    85

11.10

   Interest Rate Limitation.    85

11.11

   Counterparts.    85

11.12

   Integration.    86

11.13

   Survival of Representations and Warranties.    86

11.14

   Severability.    86

11.15

   Tax Forms.    86

11.16

   Replacement of Lenders.    88

11.17

   USA PATRIOT Act Notice.    89

11.18

   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.    89

11.19

   Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury.    90

11.20

   Judgment Currency.    90

11.21

   No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.    91


SCHEDULES

  1.01

   Mandatory Cost Formulae

  2.01

   Commitments and Pro Rata Shares

  2.03

   Existing Letters of Credit

  6.09

   Environmental Matters

  6.17

   Subsidiaries

  8.01

   Existing Liens

11.02

   Eurocurrency and Domestic Lending Offices; Notice Addresses
   EXHIBITS

A

   Form of Committed Loan Notice

B

   Form of Swing Line Loan Notice

C

   Form of Note

D

   Form of Compliance Certificate

E

   Form of Assignment and Assumption

F

   Form of Joinder Agreement

G

   Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement

H

   Designated Borrower Notice


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of March 23, 2007 among ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation (the “Company”), ALBEMARLE EUROPE SPRL, a Belgium private limited company (the “Belgian Borrower”), and ALBEMARLE NETHERLANDS BV, a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap) incorporated under the laws of The Netherlands (the “Netherlands Borrower”, and together with the Company, the Belgian Borrower and any other Subsidiary of the Company party hereto pursuant to Section 2.14, collectively, the “Borrowers”), the Guarantors (defined herein), the Lenders (defined herein), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.

The Company has requested that the Lenders provide a $675,000,000 revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1.01 Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acquisition” by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the Property of, or of a business unit or division of, another Person or at least a majority of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person and whether for cash, property, services, assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise.

Additional Commitment Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means, with respect to any currency, the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02 with respect to such currency or such other address or account with respect to such currency as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Company and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, for purposes of determining Affiliates of a member of the Consolidated Group, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.


Agent Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 11.02.

Aggregate Revolving Commitments” means the aggregate amount of Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders. The initial Aggregate Revolving Commitment is referenced in Section 2.01(a).

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.

Alternative Currency” means each of British Pounds Sterling, Euro, Japanese Yen, Swiss Francs and Canadian Dollars and each other lawful currency (other than Dollars) that is freely available and freely transferable and convertible into Dollars and that is approved by all the Lenders in accordance with Section 1.09.

Alternative Currency Equivalent” means, at any time, with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the equivalent amount thereof in the applicable Alternative Currency as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date) for the purchase of such Alternative Currency with Dollars.

Applicable Currency” means Dollars or Alternative Currency, as applicable.

Applicable Rate” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Debt Rating as set forth below:

 

Pricing Level

  

Debt Rating

S&P/Moody’s

  

Applicable Rate

for Eurocurrency
Rate Loans

    Applicable
Rate for Base
Rate Loans
    Letter of Credit
Fee
   

Facility

Fee

 

1

   BBB+/Baa1or
better
   0.320 %   0.000 %   0.320 %   0.080 %

2

   BBB/Baa2    0.350 %   0.000 %   0.350 %   0.100 %

3

   BBB-/Baa3    0.500 %   0.000 %   0.500 %   0.125 %

4

   BB+/Ba1    0.600 %   0.000 %   0.600 %   0.150 %

5

   BB/Ba2 or
worse or unrated
   0.675 %   0.000 %   0.675 %   0.200 %

Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody’s of the Company’s non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt; provided that if there is a split in the Debt Rating of S&P and Moody’s, then (a) in the case of a split between Pricing Levels 1, 2 and 3, the higher (better) of such Debt Ratings shall apply and (b) in the case of a split between Pricing Levels 3, 4 and 5, the lower (worse) of such Debt Ratings shall apply; provided, however, in the case of a split in Debt Ratings of more than one Pricing Level, the Pricing Level that is one level higher than the Pricing Level of the lower Debt Rating shall apply.

Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be determined based upon Pricing Level 3. Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective, in the case of an upgrade, during the period commencing on the date of delivery by the Company to the Administrative Agent of notice thereof pursuant to Section 7.03(f) and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change and, in the case of a downgrade, during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.

 

2


Determinations by the Administrative Agent of the appropriate Pricing Level shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

Applicable Time” means, with respect to any borrowings and payments in Alternative Currencies, the local times in the place of settlement for such Alternative Currencies as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be necessary for timely settlement on the relevant date in accordance with normal banking procedures in the place of payment.

Applicant Borrower” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

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.

Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.07(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit E or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Attorney Costs” means and includes all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel and, following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, shall also include the allocated cost of internal legal services and all expenses and disbursements of internal counsel.

Attributable Principal Amount” means (a) in the case of capital leases, the amount of capital lease obligations determined in accordance with GAAP, (b) in the case of Synthetic Leases, an amount determined by capitalization of the remaining lease payments thereunder as if it were a capital lease determined in accordance with GAAP, (c) in the case of Securitization Transactions, the outstanding principal amount of such financing, after taking into account reserve accounts and making appropriate adjustments, as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment and (d) in the case of any Sale and Lease Back Transaction, the present value (discounted in accordance with GAAP at the debt rate implied in the applicable lease) of the obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the term of such lease.

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 9.02.

Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

BAS” means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as joint lead arranger and joint book manager, and its successors.

 

3


Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate. All Base Rate Loans shall be denominated in Dollars.

Belgian Borrower” means has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.

Borrowers” means the Company, the Belgian Borrower and the Netherlands Borrower and, if the conditions of Section 2.14 are satisfied, any other Designated Borrower, and “Borrower” means any one of the Borrowers.

Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office with respect to Obligations denominated in Dollars is located and:

(a) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in Dollars, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in Dollars in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or any other dealings in Dollars to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market;

(b) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in Euro, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in Euro in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or any other dealings in Euro to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means a TARGET Day;

(c) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a currency other than Dollars or Euro, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in the relevant currency are conducted by and between banks in the London or other applicable offshore interbank market for such currency; and

(d) if such day relates to any fundings, disbursements, settlements or payments in a currency other than Dollars or Euro in respect of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a currency other than Dollars or Euro, or any other dealings in any currency other than Dollars or Euro to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan (other than any interest rate settings), means any such day on which banks are open for foreign exchange business in the principal financial center of the country of such currency.

Cash Collateralize” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(g).

 

4


Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which (a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) other than Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr., or members of his family, the estate, heirs and legatees, and the legal representatives of any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, the trustee of any trust of which one or more of the foregoing are the principle beneficiaries (together, the “Gottwalds”), or any investment entities owned by them, shall own directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, shares representing more than the greater of (i) 20% and (ii) the percentage owned by the Gottwalds of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company or any Person directly or indirectly Controlling the Company; or (b) a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Company or any Person directly or indirectly Controlling the Company shall at any time be occupied by persons who were neither (i) nominated by the management of the Company or by persons who were members of the board of directors as of the Closing Date or members elected by two thirds of such members, nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated.

Closing Date” means the date hereof.

Commitment” means the Revolving Commitment.

Committed Borrowing” means a Revolving Borrowing.

Committed Loan” means a Revolving Loan.

Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

Company” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Consolidated Group, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Consolidated Group for such period, (iii) the amount of depreciation and amortization expense for such period and (iv) non-cash expenses (excluding any non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash payments in any future period), minus (c) to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, non-cash income during such period, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Funded Debt” means Funded Debt of the Consolidated Group determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, up to $50,000,000 of Funded Debt of non-wholly owned Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties shall be excluded from “Consolidated Funded Debt” to the extent that such Funded Debt is not Guaranteed by and is otherwise non-recourse to the Loan Parties.

Consolidated Group” means the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Consolidated Group, all interest expense, including the amortization of debt discount and premium, the interest component under capital leases and the implied interest component under Securitization Transactions, in each case on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

5


Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four fiscal quarters ending on such date.

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period for the Consolidated Group, the sum, without duplication of (i) net income of the Consolidated Group (excluding extraordinary items and related tax effects) for that period plus (ii) to the extent not included in the amount determined pursuant to clause (i) above and to the extent paid in cash to a member of the Consolidated Group, equity earnings of unconsolidated Affiliates for such period minus (iii) to the extent included in the amount determined pursuant to clause (i) above and to the extent not paid in cash to a member of the Consolidated Group, equity earnings of Affiliates that are not consolidated (on the consolidation basis) with the Company for such period minus (iv) to the extent included in the amount determined pursuant to clause (i) above, the income of any Subsidiary to the extent the payment of such income in the form of a distribution or repayment of any Indebtedness to the Borrower or a Subsidiary is not permitted, whether on account of any Organization Document restriction, any agreement, instrument, deed or lease or any Law applicable to such Subsidiary, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Net Worth” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Consolidated Group as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP (excluding, for purposes hereof, changes in the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment and any mark to market of a derivative or hedging instrument (or any other adjustment related thereto) required under FAS 133).

Consolidated Tangible Domestic Assets” means, as of any date, the total book value of assets of members of the Consolidated Group that are organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States, which assets are located in the United States, minus (i) intercompany loans and advances from such members of the Consolidated Group to other members of the Consolidated Group and (ii) the book value of intangible assets of such members of the Consolidated Group, including goodwill, patents, trade names, trademarks, copyrights, franchises, experimental expense, organizational expense, unamortized debt discount and expense and deferred assets (other than prepaid insurance and prepaid taxes), determined in accordance with GAAP.

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

Debt Rating” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Applicable Rate.”

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

6


Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate and any Mandatory Cost) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Committed Loans, participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swing Line Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

Designated Borrower” means any Borrower designated in accordance with the terms of Section 2.14.

Designated Borrower Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Dollar Equivalent” means, at any time, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, such amount, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in any Alternative Currency, the equivalent amount thereof in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date) for the purchase of Dollars with such Alternative Currency.

Domestic Borrower” means any Borrower that is not a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender (other than an Affiliate that is a Foreign Lender); (c) an Approved Fund (other than an Approved Fund that is a Foreign Lender); and (d) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) the Administrative Agent, and (ii) the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, and unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Company (each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, provided that it shall be reasonable for the Company to withhold consent if such Person does not provide to the Company the information required under Section 11.15). Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

7


EMU Legislation” means the legislative measures of the European Council for the introduction of, changeover to or operation of a single or unified European currency (whether known as the “euro” or otherwise).

Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to human health and the natural environment.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Company, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the natural environment or (d) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which environmental liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition that constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Company or any ERISA Affiliate.

Euro” and “EUR” mean the lawful currency of the Participating Member States introduced in accordance with the EMU Legislation.

Eurocurrency Base Rate” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurocurrency Rate.

Eurocurrency Rate” means for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the following formula:

 

Eurodollar Rate =   

Eurodollar Base Rate

  
  

1.00 – Eurodollar Reserve Percentage

  

Where, “Eurocurrency Base Rate” means for such Interest Period, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing

 

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quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for deposits in the relevant currency (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Eurocurrency Base Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in the relevant currency for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in Same Day Funds in the approximate amount of the Eurocurrency Rate Loan being made, continued or converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch (or other Bank of America branch or Affiliate) to major banks in the London or other offshore interbank market for such currency at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

Eurocurrency Rate Loan” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurocurrency Rate. Eurocurrency Rate Loans may be denominated in Dollars or in an Alternative Currency. All Committed Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency must be Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage” means, for any day during any Interest Period, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities”). The Eurocurrency Rate for each outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.

Existing Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of July 29, 2004 among the Company, the Subsidiaries of the Company party thereto, the banks named therein and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as amended.

Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit outstanding on the Closing Date and identified on Schedule 2.03.

