Loan Agreement, dated September 7, 2022, by and among Cadence Design Systems, Inc., Bank of America, N.A. and other lenders party thereto
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EX-10.01 2 ex1001cdns09072022.htm EX-10.01 Document
Execution Version
Deal CUSIP: 12738MAJ4
Facility CUSIP: 12738MAK1
LOAN AGREEMENT
Dated as of September 7, 2022
among
CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.,
as the Borrower,
as the Borrower,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,
as Administrative Agent,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
and
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Syndication Agents
and
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Syndication Agents
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,
THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
and
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Documentation Agents
THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
and
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Documentation Agents
and
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO
Arranged By:
BOFA SECURITIES, INC.,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
and
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
and
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS | 1 | ||||
1.01 Defined Terms | 1 | ||||
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions | 21 | ||||
1.03 Accounting Terms | 22 | ||||
1.04 Rounding | 23 | ||||
1.05 Times of Day | 23 | ||||
1.06 Interest Rates | 23 | ||||
ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS | 24 | ||||
2.01 Term Loan | 24 | ||||
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans | 24 | ||||
2.03 [Reserved.] | 25 | ||||
2.04 [Reserved.] | 25 | ||||
2.05 Voluntary Prepayments of Loans | 25 | ||||
2.06 Mandatory Reduction of Commitments | 25 | ||||
2.07 Repayment of Loans | 26 | ||||
2.08 Interest | 26 | ||||
2.09 Fees | 26 | ||||
2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees | 26 | ||||
2.11 Evidence of Debt | 27 | ||||
2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback | 27 | ||||
2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders | 29 | ||||
2.14 [Reserved.] | 29 | ||||
2.15 Defaulting Lenders | 29 | ||||
ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY | 30 | ||||
3.01 Taxes | 30 | ||||
3.02 Illegality | 34 | ||||
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates | 35 | ||||
3.04 Increased Costs | 37 | ||||
3.05 Compensation for Losses | 38 | ||||
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders | 38 | ||||
3.07 Survival | 39 | ||||
ARTICLE IV [RESERVED] | 39 | ||||
ARTICLE V CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS | 39 | ||||
5.01 Conditions to Effectiveness of the Agreement | 39 | ||||
5.02 Conditions to the Credit Extension | 40 | ||||
ARTICLE VI REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 41 | ||||
6.01 Existence, Qualification and Power | 41 | ||||
6.02 Authorization; No Contravention | 41 | ||||
6.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents | 41 | ||||
6.04 Binding Effect | 42 | ||||
6.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect | 42 | ||||
6.06 Litigation | 42 | ||||
6.07 Taxes | 42 |
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6.08 “Plan Assets” | 43 | ||||
6.09 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act | 43 | ||||
6.10 Disclosure | 43 | ||||
6.11 Compliance with Laws | 43 | ||||
6.12 OFAC; Anti-Corruption Laws | 44 | ||||
6.13 Affected Financial Institutions | 44 | ||||
ARTICLE VII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS | 44 | ||||
7.01 Financial Statements | 44 | ||||
7.02 Certificates; Other Information | 45 | ||||
7.03 Notices | 46 | ||||
7.04 Payment of Taxes | 47 | ||||
7.05 Preservation of Existence | 47 | ||||
7.06 Compliance with Laws | 47 | ||||
7.07 Inspection Rights | 47 | ||||
7.08 Use of Proceeds | 47 | ||||
7.09 Anti-Corruption Laws | 48 | ||||
7.10 Ranking | 48 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII NEGATIVE COVENANTS | 48 | ||||
8.01 Liens | 48 | ||||
8.02 [Reserved] | 50 | ||||
8.03 Indebtedness | 50 | ||||
8.04 Fundamental Changes | 51 | ||||
8.05 Dispositions | 51 | ||||
8.06 Change in Nature of Business | 52 | ||||
8.07 Transactions with Affiliates | 52 | ||||
8.08 Use of Proceeds | 52 | ||||
8.09 Financial Covenant | 52 | ||||
8.10 Fiscal Year | 53 | ||||
8.11 Sanctions | 53 | ||||
8.12 Anti-Corruption Laws | 53 | ||||
ARTICLE IX EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES | 53 | ||||
9.01 Events of Default | 53 | ||||
9.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default | 55 | ||||
9.03 Application of Funds | 55 | ||||
ARTICLE X ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT | 56 | ||||
10.01 Appointment and Authority | 56 | ||||
10.02 Rights as a Lender | 56 | ||||
10.03 Exculpatory Provisions | 56 | ||||
10.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent | 57 | ||||
10.05 Delegation of Duties | 58 | ||||
10.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent | 58 | ||||
10.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders | 59 | ||||
10.08 No Other Duties; Etc | 60 | ||||
10.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim | 60 | ||||
