$100,000,000

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

Published CUSIP Number:__________

 

Revolving Credit CUSIP Number: __________

 

---

---

 

 

by and among

 

 

as Borrower,

 

 

---

---

EXHIBITS
Exhibit A		Form of Revolving Credit Note
Exhibit B		Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit C		Form of Notice of Account Designation
Exhibit D		Form of Notice of Prepayment
Exhibit E		Form of Notice of Conversion/Continuation
Exhibit F		Form of Officer’s Compliance Certificate
Exhibit G		Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit H-1		Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit H-2		Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit H-3		Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit H-4		Form of U.S. Tax Compliant Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
SCHEDULES
Schedule 1.1A		Commitments
Schedule 6.3		Subsidiaries and Capitalization
Schedule 8.5		Existing Liens

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of February 7, 2013, by and among BUFFALO WILD WINGS, INC., a Minnesota company, as Borrower, the lenders who are party to this Agreement and the lenders who may become a party to this Agreement pursuant to the terms hereof, as Lenders, and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

 

The Borrower has requested, and, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have agreed, to extend certain credit facilities to the Borrower on the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties hereto, such parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1                           Definitions.  The following terms when used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them below:

 

“Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any firm, corporation or limited liability company, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise, or (ii) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for the election of directors (other than securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage or voting power) of the outstanding ownership interests of a partnership or limited liability company.

 

“Administrative Agent” means Wells Fargo, in its capacity as Administrative Agent hereunder, and any successor thereto appointed pursuant to Section 10.6.

 

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the office of the Administrative Agent specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.1(c).

 

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

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person or any of its Subsidiaries.  The term “control” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

 

“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Applicable Law” means all applicable provisions of constitutions, laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, treaties, regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, interpretations and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities and all orders and decrees of all courts and arbitrators.

 

“Applicable Margin” means the corresponding percentages per annum as set forth below based on the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio:

 

			Revolving Credit Loans
Pricing Level	Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio	Commitment Fee	LIBOR +	Floating Rate +
I	Less than or equal to 0.50	0.15%	0.875%	0.875%
II	Greater than or equal to 0.51	0.20%	1.125%	1.125%

 

The Applicable Margin shall be determined and adjusted quarterly on the date (each a “Calculation Date”) ten (10) Business Days after the day by which the Borrower is required to provide an Officer’s Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 7.2(a) for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower; provided that (a) the Applicable Margin shall be based on Pricing Level I until the first Calculation Date occurring after the Closing Date and, thereafter the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, and (b) if the Borrower fails to provide the Officer’s Compliance Certificate within ten (10) Business Days after the date required by Section 7.2(a) for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, the Applicable Margin from such Calculation Date shall be based on Pricing Level II until such time as an appropriate Officer’s Compliance Certificate is provided, at which time the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding such Calculation Date.  The Applicable Margin shall be effective from one Calculation Date until the next Calculation Date.  Any adjustment in the Applicable Margin shall be applicable to all Extensions of Credit then existing or subsequently made or issued.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any financial statement or Officer’s Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 or Section 7.2(a) is shown to be inaccurate (regardless of whether (i) this Agreement is in effect, (ii) the Revolving Credit Commitments are in effect, or (iii) any Extension of Credit is outstanding when such inaccuracy is discovered or such financial statement or Officer’s Compliance Certificate was delivered), and such inaccuracy, if corrected, would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Margin for any period (an “Applicable Period”) than the Applicable Margin applied for such Applicable Period, then (A) the Borrower shall immediately deliver to the Administrative Agent a corrected Officer’s Compliance Certificate for such Applicable Period, (B) the Applicable Margin for such Applicable Period shall be determined as if the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio in the corrected Officer’s Compliance Certificate were applicable for such Applicable Period, and (C) the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent the accrued additional interest and fees owing as a result of such increased Applicable Margin for such Applicable Period, which payment shall be promptly applied by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 4.4.  Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the rights of the Administrative Agent and Lenders with respect to Sections 4.1(c) and 9.2 nor any of their other rights under this Agreement.  The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of the Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder (and such surviving obligations (to the extent none exist on the applicable Revolving Credit Maturity Date) shall for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents be considered contingent indemnification obligations).

 

 

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

“Arranger” means Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner, and its successors.

 

“Article IX Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary which, as of the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.1, contributed 10% or more of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Worth for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ended on such date or of the Borrower’s consolidated total assets as of such date; provided, however, that if more than three non-Article IX Subsidiaries are subject to events, occurrences or actions covered by ARTICLE IX, then, notwithstanding any Subsidiary’s portion of Consolidated Net Worth or total assets, all Subsidiaries shall constitute Article IX Subsidiaries and all Subsidiaries shall be subject to the Events of Default set forth in ARTICLE IX.

 

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.10), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit G or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date of determination, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease, the capitalized amount or principal amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease.

 

“Borrower” means Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc., a Minnesota corporation.

 

“Business Day” means (a) for all purposes other than as set forth in clause (b) below, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday on which banks in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and New York, New York, are open for the conduct of their commercial banking business, and (b) with respect to all notices and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on, any LIBOR Rate Loan, or any Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR, any day that is a Business Day described in clause (a) and that is also a day for trading by and between banks in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

 

“Calculation Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

“Capital Asset” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any asset that should, in accordance with GAAP, be classified and accounted for as a capital asset on a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

“Capital Lease” means any lease of any property by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as lessee, that should, in accordance with GAAP, be classified and accounted for as a capital lease on a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any obligations of a Person under a lease (whether existing now or entered into in the future) that is not (or would not be) a Capital Lease under GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date, shall not be treated as a Capital Lease solely as a result of the adoption after the Closing Date of changes in GAAP described in the Proposed Accounting Standards Update to Leases (Topic 840) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board on August 17, 2010 (as the same may be amended from time to time).

 

“Capital Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, (c) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), (d) in the case of a limited liability company, membership interests, (e) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person and (f) any and all warrants, rights (other than convertible notes) or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

 

“Cash Collateralize” means, to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the Issuing Lender or the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender shall agree, in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender.  “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such Cash Collateral and other credit support.

 

“Cash Equivalent Investment” means, collectively, (a) marketable direct obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof maturing within one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of acquisition thereof, (b) commercial paper maturing no more than one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of creation thereof and currently having the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s, (c) certificates of deposit maturing no more than one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of creation thereof issued by commercial banks incorporated under the laws of the United States, each having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000 and having a rating of “A” or better by a nationally recognized rating agency; provided that the aggregate amount invested in such certificates of deposit shall not at any time exceed $5,000,000 for any one such certificate of deposit and $10,000,000 for any one such bank, (d) time deposits maturing no more than thirty (30) days from the date of creation thereof with commercial banks or savings banks or savings and loan associations each either having membership in the FDIC or the deposits of which are insured by the FDIC and in amounts not exceeding the maximum amounts of insurance thereunder; (e) demand deposit accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business with an FDIC insured financial institution, and (f) investment funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute cash or Cash Equivalent Investments of the kinds described in clauses (a) through (e) of this definition.

 

 

“Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

 

“Cash Management Bank” means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement, is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement.

 

“Change in Control” means an event or series of events by which:

 

(i) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a “person” or “group” shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all Capital Stock that such “person” or “group” has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of more than thirty percent (30%) of the Capital Stock of the Borrower entitled to vote in the election of members of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of Borrower or (ii) a majority of the members of the board of directors (or other equivalent governing body) of Borrower shall not constitute Continuing Directors.

 

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

“Closing Date” means the date of this Agreement.

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, each as amended or modified from time to time.

 

“Commitment Fee” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 4.3(a).

 

 

“Commitment Percentage” means, as to any Lender, such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage.

 

“Commitments” means, collectively, as to all Lenders, the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Lenders.

 

“Consolidated” means, when used with reference to financial statements or financial statement items of any Person, such statements or items on a consolidated basis in accordance with applicable principles of consolidation under GAAP.

 

“Consolidated Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA, plus Consolidated rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, less Consolidated Restricted Payments for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or immediately prior to such date to (b) Consolidated interest expense of the Borrowers and its Subsidiaries plus Consolidated rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or immediately prior to such date.

 

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, the sum of the following determined on a Consolidated basis, without duplication, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP: (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the sum of the following, without duplication, to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period: (i) income and franchise taxes paid during such period, (ii) Consolidated interest expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, and (iii) amortization, depreciation and other non-cash charges for such period (except to the extent that such non-cash charges are reserved for cash charges to be taken in the future), and (iv) extraordinary losses during such period (excluding extraordinary losses from discontinued operations), less (c) interest income and any extraordinary gains during such period; provided however, that for purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any period in question (except in connection with any financial covenant calculations required to be done on a Pro Forma Basis at the time of a Permitted Acquisition), all income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to any Property or Person acquired in a Permitted Acquisition during such calculation period shall be included only from the initial date of acquisition.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a Consolidated basis, without duplication, in accordance with GAAP; provided, that in calculating Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, there shall be excluded (a) the net income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary which shall be subject to clause (c) below), in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has a joint interest with a third party, except to the extent such net income is actually paid in cash to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by dividend or other distribution during such period, (b) the net income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or that Person’s assets are acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries except to the extent included pursuant to the foregoing clause (a), and (c) the net income (if positive), of any Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of such net income (i) is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to such Subsidiary or (ii) would be subject to any taxes payable on such dividends or distributions, but in each case only to the extent of such prohibition or taxes.

 

 

“Consolidated Net Worth” means at any time the consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such time, all as defined according to GAAP.

 

“Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Funded Debt on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or immediately prior to such date.

 

“Continuing Directors” means the directors of the Borrower on the Closing Date and each other director of the Borrower, if, in each case, such other director’s nomination for election to the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower is recommended by at least 51% of the then Continuing Directors.

 

“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.

 

“Credit Facility” means, collectively, the Revolving Credit Facility and the L/C Facility.

 

“Credit Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States of America, 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.

 

“Default” means any of the events specified in Section 9.1 which with the passage of time, the giving of notice or any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 4.14(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of the Revolving Credit Loans, participations in L/C Obligations required to be funded by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date such Loans or participations were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or the Issuing Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 4.14(b)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, the Issuing Lender, and each Lender.

 

 

“Disputes” means any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of, connected with or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, between or among parties hereto and to the other Loan Documents.

 

“Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Capital Stock into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event or condition, (a)  matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations and Letters of Credit) that are accrued and payable, the termination, expiration or cash collateralization of all Letters of Credit and the termination of the Commitments), (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Capital Stock) (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations and Letters of Credit) that are accrued and payable, the termination, expiration or cash collateralization of all of Letters of Credit and the termination of the Commitments), in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payment of dividends in cash or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Capital Stock, in each case, prior to the date that is 91 days after the Revolving Credit Maturity Date; provided, that if such Capital Stock is issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

 

 

“Dollars” or “$” means, unless otherwise qualified, dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

 

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

 

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.10(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.1 (b)(iii)).

 

“Employee Benefit Plan” means (a) any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA that is maintained for employees of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate or (b) any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan that has at any time within the preceding seven (7) years been maintained, funded or administered for the employees of any Credit Party or any current or former ERISA Affiliate.

 

“Environmental Claims” means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, accusations, allegations, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Person in the ordinary course of business and not in response to any third party action or request of any kind) or proceedings relating in any way to any actual or alleged violation of or liability under any Environmental Law or relating to any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any and all claims by Governmental Authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages, contribution, indemnification cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to human health or the environment.

 

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, foreign, state, provincial and local laws, statutes, ordinances, codes, rules, standards and regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, interpretations and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities, relating to the protection of human health or the environment, including, but not limited to, requirements pertaining to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, handling, reporting, licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of Hazardous Materials.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the rules and regulations thereunder, each as amended or modified from time to time.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means any Person who together with any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(b) of ERISA.

 

“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the failure with respect to any Plan to satisfy the “Minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 303(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

 

“Eurodollar Reserve Percentage” means, for any day, the percentage (expressed as a decimal and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/16th of 1%) which is in effect for such day as prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any basic, supplemental or emergency reserves) in respect of eurocurrency liabilities or any similar category of liabilities for a member bank of the Federal Reserve System in New York City.

 

“Event of Default” means any of the events specified in Section 9.1; provided that any requirement for passage of time, giving of notice, or any other condition, has been satisfied.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by overall net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Foreign Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 4.12(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 4.11(a), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender's assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 4.11(f) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

“Extensions of Credit” means, as to any Lender at any time, (a) an amount equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Credit Loans made by such Lender then outstanding, and (ii) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the L/C Obligations then outstanding, or (b) the making of any Loan or participation in any Letter of Credit by such Lender, as the context requires.

 

 

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof.

 

“FDIC” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

“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 (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day), as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day, provided that if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the average of the quotation for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal Funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.

 

“First Tier Foreign Subsidiary” means any Foreign Subsidiary owned directly by any Credit Party or any Domestic Subsidiary.

 

“Fiscal Year” means any period of 52 or 53 weeks ending on the last Sunday in December.

 

“Floating Rate” means, at any time, LIBOR for an Interest Period of one month, except during any period of time during which a notice delivered to the Borrower under Section 4.8 shall remain in effect, such term shall mean the Prime Rate; each change in the Floating Rate shall take effect simultaneously with the corresponding change or changes in LIBOR for such Interest Period or the Prime Rate.

 

“Floating Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Floating Rate as provided in Section 4.1(a).

 

“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes

 

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

 

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to the Issuing Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

 

“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 of any date of determination with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis without duplication, the sum of all interest-bearing Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States 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 or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

“Governmental Approvals” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, permits, licenses and exemptions of, registrations and filings with, and reports to, all Governmental Authorities.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

“Guaranty Obligation” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, without duplication, any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person pursuant to which such Person has directly or indirectly guaranteed any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, by agreement to keep well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement condition or otherwise) or (b) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part); provided, that the term Guaranty Obligation shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

“Hazardous Materials” means any substances or materials (a) which are or become defined as hazardous wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, chemical substances or mixtures or toxic substances under any Environmental Law, (b) which are toxic, explosive, corrosive, flammable, infectious, radioactive, carcinogenic, mutagenic or otherwise harmful to human health or the environment and are or become regulated by any Governmental Authority, (c) the presence of which require investigation or remediation under any Environmental Law or common law, (d) the discharge or emission or release of which requires a permit or license under any Environmental Law or other Governmental Approval, (e) which are deemed to constitute a nuisance or a trespass which pose a health or safety hazard to Persons or neighboring properties, (f) which consist of underground or aboveground storage tanks, whether empty, filled or partially filled with any substance, or (g) which contain, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum derived substances or waste, crude oil, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas.

 

 

“Hedge Agreement” 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, which 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, all as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Hedge Bank” means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Hedge Agreement permitted under ARTICLE VII, is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as a party to such Hedge Agreement.