Extending Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

Existing Maturity Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100th of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

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Foreign Lender” means, with respect to a particular Loan, any Lender that is organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction, and a similar rule shall apply with respect to The Netherlands and Belgium.

Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers” means the Belgian Borrower and the Netherlands Borrower, and “Foreign Subsidiary Borrower” means either of them.

Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and $100,000,000. The Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

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.

Funded Debt” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations for borrowed money, whether current or long-term (including the Obligations hereunder), and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, including convertible debt instruments;

(b) all purchase money indebtedness (including indebtedness and obligations in respect of conditional sales and title retention arrangements, except for customary conditional sales and title retention arrangements with suppliers that are entered into in the ordinary course of business) and all indebtedness and obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business and payable on customary trade terms);

(c) all direct obligations under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

(d) the Attributable Principal Amount of capital leases and Synthetic Leases;

(e) the Attributable Principal Amount of Securitization Transactions;

(f) all preferred stock and comparable equity interests providing for mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other like payments within three years of the date thereof;

(g) Guarantees in respect of Funded Debt of another Person;

(h) Funded Debt of any partnership or joint venture or other similar entity in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, and, as such, has personal liability for such obligations, but only to the extent there is recourse to such Person for payment thereof unless the partnership interest, joint venture interest or equity interest in such other similar entity is the sole asset of such Person.

 

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For purposes hereof, the amount of Funded Debt shall be determined based on the outstanding principal amount in the case of borrowed money indebtedness under clause (a) and purchase money indebtedness and the deferred purchase obligations under clause (b), based on the maximum amount available to be drawn in the case of letter of credit obligations and the other obligations under clause (c), and based on the outstanding principal amount of Funded Debt that is the subject of the Guarantees in the case of Guarantees under clause (g).

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect from time to time set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, subject to the provisions of Section 1.03.

Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantors” means the Company (with respect to the Obligations of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers), each Subsidiary of the Company identified as a “Guarantor” on the signature pages hereto and each Material Domestic Subsidiary that joins as a Guarantor pursuant to Section 7.12, together with their successors and permitted assigns.

Guaranty” means the Guarantee of the Obligations provided by the applicable Loan Parties pursuant to Article IV.

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Immaterial Subsidiary” means (a) any Domestic Subsidiary of the Company that neither (i) owns assets with an aggregate book value in excess of $25,000 nor (ii) has annual revenues in excess of $25,000 and (b) any foreign Subsidiary of the Company that neither (i) owns assets with an aggregate book value in excess of $25,000,000 nor (ii) has annual revenues in excess of $25,000,000.

 

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Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all Funded Debt;

(b) all contingent obligations under letters of credit (including standby and commercial letters of credit), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

(c) net obligations under any Swap Contract;

(d) Guarantees in respect of Indebtedness of another Person; and

(e) Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture or other similar entity in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, and, as such, has personal liability for such obligations, but only to the extent there is recourse to such Person for payment thereof.

For purposes hereof, the amount of Indebtedness shall be determined based on Swap Termination Value in the case of net obligations under Swap Contracts under clause (c) and based on the outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness that is the subject of the Guarantees in the case of Guarantees under clause (d).

Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.04(b).

Interest Payment Date” means (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurocurrency Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Company in its Committed Loan Notice; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

 

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IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Company (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to any such Letter of Credit.

Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit F executed and delivered by a Material Domestic Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.12.

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in a L/C Borrowing. All L/C Advances shall be denominated in Dollars.

L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit that has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Revolving Borrowing. All L/C Borrowings shall be denominated in Dollars.

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the renewal or increase of the amount thereof.

L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of the Letters of Credit, and its successors in such capacity.

L/C Obligations” means as of any date of determination, the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit, plus the aggregate amount of all Unreimbursed Amounts in respect of Letters of Credit, including L/C Borrowings. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

Lender” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto and their successors and assigns and, as the context requires, includes the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender.

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Company and the Administrative Agent.

 

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Letter of Credit” means (i) the Existing Letters of Credit and (ii) any letter of credit issued under the Revolving Commitments under the provisions of Section 2.03(a). Letters of Credit may be commercial letters of credit or standby letters of credit.

Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

Letter of Credit Fee” means any of the fees described in clause (A) of Section 2.09(b).

Letter of Credit Sublimit” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 2.03(a)(i).

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to a Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement, each Issuer Document, each Joinder Agreement, each Request for Credit Extension and each Compliance Certificate.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, each Borrower and each Guarantor.

Mandatory Cost” means, with respect to any period, the percentage rate per annum determined in accordance with Schedule 1.01.

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Company or the Consolidated Group taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

Material Domestic Subsidiary” means any Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not an Immaterial Subsidiary; provided, however, that (i) special purpose Subsidiaries created in connection with any Securitization Transaction permitted hereunder and (ii) non wholly-owned Subsidiaries that are prohibited by their Organization Documents from becoming Guarantors hereunder shall not constitute Material Domestic Subsidiaries.

Maturity Date” means the later of (a) March 23, 2012 and (b) if maturity is extended pursuant to Section 2.15, such extended maturity date as determined pursuant to such Section; provided however that, in each case, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

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Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Netherlands Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Note” means a promissory note made by a Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

Notice Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

Non-Extending Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.

Obligations” means, without duplication, (i) the Revolving Loan Obligations, (ii) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, and (iii) any Swap Contract of any Loan Party to which a Lender or any Affiliate of such Lender is a party.

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal Dollar Equivalent thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the Dollar Equivalent of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Rate and (ii) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in an Alternative Currency, the rate of interest per annum at which overnight deposits in the applicable Alternative Currency, in an amount approximately equal to the amount with respect to which such rate is being determined, would be offered for such day by a branch or Affiliate of Bank of America in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency to major banks in such interbank market.

 

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Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(d).

Participating Member State” means each state so described in any EMU Legislation.

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Company or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.

Pro Forma Basis” means, for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenant hereunder, that the subject Acquisition shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter for which annual or quarterly financial statements shall have been delivered in accordance with the provisions hereof. Further, for purposes of making calculations on a “Pro Forma Basis” hereunder, (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property, entities or business units that are the subject of the subject Acquisition shall be included to the extent relating to any period prior to the date of subject transaction, and (b) Indebtedness incurred in connection with the subject Acquisition shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period (and interest expense shall be imputed for the applicable period assuming prevailing interest rates hereunder).

Pro Rata Share” means with respect to each Lender, a fraction (expressed as percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time; provided that if the Revolving Commitments shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02, then the Pro Rata Share of each Lender shall be determined based on the Pro Rata Share of such Lender immediately prior to such termination and after giving effect to any subsequent assignments made pursuant to the terms hereof. The initial Pro Rata Shares of each Lender is set forth as such on Schedule 2.01.

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.

Ratings Condition” means, at any time, the attainment by the Company of Debt Ratings of BBB (stable) or better from S&P and Baa2 (stable) or better from Moody’s.

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.07(c).

 

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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.

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than fifty percent (50%) of (a) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or (b) if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Obligations (including, in each case, the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Obligations held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of a Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Revaluation Date” means each of the following: (a) with respect to any Loan, each of the following (i) each date of a Borrowing of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of a continuation of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency pursuant to Section 2.02, and (iii) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require; and (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit, each of the following: (i) each date of issuance of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of an amendment of any such Letter of Credit having the effect of increasing the amount thereof (solely with respect to the increased amount), (iii) each date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (iv) in the case of Existing Letters of Credit, the Closing Date, and (v) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require.

Revolving Loan Obligations” means Revolving Loans, L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans.

Revolving Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving Loans of the same Type, in the same currency and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders as provided herein.

Revolving Commitment” means, as to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to participate in L/C Obligations in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth as such Lender’s “Revolving Commitment” as set forth on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation delivered pursuant to Section 2.01(c) pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

 

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Revolving Loans” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(a).

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary, any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any person whereby the Company or such Subsidiary shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.

Same Day Funds” means (a) with respect to disbursements and payments in Dollars, immediately available funds, and (b) with respect to disbursements and payments in an Alternative Currency, same day or other funds as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be customary in the place of disbursement or payment for the settlement of international banking transactions in the relevant Alternative Currency.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Securitization Transaction” means any financing or factoring or similar transaction (or series of such transactions) that has been or may be entered into by a member of the Consolidated Group pursuant to which such member of the Consolidated Group may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or may grant a security interest in, any accounts receivable, payment intangibles, notes receivable, rights to future lease payments or residuals or other similar rights to payment to a special purpose Subsidiary or Affiliate or any other Person.

Solvent” means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, after giving full effect to rights of contribution against or reimbursement from other Persons under applicable Law or any Contractual Obligation, that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the normal course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature in their ordinary course, (c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s assets would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which such Person is engaged or is to engage, (d) the fair value of the assets of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent liabilities, of such Person and (e) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured. In computing the amount of contingent liabilities at any time, it is intended that such liabilities will be computed at the amount which, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability reduced by the amount of any contribution or indemnity that can reasonably be expected to be received.

Special Notice Currency” means at any time an Alternative Currency, other than the currency of a country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development at such time located in North America or Europe.

Spot Rate” for a currency means the rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, to be the rate quoted by the Person acting in such capacity as the spot rate for the purchase by such Person of such currency with another currency

 

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through its principal foreign exchange trading office at approximately 11:00 a.m. on the date two Business Days prior to the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made; provided that the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer may obtain such spot rate from another financial institution designated by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer if the Person acting in such capacity does not have as of the date of determination a spot buying rate for any such currency; and provided further that the L/C Issuer may use such spot rate quoted on the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made in the case of any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Company.

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, that are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04.

Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

Swing Line Sublimit” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

 

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Synthetic Lease” means any synthetic, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing product where such transaction is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease under GAAP.

TARGET Day” means any day on which the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) payment system (or, if such payment system ceases to be operative, such other payment system (if any) determined by the Administrative Agent to be a suitable replacement) is open for the settlement of payments in Euro.

Threshold Amount” means FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($50,000,000).

Type” means, with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurocurrency Rate Loan.

Unfunded Pension Liability” means, the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined as of the date of the most recently completed actuarial valuation report for that Pension Plan in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(i).

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

(b)(i) The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

(ii) Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Loan Document in which such reference appears unless otherwise expressly referenced.

(iii) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

(iv) The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

(c) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”; and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(d) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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1.03 Accounting Terms.

(a) All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

(b) At the Company’s election, determinations of compliance with the financial covenant hereunder may be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to one or more Acquisitions consummated after the Closing Date; provided that with respect to any Acquisition (i) the Company must elect to treat such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis on or before the delivery of the Compliance Certificate relating to the first fiscal quarter period ending after the date of such Acquisition, (ii) the Company must indicate such election on such Compliance Certificate and (iii) such election shall be irrevocable. Absent the Company’s election to treat an Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis in accordance with this subsection (b), determinations of compliance with the financial covenant hereunder shall not be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to such Acquisition.

(c) The Company will provide a written summary of material changes in GAAP or in the consistent application thereof with each annual and quarterly Compliance Certificate delivered in accordance with Section 7.02(b). If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Company or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Company shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Company shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

1.04 Rounding.

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

1.05 References to Agreements and Laws.

Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

1.06 Times of Day.

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to New York time (Eastern daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

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1.07 Letter of Credit Amounts.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

1.08 Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents.

(a) The Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall determine the Spot Rates as of each Revaluation Date to be used for calculating Dollar Equivalent amounts of Credit Extensions and Outstanding Amounts denominated in Alternative Currencies. Such Spot Rates shall become effective as of such Revaluation Date and shall be the Spot Rates employed in converting any amounts between the applicable currencies until the next Revaluation Date to occur. Except for purposes of financial statements delivered by Loan Parties hereunder or calculating the financial covenant hereunder or except as otherwise provided herein, the applicable amount of any currency for purposes of the Loan Documents shall be such Dollar Equivalent amount as so determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable.