10.10 ERISA Matters | 60 |
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10.11 Recovery of Erroneous Payments | 61 | ||||
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS | 62 | ||||
11.01 Amendments, Etc | 62 | ||||
11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications | 63 | ||||
11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement | 65 | ||||
11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver | 66 | ||||
11.05 Payments Set Aside | 67 | ||||
11.06 Successors and Assigns | 68 | ||||
11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality | 71 | ||||
11.08 Rights of Setoff | 72 | ||||
11.09 Interest Rate Limitation | 73 | ||||
11.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness | 73 | ||||
11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties | 73 | ||||
11.12 Severability | 74 | ||||
11.13 Replacement of Lenders | 74 | ||||
11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc | 75 | ||||
11.15 Waiver of Jury Trial | 76 | ||||
11.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility | 76 | ||||
11.17 Electronic Execution; Electronic Records | 77 | ||||
11.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice | 78 | ||||
11.19 [Reserved.] | 78 | ||||
11.20 California Judicial Reference | 78 | ||||
11.21 Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions | 78 | ||||
11.22 Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs | 79 |
SCHEDULES
2.01 Commitments and Applicable Percentages
8.01 Liens Existing on the Closing Date
8.03 Indebtedness Existing on the Closing Date
11.02 Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS
2.02 Form of Loan Notice
2.11 Form of Note
3.01 Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates
7.02 Form of Compliance Certificate
11.06(b) Form of Assignment and Assumption
11.06(b)(iv) Form of Administrative Questionnaire
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LOAN AGREEMENT
This LOAN AGREEMENT is entered into as of September 7, 2022 among CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders (defined herein) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a $300,000,000 term loan facility for the purposes set forth herein, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01Defined Terms.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Acquisition”, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of either (a) all or substantially all of the property of, or a line of business or division of, another Person or (b) at least a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America (including its branches and affiliates) in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate Commitments” means the aggregate Commitments of all the Lenders. The amount of the Aggregate Commitments in effect on the Closing Date is $300,000,000.
“Agreement” means this Loan Agreement.
“Anti-Corruption Laws” means the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the UK Bribery Act 2010.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, with respect to such Lender’s Commitment at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the
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Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time; provided that at any time after the Borrowing of the Loans pursuant to Section 2.01, the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender’s Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Loans then outstanding. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
“Applicable Rate” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Debt Rating as set forth below:
Pricing Level | Debt Rating of Borrower | Applicable Rate for Term SOFR Loans | Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans | ||||||||
I | > A / A2 / A | 0.625% | 0.000% | ||||||||
II | A- / A3 / A- | 0.750% | 0.000% | ||||||||
III | BBB+ / Baa1 / BBB+ | 0.875% | 0.000% | ||||||||
IV | BBB / Baa2 / BBB | 1.000% | 0.000% | ||||||||
V | < BBB- / Baa3 / BBB- | 1.125% | 0.125% |
For purposes hereof “Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P, Moody’s or Fitch of the Borrower’s non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt. If at any time when the Borrower has only two Debt Ratings and such Debt Ratings are split, then: (i) if the Debt Ratings differ by one Pricing Level, the Pricing Level for the higher Debt Rating shall apply, and (ii) if the Debt Ratings differ by two or more Pricing Levels, the Pricing Level applicable to the Debt Rating that is one Debt Rating lower than the higher Debt Rating shall apply. If at any time when the Borrower has three Debt Ratings and such Debt Ratings are split, then: (i) if two of the Debt Ratings are the same Pricing Level, such Pricing Level shall apply; and (ii) if none of the Debt Ratings are the same Pricing Level, the Pricing Level for the intermediate Debt Rating shall apply. If the Borrower has only one Debt Rating, the Pricing Level applicable to the Debt Rating that is one level lower than that of such Debt Rating shall apply (unless such Debt Rating corresponds to Pricing Level V, in which case Pricing Level V will apply). If the Borrower does not have any Debt Rating, Pricing Level V shall apply.