 

“Hedge Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Hedge Agreements, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Hedge Agreements, (a) for any date on or after the date such Hedge Agreements 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 Hedge Agreements, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Hedge Agreements (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person at any date and without duplication, the sum of the following:

 

(a)           all liabilities, obligations and indebtedness for borrowed money including, but not limited to, obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments of such Person;

 

(b)           all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services of such Person (excluding all obligations under non-competition, earn-out or similar agreements), except trade payables or payments to contractors for store development arising in the ordinary course of business not more than ninety (90) days past due, or that are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided for on the books of such Person;

 

 

(c)           the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person with respect to such Person’s obligations in respect of Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases (regardless of whether accounted for as indebtedness under GAAP);

 

(d)           all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property purchased by such Person to the extent of the value of such property (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business);

 

(e)           all Indebtedness of any other Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements except trade payable arising in the ordinary course of business), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)           all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person relative to the face amount of letters of credit, whether or not drawn, including, without limitation, any Reimbursement Obligation, and banker’s acceptances issued for the account of such Person;

 

(g)           all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Capital Stock;

 

(h)           all net obligations of such Person under any Hedge Agreements; and

 

(i)            all Guaranty Obligations of such Person with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  The amount of any net obligation under any Hedge Agreement on any date shall be deemed to be the Hedge Termination Value thereof as of such date.

 

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes other than Excluded Taxes and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.

 

“Interest Period” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 4.1(b).

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service, or any successor thereto.

 

“ISP98” means the International Standby Practices (1998 Revision, effective January 1, 1999), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590.

 

“Issuing Lender” means with respect to Letters of Credit issued hereunder on or after the Closing Date, Wells Fargo, in its capacity as issuer thereof, or any successor thereto.

 

 

“Investments” of a Person means any loan, advance (other than commission, travel and similar advances to directors, officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), extension of credit (other than accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business on terms customary in the trade) or contribution of capital by such Person; stocks, bonds, mutual funds, partnership interests, notes, debentures or other securities (including warrants or options to purchase securities) owned by such Person; any deposit accounts and certificate of deposit owned by such Person; and structured notes and other similar instruments or contracts owned by such Person.

 

“L/C Commitment” means the lesser of (a) twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) and (b) the Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

“L/C Facility” means the letter of credit facility established pursuant to ARTICLE III.

 

“L/C Obligations” means at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn and unexpired amount of the then outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate amount of drawings under Letters of Credit which have not then been reimbursed pursuant to Section 3.5.

 

“L/C Participants” means the collective reference to all the Revolving Credit Lenders other than the Issuing Lender.

 

“Lender” means each Person executing this Agreement as a Lender on the Closing Date and any other Person that shall have become a party to this Agreement as a Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any Person that ceases to be a party hereto as a Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.

 

“Lender Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Lender, the Hedge Banks, the Cash Management Banks, each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 10.5, any other holder from time to time of any of any Lender Party Obligations and, in each case, their respective successors and permitted assigns.  “Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender maintaining such Lender’s Extensions of Credit.

 

“Lender Party Obligations” means, collectively, (a) the Obligations and (b) all existing or future payment and other obligations owing by any Credit Party under (i) any Hedge Agreement with a Hedge Bank and (ii) any Cash Management Agreement with a Cash Management Bank.

 

“Letter of Credit Application” means an application, in the form specified by the Issuing Lender from time to time, requesting the Issuing Lender to issue a Letter of Credit.

 

“Letters of Credit” means the collective reference to letters of credit issued pursuant to Section 3.1.

 

“LIBOR” means,

 

(a)           for any interest rate calculation with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan, the rate of interest per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to the applicable Interest Period which appears on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any applicable successor page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of the applicable Interest Period (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/16th of 1%).  If, for any reason, such rate does not appear on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any applicable successor page), then “LIBOR” shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic average of the rate per annum at which deposits in Dollars in minimum amounts of at least $5,000,000 would be offered by first class banks in the London interbank market to the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of the applicable Interest Period for a period equal to such Interest Period.

 

 

(b)           for any interest rate calculation with respect to a Floating Rate Loan, the rate of interest per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars in minimum amounts of at least $5,000,000 for a period equal to one month (commencing on the date of determination of such interest rate) which appears on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any applicable successor page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such date of determination, or, if such date is not a Business Day, then the immediately preceding Business Day (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/16th of 1%).  If, for any reason, such rate does not appear on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any applicable successor page) then “LIBOR” for such Floating Rate Loan shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic average of the rate per annum at which deposits in Dollars in minimum amounts of at least $5,000,000 would be offered by first class banks in the London interbank market to the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such date of determination for a period equal to one month commencing on such date of determination.

 

Each calculation by the Administrative Agent of LIBOR shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

“LIBOR Rate” means a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/16th of 1%) determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the following formula:

 

LIBOR Rate =	LIBOR
	1.00-Eurodollar Reserve Percentage

 

“LIBOR Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the LIBOR Rate as provided in Section 4.1(a).

 

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, leasehold mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, hypothecation or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.  For the purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any asset which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease or other title retention agreement relating to such asset.

 

“Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each Note, the Letter of Credit Applications, the Subsidiary Guaranties and each other document, instrument, certificate and agreement executed and delivered by the Credit Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries in favor of or provided to the Administrative Agent, Issuing Lender or any Lender in connection with this Agreement or otherwise referred to herein or contemplated hereby (excluding any Hedge Agreement and any Cash Management Agreement), all as may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

 

“Loans” means the collective reference to the Revolving Credit Loans and “Loan” means any of such Loans.

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (a) a material adverse effect on the properties, business, operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of such Persons, taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the ability of any such Person to perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document or (d) to the extent deemed material by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, an impairment  of the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Credit Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

 

“Material Subsidiary” means any of Blazin Wings, Inc., Buffalo Wild Wings International, Inc. and any other Subsidiary designated as such by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent  from time to time (or if applicable, by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 7.12(b) hereof), and in any case in each quarterly Compliance Certificate.

 

“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (i) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, and (ii) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender in their sole discretion.

 

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

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate is making, or is accruing an obligation to make, or has accrued an obligation to make contributions within the preceding seven (7) years.

 

“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver, amendment, modification or termination that (i) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.2 and (ii) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

 

“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

“Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

“Notes” means the collective reference to the Revolving Credit Notes.

 

“Notice of Account Designation” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.2(b).

 

 

“Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.2(a).

 

“Notice of Conversion/Continuation” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 4.2.

 

“Notice of Prepayment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.3(c).

 

“Obligations” means, in each case, whether now in existence or hereafter arising: (a) the principal of and interest on (including interest accruing after the filing of any bankruptcy or similar petition) the Loans, (b) the L/C Obligations and (c) all other fees and commissions (including attorneys’ fees), charges, indebtedness, loans, liabilities, financial accommodations, obligations, covenants and duties owing by the Credit Parties and each of their respective Subsidiaries to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent, in each case under any Loan Document, with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit of every kind, nature and description, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, contractual or tortious, liquidated or unliquidated, and whether or not evidenced by any note and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect) or under any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or adjustment of debts, naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

 

“OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

 

“Officer’s Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower substantially in the form attached as Exhibit F.

 

“Operating Lease” means, as to any Person as determined in accordance with GAAP, any lease of Property (whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee which is not a Capital Lease.

 

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court, documentary, excise, property, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document.

 

“Participant” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 11.10(d).

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.10(e).

 

“PATRIOT Act” means the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended.

 

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor agency.

 

“Pension Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code and which (a) is maintained, funded or administered for the employees of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate or (b) has at any time within the preceding seven (7) years been maintained, funded or administered for the employees of any Credit Party or any current or former ERISA Affiliates.

 

“Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, provided that, (a) as of the date of the consummation of such Acquisition, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition, and the representation and warranty contained in Section 6.19 shall be true both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition, (b) such Acquisition is consummated on a non-hostile basis pursuant to a negotiated acquisition agreement that has been (if required by the governing documents of the seller or entity to be acquired) approved by the board of directors or other applicable governing body of the seller or entity to be acquired, and no material challenge to such Acquisition (excluding the exercise of appraisal rights) shall be pending or threatened by any shareholder or director of the seller or entity to be acquired, (c) the business to be acquired in such Acquisition is in a similar line of business as the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s or a line of business incidental or complementary thereto, (d) as of the date of the consummation of such Acquisition, all material approvals required in connection therewith shall have been obtained and shall be in full force and effect, and (e) the Borrower shall be in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with the financial covenants contained in Section 8.11 as of the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter ended prior to the consummation of such Acquisition for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 calculated as if such Acquisition, including the consideration therefor, had been consummated on such date.

 

“Permitted Disposition” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 8.2.

 

“Permitted Liens” means the Liens permitted pursuant to Section 8.5.

 

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

 

“Plan” means any Pension Plan and/or Multiemployer Plan.

 

“Platform” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 11.1(e).

 

“Prime Rate” means, at any time, the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate.  Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the day such change in such prime rate occurs.  The parties hereto acknowledge that the rate announced publicly by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate is an index or base rate and shall not necessarily be its lowest or best rate charged to its customers or other banks.

 

“Pro Forma Basis” means, for purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any period during which one or more Specified Transactions occurs, that such Specified Transaction (and all other Specified Transactions that have been consummated during the applicable period) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement and (a) all income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the Property or Person disposed of in a Specified Disposition shall be excluded, and (b) all income statement items (whether positive or negative as estimated by Borrower in good faith by a Responsible Officer and which may include, for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of “run rate” cost-savings, operating expense and reductions and synergies reasonably expected to be realized within twelve (12) months of such Specified Transaction calculated on a basis consistent with GAAP) attributable to the Property or Person acquired in a Permitted Acquisition shall be included.

 

 

“Property” means any right or interest in or to property of any kind whatsoever, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, Capital Stock.

 

“Qualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Capital Stock.

 

“Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Lender, as applicable.

 

“Register” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 11.10(c).

 

“Reimbursement Obligation” means the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.5 for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit.

 

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders.  The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time.

 

“Required Revolving Credit Lenders” means, at any date, any combination of Revolving Credit Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment or, if the Revolving Credit Commitment has been terminated, any combination of Revolving Credit Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate Extensions of Credit under the Revolving Credit Facility; provided that the Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Extensions of Credit under the Revolving Credit Facility, as applicable, held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Revolving Credit Lenders.

 

“Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, controller, treasurer or assistant treasurer of such Person or any other officer of such Person designated by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.  Any document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Person shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Person and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Person.

 

 

“Restricted Payment” means the declaration or payment of any dividend by the Borrower (other than dividends payable solely in common stock of the Borrower) on, or the making of any payment on account of, or the setting apart of assets for a sinking or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement or other acquisition of any Capital Stock of the Borrower, whether now or hereafter outstanding, or the making of any other distribution in respect thereof, either directly or indirectly, whether in cash or property or in obligations of the Borrower.

 

“Revolving Credit Commitment” means (a) as to any Revolving Credit Lender, the obligation of such Revolving Credit Lender to make Revolving Credit Loans to the account of the Borrower hereunder in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Revolving Credit Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1A, as such amount may be modified at any time or from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof, and (b) as to all Revolving Credit Lenders, the aggregate commitment of all Revolving Credit Lenders to make Revolving Credit Loans, as such amount may be modified at any time or from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.  The aggregate Revolving Credit Commitment of all the Revolving Credit Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $100,000,000.

 

“Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage” means, as to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, the ratio of (a) the amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Revolving Credit Lender to (b) the Revolving Credit Commitment of all the Revolving Credit Lenders.

 

“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and such Revolving Credit Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations at such time.

 

“Revolving Credit Facility” means the revolving credit facility established pursuant to ARTICLE II.

 

“Revolving Credit Lenders” means, collectively, all of the Lenders with a Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

“Revolving Credit Loan” means any revolving loan made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1, and all such revolving loans collectively as the context requires.

 

“Revolving Credit Maturity Date” means the earliest to occur of (a) February 7, 2016, (b) the date of termination of the entire Revolving Credit Commitment by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.5, or (c) the date of termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to Section 9.2(a).

 

“Revolving Credit Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Revolving Credit Lender evidencing the Revolving Credit Loans made by such Revolving Credit Lender, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A-1, and any amendments, supplements and modifications thereto, any substitutes therefor, and any replacements, restatements, renewals or extension thereof, in whole or in part.

 

 

“Revolving Credit Outstandings” means the sum of (a) with respect to Revolving Credit Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Credit Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; plus (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the aggregate outstanding amount thereof on such date after giving effect to any Extensions of Credit 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.

 

“Revolving Extensions of Credit” means (a) any Revolving Credit Loan then outstanding, or (b) any Letter of Credit then outstanding.

 

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

 

“Sanctioned Country” means a country subject to a sanctions program identified on the list maintained by OFAC and available at http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx, or as otherwise published from time to time.

 

“Sanctioned Person” means (a) a Person named on the list of “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons” maintained by OFAC available at http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx, or as otherwise published from time to time, or (b) (i) an agency of the government of a Sanctioned Country, (ii) an organization controlled by a Sanctioned Country, or (iii) a person resident in a Sanctioned Country, to the extent subject to a sanctions program administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

 

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

 

“Specified Disposition” means any disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or a majority or more of the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any division, business unit, product line or line of business.

 

“Specified Transactions” means (a) any Specified Disposition, and (b) any Permitted Acquisition.

 

“Subsidiary” means as to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Capital Stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) or other managers of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity is at the time owned by (directly or indirectly) or the management is otherwise controlled by (directly or indirectly) such Person (irrespective of whether, at the time, Capital Stock of any other class or classes of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).  Unless otherwise qualified, references to “Subsidiary” or “Subsidiaries” herein shall refer to those of the Borrower.

 

 

“Subsidiary Guarantors” means, collectively, all direct and indirect Material Domestic Subsidiaries of the Borrower in existence on the Closing Date or which becomes a party to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement pursuant to Section 7.12.

 

“Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement” means the unconditional guaranty agreement of even date herewith executed by the Subsidiary Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lender Parties, which shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Synthetic Lease” means any synthetic lease, 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 in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, fines, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

“Threshold Amount” means $25,000,000.

 

“Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time.

 

“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of Minnesota, as amended or modified from time to time.

 

“Uniform Customs” means the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (2007 Revision), effective July, 2007 International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600.

 

“United States” means the United States of America.

 

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.11(f).

 

“Wells Fargo” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association, and its successors.

 

“Withholding Agent” means any Credit Party and the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 1.2                      Other Definitions and Provisions.  With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document: (a) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined, (b) whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms, (c) the words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, (d) the word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”, (e) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (f) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (g) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (h) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, (i) 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, (j) 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” and (k) 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.