(b) Wherever in this Agreement in connection with a Borrowing, conversion, continuation or prepayment of a Loan or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, an amount, such as a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but such Borrowing, Loan or Letter of Credit is denominated in an Alternative Currency, such amount shall be the relevant Alternative Currency Equivalent of such Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest unit of such Alternative Currency, with 0.5 of a unit being rounded upward), as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.

1.09 Additional Alternative Currencies.

(a) The Company may from time to time request that Eurocurrency Rate Loans be made and/or Letters of Credit be issued in a currency other than those specifically listed in the definition of “Alternative Currency”; provided that such requested currency is lawful currency (other than Dollars) that is readily available and freely transferable and convertible into Dollars. In the case of any such request with respect to the making of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders; and in the case of any such request with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer.

(b) Any such request shall be made to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon twelve Business Days prior to the date of the desired Credit Extension (or such other time or date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent, and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the L/C Issuer, in its or their sole discretion). In the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof; and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the L/C Issuer thereof. Each Lender (in the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Loans) or the L/C Issuer in the case of a request pertaining to Letters of Credit) shall notify the Administrative Agent, not later than 12:00 noon ten Business Days after receipt of such request whether it consents, in its sole discretion, to the making of Eurocurrency Rate Loans of the issuance of Letters of Credit, as the case may be, in such requested currency.

 

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(c) Any failure by a Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to respond to such request within the time period specified in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be a refusal by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to permit Eurocurrency Rate Loans to be made or Letters of Credit to be issued in such requested currency. If the Administrative Agent and all the Lenders consent to making Eurocurrency Rate Loans in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Company and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency hereunder for purposes of any Committed Borrowings of Eurocurrency Rate Loans; and if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer consent to the issuance of Letters of Credit in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Company and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency hereunder of purposes of any Letter of Credit issuances. If the Administrative Agent shall fail to obtain consent to any request for an additional currency under this Section 1.09, the Administrative Agent shall promptly so notify the company. Any specified currency of an Existing Letter of Credit that is neither Dollars nor one of the Alternative Currencies specifically listed in the definition of “Alternative Currency” shall be deemed an Alternative Currency with respect to such Existing Letter of Credit only. Upon any Lender’s refusal to make Revolving Loans in the additional requested currency, the Company may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.16.

1.10 Redenomination of Certain Alternative Currencies; Change of Currency.

(a) Each obligation of the Borrowers to make a payment denominated in the national currency unit of any member state of the European Union that adopts the Euro as its lawful currency after the date hereof shall be redenominated into Euro at the time of such adoption (in accordance with the EMU Legislation). If, in relation to the currency of any such member state, the basis of accrual of interest expressed in this Agreement in respect of that currency shall be inconsistent with any convention or practice in the London interbank market for the basis of accrual of interest in respect of the Euro, such expressed basis shall be replaced by such convention or practice with effect from the date on which such member state adopts the Euro as its lawful currency; provided that if any Committed Borrowing in the currency of such member state is outstanding immediately prior to such date, such replacement shall take effect, with respect to such Committed Borrowing, at the end of the then current Interest Period.

(b) Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect the adoption of the Euro by any member state of the European Union and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the Euro.

(c) Each provision of this Agreement also shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect a change in currency of any other country and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the change in currency.

ARTICLE II.

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

2.01 Committed Loans.

(a) Revolving Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrowers in Dollars or Alternative Currencies from time to time on any Business Day; provided that

 

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after giving effect to any such Revolving Loan, (i) with regard to the Lenders collectively, the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loan Obligations shall not exceed SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ($675,000,000) (as such amount may be increased or decreased in accordance with the provisions hereof, the “Aggregate Revolving Commitments”), (ii) with regard to each Lender individually, such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loan Obligations shall not exceed its respective Revolving Commitment and (iii) with regard to the Lenders collectively, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans made to the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers and all Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers shall not exceed the Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Sublimit. Revolving Loans may consist of Base Rate Loans, Eurocurrency Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, as the Company may request, and may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof.

(b) Increases of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Company shall have the right, upon at least fifteen (15) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent but without the consent of the Required Lenders, to increase the Aggregate Revolving Commitments by up to $200,000,000 in the aggregate in up to five (5) increases, at any time and from time to time after the Closing Date, subject, however, in any such case, to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(i) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall not exceed $875,000,000 without the consent of the Required Lenders;

(ii) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date on which such increase is to become effective;

(iii) the representations and warranties set forth in Article VI shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date on which such increase is to become effective, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.01(c), the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 6.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 7.01;

(iv) such increase shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000 (or such lesser amount as agreed upon by the Company and the Administrative Agent) and in integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof;

(v) the Administrative Agent shall have received (A) additional commitments in a corresponding amount of such requested increase from either existing Lenders and/or one or more other institutions that qualify as an Eligible Assignee (it being understood and agreed that no existing Lender shall be required to provide an additional commitment unless it agrees to do so in its sole discretion) and (B) documentation from each institution providing an additional commitment evidencing their commitment and their obligations under this Agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(vi) the Administrative Agent shall have received all documents (including resolutions of the board of directors of the Company) it may reasonably request relating to the corporate or other necessary authority for and the validity of such increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and any other matters relevant thereto, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

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(vii) such requested increase shall become effective on a date agreed by the Company and the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of such effective date; and

(viii) if any Revolving Loans are outstanding at the time of the increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrowers shall, if applicable, prepay one or more existing Revolving Loans (such prepayment to be subject to Section 3.05) in an amount necessary such that after giving effect to the increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, each Lender will hold its pro rata share (based on its Pro Rata Share of the increased Aggregate Revolving Commitments) of outstanding Revolving Loans.

2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.

(a) Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Committed Loans as the same Type shall be made upon the Applicable Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars or of any conversion of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars to Base Rate Loans, (ii) four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of Special Notice Currency) prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies and (iii) one Business Day prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by a Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(b) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of such Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans is being requested, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto, (vi) if applicable, the Alternative Currency requested with respect thereto and (vii) the applicable Borrower. If a Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if a Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto; provided, however, that in the case of a failure to timely request a continuation of Committed Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, such Loans shall be continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans in their original currency with an Interest Period of one month. No Committed Loan may be converted into or continued as a Committed Loan denominated in a different currency, but instead must be prepaid in the original currency of such Loan and reborrowed in the other currency.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount (and currency) of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by a Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or continuation of Committed Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, in each case as described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the

 

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Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office for the Applicable Currency not later than 1:00 p.m., in the case of any Committed Loan denominated in Dollars, and not later than the Applicable Time specified by the Administrative Agent in the case of any Committed Loan denominated in Alternative Currency, in each case on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 5.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the applicable Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of such Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Applicable Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date of a Committed Borrowing in Dollars, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing shall be applied, first, to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, to the applicable Borrower as provided above.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default or Event of Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that (i) any or all of the then outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars be converted to Base Rate Loans on the last day of the then applicable Interest Period and (ii) any or all of the then outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency be prepaid on the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Company or the applicable Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurocurrency Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurocurrency Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

(e) After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.

2.03 Letters of Credit.

(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.

(i) Letter of Credit Commitment. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,

(A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth herein, (1) on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit in Dollars or Alternative Currencies for the account of a Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and to amend or renew Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with the provisions hereof, and (2) to honor drafts under Letters of Credit, and

 

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(B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in the Letters of Credit as provided herein;

provided that (x) the aggregate principal amount of L/C Obligations shall not exceed the sum of FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($50,000,000) (as such amount may be decreased in accordance with the provisions hereof, the “Letter of Credit Sublimit”), (x) with regard to the Lenders collectively, the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loan Obligations shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (y) with regard to each Lender individually, such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loan Obligations shall not exceed its respective Revolving Commitment and (z) with regard to the Lenders collectively, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans made to the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers and all Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers shall not exceed the Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Sublimit. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrowers’ ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving and accordingly a Borrower may obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. Existing Letters of Credit that are Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued hereunder and shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

(ii) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) such Letter of Credit is in an initial amount less than $25,000, in the case of a commercial Letter of Credit, or $100,000, in the case of a standby Letter of Credit;

(B) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars or an Alternative Currency;

(C) the L/C Issuer does not as of the issuance date of such requested Letter of Credit issue Letters of Credit in the requested currency; or

(D) a default of any Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.03(c) exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into satisfactory arrangements with the Company or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such Lender.

(iii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable on the Closing Date and that the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

(B) subject to Section 2.03(b)(ii), the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last renewal, unless Lenders having more than 50% of the Revolving Commitments

 

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(or, if the commitment to make Loans and L/C Credit Extensions has been terminated, Lenders holding more than 50% of the Revolving Loan Obligations (including, in each case, the aggregate amount of such Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans) have approved such expiry date;

(C) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all of the Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

(D) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally.

(iv) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

(v) The L/C Issuer shall not issue or amend any Letter of Credit if (A) one or more applicable conditions contained in Article V shall not then be satisfied and the L/C Issuer shall have received written notice thereof from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party on or prior to the Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of such Letter of Credit, or (B) the Commitments have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02.

(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article X with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article X included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Renewal Letters of Credit.

(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Company or the applicable Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company or such Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon at least three Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount and currency thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit

 

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Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Company shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Company or the applicable Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article V shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the applicable Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

(iii) If the Company or the applicable Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Company or the applicable Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Company that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 5.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

(iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

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(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Company and the Administrative Agent thereof. In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the applicable Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in such Alternative Currency, unless (A) the L/C Issuer (at its option) shall have specified in such notice that it will require reimbursement in Dollars, or (B) in the absence of any such requirement for reimbursement in Dollars, the Company shall have notified the L/C Issuer promptly following receipt of the notice of drawing that the applicable Borrower will reimburse the L/C Issuer in Dollars. In the case of any such reimbursement in Dollars of a drawing under a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Company of the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of the drawing promptly following the determination thereof. Not later than 12:00 noon on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in Dollars, or the Applicable Time on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in an Alternative Currency (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the applicable Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing and in the applicable currency. If a Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (expressed in Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency) (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share thereof. In such event, the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

(ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, in Dollars, at the Administrative Agent’s Office for Dollar denominated payments in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the applicable Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer in Dollars.

(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans for any reason, the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

 

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(iv) Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

(v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Company, any Subsidiary or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than delivery by the Company of a Committed Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of a Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Company or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to such Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in Dollars and in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Pro Rata Share thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date

 

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such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of each Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto;

(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, set-off, defense or other right that the Company or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

(iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

(v) any adverse change in the relevant exchange rates or in the availability of the relevant Alternative Currency to the Company or any Subsidiary or in the relevant currency markets generally; or

(vi) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, a Borrower.

The Company shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Company’s instructions or other irregularity, the Company will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Company and the applicable Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and each Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties

 

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nor any of the respective correspondents, participants or assignees of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Company and the applicable Borrower hereby assume all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the applicable Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any of the respective correspondents, participants or assignees of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrowers may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrowers, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the applicable Borrower that such Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, that may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

(g) Cash Collateral. (i) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, (A) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (B) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, the Company shall (or shall cause the applicable Borrower to), in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations.

(ii) The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of Cash Collateral, request that additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of exchange rate fluctuations.

(iii) In addition, if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations at such time exceeds 105% of the Letter of Credit Sublimit then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Company shall (or shall cause the applicable Borrower to) Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an amount equal to the amount by which the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations exceeds the Letter of Credit Sublimit.

(iv) Sections 2.05 and 9.02(c) set forth certain additional requirements to deliver Cash Collateral hereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.03, Section 2.05 and Section 9.02(c), “Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. The Company and/or the applicable Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash Collateral shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America.