Each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective during the period commencing on the first Business Day following the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. The Applicable Rate in effect on the Closing Date shall be set at Pricing Level II.
“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.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b) or any other form (including an electronic documentation form generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Attributable Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a
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balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease and (c) in respect of any Securitization Transaction, the outstanding principal amount of such financing that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared on such date in accordance with GAAP if the sale or transfer of assets that are subject thereto were accounted for as a secured loan. For the avoidance of doubt, “Attributable Indebtedness” shall not include operating leases.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2022 and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.
“Availability Period” means, with respect to the Commitments, the period from and including the Closing Date to the earlier of (a) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans pursuant to Section 9.02.
“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.
“Bail-In Legislation” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, rule, regulation or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).
“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
“Banking Services Agreement” means any agreement entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with (a) credit cards for commercial customers (including, without limitation, commercial credit cards and purchasing cards), (b) stored value cards, (c) merchant processing services and (d) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, any direct debit scheme or arrangement, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).
“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus one half of one percent (0.5%), (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) Term SOFR plus one percent (1%); and if the Base Rate shall be less than zero percent (0%), such rate shall be deemed zero percent (0%) for purposes of this Agreement. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
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“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.
“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.
“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Term SOFR Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) 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 or in the implementation thereof 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, issued or implemented.
“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:
(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all Equity Interests 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 35% or more of the Equity Interests of the Borrower entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or
(b) a “change in control” (or any other defined term having a similar purpose) as defined in the documents governing any other Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, the outstanding principal amount of which exceeds in the aggregate the Threshold Amount, occurs.
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“Closing Date” means September 7, 2022.
“CME” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited.
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 under the caption “Commitment”. As of the Closing Date, the aggregate Commitments of all of the Lenders is $300,000,000.
“Communication” means this Agreement, any Loan Document and any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice, certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to any Loan Document.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.02.
“Conforming Changes” means, with respect to the use, administration of or any conventions associated with SOFR or any proposed Successor Rate or Term SOFR, as applicable, any conforming changes to the definitions of “Base Rate”, “SOFR”, “Term SOFR” and “Interest Period”, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other technical, administrative or operational matters (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the definitions of “Business Day” and “U.S. Government Securities Business Day”, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices and length of lookback periods) as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption and implementation of such applicable rate(s) and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and any other Loan Document).
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication, the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:
(i)Consolidated Interest Charges for such period,
(ii)the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable for such period, including, without limitation, any franchise taxes or other taxes based on income, profits or capital,
(iii)depreciation and amortization expense for such period,
(iv)non-cash stock compensation expense for such period,
(v)restructuring expenses and charges in accordance with GAAP and other non-recurring cash expenses in an aggregate amount not to exceed for any consecutive four (4) fiscal quarter period the greater of (A) $75,000,000 and (B) 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for such period (calculated before giving effect to any such addback or adjustment or to any addback or adjustment described in clause (x) below),
(vi)non-cash charges resulting from the application of FASB ASC 805 with respect to earn-outs incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any Qualified Acquisition,
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(vii)any losses resulting from the Disposition of any asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary outside of the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, any net loss from discontinued operations and any net loss on the disposal of discontinued operations,
(viii)to the extent not capitalized, expenses or charges related to the closing of this Agreement and any amendment or waiver related thereto,
(ix)other non-cash expenses and charges (excluding write-downs of accounts receivable and any other non-cash expenses to the extent representing accruals of or reserves for cash expenses in any future period),
(x)the amount of net cost savings, operating expense reductions, other operative improvement and acquisition synergies (other than projected revenue synergies) projected by the Borrower in good faith to be realized during such period (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such items had been realized on the first day of such period) as a result of actions taken or committed to be taken in connection with any Qualified Acquisitions or permitted dispositions by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such period that are otherwise included in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA from such actions, provided that (A) a duly completed certificate signed by a chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent together with a Compliance Certificate, certifying that (x) such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies are reasonably expected and factually supportable as determined in good faith by a responsible financial officer of the Borrower, in his or her capacity as such, and (y) such actions have been taken and are ongoing (or are expected to be taken within one (1) fiscal year of the end of such measurement period), and the benefits resulting therefrom are anticipated by the Borrower to be realized within twelve (12) months of the end of such measurement period, (B) no amounts shall be added pursuant to this clause (x) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges otherwise added to Consolidated EBITDA, whether through a pro forma adjustment or otherwise, for such period, (C) projected amounts (that are not yet realized) may no longer be added in calculating Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (x) to the extent occurring more than four full fiscal quarters after the specified Qualified Acquisition or permitted disposition and (D) the aggregate amount of all such net cost savings, operating expense reductions, other operative improvement and acquisition synergies shall not exceed for any consecutive four (4) fiscal quarter period 10% of Consolidated EBITDA for such period (calculated before giving effect to the addback or adjustment for any such item or to any addback or adjustment described in clause (v) above), and