 

 

Section 1.3                      Accounting Terms.  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, as in effect from time to time and in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the audited financial statements required by Section 7.1(a), except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein (including, without limitation, as prescribed by Section 11.9).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

 

Section 1.4                      UCC Terms.  Terms defined in the UCC in effect on the Closing Date and not otherwise defined herein shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the meanings provided by those definitions.  Subject to the foregoing, the term “UCC” refers, as of any date of determination, to the UCC then in effect.

 

Section 1.5                      Rounding.  Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower 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 or percentage is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

Section 1.6                      References to Agreement and Laws.  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to formation documents, governing 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 Applicable Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Applicable Law.

 

 

Section 1.7                      Times of Day.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

Section 1.8                      Letter of Credit Amounts.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to mean the maximum face amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all increases thereof contemplated by such Letter of Credit or the Letter of Credit Application therefor (at the time specified therefor in such applicable Letter of Credit or Letter of Credit Application and as such amount may be reduced by (a) any permanent reduction of such Letter of Credit or (b) any amount which is drawn, reimbursed and no longer available under such Letter of Credit).

 

Section 1.9                      Guaranty Obligations.  Unless otherwise specified, the amount of any Guaranty Obligation shall be the lessor of the principal amount of the obligations guaranteed and still outstanding and the maximum amount for which the guaranteeing Person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guaranty Obligation.

 

Section 1.10                      Covenant Compliance Generally.  For purposes of determining compliance under Sections 7.12(b) and (c), 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 and 8.11 any amount in a currency other than Dollars will be converted to Dollars in a manner consistent with that used in calculating Consolidated Net Income in the annual or quarterly financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or (b), as applicable.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with Sections 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5, with respect to any amount of Indebtedness or Investment in a currency other than Dollars, no breach of any basket contained in such sections shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of changes in rates of exchange occurring after the time such Indebtedness or Investment is incurred; provided that for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.10 shall otherwise apply to such Sections, including with respect to determining whether any Indebtedness or Investment may be incurred at any time under such Sections.

 

ARTICLE II

 

REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY

 

Section 2.1                      Revolving Credit Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, each Revolving Credit Lender severally agrees to make Revolving Credit Loans to the Borrower from time to time from the Closing Date through, but not including, the Revolving Credit Maturity Date as requested by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of Section 2.2; provided, that (a)  the Revolving Credit Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment and (b) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender shall not at any time exceed such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment.  Each Revolving Credit Loan by a Revolving Credit Lender shall be in a principal amount equal to such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Loans requested on such occasion.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow Revolving Credit Loans hereunder until the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

 

 

Section 2.2                      Procedure for Advances of Revolving Credit Loans.

 

(a)         Requests for Borrowing.  The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable prior written notice substantially in the form of Exhibit B (a “Notice of Borrowing”) not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) on the same Business Day as each Floating Rate Loan and (ii) at least three (3) Business Days before each LIBOR Rate Loan, of its intention to borrow, specifying (A) the date of such borrowing, which shall be a Business Day, (B) the amount of such borrowing, which shall be, (x) with respect to Floating Rate Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (y) with respect to LIBOR Rate Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (C) whether such Loan is to be a LIBOR Rate Loan or Floating Rate Loan, and (D) in the case of a LIBOR Rate Loan, the duration of the Interest Period applicable thereto.  A Notice of Borrowing received after 11:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next Business Day.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Revolving Credit Lenders of each Notice of Borrowing.  To the extent Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the sole Lender under this Agreement, the parties may implement certain automated advance and credit sweep procedures in lieu of the foregoing as the parties may agree to from time to time.

 

(b)         Disbursement of Revolving Credit Loans.  Not later than 1:00 p.m. on the proposed borrowing date, (i) each Revolving Credit Lender will make available to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Borrower, at the office of the Administrative Agent in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent, such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the Revolving Credit Loans to be made on such borrowing date.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to disburse the proceeds of each borrowing requested pursuant to this Section in immediately available funds by crediting or wiring such proceeds to the deposit account of the Borrower identified in the most recent notice substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C (a “Notice of Account Designation”) delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or as may be otherwise agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent from time to time, and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to promptly so disburse such proceeds.  Subject to Section 4.7 hereof, the Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to disburse the portion of the proceeds of any Revolving Credit Loan requested pursuant to this Section to the extent that any Revolving Credit Lender has not made available to the Administrative Agent its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such Loan.

 

Section 2.3                      Repayment and Prepayment of Revolving Credit Loans.

 

(a)         Repayment on Termination Date.  The Borrower hereby agrees to repay the outstanding principal amount of all Revolving Credit Loans in full on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, together with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon.

 

(b)         Mandatory Prepayments.  If at any time the Revolving Credit Outstandings exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment, the Borrower agrees to repay immediately upon notice from the Administrative Agent, by payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Revolving Credit Lenders, Extensions of Credit in an amount equal to such excess with each such repayment applied first, to the principal amount of outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and second, with respect to any Letters of Credit then outstanding, a payment of Cash Collateral into a Cash Collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Revolving Credit Lenders, in an amount equal to such excess (such Cash Collateral to be applied in accordance with Section 9.2(b)).

 

 

(c)         Optional Prepayments.  The Borrower may at any time and from time to time prepay Revolving Credit Loans, in whole or in part, with irrevocable prior written notice to the Administrative Agent substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D (a “Notice of Prepayment”) given not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) on the same Business Day as each Floating Rate Loan and (ii) at least three (3) Business Days before each LIBOR Rate Loan, specifying the date and amount of prepayment and whether the prepayment is of LIBOR Rate Loans, Floating Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, and, if of a combination thereof, the amount allocable to each.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender.  If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date set forth in such notice.  Partial prepayments shall be in an aggregate amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof with respect to Floating Rate Loans, and $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof with respect to LIBOR Rate Loans.  A Notice of Prepayment received after 11:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next Business Day.  Each such repayment shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 4.9 hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Notice of a Prepayment delivered in connection with any refinancing of all of the Credit Facility with the proceeds of such refinancing or of any incurrence of Indebtedness, may be, if expressly so stated to be, contingent upon the consummation of such refinancing or incurrence and may be revoked by the Borrower in the event such refinancing or incurrence is not consummated (provided that the failure of such contingency shall not relieve the Borrower from its obligations in respect thereof under Section 4.9).

 

(d)         Limitation on Prepayment of LIBOR Rate Loans.  The Borrower may not prepay any LIBOR Rate Loan on any day other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto unless such prepayment is accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 4.9 hereof.

 

(e)         Hedge Agreements.  No repayment or prepayment pursuant to this Section shall affect any of the Borrower’s obligations under any Hedge Agreement.

 

Section 2.4                      Permanent Reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

(a)         Voluntary Reduction.  The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time, upon at least five (5) Business Days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, to permanently reduce, without premium or penalty, (i) the entire Revolving Credit Commitment at any time or (ii) portions of the Revolving Credit Commitment, from time to time, in an aggregate principal amount not less than $3,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Any reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be applied to the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Revolving Credit Lender according to its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage.  All Commitment Fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

 

(b)         Corresponding Payment.  Each permanent reduction permitted pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a payment of principal sufficient to reduce the aggregate outstanding Revolving Credit Loans, and L/C Obligations, as applicable, after such reduction to the Revolving Credit Commitment as so reduced and if the aggregate amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit exceeds the Revolving Credit Commitment as so reduced, the Borrower shall be required to deposit Cash Collateral in a Cash Collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to such excess.  Such Cash Collateral shall be applied in accordance with Section 9.2(b).  Any reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment to zero shall be accompanied by payment of all outstanding Revolving Credit Loans (and furnishing of Cash Collateral satisfactory to the Administrative Agent for all L/C Obligations) and shall result in the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment, and the Revolving Credit Facility.  If the reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment requires the repayment of any LIBOR Rate Loan, such repayment shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 4.9 hereof.

 

Section 2.5                      Termination of Revolving Credit Facility.  The Revolving Credit Facility and the Revolving Credit Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

 

ARTICLE III

 

LETTER OF CREDIT FACILITY

 

Section 3.1                      L/C Commitment.

 

(a)         Availability.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Issuing Lender, in reliance on the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in Section 3.4(a), agrees to issue standby letters of credit (the “Letters of Credit”) for the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof on any Business Day from the Closing Date through but not including the fifth (5th) Business Day prior to the Revolving Credit Maturity Date in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Issuing Lender; provided, that the Issuing Lender shall have no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if, after giving effect to such issuance, (a) the L/C Obligations would exceed the L/C Commitment or (b) the Revolving Credit Outstandings would exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment.  Each Letter of Credit shall (i) be denominated in Dollars in a minimum amount of $500,000, (or such lesser amount as agreed to by the Issuing Lender), (ii) be a standby letter of credit issued to support obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, contingent or otherwise, incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iii) expire on a date no more than twelve (12) months after the date of issuance or last renewal of such Letter of Credit (subject to automatic renewal for additional one (1) year periods pursuant to the terms of the Letter of Credit Application or other documentation acceptable to the Issuing Lender), which date shall be no later than the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and (iv) be subject to the Uniform Customs and/or ISP98, as set forth in the Letter of Credit Application or as determined by the Issuing Lender and, to the extent not inconsistent therewith, the laws of the State of Minnesota.  References herein to “issue” and derivations thereof with respect to Letters of Credit shall also include extensions or modifications of any outstanding Letters of Credit, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

 

(b)         Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, ARTICLE III shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 4.13 and Section 4.14.

 

Section 3.2                      Procedure for Issuance of Letters of Credit.  The Borrower may from time to time request that the Issuing Lender issue a Letter of Credit by delivering to the Issuing Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office a Letter of Credit Application therefor, completed to the satisfaction of the Issuing Lender, and such other certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Issuing Lender may reasonably request.  Upon receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the Issuing Lender shall process such Letter of Credit Application and the certificates, documents and other papers and information delivered to it in connection therewith in accordance with its customary procedures and shall, subject to Section 3.1 and ARTICLE V, promptly issue the Letter of Credit requested thereby (but in no event shall the Issuing Lender be required to issue any Letter of Credit earlier than three (3) Business Days after its receipt of the Letter of Credit Application therefor and all such other certificates, documents and other papers and information relating thereto) by issuing the original of such Letter of Credit to the beneficiary thereof or as otherwise may be agreed by the Issuing Lender and the Borrower.  The Issuing Lender shall promptly furnish to the Borrower a copy of such Letter of Credit and promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender of the issuance and upon request by any Revolving Credit Lender, furnish to such Lender a copy of such Revolving Credit Letter of Credit and the amount of such Revolving Credit Lender’s participation therein.

 

Section 3.3                      Commissions and Other Charges.

 

(a)         Letter of Credit Commissions.  Subject to Section 4.14(a)(iii), the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Lender and the L/C Participants, a letter of credit commission with respect to each Letter of Credit in the amount equal to the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit times one percent (1.0%) (determined on a per annum basis).  Such commission shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter, on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and thereafter on demand of the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, distribute to the Issuing Lender and the L/C Participants all commissions received pursuant to this Section 3.3 in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages.

 

(b)         Issuance Fee.  In addition to the foregoing commission and only during such periods that more than one (1) Lender is a party to this Agreement, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Lender, an issuance fee with respect to each Letter of Credit equal to 0.125% of the Letter of Credit face amount.  Such issuance fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and thereafter on demand of the Administrative Agent.

 

 

(c)         Other Costs.  In addition to the foregoing fees and commissions, the Borrower shall pay or reimburse the Issuing Lender for such normal and customary costs and expenses as are incurred or charged by the Issuing Lender in issuing, effecting payment under, amending or otherwise administering any Letter of Credit.

 

Section 3.4                      L/C Participations.

 

(a)         The Issuing Lender irrevocably agrees to grant and hereby grants to each L/C Participant, and, to induce the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit hereunder, each L/C Participant irrevocably agrees to accept and purchase and hereby accepts and purchases from the Issuing Lender, on the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, for such L/C Participant’s own account and risk an undivided interest equal to such L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage in the Issuing Lender’s obligations and rights under and in respect of each Letter of Credit issued hereunder and the amount of each draft paid by the Issuing Lender thereunder.  Each L/C Participant unconditionally and irrevocably agrees with the Issuing Lender that, if a draft is paid under any Letter of Credit for which the Issuing Lender is not reimbursed in full by the Borrower through a Revolving Credit Loan or otherwise in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender upon demand at the Issuing Lender’s address for notices specified herein an amount equal to such L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the amount of such draft, or any part thereof, which is not so reimbursed.

 

(b)         Upon becoming aware of any amount required to be paid by any L/C Participant to the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.4(a) in respect of any unreimbursed portion of any payment made by the Issuing Lender under any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender shall notify each L/C Participant of the amount and due date of such required payment and such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender the amount specified on the applicable due date.  If any such amount is paid to the Issuing Lender after the date such payment is due, such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender on demand, in addition to such amount, the product of (i) such amount, times (ii) the daily average Federal Funds Rate as determined by the Administrative Agent during the period from and including the date such payment is due to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Issuing Lender, times (iii) a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days that elapse during such period and the denominator of which is 360.  A certificate of the Issuing Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this Section shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.  With respect to payment to the Issuing Lender of the unreimbursed amounts described in this Section, if the L/C Participants receive notice that any such payment is due (A) prior to 1:00 p.m. on any Business Day, such payment shall be due that Business Day, and (B) after 1:00 p.m. on any Business Day, such payment shall be due on the following Business Day.

 

(c)         Whenever, at any time after the Issuing Lender has made payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any L/C Participant its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such payment in accordance with this Section, the Issuing Lender receives any payment related to such Letter of Credit (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise), or any payment of interest on account thereof, the Issuing Lender will distribute to such L/C Participant its pro rata share thereof; provided, that in the event that any such payment received by the Issuing Lender shall be required to be returned by the Issuing Lender, such L/C Participant shall return to the Issuing Lender the portion thereof previously distributed by the Issuing Lender to it.

 

 

Section 3.5                      Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrower.  In the event of any drawing under any Letter of Credit, the Borrower agrees to reimburse (either with the proceeds of a Revolving Credit Loan as provided for in this Section or with funds from other sources), in same day funds, the Issuing Lender on each date on which the Issuing Lender notifies the Borrower of the date and amount of a draft paid under any Letter of Credit for the amount of (a) such draft so paid and (b) any amounts referred to in Section 3.3(c) incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with such payment.  Unless the Borrower shall immediately notify the Issuing Lender that the Borrower intends to reimburse the Issuing Lender for such drawing from other sources or funds, the Borrower shall be deemed to have timely given a Notice of Borrowing to the Administrative Agent requesting that the Revolving Credit Lenders make a Revolving Credit Loan bearing interest at the Floating Rate on such date in the amount of (a) such draft so paid and (b) any amounts referred to in Section 3.3(c) incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with such payment, and the Revolving Credit Lenders shall make a Revolving Credit Loan bearing interest at the Floating Rate in such amount, the proceeds of which shall be applied to reimburse the Issuing Lender for the amount of the related drawing and costs and expenses.  Each Revolving Credit Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to fund a Revolving Credit Loan in accordance with this Section to reimburse the Issuing Lender for any draft paid under a Letter of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including, without limitation, non-satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.2(a) or ARTICLE V.  If the Borrower has elected to pay the amount of such drawing with funds from other sources and shall fail to reimburse the Issuing Lender as provided above, the unreimbursed amount of such drawing shall bear interest at the rate which would be payable on any outstanding Floating Rate Loans which were then overdue from the date such amounts become payable (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) until payment in full.