 

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(h) Applicability of ISP and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Company when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce (the “ICC”) at the time of issuance shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.

(i) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrowers shall pay Letter of Credit fees as set forth in Section 2.09.

(j) Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

(k) Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. Each Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of such Borrower, and that such Borrowers’ business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

2.04 Swing Line Loans.

(a) Swing Line Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, to make revolving loans (the “Swing Line Loans”) to the Domestic Borrowers in Dollars on any Business Day during the Availability Period; provided that (i) the aggregate principal amount of Swing Line Loans shall not exceed THIRTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ($35,000,000) (as such amount may be decreased in accordance with the provisions hereof, the “Swing Line Sublimit”), (ii) with regard to the Lenders collectively, the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loan Obligations shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (iii) with regard to each Lender individually, such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Loan Obligations shall not exceed its respective Revolving Commitment. Swing Line Loans shall be comprised solely of Base Rate Loans, and may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a participation interest in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share thereof.

(b) Borrowing Procedures. Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Company’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $500,000, and a multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof, (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day and (iii) the applicable Domestic Borrower. Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from

 

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the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 12:00 noon on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article V is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the applicable Borrower.

(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

(i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Company (which hereby irrevocably requests and authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, and without regard to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or the conditions set forth in Section 5.02. The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Company with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the applicable Domestic Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

(iii) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans, in each case, pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender may have against the Swing Line

 

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Lender, the Company or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, (C) the conditions set forth in Section 5.02, or (D) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing. No such purchase or funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Domestic Borrowers to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Pro Rata Share of such payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s risk participation was funded) in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Company for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Pro Rata Share shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

(f) Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender. The applicable Domestic Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans made to it directly to the Swing Line Lender.

2.05 Prepayments.

(a) Each Borrower may, upon notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, (B) four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of prepayment of Loans denominated in Special Notice Currencies) prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies, and (C) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment, and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid (provided that (y) if the Company does not specify the Committed Loans to which such prepayment is to be applied, such

 

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prepayment shall be applied pro rata to all Committed Loans outstanding on the date thereof and (z) if Eurocurrency Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Company shall specify the Interest Period(s) of such Loans). The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each applicable Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Company, the applicable Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each such prepayment shall be applied to the applicable Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares thereof.

(b) Each Domestic Borrower may, upon notice from the Company to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Company, the applicable Domestic Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

(c) If the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Dollar Equivalent of the outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loan Obligations shall be in excess of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrowers shall, within two Business Days, make prepayment on or provide Cash Collateral in respect of the Revolving Loan Obligations in an amount sufficient to eliminate the difference. The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange rate fluctuations.

(d) If the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that (i) the Dollar Equivalent of the outstanding principal amount of L/C Obligations shall be in excess of 105% of the Letter of Credit Sublimit or (ii) the Dollar Equivalent of the outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loan Obligations owing by Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers exceeds 105% of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Sublimit, the Borrowers shall, within two Business Days, make prepayment on or provide Cash Collateral in respect of the Revolving Loan Obligations in an amount sufficient to eliminate the difference. The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange rate fluctuations.

2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

The Company may, upon notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments to an amount not less than the Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loan Obligations; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction and (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Pro Rata Share thereof. All facility fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

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2.07 Repayment of Loans.

(a) Each Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans made to such Borrower outstanding on such date.

(b) Each Domestic Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan made to such Domestic Borrower on the Maturity Date.

2.08 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period plus (B) the Applicable Rate plus (C) (in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan of any Lender which is lent from a Lending Office in the United Kingdom or a Participating Member State) the Mandatory Cost; (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b)(i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by any Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

2.09 Fees.

(a) Facility Fees. The Loan Parties shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share, a facility fee in Dollars equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (or, if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have terminated, on the Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loan Obligations), regardless of usage. Such facility fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period (and thereafter so long as any Revolving Loan Obligations remain outstanding), including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article V is not met.

 

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The facility fees set forth in this Section 2.09(a) shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the Maturity Date (and, if applicable, thereafter on demand). The facility fees shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(b) Letter of Credit Fees.

(i) The Loan Parties shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender, in Dollars, in accordance with its Pro Rata Share a Letter of Credit fee for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the Dollar Equivalent of the daily maximum amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit). For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.07. Letter of Credit Fees shall be shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears and shall be due and payable on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December (commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit) and on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily maximum amount of each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(ii) The Loan Parties shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, a fronting fee (A) with respect to each commercial Letter of Credit, at the rate specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such Letter of Credit, and payable upon the issuance thereof, (B) with respect to any amendment of a commercial Letter of Credit increasing the amount of such Letter of Credit, at a rate separately agreed between the Company and the L/C Issuer, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such increase, and payable upon the effectiveness of such amendment, and (C) with respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.07. In addition, the Company shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

 

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(c) Other Fees.

(i) The Loan Parties shall pay to the Administrative Agent for its own account an annual administrative fee in an amount and at the times as agreed in writing from time to time by the Company and the Administrative Agent. Such fee shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

(ii) The Loan Parties shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees.

All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year) or, in the case of interest in respect of Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies as to which market practice differs from the foregoing, in accordance with such market practice. Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day.

2.11 Evidence of Debt.

(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrowers and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of any Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrowers shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and except with respect to principal of and interest on

 

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Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder with respect to principal and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office in such Alternative Currency and in Same Day Funds not later than the Applicable Time specified by the Administrative Agent on the dates specified herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent may require that any payments due under this Agreement be made in the United States. If, for any reason, any Borrower is prohibited by any Law from making any required payment hereunder in an Alternative Currency, such Borrower shall make such payment in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent of the Alternative Currency payment amount. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent (i) after 2:00 p.m., in the case of payments in Dollars, or (ii) after the Applicable Time specified by the Administrative Agent in the case of payments in an Alternative Currency, shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by any Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Committed Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the applicable Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in Same Day Funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to such Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the Overnight Rate, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by such Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If such Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to such Borrower the amount of such interest paid by such Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing. Any payment by such Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim such Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii) Payments by Borrowers; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the

 

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Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if such Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in Same Day Funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the Overnight Rate.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender to any Borrower as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to such Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

2.13 Sharing of Payments.

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Committed Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Committed Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

(i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

 

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(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by a Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Company or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

2.14 Designated Borrowers.

(a) Effective on the Closing Date, the Company hereby designates each of the Foreign Borrowers as Designated Borrowers. Thereafter the Company may at any time, upon not less than 10 Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), designate any one or more Material Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company (an “Applicant Borrower”) as a Designated Borrower to receive Loans hereunder by delivering to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly deliver counterparts thereof to each Lender) a duly executed notice and agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit G (a “Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement”). The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that prior to any Applicant Borrower becoming entitled to utilize the credit facilities provided for herein the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received such supporting resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel and other documents or information, in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, as may be required by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders in their sole discretion, and Notes signed by such new Borrowers to the extent any Lenders so require. If the Administrative Agent agrees that an Applicant Borrower shall have satisfied all of the requirements of this Section 2.14 and, therefore, be entitled to receive Loans hereunder, then promptly following receipt of all such requested resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel and other documents or information, the Administrative Agent shall send a notice in substantially the form of Exhibit H (a “Designated Borrower Notice”) to the Company and the Lenders specifying the effective date upon which the Applicant Borrower shall constitute a Designated Borrower for purposes hereof, whereupon each of the Lenders agrees to permit such Designated Borrower to receive Loans hereunder, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, and each of the parties agrees that such Designated Borrower otherwise shall be a Borrower for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that no Request for Credit Extension may be submitted by or on behalf of such Designated Borrower until the date three Business Days after such effective date.

(b) The Obligations of the Domestic Borrowers shall be joint and several in nature as more specifically addressed in Section 11.05. The Obligations of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers shall be several and not joint and several in nature.

(c) Each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower and each Material Domestic Subsidiary of the Company that is or becomes a “Designated Borrower” pursuant to this Section 2.14 hereby irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent for all purposes relevant to this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents, including (i) the giving and receipt of notices, (ii) the execution and delivery of all documents, instruments and certificates contemplated herein and all modifications hereto, and (iii) in the case of the Domestic Borrowers only, the receipt of the proceeds of any Loans made by the Lenders, to any such Borrower hereunder. Any acknowledgment, consent, direction, certification or other action which might otherwise be valid or effective only if given or

 

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taken by all Borrowers, or by each Borrower acting singly, shall be valid and effective if given or taken only by the Company, whether or not any such other Borrower joins therein. Any notice, demand, consent, acknowledgement, direction, certification or other communication delivered to the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been delivered to each Borrower.

(d) The Company may from time to time, upon not less than 10 Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), terminate any Material Domestic Subsidiary’s or any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower’s status as a Designated Borrower, provided that there are no outstanding Loans or L/C Obligations payable by such Designated Borrower or other amounts payable by such Designated Borrower on account of any Credit Extensions made to it, as of the effective date of such termination (unless such Loans and other Obligations have been assumed by another Borrower). The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such termination of a Designated Borrower’s status.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) as of the Closing Date, the only Borrowers were the Company, the Belgian Borrower and the Netherlands Borrower, (iii) no other Persons may become a Borrower except in accordance with this Section 2.14 and (iv) only wholly-owned Material Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company may become Designated Borrowers.

2.15 Extension of Maturity Date.

(a) Requests for Extension. The Company may, by notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall promptly notify the Lenders) not earlier than 45 days and not later than 35 days prior to each anniversary of the Closing Date, request that each Lender extend such Lender’s Maturity Date for an additional year from the Maturity Date then in effect hereunder (the “Existing Maturity Date”).

(b) Lender Elections to Extend. Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent given not later than 15 days after receipt of the Company’s request pursuant to subsection (a) above (the “Notice Date”), advise the Administrative Agent whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and each Lender that determines not to so extend its Maturity Date (a “Non-Extending Lender”) shall notify the Administrative Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than the Notice Date) and any Lender that does not so advise the Administrative Agent on or before the Notice Date shall be deemed to be a Non-Extending Lender. The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree.

(c) Notification by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Company of each Lender’s determination under this Section no later than the date 10 days after the Notice Date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day).

(d) Additional Commitment Lenders. The Company shall have the right to replace each Non-Extending Lender with, and add as “Lenders” under this Agreement in place thereof, one or more Eligible Assignees (each, an “Additional Commitment Lender”) as provided in Section 11.16; provided that each of such Additional Commitment Lenders shall enter into an Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Additional Commitment Lender shall undertake a Commitment (and, if any such Additional Commitment Lender is already a Lender, its Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s Commitment hereunder on such date).

(e) Minimum Extension Requirement. If (and only if) the total of the Commitments of the Lenders that have agreed so to extend their Maturity Date (each, an “Extending Lender”) and the additional Commitments of the Additional Commitment Lenders shall be more than 50% of the aggregate amount of the Commitments in effect immediately prior to the Existing Maturity Date, then the

 

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Maturity Date of each Extending Lender and of each Additional Commitment Lender shall be extended to the date falling one year after the Existing Maturity Date (except that, if such date is not a Business Day, such Maturity Date as so extended shall be the next preceding Business Day) and each Additional Commitment Lender shall thereupon become a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement.

(f) Conditions to Effectiveness of Extensions. As a condition precedent to such extension, the Company shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Existing Maturity Date (in sufficient copies for each Extending Lender and each Additional Commitment Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such extension and (ii) in the case of the Company, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such extension, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article VI and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Existing Maturity Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.15, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 6.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 7.01, and (B) no Default exists. In addition, on the Maturity Date of each Non-Extending Lender, the Borrowers shall prepay the outstanding Obligations owing to the Non-Extending Lenders on such date in full (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) and shall make such other payments to the other Lenders to the extent necessary to keep outstanding Committed Loans and other appropriate Obligations ratable with any revised Pro Rata Shares of the respective Lenders effective as of such date.