(xi)(A) fees, expenses, premiums and other charges in connection with the issuance or repayment of Indebtedness, the issuance of Equity Interests, any refinancing transaction, amendment or other modification of any debt instrument, the making of any Qualified Acquisition, or any Disposition (other than a Disposition of an asset in the ordinary course of business), in each case to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, whether or not consummated and (B) any losses attributable to the extinguishment of any Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts, in an amount for all such items referenced in this subclause (xi) not to exceed $25,000,000 in any consecutive four fiscal quarter period,
minus (b) without duplication, the following to the extent included in calculating Consolidated Net Income:
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(i)any gains resulting from the Disposition of any asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary outside of the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, any net income or gain from discontinued operations and any net income or gain on the disposal of discontinued operations and
(ii)non-cash income or gains for such period.
To the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, the effect of purchase accounting adjustments for Qualified Acquisitions, any non-cash gains or losses from the mark-to-market of Swap Contracts and any currency translation gains and losses shall be excluded from the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA.
“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum of: (a) all obligations for borrowed money, whether current or long-term (including the Obligations) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments; (b) all purchase money Indebtedness; (c) the maximum amount available to be drawn under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances and bank guaranties; (d) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and other accrued liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business (including deferred payments in respect of services by employees) and (ii) any earn-out obligation or other post-closing balance sheet adjustment prior to such time as it becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP or that exists on the balance sheet of such Person on a non-interest accruing basis and is paid within thirty (30) days of the date such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet); (e) all Attributable Indebtedness; (f) all obligations (other than those obligations which are at the sole discretion of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries) to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment prior to the Maturity Date in respect of any Equity Interests or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends (other than such obligations as arise solely with respect to Equity Interests held by directors, officers or employees in connection with a change of control or severance event); (g) all Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (f) above of another Person; and (h) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, except to the extent that Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.
“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP plus (c) the implied interest component of Synthetic Lease Obligations with respect to such period.
“Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, net income or loss (excluding extraordinary gains or losses), for that period, as determined in accordance with GAAP.
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“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, at any date, (a) total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP minus (b) the sum of (i) current liabilities (other than the short-term portion of any long-term Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) goodwill and other intangible assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in each case determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, all as reflected in the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or 7.01(b) (or, prior to the first delivery of such financial statements, the most recent consolidated financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 6.05(b)). For purposes of this definition, the amount of assets and liabilities of any Subsidiary that is not wholly owned by the Borrower shall be included or deducted, as the case may be, only to the extent of the proportional equity interest directly or indirectly owned by the Borrower in such Subsidiary; provided, that, in the case of any such liabilities, to the extent such liabilities are recourse to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, the full amount of such liabilities that are so recourse shall be deducted for purposes of this definition.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” 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.
“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (a) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (b) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (c) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Covered Party” has the meaning specified in Section 11.22.
“Credit Extension” means a Borrowing.
“Credit Party” has the meaning specified in Section 10.11.
“Daily Simple SOFR” with respect to any applicable determination date means SOFR published on such date on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website (or any successor source).
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Term SOFR Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum.
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
8
CHAR1\1930361v4
“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans 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 good faith 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 or any Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent 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 (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, acting in good faith, 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, (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 or (iii) become subject of a Bail-In Action; 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 any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower and each Lender promptly following such determination.
“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.
“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith, but excluding any Recovery Event.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.
“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of
9
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an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
“Electronic Copy” shall have the meaning specified in Section 11.17.
“Electronic Record” and “Electronic Signature” shall have the meanings assigned to them, respectively, by 15 USC §7006, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 11.06(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).
“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or
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a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is insolvent; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) the determination that any Pension Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Internal Revenue Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA or (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated, including, for the avoidance of doubt, alternative minimum taxes), 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 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 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 11.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), 3.01(a)(iii) or 3.01(c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in the Loan or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as of the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities entered into in connection with the implementation of the foregoing.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.