 

Section 3.6                      Obligations Absolute.  The Borrower’s obligations under this ARTICLE III (including, without limitation, the Reimbursement Obligation) shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any set off, counterclaim or defense to payment which the Borrower may have or have had against the Issuing Lender or any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or any other Person.  The Borrower also agrees that the Issuing Lender and the L/C Participants shall not be responsible for, and the Borrower’s Reimbursement Obligation under Section 3.5 shall not be affected by, among other things, the validity or genuineness of documents or of any endorsements thereon, even though such documents shall in fact prove to be invalid, fraudulent or forged, or any dispute between or among the Borrower and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred or any claims whatsoever of the Borrower against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee.  The Issuing Lender shall not be liable for any error, omission, interruption or delay in transmission, dispatch or delivery of any message or advice, however transmitted, in connection with any Letter of Credit, except for errors or omissions caused by the Issuing Lender’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final nonappealable judgment.  The Borrower agrees that any action taken or omitted by the Issuing Lender under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or the related drafts or documents, if done in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct shall be binding on the Borrower and shall not result in any liability of the Issuing Lender or any L/C Participant to the Borrower.  The responsibility of the Issuing Lender to the Borrower in connection with any draft presented for payment under any Letter of Credit shall, in addition to any payment obligation expressly provided for in such Letter of Credit, be limited to determining that the documents (including each draft) delivered under such Letter of Credit in connection with such presentment are in conformity with such Letter of Credit.

 

 

Section 3.7                      Effect of Letter of Credit Application.  To the extent that any provision of any Letter of Credit Application related to any Letter of Credit is inconsistent with the provisions of this ARTICLE III, the provisions of this ARTICLE III shall apply.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

GENERAL LOAN PROVISIONS

 

Section 4.1                      Interest.

 

(a)         Interest Rate Options.  Subject to the provisions of this Section, at the election of the Borrower, (i) Revolving Credit Loans shall bear interest at (A) the Floating Rate plus the Applicable Margin or (B) the LIBOR Rate plus the Applicable Margin (provided that the LIBOR Rate shall not be available until three (3) Business Days after the Closing Date unless the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a letter in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent indemnifying the Lenders in the manner set forth in Section 4.9 of this Agreement).  The Borrower shall select the rate of interest and Interest Period, if any, applicable to any Loan at the time a Notice of Borrowing is given or at the time a Notice of Conversion/Continuation is given pursuant to Section 4.2.  Any Loan or any portion thereof as to which the Borrower has not duly specified an interest rate as provided herein shall be deemed a Floating Rate Loan.

 

(b)         Interest Periods.  In connection with each LIBOR Rate Loan, the Borrower, by giving notice at the times described in Section 2.2 or Section 4.2, as applicable, shall elect an interest period (each, an “Interest Period”) to be applicable to such Loan, which Interest Period shall be a period of one (1), three (3), six (6) or twelve (12) months; provided that:

 

(i)           the Interest Period shall commence on the date of advance of or conversion to any LIBOR Rate Loan and, in the case of immediately successive Interest Periods, each successive Interest Period shall commence on the date on which the immediately preceding Interest Period expires;

 

(ii)           if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day; provided, that if any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such month, such Interest Period shall expire on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

(iii)           any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan 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 relevant calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

 

(iv)           no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and Interest Periods shall be selected by the Borrower so as to permit the Borrower to make the quarterly principal installment payments pursuant to Section 3.3 without payment of any amounts pursuant to Section 4.9; and

 

(v)           there shall be no more than six (6) Interest Periods in effect at any time.

 

(c)         Default Rate.  Subject to Section 9.3, (i) immediately upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 9.1(a), (g) or (h), or (ii) at the election of the Required Lenders, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any other Event of Default and provided that such Event of Default has remained uncured for more than thirty (30) days after written notice from the Administrative Agent, (A) the Borrower shall no longer have the option to request LIBOR Rate Loans, or Letters of Credit, (B) all outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans shall bear interest at a rate per annum of two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to LIBOR Rate Loans until the end of the applicable Interest Period and thereafter at a rate equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to Floating Rate Loans, (C) all outstanding Floating Rate Loans and other Obligations arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to Floating Rate Loans or such other Obligations arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document and (D) all accrued and unpaid interest shall be due and payable on demand of the Administrative Agent.  Interest shall continue to accrue on the Obligations after the filing by or against the Borrower of any petition seeking any relief in bankruptcy or under any act or law pertaining to insolvency or debtor relief, whether state, federal or foreign.

 

(d)         Interest Payment and Computation.  Interest on each Floating Rate Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar month commencing January 31, 2013; and interest on each LIBOR Rate Loan shall be due and payable on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto, and if such Interest Period extends over three (3) months, at the end of each three (3) month interval during such Interest Period.  All computations of fees and interest provided hereunder 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 365/366-day year).

 

(e)         Maximum Rate.  In no contingency or event whatsoever shall the aggregate of all amounts deemed interest under this Agreement charged or collected pursuant to the terms of this Agreement exceed the highest rate permissible under any Applicable Law which a court of competent jurisdiction shall, in a final determination, deem applicable hereto.  In the event that such a court determines that the Lenders have charged or received interest hereunder in excess of the highest applicable rate, the rate in effect hereunder shall automatically be reduced to the maximum rate permitted by Applicable Law and the Lenders shall at the Administrative Agent’s option (i) promptly refund to the Borrower any interest received by the Lenders in excess of the maximum lawful rate or (ii) apply such excess to the principal balance of the Obligations on a pro rata basis.  It is the intent hereof that the Borrower not pay or contract to pay, and that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender receive or contract to receive, directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever, interest in excess of that which may be paid by the Borrower under Applicable Law.

 

 

Section 4.2                      Notice and Manner of Conversion or Continuation of Loans.  Provided that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing, the Borrower shall have the option to (a) convert at any time following the third Business Day after the Closing Date all or any portion of any outstanding Floating Rate Loans in a principal amount equal to $5,000,000 or in whole multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof into LIBOR Rate Loans, and (b) upon the expiration of any Interest Period, (i) convert all or any part of its outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans in a principal amount equal to $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof into Floating Rate Loans or (ii) continue such LIBOR Rate Loans as LIBOR Rate Loans.  Whenever the Borrower desires to convert or continue Loans as provided above, the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable prior written notice in the form attached as Exhibit E (a “Notice of Conversion/Continuation”) not later than 11:00 a.m. three (3) Business Days before the day on which a proposed conversion or continuation of such Loan is to be effective specifying (A) the Loans to be converted or continued, and, in the case of any LIBOR Rate Loan to be converted or continued, the last day of the Interest Period therefor, (B) the effective date of such conversion or continuation (which shall be a Business Day), (C) the principal amount of such Loans to be converted or continued, and (D) the Interest Period to be applicable to such converted or continued LIBOR Rate Loan.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the affected Lenders of such Notice of Conversion/Continuation.

 

Section 4.3                           Fees.

 

(a)         Commitment Fee.  Commencing on the Closing Date, subject to Section 4.14(a)(iii), the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Revolving Credit Lenders, a non-refundable commitment fee (the “Commitment Fee”) at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin on the average daily unused portion of the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Revolving Credit Lenders (other than the Defaulting Lenders, if any) (the “Unused Amount”); provided, that the amount of outstanding Letters of Credit shall be considered usage of the Revolving Credit Commitment for the purpose of calculating the Commitment Fee.  The Commitment Fee shall be payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter during the term of this Agreement commencing March 29, 2013 and ending on the date upon which all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due and Letters of Credit) arising under the Revolving Credit Facility shall have been paid and satisfied in full, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Revolving Credit Commitment has been terminated.  Such commitment fee shall be distributed by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Credit Lenders (other than any Defaulting Lender) pro rata in accordance with such Revolving Credit Lenders’ respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages.

 

(b)         Other Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger, Administrative Agent and the Lenders such other fees, if any, as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified.

 

 

Section 4.4                      Manner of Payment.

 

(a)         Sharing of Payments.  Each payment by the Borrower on account of the principal of or interest on the Loans or of any fee, commission or other amounts (including the Reimbursement Obligation) payable to the Lenders under this Agreement shall be made not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified for payment under this Agreement to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office for the account of the Lenders entitled to such payment in Dollars, in immediately available funds and shall be made without any set off, counterclaim or deduction whatsoever.  Any payment received after such time but before 2:00 p.m. on such day shall be deemed a payment on such date for the purposes of Section 9.1, but for all other purposes shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day.  Any payment received after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day for all purposes.  Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of each such payment, the Administrative Agent shall distribute to each such Lender at its address for notices set forth herein its Commitment Percentage in respect of the relevant Credit Facility (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment and shall wire advice of the amount of such credit to each Lender.  Each payment to the Administrative Agent of the Issuing Lender’s fees or L/C Participants’ commissions shall be made in like manner, but for the account of the Issuing Lender or the L/C Participants, as the case may be.  Each payment to the Administrative Agent of Administrative Agent’s fees or expenses shall be made for the account of the Administrative Agent and any amount payable to any Lender under Sections 4.9, 4.10, 4.11 or 11.3 shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lender.  Subject to Section 4.1(b)(ii), if any payment under this Agreement shall be specified to be made upon a day which is not a Business Day, it shall be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day and such extension of time shall in such case be included in computing any interest if payable along with such payment.

 

(b)         Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding the foregoing clause (a), if there exists a Defaulting Lender each payment by the Borrower to such Defaulting Lender hereunder shall be applied in accordance with Section 4.13(b).

 

Section 4.5                      Evidence of Indebtedness.

 

(a)         Extensions of Credit.  The Extensions of Credit 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 Extensions of Credit made by the Lenders to the Borrower 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 the 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 Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Revolving Credit Note, as applicable, which shall evidence such Lender’s Revolving Credit Loans, as applicable, in addition to such accounts or records.  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Notes and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

 

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

 

Section 4.6                      Adjustments.  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 its Loans or other obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations (other than pursuant to Sections 4.9, 4.10, 4.11 or 11.3) 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 Loans and such other obligations 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 Loans and other amounts owing them; provided that

 

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

 

(ii)           the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (B) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 4.13 or (C) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans and Letters of Credit to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).

 

Each Guarantor 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 each Guarantor rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of each Guarantor in the amount of such participation.

 

Section 4.7                           Obligations of Lenders.

 

(a)         Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender (i) in the case of Floating Rate Loans, two (2) hours prior to the proposed time of such Borrowing and (ii) otherwise prior to the proposed date of any borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.2(b) and Section 3.2 and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the daily average Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Floating Rate Loans.  If the 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 the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

 

(b)         Nature of Obligations of Lenders Regarding Extensions of Credit.  The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement to make the Loans and issue or participate in Letters of Credit are several and are not joint or joint and several.  The failure of any Lender to make available its Commitment Percentage of any Loan requested by the Borrower shall not relieve it or any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Commitment Percentage of such Loan available on the borrowing date, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make its Commitment Percentage of such Loan available on the borrowing date.

 

Section 4.8                      Changed Circumstances.

 

(a)         Circumstances Affecting LIBOR Rate Availability.  In connection with any request for a LIBOR Rate Loan or a Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined with reference to LIBOR or a conversion to or continuation thereof, if for any reason (i) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Loan, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that reasonable and adequate means do not exist for the ascertaining the LIBOR Rate for such Interest Period with respect to a proposed LIBOR Rate Loan or any Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined with reference to LIBOR or (iii) the Required Lenders shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the LIBOR Rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans during such Interest Period, then the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower.  Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, the obligation of the Lenders to make LIBOR Rate Loans or Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined with reference to LIBOR and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan or a Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined with reference to LIBOR shall be suspended, and (i) in the case of LIBOR Rate Loans, the Borrower shall either (A) repay in full (or cause to be repaid in full) the then outstanding principal amount of each such LIBOR Rate Loan together with accrued interest thereon (subject to Section 4.1(d)), on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to such LIBOR Rate Loan; or (B) convert the then outstanding principal amount of each such LIBOR Rate Loan to a Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to LIBOR as of the last day of such Interest Period; or (ii) in the case of Floating Rate Loans as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR, the Borrower shall convert the then outstanding principal amount of each such Loan to a Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to LIBOR as of the last day of such Interest Period.

 

 

(b)         Laws Affecting LIBOR Rate Availability.  If, after the date hereof, the introduction of, or any change in, any Applicable Law or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency issued after the date hereof, shall make it unlawful or impossible for any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) to honor its obligations hereunder to make or maintain any LIBOR Rate Loan or any Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice to the Borrower and the other Lenders.  Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, (i) the obligations of the Lenders to make LIBOR Rate Loans or Floating Rate Loans as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR, and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to a LIBOR Rate Loan or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan or a Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR shall be suspended and thereafter the Borrower may select only Floating Rate Loans as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to LIBOR hereunder, (ii) all Floating Rate Loans shall cease to be determined by reference to LIBOR and (iii) if any of the Lenders may not lawfully continue to maintain a LIBOR Rate Loan to the end of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, the applicable Loan shall immediately be converted to a Floating Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to LIBOR for the remainder of such Interest Period.

 

Section 4.9                      Indemnity.  The Borrower hereby indemnifies each of the Lenders against any loss or out-of-pocket expense (including any loss or out-of-pocket expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain a LIBOR Rate Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained) which may arise or be attributable to each Lender’s obtaining, liquidating or employing deposits or other funds acquired to effect, fund or maintain any Loan (a) as a consequence of any failure by the Borrower to make any payment when due of any amount due hereunder in connection with a LIBOR Rate Loan, (b) due to any failure of the Borrower to borrow, continue or convert on a date specified therefor in a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion/Continuation or (c) due to any payment, prepayment or conversion of any LIBOR Rate Loan on a date other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor.  The amount of such loss or expense shall be determined, in the applicable Lender’s sole discretion, based upon the assumption that such Lender funded its Commitment Percentage of the LIBOR Rate Loans in the London interbank market and using any reasonable attribution or averaging methods which such Lender deems appropriate and practical.  A certificate of such Lender setting forth the basis for determining such amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender shall be forwarded to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent and shall be conclusively presumed to be correct save for manifest error.