(g) Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 11.01 to the contrary.

ARTICLE III.

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01 Taxes.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any and all payments by or on behalf of the respective Borrowers to or for the account of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding (i) in the case of the Administrative Agent and each Lender, any and all present and future taxes imposed on or measured by its income or gross receipts, and franchise taxes imposed on it, by a jurisdiction (the “Taxing Jurisdiction”) as a result of (A) the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, being organized under the Laws of or maintaining a lending office in the Taxing Jurisdiction or (B) the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, booking Loans made by it in the Taxing Jurisdiction and (ii) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, that are (A) imposed by the United States with respect to the Revolving Loans, the Swing Line Loan and the L/C Obligations on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or (B) attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a change in any applicable law, treaty or governmental rule, regulation or order) to comply with Section 11.15, except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrowers with respect to such taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, pursuant

 

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to this Section 3.01 (all such non-excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and liabilities with respect thereto being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes” and all such excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and liabilities with respect thereto being hereinafter referred to as “Excluded Taxes”). If any Borrower shall be required by any Laws to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section), the Administrative Agent or such Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) such Borrower shall make such deductions, (iii) such Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable Laws, and (iv) within thirty days after the date of such payment, such Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall forward the same to such Lender) the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof.

(b) In addition, each Borrower agrees to pay any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes or charges or similar levies that arise from the execution, delivery, performance (other than payment of amounts owing under the Loan Documents), enforcement or registration of, or otherwise similarly with respect to, any Loan Document (hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).

(c) Each Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender for (i) the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes (including any Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent and such Lender and (ii) any liability (including additions to tax, penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, in each case whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority; provided, however, that no Borrower shall have any obligation to indemnify any party hereunder for Taxes, Other Taxes or any other liability that arises from such party’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Payment under this subsection (d) shall be made within sixty days after the date the Lender or the Administrative Agent makes a written demand therefor; provided, however, that notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3.01, if the Administrative Agent or any Lender requests indemnification or compensation for Taxes or Other Taxes pursuant to this Section 3.01 more than 120 days after the earlier of (i) the date on which the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, makes payment of such Taxes or Other Taxes, and (ii) the date on which the appropriate Governmental Authority makes written demand on the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, for payment of such Taxes or Other Taxes, then the applicable Borrower shall not be obligated to indemnify or reimburse the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, for such Taxes or Other Taxes.

(d) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer determines, in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by a Borrower or with respect to which a Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay an amount equal to such refund to such Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that the applicable Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This paragraph shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Borrower or any other Person.

 

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3.02 Illegality.

If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the Applicable Currency, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, any Applicable Currency in the applicable interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Company through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the Applicable Currency or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the Applicable Currency shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Company that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowers shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable and such Eurocurrency Rate Loans are denominated in Dollars, convert all Eurocurrency Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted. Each Lender agrees to designate a different Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Lender. If such Lender does not designate a different Lending Office to avoid the need for such notice, the Company may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.16.

3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.

If the Administrative Agent determines in connection with any request for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (i) deposits in the Applicable Currency are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, (ii) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurocurrency Rate for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or (iii) the Eurocurrency Rate for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Company and all Lenders. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the Applicable Currency shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Company may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

3.04 Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.

(a) If any Lender determines that as a result of the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any Law following the date hereof, or such Lender’s compliance therewith, there shall be any increase in the cost to such Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Eurocurrency Rate Loans or (as the case may be) issuing or participating in Letters of Credit, or a reduction in the amount received or receivable by such Lender in connection with any of the foregoing (excluding for purposes of this subsection (a) any such increased costs or reduction in amount resulting from (i) Taxes, Other Taxes and Excluded Taxes (as to which Section 3.01 shall govern), (ii) changes in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the United States

 

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or any foreign jurisdiction or any political subdivision of either thereof under the Laws of which such Lender is organized or has its Lending Office, and (iii) reserve requirements utilized, as to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, in the determination of the Eurocurrency Rate), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrowers shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduction; provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section 3.04 for any additional amounts incurred more than 90 days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrowers of the change of Law giving rise to such additional amounts and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that, if the change of Law giving rise to such additional amounts is retroactive, then such 90-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

(b) If any Lender determines that the introduction of any Law regarding capital adequacy or any change therein or in the interpretation thereof following the date hereof, or compliance by such Lender (or its Lending Office) therewith, has the effect of reducing the rate of return on the capital of such Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender as a consequence of such Lender’s obligations hereunder (taking into consideration its policies with respect to capital adequacy and such Lender’s desired return on capital), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrowers shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such reduction; provided that each such Lender shall make demand for compensation hereunder no later than ninety days after becoming aware of such effect.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.04, no Borrower shall be required to pay to any Lender additional amounts under this Section 3.04 for Taxes, Other Taxes and Excluded Taxes (Section 3.01 shall govern the obligation of the Borrowers to pay additional amounts for Taxes, Other Taxes and Excluded Taxes).

3.05 Funding Losses.

Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Company shall promptly compensate (or cause the applicable Borrower to compensate) such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense (excluding the loss of the Applicable Margin) incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by any Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Company or the applicable Borrower;

(c) any failure by any Borrower to make payment of any Loan or drawing under any Letter of Credit (or interest due thereon) denominated in an Alternative Currency on its scheduled due date or any payment thereof in a different currency; or

(d) any assignment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Company pursuant to Section 11.16;

 

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including any foreign exchange losses and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Company shall also pay (or shall cause the applicable Borrower to pay) any reasonable customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurocurrency Rate Loan made by it at the Eurocurrency Base Rate used in determining the Eurocurrency Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurocurrency Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

3.06 Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation.

(a) A certificate of the Administrative Agent or any Lender claiming compensation under this Article III and setting forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, the Administrative Agent or such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.

(b) Upon any Lender’s making a claim for compensation under Section 3.01 or 3.04, the Company may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.16.

3.07 Survival.

The obligations of each Borrower under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE IV.

GUARANTY

4.01 The Guaranty.

Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, each Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Swap Contract, and the Administrative Agent as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof. The Guarantors hereby further agree that if any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents or Swap Contracts, the obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under the Debtor Relief Laws or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law.

 

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4.02 Obligations Unconditional.

The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 4.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or Swap Contracts, or any other agreement or instrument referred to therein, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against any Borrower or any other Guarantor for amounts paid under this Article IV until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitment have expired or terminated. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

(a) at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

(b) any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents, any Swap Contract between any Loan Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in the Loan Documents or such Swap Contracts shall be done or omitted;

(c) the maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Loan Documents, any Swap Contract between any Loan Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in the Loan Documents or such Swap Contracts shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

(d) any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Lenders as security for any of the Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or

(e) any of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including, without limitation, for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including, without limitation, any creditor of any Guarantor).

With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any Lender exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Loan Documents, any Swap Contract between any Loan Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in the Loan Documents or such Swap Contracts, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.

4.03 Reinstatement.

The obligations of the Guarantors under this Article IV shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise, and each Guarantor

 

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agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law.

4.04 Certain Additional Waivers.

Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 4.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 4.06.

4.05 Remedies.

The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as provided in Section 9.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided in said Section 9.02) for purposes of Section 4.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 4.01.

4.06 Rights of Contribution.

The Guarantors agree among themselves that, in connection with payments made hereunder, each Guarantor shall have contribution rights against the other Guarantors as permitted under applicable law. Such contribution rights shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the obligations of such Guarantors under the Loan Documents and no Guarantor shall exercise such rights of contribution until all Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitments have terminated.

4.07 Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.

The guarantee in this Article IV is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Obligations whenever arising.

ARTICLE V.

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

5.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.

The obligation of each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement by the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Loan Party;

 

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(ii) a Note executed by the Borrowers in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;

(iii) a payoff letter regarding the Existing Credit Agreement;

(iv) copies of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;

(v) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;

(vi) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each of the Loan Parties is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation, the state of its principal place of business and each other jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(vii) a favorable opinion of Troutman Sanders LLP, counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(viii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 5.01(c) and 5.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied and (B) the current Debt Ratings;

(b) Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.

(c) Since December 31, 2006, there shall not have occurred a material adverse change in the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Company or the Consolidated Group taken as a whole.

(d) The Company shall have paid all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Company and the Administrative Agent).

 

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Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Credit Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

5.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions.

The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Committed Loans as the same Type) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The representations and warranties of the Company and each other Loan Party contained in Article VI (excluding the representation and warranty contained in subsection (c) of Section 6.05) or any other Loan Document, or that are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 5.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 6.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 7.01.

(b) No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension.

(c) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

(d) If the applicable Borrower is a Designated Borrower, then the conditions of Section 2.14 to the designation of such Borrower as a Designated Borrower shall have been met to the satisfaction of the Administrative Agent.

(e) In the case of a Credit Extension to be denominated in an Alternative Currency, there shall not have occurred any change in national or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls which in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, the Required Lenders (in the case of any Loans to be denominated in an Alternative Currency) or the L/C Issuer (in the case of any Letter of Credit to be denominated in an Alternative Currency) would make it impracticable for such Credit Extension to be denominated in the relevant Alternative Currency.

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans) submitted by the Company shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 5.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

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ARTICLE VI.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Loan Parties represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

6.01 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws.

Each Loan Party (a) is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d) is in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), (c) or (d), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.02 Authorization; No Contravention.

The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.

6.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.

No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

6.04 Binding Effect.

This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is party thereto, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms.

6.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) The audited consolidated balance sheet of the Consolidated Group for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Consolidated Group as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Consolidated Group as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness, which are required to be shown thereon in accordance with GAAP.

 

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(b) The unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Consolidated Group for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal quarter (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Consolidated Group as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Consolidated Group as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(c) Since December 31, 2006, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.06 Litigation.

There are not any actions, suits or proceedings at law or in equity or by or before any governmental instrumentality or other agency now pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened (and reasonably likely to be commenced) against or affecting any member of the Consolidated Group or any property or rights of the Consolidated Group as to which there is a reasonable likelihood of an adverse determination and which, if adversely determined, would individually or in the aggregate materially impair the right of the Consolidated Group taken as a whole to carry on business substantially as now being conducted or would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

6.07 No Default.

(a) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

6.08 Ownership of Property; Liens.

Each member of the Consolidated Group has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Consolidated Group is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 8.01.

6.09 Environmental Compliance.

Except as set forth in Schedule 6.09: (a) the Consolidated Group is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Environmental Laws, except where the failure to do so would not be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (b) no member of the Consolidated Group has received written notice of any material failure so to comply with such applicable Environmental Laws, which non-compliance neither has been or is being remedied, nor is being contested in good faith by such member of the Consolidated Group, nor is the subject of such member’s good faith efforts to achieve compliance; (c) the Consolidated Group’s facilities do not manage any Hazardous Materials in violation in any applicable Environmental Law,

 

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except where such violation would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (d) the Company is aware of no events, conditions or circumstances involving environmental pollution or contamination or employee health or safety that would be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

6.10 Insurance.

The properties of the Consolidated Group are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards), with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Company or its Subsidiaries operate.

6.11 Taxes.

Each member of the Consolidated Group has filed all federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against the Company or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.12 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Laws. Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred that would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification. The Company and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code has been made with respect to any Plan.

(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Other than as would not reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of $15,000,000, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (ii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA and other contributions payable in accordance with the terms of such Pension Plan or applicable law), and (iii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred that, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan.

 

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(d) No Pension Plan, individually, has any Unfunded Pension Liability in excess of $10,000,000, and the Pension Plans, on a consolidated basis, do not have any Unfunded Pension Liability.

(e) To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that is subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

6.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) No Borrower is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying “margin stock” within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB, as in effect from time to time, or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying “margin stock,” and the Credit Extensions hereunder will not be used to purchase or carry “margin stock” in violation of Regulation U or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying “margin stock,” or for any purpose that would violate the provisions of Regulation X issued by the FRB, as in effect from time to time.

(b) None of the Company or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

6.14 Disclosure.

No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Company represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

6.15 Compliance with Laws.

Each of the Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or (b) the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.16 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, the Consolidated Group owns, or possess the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other Person. To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by the Company or any Subsidiary infringes upon any rights held by any other Person. No claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened, that would in either case reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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6.17 Subsidiaries.

Set forth on Schedule 6.17 is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing Date of each Subsidiary of the Company, together with (i) the jurisdiction of formation, (ii) an indication of whether such Subsidiary is a Material Domestic Subsidiary, and (iii) the ownership percentage of the Company or any Subsidiary therein.

6.18 Solvency.

The Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

6.19 Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers.

(a) Each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is subject to civil and commercial Laws with respect to its obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party (collectively as to such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, the “Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents”), and the execution, delivery and performance by such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents constitute and will constitute private and commercial acts and not public or governmental acts. No Foreign Subsidiary Borrower nor any of its property has any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) under the laws of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing in respect of its obligations under the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents.

(b) The Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents are in proper legal form under the Laws of the jurisdiction in which each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing for the enforcement thereof against such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower under the Laws of such jurisdiction, and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents. It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents that the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents be filed, registered or recorded with, or executed or notarized before, any court or other authority in the jurisdiction in which the applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing or that any registration charge or stamp or similar tax be paid on or in respect of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents or any other document, except for (i) any such filing, registration, recording, execution or notarization as has been made or is not required to be made until the Applicable Foreign Obligor Document or any other document is sought to be enforced and (ii) any charge or tax as has been timely paid.

(c) There is no tax, levy, impost, duty, fee, assessment or other governmental charge, or any deduction or withholding, imposed by any Governmental Authority in or of the jurisdiction in which any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing either (i) on or by virtue of the execution or delivery of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents or (ii) on any payment to be made by such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower pursuant to the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents, except as has been disclosed to the Lenders, through the Administrative Agent.

(d) The execution, delivery and performance of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents executed by each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower are, under applicable foreign exchange control regulations of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing, not subject to any notification or authorization except (i) such as have been made or obtained or (ii) such as cannot be made or obtained until a later date (provided that any notification or authorization described in clause (ii) shall be made or obtained as soon as is reasonably practicable).

 

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(e) The Netherlands Borrower has not established a works council (ondernemingsraad) under or pursuant to the Act on the Works Councils (Wet op de ondernemingsraden), and no works council is authorized to render advice or is required to be consulted with respect to any transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents.

ARTICLE VII.

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Loan Parties shall and shall cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to:

7.01 Financial Statements.

Furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a consolidated balance sheet of the Consolidated Group as of the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within fifty days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, a consolidated balance sheet of the Consolidated Group as of the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Company’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Consolidated Group in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 7.02(d), the Company shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Company to furnish the information and materials described in subsections (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.

7.02 Certificates; Other Information.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default or Event of Default under the financial covenant set forth herein or, if any such Default or Event of Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event;

 

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(b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 7.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company, (i) setting forth computations in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent demonstrating (A) compliance with the financial covenant contained herein and (B) compliance with Section 8.07, (ii) certifying that no Default or Event of Default exists as of the date thereof (or, to the extent a Default or Event of Default exists, the nature and extent thereof and the proposed actions of the Loan Parties with respect thereto) and (iii) including a summary of all material changes in GAAP and in the consistent application thereof, the effect on the financial covenant resulting therefrom, and a reconciliation between calculation of the financial covenant before and after giving effect to such changes (which certificate may be delivered by electronic mail or by facsimile;

(c) promptly after requested by the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the Company by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;

(d) promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Company, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements that the Company may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto; and

(e) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Company or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent, on behalf of any Lender, may from time to time reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) or Section 7.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Company’s website on the internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Company’s behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Company shall deliver paper copies (which may include .pdf files) of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Company to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Company shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent and each Lender of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Company shall be required to provide paper copies (which may include .pdf files) of the Compliance Certificates required by Section 7.02(b) to the Administrative Agent and each of

 

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the Lenders. Except for such Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Company with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

Each Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or BAS will make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of such Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to any of the Borrowers or their respective 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. Each Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials 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 Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrowers shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, BAS and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrowers or their respective securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.08); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and BAS shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated as “Public Investor.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Borrower shall be under any obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”

7.03 Notices.

Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default;

(b) of any matter that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c) if unrated, any announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any Debt Rating, or if rated, any announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any change or possible change in a Debt Rating.

Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Company setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Company has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 7.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

7.04 Payment of Obligations.

Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, (a) all material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Company or such Subsidiary, (b) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property (other than a Permitted Lien) and (c) except where the failure to so pay or discharge would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all other obligations and liabilities.

 

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7.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc.

(a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 8.02; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

7.06 Maintenance of Properties.

Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

7.07 Maintenance of Insurance.

Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.

7.08 Compliance with Laws.

Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, write, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; or (b) the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

7.09 Books and Records.

(a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

7.10 Inspection Rights.

Upon the request of the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Company and at such reasonable times during normal business hours

 

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and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Company; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Company at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.

7.11 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (a) for general corporate purposes, (b) to refinance existing Indebtedness, (c) to finance acquisitions, (d) to repurchase common stock of the Company, (e) for working capital and (f) for capital expenditures, in each case, of the Company and its Subsidiaries provided that in no event shall the proceeds of the Credit Extensions be used in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.

7.12 Joinder of Guarantors.

(a) During such times as the Company fails to satisfy the Ratings Condition, cause each Material Domestic Subsidiary (whether existing at such time or thereafter formed or acquired) to be joined as a Guarantor hereunder within thirty (30) days following the date that the Ratings Conditions fails to be satisfied or the date of acquisition of formation of such Material Domestic Subsidiary, as applicable. The Company will, in connection with any such joinder, promptly cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent an executed Joinder Agreement, together with supporting resolutions, incumbency certificates, organizational documents, opinions of counsel and such other information as shall be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, all in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

(b) Upon the written request of the Company during any time that the Ratings Condition is satisfied, the Guaranty provided by the Material Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company pursuant to Article IV shall be released. The Administrative Agent shall (to the extent applicable) deliver to the Company, upon the Company’s request and at the Company’s expense, such documentation as is reasonably necessary to evidence the release of such Guaranty.

(c) For purposes of clarification, at any time following a release of the Guaranty of the Material Domestic Subsidiaries pursuant to clause (b) above that the Company fails to satisfy Ratings Condition, the Loan Parties shall be required to comply with clause (a) above until the date thereafter, if any, that such Guaranty is released pursuant to clause (b) above.

ARTICLE VIII.

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, no Loan Party shall nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

8.01 Liens.

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

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(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 8.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that the scope of the property covered thereby is not increased;

(c) Liens for taxes not yet due or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(d) carriers,’ warehousemen’s, mechanics,’ materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;

(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation, which are covered in subsection (h) below), performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property that, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and that do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

(h) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money which do not constitute Events of Default hereunder;

(i) Liens securing, or in respect of, Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, Synthetic Leases and purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets (including, but not limited to, any such Lien granted within 180 days of the acquisition of such fixed or capital asset); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition;

(j) Liens on property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary granted in connection with Sale and Leaseback Transactions, provided that the aggregate Attributable Principal Amount in connection with such Sale and Leaseback Transactions shall not at any time be in excess of $100,000,000;

(k) Liens on property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary granted in connection with Securitization Transactions;

(l) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(m) licenses of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(n) Liens on the property and assets of any Person to the extent such Liens are existing at the time such Person becomes a member of the Consolidated Group, provided such Liens are not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any property or assets of any other member of the Consolidated Group;

(o) Liens on property or assets of the Company and any Subsidiary granted in connection with environmental remediation or similar obligations with respect to such property or assets not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate;

(p) Liens in favor of the United States or any state thereof, or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of any of the foregoing, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments or performance pursuant to the provisions of any contract or statute, to the extent not constituting Indebtedness; and

(q) Liens other than those referred to in subparagraphs (a) through (p) above, provided, however, that the aggregate principal amount of obligations secured by such Liens plus the aggregate principal amount of unsecured Indebtedness of Subsidiaries of the Company outstanding pursuant to Section 8.08(e) does not exceed 20% of Consolidated Net Worth.

8.02 Mergers, Dispositions, etc.

Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) or any capital stock of any Subsidiary, except that:

(a) Any member of the Consolidated Group may purchase and sell inventory in the ordinary course of business;

(b) If at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) any Subsidiary or any other Person may merge into, consolidate with or liquidate or dissolve into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries provided that, (A) if the Company is a party to such transaction, the Company is the surviving corporation and (B) if a Borrower is a party to such transaction, a Borrower shall be the surviving entity, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into, consolidate with or liquidate or dissolve into any other Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary and no Person other than the Company or a Subsidiary receives any consideration therefor (except in the case of a non-wholly-owned Subsidiary, minority equity holders may receive their ratable share of consideration) provided that, if either Subsidiary is a Domestic Subsidiary, the surviving entity is a Domestic Subsidiary and if either Subsidiary is a Borrower, the surviving entity is a Borrower, and (iii) so long as (A) the Debt Ratings of the surviving corporation are better than or equal to the Debt Ratings of the Company and (B) the surviving corporation agrees in writing to assume the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, the Company may merge into or consolidate with any other Person;

(c) The Company may sell all or any portion of the capital stock of any Subsidiary for fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors, provided (i) such sale does not constitute a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, (ii) after giving effect thereto, the Company remains in compliance with Section 8.07 and (iii) if such sale involves the capital stock of a Borrower, the Company or another Borrower shall agree in writing to assume the obligations of such Borrower under this Agreement; and

 

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(d) The Company may (i) transfer, or cause to be transferred, all or any portion of the capital stock of any wholly owned Subsidiary to another wholly owned Subsidiary, provided, after giving effect thereto, (x) the Company remains in compliance with 8.07 and (y) no Domestic Borrower is a direct Subsidiary of a foreign Subsidiary, and (ii) sell any portion of the capital stock of any Subsidiary (other than a Borrower) in connection with the establishment of a joint venture for the purpose of developing or continuing a product or business related to any of the Company’s existing lines of business as of the date of this Agreement.

In connection with any disposition permitted hereunder of any Subsidiary that is a Guarantor, other than any transfer of the capital stock of any wholly owned Subsidiary to another wholly owned Subsidiary pursuant to Section 8.02(d)(i), such Guarantor shall be released from its obligations under the Guaranty in accordance with the provisions hereof.

8.03 Change in Nature of Business.

Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Consolidated Group on the date hereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.

8.04 Transactions with Affiliates.

Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Company, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, provided that the foregoing restriction (a) shall not apply to transactions between or among Loan Parties, (b) shall not restrict dividends or distributions on account of shares of equity interests issued by Subsidiaries of the Company ratably to the holders thereof and (c) other transactions among the members of the Consolidated Group that are not prohibited by this Agreement.

8.05 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose, in each case in violation of, or for a purpose that violates Regulation T, U or X of the FRB.

8.06 Financial Covenant.

Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Company to be greater than 3.5:1.00.

8.07 Assets in Loan Parties.

At any time, permit the Loan Parties to own Consolidated Tangible Domestic Assets which, in the aggregate, are valued at less than $750,000,000.

 

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8.08 Subsidiary Indebtedness.

Permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) intercompany Indebtedness among the Company and its Subsidiaries or among Subsidiaries;

(c) Indebtedness of any Person to the extent such Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a member of the Consolidated Group, provided such (i) Indebtedness is not created in contemplation thereof and (ii) the scope of obligors liable for such Indebtedness is not increased;

(d) obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Subsidiary for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Subsidiary, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and

(e) other Indebtedness, provided that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed the difference between (i) 20% of Consolidated Net Worth minus (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness of the Company secured by Liens permitted by Section 8.01(q).

ARTICLE IX. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

9.01 Events of Default.

Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

(a) Non-Payment. Any Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, in the currency required hereunder, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within three Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any facility fee or other fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 7.03, 7.05 or 7.11 or Article VIII; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty days after the earlier to occur of notice thereof from the Administrative Agent or any Responsible Officer of a Loan Party having actual knowledge of such failure; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Company or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. (i) The Company or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than

 

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Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount and the continuation of such failure beyond any applicable grace or cure period, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Company or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Company or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Company or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undismissed for sixty calendar days or an order or decree approving or ordering such appointment shall continue unstayed for thirty calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law in respect of any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed for sixty calendar days, or an order or decree approving or ordering such proceeding shall continue unstayed for thirty calendar days; or

(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.

(i) The Company or any Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due; or

(ii) Any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and such process, if not fully bonded, continues undismissed for sixty calendar days, or an order or decree approving or ordering such process shall continue unstayed for thirty calendar days; or

(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Company or any Subsidiary (i) a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of forty-five consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

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(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Company under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

9.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default.

If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers;

(c) require that the Borrowers Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the Dollar Equivalent of the then Outstanding Amount thereof as such amount may vary from time to time); and

(d) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable law;

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States (or any other applicable Debtor Relief Laws), the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Company to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

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9.03 Application of Funds.

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 9.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including Attorney Costs and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Swap Contracts, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

Fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Company or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

ARTICLE X.

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

10.01 Appointment and Authority.

Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and neither any Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

 

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10.02 Rights of a Lender.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

10.03 Exculpatory Provisions.

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any of the Borrowers or any of their respective Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Company, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

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10.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Company), 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.

10.05 Delegation of Duties.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facility provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

10.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Company. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Company and, at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default, with the Company’s consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the

 

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Company to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Company and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

10.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

10.08 No Other Duties, Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents, co-agents, or book managers listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

10.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on any Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations (other than Swap Contracts) that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

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(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

10.10 Guaranty Matters.

The Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty (a) if such Person ceases to be a Material Domestic Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder or (b) as provided in Section 7.12(b). Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 10.10.

ARTICLE XI.

MISCELLANEOUS

11.01 Amendments, Etc.

No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Company or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Company and the Loan Parties, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each of the Lenders directly affected thereby and by the Company, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, do any of the following:

(a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02), it being understood that a waiver of an Event of Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an increase in Commitments;

(b) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to any Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document;

(c) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of any Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;

 

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(d) change any provision of this Agreement regarding pro rata sharing or pro rata funding with respect to (i) the making of advances (including participations), (ii) the manner of application of payments or prepayments of principal, interest, the Facility Fee and the Letter of Credit Fees (other than fronting fees for the account of the L/C Issuer), (iii) the manner of application of reimbursement obligations from drawings under Letters of Credit, or (iv) the manner of reduction of the respective commitments and committed amounts;

(e) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder;

(f) amend the definition of “Alternative Currency” to add additional currencies; or

(g) release the Company (subject to Section 8.02) or all or substantially all of the Guarantors (subject to Section 7.12) from their obligations hereunder;

and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; and (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.

11.02 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 subsection (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 telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified 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 telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal

 

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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 subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Company 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.

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice 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, 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.

(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to any Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Company, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be

 

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sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, 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 Borrower Materials 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 any Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of any Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Company shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of any Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) Costs and Expenses. The Loan Parties shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facility provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

(b) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses

 

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(including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), actually incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by any Borrower or any other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Company or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Company or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Company or such other Loan Party has obtained a judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Company for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, but without affecting the Company’s obligations to make such payments, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Pro Rata Share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Loan Party shall assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above 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 Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.

(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

11.05 Concerning Joint and Several Liability of the Domestic Borrowers.

(a) Each Domestic Borrower is accepting joint and several liability under this Section 11.05 in consideration of the financial accommodation to be provided by the Lenders under this Agreement, for the mutual benefit, directly and indirectly, of each Borrower and in consideration of the undertakings of each Domestic Borrower to accept joint and several liability for the Obligations of each of the other Domestic Borrowers.

(b) Each Domestic Borrower jointly and severally hereby irrevocably and unconditionally accepts, not merely as a surety but also as a co-debtor, joint and several liability with the other Domestic Borrowers with respect to the payment and performance of all of the Obligations of the Domestic Borrowers arising under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, it being the intention of the parties hereto that all the Obligations of the Domestic Borrowers shall be the joint and several obligations of each of the Domestic Borrowers without preferences or distinction among them.

(c) If and to the extent that a Domestic Borrower shall fail to make any payment with respect to any of the Obligations of the Domestic Borrowers hereunder as and when due or to perform any of such Obligations in accordance with the terms thereof, then in each such event, the other Domestic Borrowers will make such payment with respect to, or perform, such Obligation.

(d) The obligations of each Domestic Borrower under the provisions of this Section 11.05 constitute full recourse obligations of such Domestic Borrower, enforceable against it to the full extent of its properties and assets, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other circumstances whatsoever.

(e) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each Domestic Borrower hereby waives notice of acceptance of its joint and several liability, notice of occurrence of any Default or Event of Default (except to the extent notice is expressly required to be given pursuant to the terms of this Agreement), or of any demand for any payment under this Agreement, notice of any action at any time taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under or in respect of any of the Obligations hereunder, any requirement of diligence and, generally, all demands, notices and other formalities of every kind in connection with this Agreement. Each Domestic Borrower hereby assents to, and waives notice of, any extension or postponement of the time for the payment of any of the Obligations hereunder, the acceptance of any partial payment thereon, any waiver, consent or other action or acquiescence by the Lenders at any time or times in respect of any default by any Borrower in the performance or satisfaction of any term, covenant, condition or provision of this Agreement, any and all other indulgences whatsoever by the Lenders in respect of any of the Obligations hereunder, and the taking, addition, substitution or release, in whole or in part, at any time or times, of any security for any of such Obligations or the addition, substitution or release, in whole or in part, of any Borrower. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Domestic Borrower assents to any other action or delay in acting or any failure to act on the part of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, including, without limitation, any failure strictly or diligently to assert any right or to pursue any remedy or to comply fully with applicable laws or regulations thereunder which might, but for the provisions of this

 

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Section 11.05, afford grounds for terminating, discharging or relieving such Domestic Borrower, in whole or in part, from any of its obligations under this Section 11.05, it being the intention of each Domestic Borrower that, so long as any of the Obligations hereunder remain unsatisfied, the obligations of such Domestic Borrower under this Section 11.05 shall not be discharged except by performance and then only to the extent of such performance. The obligations of each Domestic Borrower under this Section 11.05 shall not be diminished or rendered unenforceable by any winding up, reorganization, arrangement, liquidation, reconstruction or similar proceeding with respect to any reconstruction or similar proceeding with respect to any Borrower or the Lenders. The joint and several liability of the Domestic Borrowers under this Section 11.05 shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any absorption, merger, amalgamation or any other change whatsoever in the name, membership, constitution or place of formation of any Borrower or the Lenders.

(f) The provisions of this Section 11.05 are made for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their respective successors and assigns, and may be enforced by any such Person from time to time against any of the Domestic Borrowers as often as occasion therefore may arise and without requirement on the part of any Lender first to marshal any of its claims or to exercise any of its rights against any other Borrower or to exhaust any remedies available to it against any other Borrower or to resort to any other source or means of obtaining payment of any of the Obligations or to elect any other remedy. The provisions of this Section 11.05 shall remain in effect until all the Obligations hereunder shall have been paid in full or otherwise fully satisfied. If at any time, any payment, or any part thereof, made in respect of any of the Obligations, is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by the Lenders upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any of the Borrowers, or otherwise, the provisions of this Section 11.05 will forthwith be reinstated and in effect as though such payment had not been made.

(g) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents or Swap Contracts, the obligations of each Domestic Borrower under this Section 11.05 shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render its obligations hereunder subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States or any comparable provisions of any applicable Debtor Relief Law.

(h) For purposes of clarification, (i) the Obligations of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers, in their capacities as Borrowers, are several and not joint and several and (ii) the Guarantors shall guarantee the Obligations of the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers, in their capacities as Borrowers, pursuant to Article IV hereof.

11.06 Payments Set Aside.

To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of set-off, and such payment or the proceeds of such set-off or any part thereof (or the Dollar Equivalent amount thereof) is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such set-off had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or paid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect, in the applicable currency of such recovery or payment. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

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11.07 Successors and Assigns.

(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, subject to Section 2.14(d) and 8.02, neither the Company nor a Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative 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 subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (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 subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer 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 Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that 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 the Loans at the time owing to it 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

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Company otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

(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 Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans;

 

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(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, and Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required 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;

(C) the consent of the L/C Issuer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and

(D) the consent of the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative 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 Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(v) No Assignment to Company. No such assignment shall be made to the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural person.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (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 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Upon request, each Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection 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 subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office 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 Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the

 

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terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by each of the Borrowers and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, any Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative 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. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 11.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.09 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender.

(e) Limitation upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Company’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Company is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrowers, to comply with Section 11.15 as though it were a Lender.

(f) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g) Assignments to Foreign Lenders. At the time of each assignment pursuant to Section 11.07(b) to a Foreign Lender that is not already a Lender hereunder, the assignee shall provide to the Administrative Agent and to the Company certification as to exemption for deduction or withholding of Taxes in accordance with Section 11.15 and shall be subject to the provisions thereof.

(h) 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.

 

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(i) Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon thirty days’ notice to the Company and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon thirty days’ notice to the Company, resign as Swing Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Company shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Company to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

11.08 Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential); (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority; (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process; (d) to any other party to this Agreement; (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder; (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any direct or indirect contractual counterparty or prospective counterparty (or such contractual counterparty’s or prospective counterparty’s professional advisor) to any credit derivative transaction relating to obligations of the Loan Parties; (g) with the consent of the Company; (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Company; or (i) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s or its Affiliates’ investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender or its Affiliates. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Commitments, and the Credit Extensions. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party relating to any Loan Party or its business, other than any such information that is available to the

 

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Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party; provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified in writing at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

11.09 Set-off.

In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by law, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, each Lender and any Affiliate of any Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time, without prior notice to the Company or any other Loan Party, any such notice being waived by the Company (on its own behalf and on behalf of each Loan Party) to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held by, and other indebtedness at any time owing by, such Lender to or for the credit or the account of the respective Loan Parties against any and all Obligations owing to such Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter existing, irrespective of whether or not the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall have made demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such Obligations may be contingent or unmatured or denominated in a currency different from that of the applicable deposit or indebtedness. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Company and the Administrative Agent after any such set-off and application made by such Lender; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.

11.10 Interest Rate Limitation.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Company. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

11.11 Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

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11.12 Integration.

This Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, comprises the complete and integrated agreement of the parties on the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, on such subject matter. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those of any other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control; provided that the inclusion of supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict with this Agreement. Each Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation of the respective parties thereto and shall be construed neither against nor in favor of any party, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning thereof.

11.13 Survival of Representations and Warranties.

All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

11.14 Severability.

If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents 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 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.