 

 

Section 4.10                           Increased Costs.

 

(a)         Increased Costs Generally.  If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)           impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or advances, loans or other credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the LIBOR Rate) or the Issuing Lender;

 

(ii)           subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes and (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto, or

 

(iii)           impose on any Lender or the Issuing Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon written request of such Lender, the Issuing Lender or other Recipient, the Borrower shall promptly pay to any such Lender, the Issuing Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)         Capital Requirements.  If any Lender or the Issuing Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the Issuing Lender or any lending office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Lender, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Lender or such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time upon written request of such Lender or such Issuing Lender the Borrower shall promptly pay to such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Lender or such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

 

(c)         Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)         Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine (9) months prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions, and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

Section 4.11                      Taxes.

 

(a)         Issuing Lender.  For purposes of this Section 4.11, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Lender.

 

(b)         Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law.  If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Credit Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

 

(c)         Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  The Credit Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

 

(d)         Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Credit Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(e)         Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(f)         Status of Lenders.  (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Sections 4.11(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

 

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

 

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(i)  in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

(ii)  executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;

 

(iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN; or

 

(iv) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2 or Exhibit H-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)  any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

 

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

(g)          Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 4.11 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 4.11), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund).  Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

 

(h)         Indemnification of the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender and the Issuing Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Credit Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Credit Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.10(e) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (h). The agreements in paragraph (h) shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent.

 

 

(i)         Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 4.11 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

 

Section 4.12                      Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)         Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 4.10, or requires the Borrower to pay additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 4.11, then such Lender shall, at the request of the Borrower, use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.11, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)         Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 4.10, or if the Borrower is required to pay additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 4.11, and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 4.12(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions and exceptions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.10), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.11) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:

 

(i)           the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.10;

 

 

(ii)           such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in Letters of Credit, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 4.9, provided that Borrower shall reserve all of its rights and claims against any Defaulting Lender) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

(iii)           in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 4.10 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 4.11, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

 

(iv)           such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law; and

 

(v)           in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

 

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

Section 4.13                      Cash Collateral.  At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one Business Day following the written request of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender, as applicable, with respect to such Defaulting Lender (determined after giving effect to Section 4.14(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender) in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount.

 

(a)         Grant of Security Interest.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such Cash Collateral as security for the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, to be applied pursuant to subsection (b) below.  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency (after giving effect to any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

(b)         Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under this Section 4.13 or Section 4.14 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be applied to the satisfaction of the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

 

 

(c)         Termination of Requirement.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender, as applicable, shall no longer be required to be held as Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 4.13 following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender), or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided that, subject to Section 4.14, the Person providing Cash Collateral and the Issuing Lender may agree that Cash Collateral shall be held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.  So long as no Default or Event of Default then exists, any Cash Collateral no longer required to be so held shall be promptly returned first to the Borrower until it has received all Cash Collateral provided by it, before any such Cash Collateral is returned to the Defaulting Lender.

 

Section 4.14                      Defaulting Lenders.

 

(a)         Defaulting Lender Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as such Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law:

 

(i)           Waivers and Amendments.  Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definitions of Required Lenders and Required Revolving Credit Lenders.

 

(ii)           Defaulting Lender Waterfall.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to ARTICLE IX or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.4 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Issuing Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 4.13; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan or funded participation in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (A) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans and funded participations under this Agreement and (B) Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 4.13; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Issuing Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (1) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or funded participations in Letters of Credit in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (2) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and funded participations in Letters of Credit owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or funded participations in Letters of Credit owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments under the applicable Revolving Credit Facility without giving effect to Section 4.14(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 4.14(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

 

(iii)           Certain Fees.

 

(A)           For Commitment Fees: No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any Commitment Fee for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

 

(B)           Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive letter of credit commissions pursuant to Section 3.3 for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 4.13.

 

(C)           With respect to any letter of credit commission not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (1) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (2) pay to each Issuing Lender, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (3) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

 

(iv)           Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment.  No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(v)           Cash Collateral.  If the reallocation described in clause (iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 4.13.

 

(b)         Defaulting Lender Cure.  If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), such Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Commitments under the applicable Facility (without giving effect to Section 4.14(a)(iv), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

(c)         New Letters of Credit.  So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Lender shall be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect thereto.

 

ARTICLE V

 

CONDITIONS OF CLOSING AND BORROWING

 

Section 5.1                      Conditions to Closing and Initial Extensions of Credit.  The obligation of the Lenders to close this Agreement and to make the initial Loan or issue or participate in the initial Letter of Credit, if any, is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:

 

 

(a)         Executed Loan Documents.  This Agreement, a Revolving Credit Note in favor of each Lender requesting a Revolving Credit Note, together with any other applicable Loan Documents, shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent by the parties thereto, shall be in full force and effect and no Default or Event of Default shall exist hereunder or thereunder.

 

(b)         Closing Certificates; Etc.  The Administrative Agent shall have received each of the following in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

 

(i)           Officer’s Certificate.  A certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to the effect that (A) all representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true, correct and complete in all material respects (except to the extent any such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, in which case, such representation and warranty shall be true, correct and complete in all respects); (B) none of the Credit Parties is in violation of any of the covenants contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; (C) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing as of the Closing Date; (D) since September 23, 2012, no event has occurred or condition arisen, either individually or in the aggregate, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (E)  each of the Credit Parties, as applicable, has satisfied each of the conditions set forth in Section 5.1 and Section 5.2.

 

(ii)           Certificate of Secretary of each Credit Party.  A certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Credit Party certifying as to the incumbency and genuineness of the signature of each officer of such Credit Party executing Loan Documents to which it is a party and certifying that attached thereto is a true, correct and complete copy of (A) the articles or certificate of incorporation or formation of such Credit Party and all amendments thereto, certified as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority in its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, (B) the bylaws or other governing document of such Credit Party as in effect on the Closing Date, (C) resolutions duly adopted by the board of directors (or other governing body) of such Credit Party authorizing and approving the transactions contemplated hereunder and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (D) each certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(b)(iii).

 

(iii)           Certificates of Good Standing.  Certificates as of a recent date of the good standing of each Credit Party under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.

 

(iv)           Opinions of Counsel.  Favorable opinions of counsel to the Credit Parties addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the Credit Parties, the Loan Documents and such other matters as the Lenders shall request (which such opinions shall expressly permit reliance by permitted successors and assigns of the addressees thereof).

 

(c)         Consents; Defaults.

 

 

(i)           Governmental and Third Party Approvals.  The Credit Parties shall have received all material governmental, shareholder and third party consents and approvals necessary (or any other material consents as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent) in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the other transactions contemplated hereby and all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any action being taken by any Person that could reasonably be expected to restrain, prevent or impose any material adverse conditions on any of the Credit Parties or such other transactions or that could seek or threaten any of the foregoing, and no law or regulation shall be applicable which in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent could reasonably be expected to have such effect.

 

(ii)           No Injunction, Etc.  No action, proceeding, investigation, regulation or legislation shall have been instituted, threatened or proposed before any Governmental Authority to enjoin, restrain, or prohibit, or to obtain substantial damages in respect of, or which is related to or arises out of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or which, in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, would make it inadvisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

(d)         Financial Matters.

 

(i)           Financial Statements.  The Administrative Agent shall have received (A) the audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 25, 2011 and the related audited statements of income and retained earnings and cash flows for the Fiscal Year then ended and (B) unaudited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of September 23, 2012 and related unaudited interim statements of income and retained earnings for the fiscal quarter then ended (which information may be provided electronically as provided in Section 7.1).

 

(ii)           Financial Condition Certificate.  The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and certified as accurate by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, that attached thereto are calculations evidencing compliance with the covenants contained in Section 8.11 as of the fiscal quarter ending September 23, 2012.

 

(iii)           Payment at Closing.  The Borrower shall have paid (A) to the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders the fees set forth or referenced in Section 4.3 and any other accrued and unpaid fees or commissions due hereunder, (B) all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent accrued and unpaid prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements 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 Borrower and the Administrative Agent), provided that the aggregate amount of all such fees, charges and disbursements shall not exceed $25,000, and (C) to any other Person such amount as may be due thereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including all taxes, fees and other charges in connection with the execution, delivery, recording, filing and registration of any of the Loan Documents.

 

 

(e)         Miscellaneous.

 

(i)           Notice of Borrowing.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing from the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.2(a) and Section 3.2, and a Notice of Account Designation specifying the account or accounts to which the proceeds of any Loans made on or after the Closing Date are to be disbursed.

 

(ii)           Due Diligence.  The Administrative Agent shall have completed, to its satisfaction, all legal, tax, environmental, business and other due diligence with respect to the business, assets, liabilities, operations and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in scope and determination satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

 

(iii)           PATRIOT Act.  The Borrower and each of the Credit Parties shall have provided to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the documentation and other information requested by the Administrative Agent in order to comply with requirements of the PATRIOT Act.

 

(iv)           Other Documents.  All opinions, certificates and other instruments and all proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of all other documents, certificates and instruments reasonably requested thereby, with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.3, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.1, the Administrative Agent and each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

Section 5.2                      Conditions to All Extensions of Credit.  The obligations of the Lenders to make or participate in any Extensions of Credit (including the initial Extension of Credit), or to convert any Loan to or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan and/or the Issuing Lender to issue or extend any Letter of Credit are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent on the relevant borrowing, continuation, conversion, issuance or extension date:

 

(a)         Continuation of Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties contained in ARTICLE V shall be true and correct in all material respects, except for any representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, which such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects on and as of such borrowing, continuation, conversion, issuance or extension date with the same effect as if made on and as of such date, (except for any such representation and warranty that by its terms is made only as of an earlier date, which representation and warranty shall remain true and correct in all material respects, except for any representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, which such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects, as of such earlier date.

 

 

(b)         No Existing Default.  No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) on the initial borrowing date of a Loan or any date of conversion of any Loan to or a continuation of any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan or after giving effect to the Loans to be made, continued or converted on such date or (ii) on the issuance or extension date with respect to such Letter of Credit or after giving effect to the issuance or extension of such Letter of Credit on such date.

 

(c)         Notices.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion/Continuation, as applicable, from the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.2(a) or Section 4.2, as applicable.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF CREDIT PARTIES

 

To induce the Administrative Agent and Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make Extensions of Credit, Credit Parties hereby represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders both before and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereunder, which representations and warranties shall be deemed made on the Closing Date and as otherwise set forth in Section 5.2, that:

 

Section 6.1                      Organization; Power; Qualification.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, (b) has the organizational power and authority to own its Properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted, and (c) is duly qualified and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the character of its Properties or the nature of its business requires such qualification and authorization except in jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 6.2                      Authorization; Enforceability.  Each Credit Party has the organizational right, power and authority and has taken all necessary organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents to which it is a party in accordance with their respective terms.  This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the duly authorized officers of each Credit Party that is a party thereto, and each such document constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Credit Party that is a party thereto, enforceable against such Credit Party in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar state or federal debtor relief laws from time to time in effect which affect the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general and principles of equity.

 

 

Section 6.3                      Ownership.  Schedule 6.3 sets forth, as of the Closing Date the name and jurisdiction of incorporation or formation of each direct and indirect Subsidiary of the Credit Parties and as to each such Subsidiary, all of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock thereof are owned directly or indirectly by the Credit Parties other than (i) director’s qualifying shares or (ii) investments by foreign nationals mandated by law, in each case under either clause (i) or (ii) in a collective amount not to exceed 1% of the aggregate outstanding shares of Capital Stock of such Subsidiary.  All of the issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock or other ownership interests of such Subsidiaries have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Section 6.4                      No Conflict; Government Consent.  Neither the execution and delivery by any Credit Parties of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, nor the consummation by the Borrower of the transactions therein contemplated, nor compliance by any Credit Parties with the provisions thereof will violate (i) any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award binding on the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) Borrower's or any Subsidiary's articles or certificate of incorporation, partnership agreement, certificate of partnership, articles or certificate of organization, bylaws, or operating or other management agreement, as the case may be, or (iii) the provisions of any indenture, instrument or agreement evidencing Indebtedness or payment obligations in excess of the Threshold Amount to which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is subject, or by which it, or its Property, is bound, or conflict with or constitute a default thereunder, or result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien in, of or on the Property of the Borrower or a Subsidiary  pursuant to the terms of any such indenture, instrument or agreement. No order, consent, adjudication, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by, or other action in respect of any Governmental Authority, which has not been obtained by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, is required to be obtained by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the execution and delivery by any Credit Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, the borrowings under this Agreement, or the payment and performance by any Credit Party of the Obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, or in order to insure the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Credit Party of any of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

Section 6.5                      Financial Statements.  The December 25, 2011 audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and their unaudited financial statements dated as of September 23, 2012, heretofore delivered to the Lenders were prepared in accordance with GAAP in effect as of the respective dates of such statements (subject, in the case of the interim financial statements, to normal  year-end adjustments and the absence of footnote disclosures) and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such respective dates and the consolidated results of their operations for the respective periods then ended.

 

Section 6.6                      Material Adverse Change.  Since December 25, 2011 there has been no change in the business, Property, financial condition or results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

Section 6.7                           Taxes.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all United States federal and state income Tax returns and all other material Tax returns which are required to be filed by them (after giving effect to any extension) and have paid all United States federal and state income Taxes and all other material Taxes due from the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, pursuant to any assessment received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except such Taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. As of the date of this Agreement, no Tax Liens have been filed and no claims have been asserted with respect to any such Taxes. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in respect of any Taxes or other governmental charges are adequate.

 

Section 6.8                           Litigation and Guaranty Obligations.  There is no litigation, arbitration, governmental investigation, proceeding or inquiry pending or, to the knowledge of any of the Borrower's officers, threatened against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or which seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay the making of any Extensions of Credit.  Other than any liability incident to any litigation, arbitration, investigation, proceeding or inquiry which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower has, as of the date of this Agreement, no material Guaranty Obligations not provided for or disclosed in the financial statements referred to in Section 6.5.

 

Section 6.9                           ERISA.  With respect to each Plan, Borrower and all ERISA Affiliates have paid all required minimum contributions and installments on or before the due dates provided under Section 430(j) of the Code and could not reasonably be subject to a lien under Section 430(k) of the Code or Title IV of ERISA. Neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has filed, pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA, an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 6.10                           Regulation U.  Margin stock (as defined in Regulation U) constitutes less than 25% of the value of those assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries which are subject to any limitation on sale, pledge, or other restriction hereunder.

 

Section 6.11                           Compliance With Laws.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all respects with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations, orders and restrictions of any domestic or foreign government or any instrumentality or agency thereof having jurisdiction over the conduct of their respective businesses or the ownership of their respective Property, except where failure to be in such compliance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 6.12                           Environmental Matters.  In the ordinary course of its business, the officers of Borrower consider the effect of Environmental Laws on the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in the course of which they identify and evaluate potential risks and liabilities accruing to the Borrower due to Environmental Laws.  On the basis of this consideration, the Borrower has concluded its Property and operations and those of its Subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to be in such compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and that none of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any liability under Environmental Laws that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has received any notice to the effect that its Property and/or operations are not in material compliance with any of the requirements of applicable Environmental Laws or are the subject of any federal or state investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release of any Hazardous Material, which noncompliance or remedial action would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

Section 6.13                       Investment Company Act.  Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Section 6.14                       No Default.  No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Section 6.15                      Intellectual Property Matters.  The Borrower and each Subsidiary thereof owns or possesses rights to use all material franchises, licenses, copyrights, copyright applications, patents, patent rights or licenses, patent applications, trademarks, trademark rights, service mark, service mark rights, trade names, trade name rights, copyrights and other rights with respect to the foregoing which are reasonably necessary to conduct its business, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No event has occurred which permits, or after notice or lapse of time or both would permit, the revocation or termination of any such rights, and no Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is liable to any Person for infringement under Applicable Law with respect to any such rights as a result of its business operations, except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 6.16                      Employee Relations.  The Borrower knows of no pending, threatened or contemplated strikes, work stoppage or other collective labor disputes involving its employees or those of its Subsidiaries that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 6.17                      Burdensome Provisions.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries do not presently anticipate that future expenditures needed to meet the provisions of any statutes, orders, rules or regulations of a Governmental Authority will be so burdensome as to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Subsidiary is party to any agreement or instrument or otherwise subject to any restriction or encumbrance that restricts or limits its ability to make dividend payments or other distributions in respect of its Capital Stock to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or to transfer any of its assets or properties to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary in each case other than existing under or by reason of the Loan Documents or Applicable Law.

 

Section 6.18                      OFAC.  No Credit Party nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is an “enemy” or an “ally of the enemy” within the meaning of Section 2 of the Trading with the Enemy Act of the United States (50 U.S.C. App. §§ 1 et seq.), as amended, (ii) is in violation of (A) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, (B) any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto or (C) the PATRIOT Act, (iii) is a Sanctioned Person, (iv) has more than 10% of its assets in Sanctioned Countries, or (v) derives more than 10% of its operating income from investments in, or transactions with Sanctioned Persons or Sanctioned Countries.  No part of the proceeds of any Extension of Credit hereunder will be used directly or indirectly to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in or make any payments to, a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Country.

 

 

Section 6.19                      Disclosure.  No financial statement, material report, material certificate or other material information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof 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), taken together as a whole, contains any untrue statement of a material 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, pro forma financial information, estimated financial information and other projected or estimated information, such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time (it being recognized by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that such projections are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections may differ from  projected results and such differences may be material).

 

Section 6.20                           Insurance.  The properties of the Borrower and each Subsidiary are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies against at least such risks and in such amounts (and subject to such deductibles and self-insurance retentions) as are customarily maintained by similar businesses and as may be required by Applicable Law (including, without limitation, hazard and business interruption insurance).

 

ARTICLE VII

 

 

Until all of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due and Letters of Credit) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Commitments terminated, each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to:

 

Section 7.1                      Financial Statements and Budgets.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a)         Annual Financial Statements.  As soon as practicable and in any event within ninety (90) days (or, if earlier, within 15 days of the date of any required public filing thereof) after the end of each Fiscal Year (commencing with the Fiscal Year ended December 30, 2012), an audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such Fiscal Year and audited Consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for such Fiscal Year including the notes thereto, all in reasonable detail setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures as of the end of and for the preceding Fiscal Year and prepared in accordance with GAAP and, if applicable, containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during the year.  Such annual financial statements shall be audited by KPMG LLP or any other independent certified public accounting firm of recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and accompanied by a report and opinion thereon by such certified public accountants prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards that is not subject to any “going concern” or similar qualification or exception or any qualification as to the scope of such audit or with respect to accounting principles followed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries not in accordance with GAAP.

 

 

(b)         Quarterly Financial Statements.  As soon as practicable and in any event within forty-five (45) days (or, if earlier, within 15 days of the date of any required public filing thereof) after the end of the first three fiscal quarters of each Fiscal Year (commencing with the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013), an unaudited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and unaudited Consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and a report containing management’s discussion and analysis of such financial statements for such fiscal quarter and that portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, including the notes thereto, all in reasonable detail setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period in the preceding Fiscal Year and prepared by the Borrower in accordance with GAAP and, if applicable, containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during the period, and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis as of their respective dates and the results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for the respective periods then ended, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) or (b) or Sections 7.2(b) or (c) (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 Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed in Section 11.1; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial or governmental third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the Officer’s Compliance Certificates required by Section 7.2 to the Administrative Agent.  Except for such Officer’s 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 Borrower 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.

 

 

Section 7.2                      Certificates; Other Reports.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a)         at each time financial statements are delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) or (b) a duly completed Officer’s Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying, among other things, as to compliance or non-compliance with all financial covenants hereunder and stating that no Default or Event of Default exists, or if any Default or Event of Default exists, stating the nature and status thereof;

 

(b)         promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of all reports and other information, if any, furnished to shareholders of Borrower;

 

(c)         promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the shareholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or with any national securities exchange, and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

 

(d)         promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof;

 

(e)         promptly upon the request thereof, such other information and documentation required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations (including, without limitation, the PATRIOT Act), as from time to time reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender; and

 

(f)         such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

Section 7.3                           Notice of Material Events.  Give notice in writing to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, promptly and in any event within five (5) Business Days (other than with respect to clauses (a) below, which shall be two (2) Business Days) after a Responsible Officer of Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, of the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(a)         any Default or Event of Default;

 

(b)         the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority (including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws) against the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or which seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay the making of any Extensions of Credit;

 

 

(c)         with respect to a Plan, (i) any failure to pay all required minimum contributions and installments on or before the due dates provided under Section 4300 of the Code or (ii) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA, of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard;

 

(d)         the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(e)         any material change in accounting policies of, or financial reporting practices by, the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

 

(f)         any other development, financial or otherwise, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of such officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

Section 7.4                           Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of the Extensions of Credit for general corporate and working capital purposes, store expansions, acquisitions, capital expenditures, dividends and distributions, repurchases of the Borrower’s common stock, and other corporate purposes.  The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, use any of the proceeds of all Extensions of Credit to purchase or carry any “margin stock” (as defined in Regulation U).

 

Section 7.5                           Conduct of Business.  Subject to Section 8.1, carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same fields of enterprise as any of the businesses of Borrower or its Subsidiaries are presently conducted (or fields of enterprise incidental or complementary thereto) and do all things necessary to remain duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and (to the extent such concept applies to such entity) in good standing as a domestic corporation, partnership or limited liability company in its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, as the case may be, and maintain all requisite organizational authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted.  In addition, Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary, to remain duly qualified and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it or the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.6                           Taxes.  Timely file (after giving effect to any extensions) complete and correct United States federal and state income Tax returns and all other material Tax returns required by law and pay when due all United States federal and state income Taxes and all other material Taxes upon it or its income, profits or Property, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with GAAP.

 

 

Section 7.7                           Insurance.  Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies property insurance, liability insurance and environmental insurance in such amounts, subject to such deductibles and self-insurance retentions and covering such properties and risks as is customarily maintained by similarly situated businesses, and the Borrower will furnish to any Lender upon request full information as to the insurance carried.

 

Section 7.8                           Books and Records; Inspection.  Keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, by their respective representatives and agents, at Borrower's expense, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and otherwise at the expense of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, to inspect any of the Property, books and financial records of Borrower and each Subsidiary, to examine and make copies of the books of accounts and other financial records of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of Borrower and each Subsidiary with, and to be advised as to the same by, their respective officers at such reasonable times and intervals as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may designate with reasonable advance notice.

 

Section 7.9                           Maintenance of Property and Licenses.

 

(a)         Protect and preserve all Properties necessary in and material to its business, including copyrights, patents, trade names, service marks and trademarks; maintain in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, all buildings, equipment and other tangible real and personal property; and from time to time make or cause to be made all repairs, renewals and replacements thereof and additions to such Property necessary for the conduct of its business, so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner; in each case except as such action or inaction would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)         Maintain, in full force and effect in all material respects, each and every material license, permit, certification, qualification, approval or franchise issued by any Governmental Authority (each a “License”) required for each of them to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.10                      Compliance with Laws and Approvals.  Observe and remain in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws) and maintain in full force and effect all Governmental Approvals, in each case applicable to the conduct of its business except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 7.11                      Compliance with ERISA.  In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 7.10, (a) except where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) comply with applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to all Plans, (ii) not take any action or fail to take action the result of which could reasonably be expected to result in a liability to the PBGC or to a Multiemployer Plan, (iii) not participate in any prohibited transaction that could result in any civil penalty under ERISA or tax under the Code and (iv) operate each Plan in such a manner that will not incur any tax liability under Section 4980B of the Code or any liability to any qualified beneficiary as defined in Section 4980B of the Code and (b) furnish to the Administrative Agent upon the Administrative Agent’s request such additional information about any Plan as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

 

Section 7.12                           Subsidiaries.

 

(a)         Upon the initial designation of any Material Subsidiary:

 

(i)           If it is a Domestic Subsidiary, then as promptly as possible but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such later date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) after such Material Subsidiary is organized, designated or acquired, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing the material assets of such Subsidiary and shall cause each such Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent a joinder to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement (in the form contemplated thereby) pursuant to which such Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, such guaranty joinders to be accompanied by an updated organizational chart for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries substantially similar to Schedule 6.3 hereto designating such Material Domestic Subsidiary as such, appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation and legal opinions, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, and such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

(ii)           If it is a First Tier Foreign Subsidiary, then as promptly as possible but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such later date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) after such Material Subsidiary is organized, designated or acquired, Borrower shall provide written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, and at the request of the Administrative Agent, promptly thereafter (and in any event within forty-five (45) days after such request), cause the applicable Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent security documents (in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent) pledging on a first priority basis sixty-six percent (66%) of the total outstanding voting Capital Stock (and one hundred percent (100%) of the non-voting Capital Stock) of any such new First Tier Foreign Subsidiary and a consent thereto executed by such new First Tier Foreign Subsidiary (including, without limitation, if applicable, original stock certificates (or the equivalent thereof pursuant to the Applicable Laws and practices of any relevant foreign jurisdiction) evidencing the Capital Stock of such new First Tier Foreign Subsidiary, together with an appropriate undated stock power for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof), (iii) such Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent such documents and certificates referred to in Section 5.1 as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, (vi) such Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent such updated Schedules to the Loan Documents as requested by the Administrative Agent with regard to such Person and (v) such Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

 

(b)         If the aggregate amount of Borrower’s Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of any reporting period under Sections 7.1(a) or (b) or the book value of the Borrower’s Consolidated total assets as of such date, in each case as contributed by all Subsidiaries that are not Material Subsidiaries equals or exceeds 20% of the Borrower’s Consolidated EBITDA for such period or 20% of the Borrower’s consolidated total assets as of such date, the Borrower (or, in the event the Borrower has failed to do so within ten (10) days after the day by which it is required to have delivered its Officer’s Compliance Certificate under Section 7.2(a), the Administrative Agent) shall designate sufficient Subsidiaries as “Material Subsidiaries” to eliminate such excess, and such designated Subsidiaries shall for all purposes of this Agreement constitute Material Subsidiaries and the Borrower shall comply, and cause such additional Material Subsidiary or Material Subsidiaries to comply, with the requirements of Section 7.12(a)(i) and/or (ii), as applicable, promptly thereafter (and in any case within 45 days after delivery of the relevant annual or quarterly financial statements).

 

(c)         So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or would occur as a result thereof) and removal of the Material Subsidiary designation of a Subsidiary will not cause the aggregate amount of EBITDA for such period or the book value of the assets of all Subsidiaries that are not Material Subsidiaries to respectively exceed 20% of Borrower’s Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated assets as of the date of such removal, the Borrower may remove the Material Subsidiary designation of such Subsidiary and obtain a release of the any applicable equity pledge with respect to such Subsidiary or such Subsidiary shall be released from the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until all of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due and Letters of Credit) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Commitments terminated, the Credit Parties will not, and will not permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to.

 

Section 8.1                           Merger.  Merge or consolidate with or into any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that (i) a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary may merge, consolidate, liquidate or dissolve into (a) another Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, (b) any Credit Party (with the Credit Party being the survivor thereof, and with Borrower being the survivor of any merger with any such Subsidiary), or (c) any other Person in connection with a Permitted Disposition, (ii) a Subsidiary Guarantor may merge, consolidate, liquidate or dissolve into (a) any Credit Party (with Borrower being the survivor of any merger with any such Subsidiary) or (b) any other Person in connection with a Permitted Disposition, and (iii) Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any Person other than Borrower or a Subsidiary in order to effect a Permitted Acquisition (with Borrower or such Subsidiary being the survivor thereof).

 

Section 8.2                           Sale of Assets.  Lease, sell or otherwise dispose of its Property to any other Person, except the following (each a “Permitted Disposition”):

 

 

(a)         Sales of inventory, or used, worn-out or surplus equipment, all in the ordinary course of business.

 

(b)         The sale of equipment to the extent that such equipment is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement equipment, or the proceeds of such sale are applied with reasonable promptness to the purchase price of such replacement equipment.

 

(c)         Sales of Property (i) between Credit Parties, (ii) between Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries, (iii) by a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to any Credit Party, and (iv) by a Credit Party to a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to the extent reasonably necessary to facilitate international tax planning strategies.

 

(d)         The licensing of rights to use intellectual property in the ordinary course of business or in settlement of any litigation or claims in respect of intellectual property and the leasing of real property or equipment in the ordinary course of business or as part of or incidental to the provision of transitional services to a purchaser of Property in connection with a disposition of such Property permitted by this Agreement.

 

(e)         Sales of Investments permitted by Section 8.3(a).

 

(f)         Any other lease, sale or other disposition of its Property that, together with all other Property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries previously leased, sold or disposed of pursuant to this clause (f) during the four quarter period ending with the quarter in which such lease, sale or other disposition occurs, does not exceed 15% of the Borrower's and its Subsidiaries' consolidated total assets (as determined as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been provided under Section 7.1), and provided further that after giving effect to any disposition of majority ownership or all or substantially all of the assets of any Subsidiary Guarantor, Borrower shall be in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with the financial covenants contained in Section 8.11 as of the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter ended prior to the consummation of such disposition for which financial statements have been delivered, pursuant to Section 7.1 calculated, as if such disposition, including the consideration therefor, had been consummated on such date.