11.15 Tax Forms.

(a)(i) With respect to the Revolving Loans, the Swing Line Loan and the L/C Obligations, each Foreign Lender (with respect to the applicable Domestic Borrower) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and to the Company, on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement (or upon accepting an assignment of an interest herein), two duly signed completed copies of either IRS Form W-8BEN or any successor thereto (relating to such Foreign Lender and entitling it to an exemption from withholding tax on all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by any Domestic Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or IRS Form W-8ECI or any successor thereto (relating to all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by any Domestic Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or such other evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Administrative Agent that such Foreign Lender is entitled to an exemption from U.S. withholding tax, including any exemption pursuant to Sections 871(h) and 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Thereafter and from time to time, each such Foreign Lender shall (A) promptly submit to the Administrative Agent and to the Company such additional duly completed and signed copies of one of such forms (or such successor forms as shall be adopted from time to time by the relevant United States taxing authorities) as may then be available under then current United States laws and regulations to avoid, or such evidence as is satisfactory to the Company and the Administrative Agent of any available exemption from, United States withholding taxes in respect of all

 

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payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by any Domestic Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, (B) promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Company of any change in circumstances that would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption, and (C) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably requested in writing by the Company (including filing any certificate or document or the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws that the applicable Domestic Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Foreign Lender or to reduce the amount of any such deduction or withholding to the greatest extent possible. To the extent such Foreign Lender does not act or ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any sums paid or payable to such Lender under any of the Loan Documents (for example, in the case of a typical participation by such Lender), such Lender shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and to the Company on the date when such Foreign Lender ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any such sums paid or payable, and at such other times as may be necessary in the determination of the Administrative Agent or the Company (in the reasonable exercise of their respective discretion), (A) two duly signed completed copies of the forms or statements required to be provided by such Lender as set forth above, to establish the portion of any such sums paid or payable with respect to which such Lender acts for its own account that is not subject to U.S. withholding tax, and (B) two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto), together with any information such Lender chooses to transmit with such form, and any other certificate or statement of exemption required under the Internal Revenue Code, to establish that such Lender is not acting for its own account with respect to a portion of any such sums payable to such Lender.

(ii) With respect to the Credit Extensions to the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers, each Foreign Lender (with respect to the applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower) shall, as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, deliver to the Administrative Agent and to the applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower on or prior to the date of its making such Loan (or upon accepting an assignment of an interest therein), such forms and other documentation which are required by any relevant taxing authorities under the Laws of The Netherlands or Belgium, respectively, duly executed and completed by such Lender, as are required under such Laws to confirm such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable withholding taxes in respect of payments to be made to such Lender by the Netherlands Borrower or the Belgian Borrower, pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in The Netherlands or Belgium, respectively. Thereafter and from time to time, each such Foreign Lender shall (A) upon request of the Administrative Agent or the Company, submit to the Administrative Agent or the Company such additional duly completed and signed copies of such forms or other documentation as may then be available under then current Laws and regulations of The Netherlands or Belgium, as applicable, to avoid or reduce applicable withholding taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Netherlands Borrower or the Belgian Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, (B) promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower of any change in circumstances that would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption and (C) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably requested in writing by the Company or the applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower (including filing any certificate or document or the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws that the applicable Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Foreign Lender or to reduce the amount of any such deduction or withholding to the greatest extent possible.

 

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(iii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no Borrower shall be required to pay any additional amount or indemnification to any Foreign Lender under Section 3.01 (A) with respect to any Taxes required to be deducted or withheld on the basis of the information, certificates or statements of exemption such Lender transmits with an IRS Form W-8IMY pursuant to this Section 11.15(a) or (B) if such Lender shall have failed to satisfy the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.15(a); provided that if such Lender shall have satisfied the requirements of this Section 11.15(a) on the date such Lender became a Lender or ceased to act for its own account with respect to any payment under any of the Loan Documents, nothing in this Section 11.15(a) shall relieve any Borrower of its obligation to pay any amounts pursuant to Section 3.01 in the event that, as a result of any change in any applicable law, treaty or governmental rule, regulation or order such Lender is no longer properly entitled to deliver forms, certificates or other evidence at a subsequent date establishing the fact that such Lender or other Person for the account of which such Lender receives any sums payable under any of the Loan Documents is not subject to withholding or is subject to withholding at a reduced rate.

(iv) The Administrative Agent may, without reduction, withhold any Taxes required to be deducted and withheld from any payment under any of the Loan Documents with respect to which the Borrowers are not required to pay additional amounts under this Section 11.15(a).

(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, each Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code shall deliver to the Administrative Agent two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form W-9. If such Lender fails to deliver such forms, then the Administrative Agent may withhold from any interest payment to such Lender an amount equivalent to the applicable back-up withholding tax imposed by the Internal Revenue Code, without reduction. No Borrower shall have any liability under Section 3.01 or otherwise with respect to amounts withheld by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 11.15(b).

(c) If any Governmental Authority asserts that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold or backup withhold, as the case may be, any tax or other amount from payments made to or for the account of any Lender, such Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent therefor, including all penalties and interest, any taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on the amounts payable to the Administrative Agent under this Section, and costs and expenses (including Attorney Costs) of the Administrative Agent. The obligation of the Lenders under this Section shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and the resignation of the Administrative Agent.

11.16 Replacement of Lenders.

If any Lender is a Non-Extending Lender under Section 2.15, or if any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, or under any other circumstances set forth herein providing that the Company shall have the right to replace a Lender as a party to this Agreement, then the Company may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.07), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Company shall have paid (or caused the applicable Borrower to pay) to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 11.07(b);

 

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(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Company or applicable Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.

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 Company to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

11.17 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrowers that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrowers, which information includes the name and address of each Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Borrower in accordance with the Act.

11.18 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (OTHER THAN THOSE CONFLICT OF LAW RULES THAT WOULD DEFER TO THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION).

(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. EACH BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE 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 OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

 

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(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. EACH BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY 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 OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

11.19 Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury.

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

11.20 Judgment Currency.

If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of each Borrower in respect of any such sum due from it to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than that in which such sum is denominated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender from such Borrower in the Agreement Currency, such Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in such currency, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, agrees to return the amount of any excess to such Borrower (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under applicable law).

 

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11.21 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each Borrower and each other Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, BAS, and the other lead arranger(s) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between such Borrower, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, BAS, and the other lead arranger(s), on the other hand, (B) each of such Borrower and the other Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) such Borrower and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, BAS, and each other lead arranger each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for such Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, BAS nor any other lead arranger has any obligation to such Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, BAS and the other lead arranger(s) and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of such Borrower, the other Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, BAS nor any other lead arranger has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, BAS and the other lead arranger(s) with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

COMPANY:   ALBEMARLE CORPORATION,
  a Virginia corporation
  By:  

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

  Name:   Luther C. Kissam, IV
  Title:   Senior Vice President
GUARANTORS:   ALBEMARLE CATALYSTS INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.,
  a Delaware limited liability company
  By:  

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

  Name:   Luther C. Kissam, IV
  Title:   Vice President
 

ALBEMARLE OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,

a Virginia corporation

  By:  

/s/ Mark C. Rohr

  Name:   Mark C. Rohr
  Title:   President
 

ALBEMARLE VIRGINIA CORPORATION,

a Virginia corporation

  By:  

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

  Name:   Luther C. Kissam, IV
  Title:   President
 

ALBEMARLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION,

a Virginia corporation

  By:  

/s/ Mark C. Rohr

  Name:   Mark C. Rohr
  Title:   President
 

ACI DELAWARE CORPORATION,

a Delaware corporation

  By:  

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

  Name:   Luther C. Kissam, IV
  Title:   President
 

ALBEMARLE CATALYSTS U.S., L.L.C.,

a Delaware limited liability company

  By:  

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

 

Name:

  Luther C. Kissam, IV
 

Title:

  President


ALBEMARLE DELAWARE ONE, L.L.C.,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:

 

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

Name:

  Luther C. Kissam, IV

Title:

  President

ALBEMARLE DELAWARE TWO, L.L.C.,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:

 

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

Name:

  Luther C. Kissam, IV

Title:

  President

ALBEMARLE CATALYSTS COMPANY, LP,

a Delaware limited partnership

By:

 

/s/ Luther C. Kissam, IV

Name:

  Luther C. Kissam, IV

Title:

  Vice President

ALBEMARLE ASIA PACIFIC COMPANY,

a Virginia corporation

By:

 

/s/ Mark C. Rohr

Name:

  Mark C. Rohr

Title:

  President

ALBEMARLE CHINA CORPORATION,

a Virginia corporation

By:

 

/s/ Mark C. Rohr

Name:

  Mark C. Rohr

Title:

  President


BELGIAN BORROWER:

  ALBEMARLE EUROPE
  By:  

/s/ Richard A. Sabalot

  Name:   Richard A. Sabalot
  Title:   Gérant

NETHERLANDS BORROWER:

  ALBEMARLE NETHERLANDS BV
  By:  

/s/ Stephane Leclef

  Name:   Stephane Leclef
  Title:   Director


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:

  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
  as Administrative Agent
  By:  

/s/ Colleen M. Briscoe

  Name:   Colleen M. Briscoe
  Title:   Senior Vice President

LENDERS:

  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
  as a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender
  By:  

/s/ Colleen M. Briscoe

  Name:   Colleen M. Briscoe
  Title:   Senior Vice President
  WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
  By:  

/s/ Timothy F. Galage

  Name:   Timothy F. Galage
  Title:   Senior Vice President
  ABN AMROBANK N.V.
  By:  

/s/ George Dugan

  Name:   George Dugan
  Title:   Managing Director
  ABN AMROBANK N.V.
  By:  

/s/ Patricia Christy

  Name:   Patricia Christy
  Title:   Director
  THE BANK OF NEW YORK
  By:  

/s/ J. David Parker, Jr.

  Name:   J. David Parker, Jr.
  Title:   Vice President
  THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD.
  By:  

/s/ Janet L. Wheeler

  Name:   Janet L. Wheeler
  Title:   Vice President
  By:  

/s/Doug Barnell

  Name:   Doug Barnell
  Title:   Vice President & Manager

 

95


FORTIS BANK S.A./N.V., CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH

By:

 

/s/ Diran Cholakian

Name:

  Diran Cholakian

Title:

  Senior Vice President

By:

 

/s/ Kerri L. Fox

Name:

  Kerri L. Fox

Title:

  Managing Director


SUNTRUST BANK

By:

 

/s/ Mark A. Flatin

Name:

  Mark A. Flatin

Title:

  Managing Director
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

By:

 

/s/ Lee P. Brennan

Name:

  Lee P. Brennan

Title:

  Vice President
MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK (USA)

By:

 

/s/ Leon Mo

Name:

  Leon Mo

Title:

  Senior Vice President
SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION

By:

 

/s/ Shigeru Tsuru

Name:

  Shigeru Tsuru

Title:

  Joint General Manager
UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC

By:

 

/s/ Richard L. Tavrow

Name:

  Richard L. Tavrow

Title:

  Director, Banking Products Services, US

By:

 

/s/ Irja R. Otsa

Name:

  Irja R. Otsa

Title:

  Associate Director, Banking Products Services, US
BANK OF CHINA, NEW YORK BRANCH

By:

 

/s/ Li Xiao Jing

Name:

  Li Xiao Jing

Title:

  General Manager
BRANCH BANKING & TRUST COMPANY

By:

 

/s/ Susan Raher

Name:

  Susan Raher, as its

Title:

  Senior Vice President
MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL CORPORATION

By:

 

/s/ John Swadba

Name:

  John Swadba

Title:

  Managing Director


WHITNEY NATIONAL BANK

By:

 

/s/ Josh J. Jones

Name:

  Josh J. Jones

Title:

  Vice President