 

Section 8.3                           Investments.  Make or suffer to exist any Investments (including without limitation, loans and advances to, and other Investments in, Subsidiaries), or commitments therefor, or to create any Subsidiary or to become or remain a partner in any partnership or joint venture, except:

 

(a)         Cash Equivalent Investments and Investments made pursuant to the Borrower's Investment Policy and Guidelines as approved and modified from time to time by Borrower’s board of directors.

 

(b)         Existing Investments in Subsidiaries and other Investments in existence on the date hereof.

 

(c)         Investments constituting Permitted Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any nominal amounts invested by the Borrower or a Subsidiary  thereof to capitalize a new Subsidiary formed to consummate the applicable Acquisition, together with any incidental amounts required to be paid as part of the formation process for such Subsidiary),

 

 

(d)         Investments by (i) Credit Parties in other Credit Parties, (ii) Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries in other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries, and (iii) Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries in Credit Parties.

 

(e)         The repurchase of capital stock and other securities of Borrower to the extent constituting a permitted Restricted Payment under Section 8.6.

 

(f)         Other Investments made after the Closing Date, provided that the aggregate amount of such other Investments does not exceed 20% of Consolidated Net Worth (as determined as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered under Section 7.1).  In determining the amount of Investments permitted under this clause (f), loans, advances, bonds, notes, debentures and similar Investments shall be taken at the principal amount thereof then remaining unpaid, and stocks, mutual funds, partnership interests and similar Investments shall be taken at the original cost thereof (regardless of any subsequent appreciation or depreciation therein) net of any cash distributions in respect thereof.

 

Section 8.4                           Acquisitions.  Make any Acquisition other than a Permitted Acquisition.

 

Section 8.5                           Liens.  Create, incur, or suffer to exist any Lien in, of or on the Property of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except

 

(a)         Liens for Taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies on its Property if the same shall not at the time be delinquent or thereafter can be paid without penalty, or are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its books.

 

(b)         Liens imposed by law, such as carriers', warehousemen's and mechanics' liens and other similar liens arising in the ordinary course of business which secure payment of obligations not more than 60 days past due or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its books.

 

(c)         Liens arising out of pledges or deposits under worker's compensation laws, unemployment insurance, old age pensions, or other social security or retirement benefits, or similar legislation.

 

(d)         Utility easements, building restrictions and such other encumbrances or charges against real property as are of a nature generally existing with respect to properties of a similar character and which do not in any material way affect the marketability of the same or interfere with the use thereof in the business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries.

 

(e)         Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to bankers’ liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts, securities  accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided that (i) such account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restriction against access by Borrower or a Subsidiary  in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, and (ii) such account is not intended by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution.

 

 

(f)         Liens existing on the date hereof and described in Schedule 8.5.

 

(g)         Liens on Property acquired in any Permitted Acquisition, provided that such Liens extend only to the Property so acquired and were not created in contemplation of such acquisition.

 

(h)         Liens granted pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(i)         Liens to secure the performance of bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness), leases, statutory obligations, liability to insurance carriers, surety or appeal bonds, performance  bonds or other obligations of a like nature (including Liens to secure letters of credit issued to assure payment of such obligations).

 

(j)         Liens consisting of licenses or leases permitted by Section 8.2(d).

 

(k)         Liens related to judgments or orders that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 9.1(j).

 

(l)         Other Liens securing Indebtedness or other liabilities or obligations, provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness or other liabilities or obligations at any time outstanding secured by Liens described in this clause (l) at any time does not exceed 10% of Borrower's and its Subsidiaries' consolidated total assets (as determined as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been provided under Section 7.1).

 

Section 8.6                           Restricted Payments.  Make any Restricted Payment unless no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing after giving effect thereto (including, on a pro forma basis as if such Restricted Payment had been made on the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been provided under Section 7.1, pursuant to Section 8.11).

 

Section 8.7                           Hedge Agreements.  Enter into any Hedge Agreement, except Hedge Agreements entered into for non-speculative purposes.

 

Section 8.8                           Changes in Fiscal Periods.  Permit the fiscal year of Borrower to end on a day other than the end of the Fiscal Year or change the Borrower’s method of determining fiscal quarters.

 

Section 8.9                           Negative Pledge Clauses.  Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any agreement that prohibits or limits the ability of Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property or revenues (it being understood that an “equal and ratable” provision is not an agreement that imposes such a prohibition or limitation), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, securing Indebtedness and other obligations under the Loan Documents (regardless of the amount thereof), other than (a) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (b) restrictions contained in the documents governing any Indebtedness with a final maturity of less than one year, (c) restrictions and conditions imposed by law, (d) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale or disposition of a Subsidiary, property or assets pending such sale or disposition, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to such Subsidiary, property or assets, (e) restrictions and conditions contained in documentation relating to a Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date, provided that such restriction or condition (i) existed at the time such Person became a Subsidiary and was not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) applies only to such Subsidiary, (f) restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to Indebtedness or other obligations secured by Liens permitted under this Agreement if such restrictions and conditions apply only to the property or assets subject to such Liens, and (g) customary provisions in leases, licenses and other contracts restricting or conditioning the assignment or encumbrance thereof, including, without limitation, licenses and sublicenses of patents, trademarks, copyrights and similar intellectual property rights.

 

 

Section 8.10                           Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions.  Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary of Borrower to (a) make any payment of a type described in the definition of “Restricted  Payment” in respect of any Capital Stock of such Subsidiary held by, or pay any Indebtedness owed to, Borrower or any Subsidiary, (b) make loans or advances to, or other investments in, Borrower or any Subsidiary or (c) transfer any of its assets to Borrower or any Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) any restrictions existing under, or imposed by (A) any Loan Document or (B) Applicable Law; (ii) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into in connection with (x) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary or (y) the sale or disposition of any asset of such Subsidiary so long as the encumbrance or restriction applies only to the asset to be disposed; (iii) restrictions and conditions contained in documentation relating to a Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date, provided that such restriction or condition (x) existed at the time such Person became a Subsidiary and was not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (y) applies only to such Subsidiary; and (iv) restrictions contained in the documents governing any Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted under this Agreement if such restrictions and conditions apply only to the property or assets subject to such Liens.

 

Section 8.11                           Financial Covenants.

 

(a)         Consolidated Coverage Ratio.  As of the last day of any fiscal quarter, permit the Consolidated Coverage Ratio to be less than 2.50 to 1.00.

 

(b)         Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio.  As of the last day of any fiscal quarter, permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio to be greater than 2.00 to 1.00.

 

(c)         Minimum Consolidated EBITDA.  As of the last day of any fiscal quarter, permit Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or immediately prior to such date to be less than $100,000,000.00.

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

Section 9.1                      Events of Default.  Each of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

(a)         Default in Payment of Principal of Loans and Reimbursement Obligations.  The Borrower shall default in any payment of principal of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation when and as due (whether at maturity, by reason of acceleration or otherwise) and such default shall continue for a period of five (5) Business Days.

 

(b)         Misrepresentation.  Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in this Agreement, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith that is subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications, shall be incorrect or misleading in any respect when made or deemed made or any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith that is not subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications, shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made.

 

(c)         Default in Performance of Certain Covenants.  Any Credit Party shall default in the performance or observance of any covenant or agreement contained in Sections 7.3 or 7.4 or the first sentence of Section 7.5 , or ARTICLE VIII.

 

(d)         Default in Performance of Other Covenants and Conditions.  Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall default in the performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than as specifically provided for in this Section) or any other Loan Document and such default shall continue for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier of (i) the Administrative Agent’s delivery of written notice thereof to the Borrower and (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower having obtained knowledge thereof.

 

(e)         Indebtedness Cross-Default.  Any Credit Party or any Article IX Subsidiary thereof shall (i) default in the payment of any Indebtedness (other than the Loans or any Reimbursement Obligation) the aggregate outstanding amount of which Indebtedness is in excess of the Threshold Amount beyond the period of grace if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created, or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness (other than the Loans or any Reimbursement Obligation) the aggregate outstanding amount (or, with respect to any Hedge Agreement, the Hedge Termination Value) of which Indebtedness is in excess of the Threshold Amount or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice and/or lapse of time, if required, any such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity (and in each case any applicable grace period having expired).

 

 

(f)         Change in Control.  Any Change in Control shall occur.

 

(g)         Voluntary Bankruptcy Proceeding.  Any Credit Party or any Article IX Subsidiary shall (i) commence a voluntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect), (ii) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or composition for adjustment of debts, (iii) consent to or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner any petition filed against it in an involuntary case under such bankruptcy laws or other laws, (iv) apply for or consent to, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee, or liquidator of itself or of a substantial part of its property, domestic or foreign, (v) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due, (vi) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (vii) take any corporate action for the purpose of authorizing any of the foregoing.

 

(h)         Involuntary Bankruptcy Proceeding.  A case or other proceeding shall be commenced against any Credit Party or any Article IX Subsidiary in any court of competent jurisdiction seeking (i) relief under the federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect) or under any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or adjustment of debts, or (ii) the appointment of a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or the like for any Credit Party or any Article IX Subsidiary or for all or any substantial part of their respective assets, domestic or foreign, and such case or proceeding shall continue without dismissal or stay for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days, or an order granting the relief requested in such case or proceeding (including, but not limited to, an order for relief under such federal bankruptcy laws) shall be entered.

 

(i)         Failure of Agreements.  Any provision of this Agreement or any provision of any other Loan Document (in each case deemed material by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders) shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof party thereto or any such Person shall so state in writing, except as a result of the release of any Credit Party pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents.

 

(j)         Judgments.  The Borrower or any of its Article IX Subsidiaries shall fail within thirty (30) days to pay, obtain a stay with respect to, or otherwise discharge one or more (i) judgments or orders for the payment of money in excess (to the extent not fully covered by insurance) of the Threshold Amount (or the equivalent thereof in currencies other than Dollars) in the aggregate, or (ii) nonmonetary judgments or orders which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, which judgment(s), in any such case, is/are not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any of its Article IX Subsidiaries to enforce any such judgment.

 

(k)         ERISA.  (i) With respect to a Plan, the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate is subject to a lien in excess of the Threshold Amount pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA or Title IV of ERISA, or (ii) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

Section 9.2                      Remedies.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower:

 

(a)         Acceleration; Termination of Credit Facility.  Terminate the Revolving Credit Commitment and declare the principal of and interest on the Loans and the Reimbursement Obligations at the time outstanding, and all other amounts owed to the Lenders and to the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, all L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented or shall be entitled to present the documents required thereunder) and all other Obligations, to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by each Credit Party, anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, and terminate the Credit Facility and any right of the Borrower to request borrowings or Letters of Credit thereunder; provided, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 9.1(g) or (h), the Credit Facility shall be automatically terminated and all Obligations shall automatically become due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by each Credit Party, anything in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

(b)         Letters of Credit.  With respect to all Letters of Credit with respect to which presentment for honor shall not have occurred at the time of an acceleration pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the Borrower shall at such time deposit in a Cash Collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent an amount equal to the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit.  Amounts held in such Cash Collateral account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to the payment of drafts drawn under such Letters of Credit, and the unused portion thereof after all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, if any, shall be applied to repay the other Obligations on a pro rata basis.  After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, the Reimbursement Obligation shall have been satisfied and all other Obligations shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such Cash Collateral account shall be returned to the Borrower.

 

(c)         General Remedies.  Exercise on behalf of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Lender, and any other holder from time to time of any Lender Party Obligations, all of its other rights and remedies under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and Applicable Law, in order to satisfy all of the Lender Party Obligations.

 

Section 9.3                      Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Non-Waiver; etc.

 

(a)         The enumeration of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders set forth in this Agreement is not intended to be exhaustive and the exercise by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of any right or remedy shall not preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies, all of which shall be cumulative, and shall be in addition to any other right or remedy given hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or that may now or hereafter exist at law or in equity or by suit or otherwise.  No delay or failure to take action on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right, power or privilege shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege or shall be construed to be a waiver of any Event of Default.  No course of dealing between the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or their respective agents or employees shall be effective to change, modify or discharge any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or to constitute a waiver of any Event of Default.

 

 

(b)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Credit Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 9.2 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the Issuing Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the Issuing Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Issuing Lender) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.4 (subject to the terms of Section 4.6), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Credit Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.2 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 4.6, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

 

Section 9.4                      Crediting of Payments and Proceeds.  In the event that the Obligations have been accelerated pursuant to Section 9.2 or the Administrative Agent or any Lender has exercised any remedy set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, all payments received by the Lenders upon the Lender Party Obligations and all net proceeds from the enforcement of the Lender Party Obligations shall be applied:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Lender Party Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts, including attorney fees, payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such, and the Issuing Lender in its capacity as such, ratably among the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause First payable to them;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Lender Party Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders under the Loan Documents, including attorney fees, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Lender Party Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations, 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 Lender Party Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations and payment obligations then owing under Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Agreements, ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Lender, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

 

Fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender, to Cash Collateralize any L/C Obligations then outstanding; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Lender Party Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) have been paid or cash collateralized in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Applicable Law.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Lender Party Obligations arising under Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above (a) if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice of such Lender Party Obligation, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be, or (b) with respect to amounts received from any Subsidiary Guarantor, if and to the extent that such Lender Party Obligations constitute “Swap Obligations” (as defined under the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement) that are not guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor by virtue of the operation of the proviso at the end of the first sentence of Section 3 of the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement.  Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of ARTICLE X for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

Section 9.5                      Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Credit 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 the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) 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 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, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent under Sections 3.3, 4.3 and 11.3) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

 

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

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the Issuing 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 and the Issuing Lender, 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 3.3, 4.3 and 11.3.

 

ARTICLE X

 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

Section 10.1                      Appointment and Authority.

 

(a)           Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Wells Fargo 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.  Except for rights granted to the Borrower under Sections 10.6 and 10.9 hereof, the provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, and neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary thereof shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.  It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

(b)           The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collection agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacity as a potential Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank) and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the Issuing Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all rights and liens on any collateral granted by any of the Credit Parties to secure any of the Lender Party Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto (including, without limitation, to enter into additional Loan Documents or supplements to existing Loan Documents on behalf of the Lender Parties).  In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collection agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this ARTICLE X for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on any collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Loan Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Articles X and XI (including Section 11.3, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collection agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

 

 

Section 10.2                      Rights as a Lender.  The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

Section 10.3                           Exculpatory Provisions.

 

(a)         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:

 

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

 

(ii)           shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or Applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

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

 

(b)         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 Section 11.2 and Section 9.2) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final nonappealable judgment.  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 Borrower, a Lender or the Issuing Lender.

 

 

(c)         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.

 

Section 10.4                      Reliance by the 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 Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the Issuing Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the Issuing Lender prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

Section 10.5                      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 as well as activities as Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

 

 

Section 10.6                           Resignation of Administrative Agent.

 

(a)         The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower and subject to the consent of the Borrower (provided no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such resignation), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)         If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person, remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower and subject to the reasonable consent of the Borrower (provided no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such appointment), appoint a successor.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

(c)         With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable), (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder (other than its duties and obligations under Section 11.11 hereof) and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuing Lender under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the Issuing Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations (other than its duties and obligations under Section 11.11 hereof) hereunder or under the other Loan Documents.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.3 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

 

(d)         Any resignation by Wells Fargo as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as Issuing 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 Issuing Lender, (b) the retiring Issuing Lender shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder (other than its duties and obligations under Section 11.11 hereof) or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor Issuing Lender shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangement satisfactory to the retiring Issuing Lender to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuing Lender with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

Section 10.7                      Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.  Each Lender and the Issuing Lender 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 Issuing Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

Section 10.8                           No Other Duties, etc.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the syndication agents, documentation agents, co-agents, book managers, lead managers, arrangers, lead arrangers or co-arrangers listed on the cover page or signature pages 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 Issuing Lender hereunder.

 

Section 10.9                      Guaranty Matters. Each of the Lenders and Issuing Lender (including in its or any of its Affiliate’s capacities as a potential Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank) irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under any Loan Documents if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder or if Borrower has removed any Material Subsidiary designation of such Subsidiary in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 7.12(c).  Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.9.  In each case as specified in this Section 10.9, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Credit Party such documents as such Credit Party may reasonably request to release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 10.9.

 

 

Section 10.10                                Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Agreements.  No Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 9.4 or any other payments by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Subsidiary Guaranty shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the any collection proceeds or collateral (including the release or impairment of any collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this ARTICLE X to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.1                      Notices.

 

(a)         Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows:

 

If to the Borrower:

 

BUFFALO WILD WINGS, INC.

5500 Wayzata Blvd.

Minneapolis, MN 55416

Attention of: Mary J. Twinem

Telephone No.:   ###-###-####

Facsimile No.:   ###-###-####

E-mail: ***@***

Website: www.buffalowildwings.com

 

If to Wells Fargo as Administrative Agent:

 

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

MAC 9305-187

90 South 7th Street, 18th Floor

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention of: Cynthia S. Goplen

Telephone No.:   ###-###-####

Facsimile No.:   ###-###-####

E-mail:   ***@***

 

With copies to (to the extent the Administrative Agent’s address is different):

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Lender

MAC 9305-187

90 South 7th Street, 18th Floor

Minneapolis, MN 55402

Attention of: Cynthia S. Goplen

Telephone No.:   ###-###-####

Facsimile No.:   ###-###-####

E-mail:   ***@***

 

If to any other Lender:

 

To the address set forth on its signature page hereof,

or if applicable, in its Assignment and Assumption.

 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).

 

(b)         Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender 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 Issuing Lender pursuant to ARTICLE II if such Lender or the Issuing Lender, 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 Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.  Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or other communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

 

 

(c)         Administrative Agent’s Office.  The Administrative Agent hereby designates its office located at the address set forth above, or any subsequent office which shall have been specified for such purpose by written notice to the Borrower and Lenders, as the Administrative Agent’s Office referred to herein, to which payments due are to be made and at which Loans will be disbursed and Letters of Credit requested.

 

(d)         Change of Address, Etc.  Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(e)         Platform.

 

(i)           Each Credit Party agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Lender and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”).

 

(ii)           The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.”  The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications.  No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or the Platform.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Credit Party, any Lender or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Credit Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform.  “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Credit Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any Lender by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through the Platform.

 

Section 11.2                      Amendments, Waivers and Consents.  Except as set forth below or as specifically provided in any Loan Document, any term, covenant, agreement or condition of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents may be amended or waived by the Lenders, and any consent may be given by the Lenders, if, but only if, such amendment, waiver or consent is in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and delivered to the Administrative Agent and, in the case of an amendment, signed by the Borrower; provided, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

 

(a)         without the prior written consent of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders, amend, modify or waive (i) Section 5.2 or any other provision of this Agreement if the effect of such amendment, modification or waiver is to require the Revolving Credit Lenders (pursuant to, in the case of any such amendment to a provision hereof other than Section 5.2, any substantially concurrent request by the Borrower for a borrowing of Revolving Credit Loans) to make Revolving Credit Loans when such Revolving Credit Lenders would not otherwise be required to do so, or (ii) the amount of the L/C Commitment;

 

(b)         increase the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Revolving Credit Lender (or reinstate any Revolving Credit Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.2) or the amount of Loans of any Revolving Credit Lender, in any case, without the written consent of such Revolving Credit Lender;

 

(c)         waive, extend or postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(d)         reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the rate set forth in Section 4.1(c) during the continuance of an Event of Default or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Obligation or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

 

(e)         change Section 4.6 or Section 9.4 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(f)         change any provision of this Section or reduce the percentages specified in the definitions of “Required Lenders,” or “Required Revolving Credit 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, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

 

(g)         consent to the assignment or transfer by any Credit Party of such Credit Party’s rights and obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party (except as permitted pursuant to Section 8.1, in each case, without the written consent of each Lender; or

 

(h)         release (i) all of the Subsidiary Guarantors or (ii) Subsidiary Guarantors comprising substantially all of the credit support for the Lender Party Obligations, in any case, from any Guaranty Agreement (other than as authorized in Section 10.9), without the written consent of each Lender;

 

 

provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Issuing Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Issuing Lender under this Agreement or any Letter of Credit Application 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 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, and (iii) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend any provision of the Loan Documents (and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document) if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error or any error or omission of a technical or immaterial nature in any such provision.  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 Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.

 

Section 11.3                           Expenses; Indemnity.

 

(a)         Costs and Expenses.  The Borrower and any other Credit Party, jointly and severally, 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), and shall pay all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys, in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facility, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents subject to the limitations contained in Section 5.1(d)(iii) 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 Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender) 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 Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the Issuing Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, and shall pay or reimburse any such Indemnitee for, any and all losses, claims (including, without limitation, any Environmental Claims), damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower or any other Credit Party) other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties, 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, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Lender 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 any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, or any Environmental Claim related in any way to any Credit Party or any Subsidiary, (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 any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, or (v) any claim (including, without limitation, any Environmental Claims), investigation, litigation or other proceeding (whether or not the Administrative Agent or any Lender is a party thereto) and the prosecution and defense thereof, arising out of or in any way connected with the Loans, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including without limitation, reasonable attorneys and consultant’s fees, 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 final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Credit Party or such Subsidiary has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

 

(c)         Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under clause (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the Issuing Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Issuing Lender 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 based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender); provided that with respect to such unpaid amounts owed to the Issuing Lender solely in its capacity as such, only the Revolving Credit Lenders shall be required to pay such unpaid amounts, such payment to be made severally among them based on such Revolving Credit Lenders’ Commitment Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) provided, further, 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), Issuing Lender or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), or Issuing Lender in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.7.

 

 

(d)         Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower and each other Credit Party shall not 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 clause (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it 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.

 

(e)         Payments.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after demand therefor.

 

(f)         Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section shall survive the termination of the Loan Documents and payment of the obligations hereunder.

 

Section 11.4                      Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the Issuing Lender, and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the Issuing Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Credit Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Credit Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or any of their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the Issuing Lender or any such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Credit Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such Affiliate different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.4 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender, the Issuing Lender and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the Issuing Lender or their respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender and the Issuing Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

 

Section 11.5                           Governing Law; Jurisdiction, Etc.

 

(a)         Governing Law.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Minnesota.

 

(b)         Submission to Jurisdiction.  The Borrower and each other Credit Party irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Lender or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of Minnesota sitting in Hennepin County, and of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota located in Minneapolis, MN, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such Minnesota State court or, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, in such federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action, litigation or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or any other Credit Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)         Waiver of Venue.  Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any 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 11.1.  Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by Applicable Law.

 

Section 11.6                      Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

(a)         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.

 

 

Section 11.7                      Reversal of Payments.  To the extent any Credit Party makes a payment or payments to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent receives any payment which payment or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside and/or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause, then, to the extent of such payment repaid, the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been received by the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 11.8                      Injunctive Relief.  The Borrower recognizes that, in the event the Borrower fails to perform, observe or discharge any of its obligations or liabilities under this Agreement, any remedy of law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Lenders. Therefore, the Borrower agrees that the Lenders, at the Lenders’ option, shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages.

 

Section 11.9                      Accounting Matters.  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 Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower 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 Borrower 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.

 

Section 11.10                     Successors and Assigns; Participations.

 

(a)         Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither the Borrower nor any other Credit Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder (other than as permitted pursuant to Section 8.1) 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 paragraph (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of paragraph (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in paragraph (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

 

(b)         Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that, in each case with respect to any Credit Facility, any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)           Minimum Amounts.

 

(A)           in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Loans at the time owing to it (in each case with respect to any Facility) or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

 

(B)           in any case not described in paragraph (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Revolving Credit 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, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility, unless in each case each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have given its consent five (5) Business Days after the date written notice thereof has been delivered by the assigning Lender (through the Administrative Agent) unless such consent is expressly refused by the Borrower prior to such fifth (5th) Business Day;

 

(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 Loan or the Revolving Credit Commitment assigned;

 

 

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

 

(A)           the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (x) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided, that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 5 Business Days after having received notice thereof;

 

(B)           the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Revolving Credit Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and

 

(C)           the consents of the Issuing Lender shall be required for any assignment in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility.

 

(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 of $3,500 for each assignment; provided that (A) only one such fee will be payable in connection with simultaneous assignments to two or more Approved Funds by a Lender and (B) 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 Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B).

 

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

 

(vii)           Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested, but not funded by, the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (A) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (B) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under Applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

 

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement (and Schedule 1.1A shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to reflect the assignment of such assigning Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment as set forth in such Assignment and Assumption), 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 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11 and 11.3 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that (i) except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender, and (ii) no assigning Lender shall be released from its obligations that survive under Section 11.11.  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (d) of this Section.

 

(c)         Registration of Assignments.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, 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 Revolving Credit Commitment of, and principal amounts of (and stated interest on) the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender (but only to the extent of entries in the Register that are applicable to such 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, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’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 Revolving Credit Commitment and/or the 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 Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender 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.  For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.3(c) with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s).

 

 

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, modification or waiver or modification described in Section 11.2 that directly affects such Participant and could not be affected by a vote of the Required Lenders.  The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 4.8, 4.9, 4.10 and 4.11 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements of Section 4.11(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 4.11(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 4.12 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 4.10 and 4.11, with respect to such participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.  Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower's request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 4.12(b) with respect to any Participant.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.4 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 4.6 as though it were a Lender.

 

(e)         Participant Register.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant's interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

 

(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 to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation 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.

 

Section 11.11                                Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), and to use such Information solely for the purpose of evaluating, administering or enforcing the Loan Documents or the transactions effected thereby, except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (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 required or requested by, or required to be disclosed to, any rating agency, or regulatory or similar authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by Applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies under this Agreement, under any other Loan Document or under any Hedge Agreement or Cash Management Agreement, or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Hedge Agreement or Cash Management Agreement, or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (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 and obligations under this Agreement, or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder; (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the Credit Facility or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the Credit Facility; (h) with the consent of the Borrower, (i) to Gold Sheets and other similar bank trade publications, such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in such publications, (j) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (k) to governmental regulatory authorities in connection with any regulatory examination of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s regulatory compliance policy if the Administrative Agent or such Lender deems such disclosure to be necessary for the mitigation of claims by those authorities against the Administrative Agent or such Lender or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof; provided that, in the case of information received from a Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof after the date hereof, such information is financial or strategic in nature or is otherwise clearly identified 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.  The obligations of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender under this Section 11.11 shall survive termination of this Agreement or any Lender’s Commitment hereunder (or the assignment thereof) for a period of one year.

 

 

Section 11.12                            Performance of Duties.  Each of the Credit Party’s obligations under this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents shall be performed by such Credit Party at its sole cost and expense.

 

Section 11.13                           All Powers Coupled with Interest.  All powers of attorney and other authorizations granted to the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and any Persons designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant to any provisions of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents shall be deemed coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Obligations remain unpaid or unsatisfied, any of the Commitments remain in effect or the Credit Facility has not been terminated.

 

Section 11.14                           Survival.

 

(a)         All representations and warranties set forth in ARTICLE VI and all representations and warranties contained in any certificate, or any of the Loan Documents (including, but not limited to, any such representation or warranty made in or in connection with any amendment thereto) shall constitute representations and warranties made under this Agreement.  All representations and warranties made under this Agreement shall be made or deemed to be made at and as of the Closing Date (except those that are expressly made as of a specific date), shall survive the Closing Date and shall not be waived by the execution and delivery of this Agreement, any investigation made by or on behalf of the Lenders or any borrowing hereunder.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the indemnities to which the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are entitled under the provisions of this ARTICLE XI and any other provision of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall continue in full force and effect and shall protect the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against events arising after such termination as well as before.

 

Section 11.15                           Titles and Captions.  Titles and captions of Articles, Sections and subsections in, and the table of contents of, this Agreement are for convenience only, and neither limit nor amplify the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Section 11.16                           Severability of Provisions.  Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions hereof or thereof or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

Section 11.17                           Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

 

 

(a)         Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 5.1, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or in electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement

 

(b)         Electronic Execution of Assignments.  The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

Section 11.18                                Term of Agreement.  This Agreement shall remain in effect from the Closing Date through and including the date upon which all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due and Letters of Credit) arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall have been paid and satisfied in full, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Revolving Credit Commitment has been terminated.  No termination of this Agreement shall affect the rights and obligations of the parties hereto arising prior to such termination or in respect of any provision of this Agreement which survives such termination.

 

Section 11.19                                USA PATRIOT Act.  The Administrative Agent and each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with the PATRIOT Act.

 

Section 11.20                                Independent Effect of Covenants.  The Borrower expressly acknowledges and agrees that each covenant contained in Articles VII or VIII hereof shall be given independent effect.  Accordingly, the Borrower shall not engage in any transaction or other act otherwise permitted under any covenant contained in Articles VII or VIII, before or after giving effect to such transaction or act, the Borrower shall or would be in breach of any other covenant contained in Articles VII or VIII.

 

 

Section 11.21                                Inconsistencies with Other Documents.  In the event there is a conflict or inconsistency between this Agreement and any other Loan Document, the terms of this Agreement shall control.

 

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers, all as of the day and year first written above.