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“Fee Letter” means any fee letter or similar letter agreement between or among the Borrower on the one hand and the Administrative Agent and/or a Lead Arranger on the other hand entered into in connection with this Agreement.
“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“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, consistently applied and as in effect from time to time.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether provincial, territorial, state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” shall not include any liability by endorsement of instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business or any customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Closing Date or otherwise entered into in the ordinary course of business, including in connection with any Acquisition or Disposition or the incurrence of Indebtedness or the issuance of Equity Interests, in any case to the extent the subject transaction is otherwise permitted hereby. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
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“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.
“Immaterial Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that individually and together with its Subsidiaries (a) holds less than 5% of the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis and (b) represents less than 5% of the gross revenues of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis; provided, however, in no event shall Immaterial Subsidiaries, together with their Subsidiaries, (i) hold more than 10% of the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis and (ii) represent more than 10% of the gross revenues of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a)all obligations for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;
(b)the maximum amount available to be drawn under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances and bank guaranties;
(c)the Swap Termination Value of any Swap Contract;
(d)all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and other accrued liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business (including deferred payments in respect of services by employees) and (ii) any earn-out obligation or other post-closing balance sheet adjustment prior to such time as it becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP or that exists on the balance sheet of such Person on a non-interest accruing basis and is paid within thirty (30) days of the date such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet);
(e)indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse (provided that if such indebtedness is non-recourse to such Person, the amount of such indebtedness will be the lesser of the fair market value of such property as at the date of determination and the amount of indebtedness so secured);
(f)all Attributable Indebtedness;
(g)all obligations (other than those obligations that are at the sole discretion of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries) to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment prior to the Maturity Date in respect of any Equity Interests or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends (other than such obligations as arise solely with respect to Equity Interests held by directors, officers or employees in connection with a change of control or severance event);
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(h)all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing; and
(i)all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above 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 joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.
“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Term SOFR Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Term SOFR Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
“Interest Period” means, as to each Term SOFR Loan, the period commencing on the date such Term SOFR Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Term SOFR Loan and ending on the date one, three or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:
(a)any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
(b)any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(c)no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
“Lead Arrangers” means, collectively, BofA Securities, Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and HSBC Bank USA, National Association in their respective capacities as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners for the facility evidenced hereby.
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“Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.
“Lenders” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns.
“Lending Office” means, as to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, the office or offices of such Person described as such in such Person’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as such Person may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; which office may include any Affiliate of such Person or any domestic or foreign branch of such Person or such Affiliate. Unless the context otherwise requires each reference to a Lender shall include its applicable Lending Office.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note and the Fee Letters.
“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing of Loans, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Term SOFR Loans, in each case pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
“Material Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not an Immaterial Subsidiary.
“Maturity Date” means September 7, 2025; provided, however, that, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.
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“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
“Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11.
“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
“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 or documentary, 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, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
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“Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
“Pro Forma Basis” means, with respect to any transaction, that for purposes of calculating the financial covenant set forth in Section 8.09, such transaction shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recent four fiscal quarter period preceding the date of such transaction for which financial statements were required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or 7.01(b). In connection with the foregoing, (a) with respect to any Disposition or Recovery Event, (i) income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property disposed of shall be excluded to the extent relating to any period occurring prior to the date of such transaction and (ii) Indebtedness which is retired shall be excluded and deemed to have been retired as of the first day of the applicable period and (b) with respect to any Acquisition, (i) income statement and cash flow statement items attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (A) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement and cash flow statement items for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01 and (B) such items are supported by financial statements or other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including the Person or property acquired) in connection with such transaction and any Indebtedness of the Person or property acquired which is not retired in connection with such transaction (A) shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period and (B) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination.
“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
“QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).
“QFC Credit Support” has the meaning specified in Section 11.22.
“Qualified Acquisition” means an Acquisition, provided that (a) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition, and (b) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of another Person, the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have duly approved such Acquisition.
“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder.
“Recovery Event” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).
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“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors, service providers and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.
“Request for Credit Extension” means, with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice.
“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.
“Rescindable Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12(b)(ii).
“Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.
“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of the Borrower, and, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Borrower and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer of the Borrower so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the Borrower designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Sanction(s)” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.
“Scheduled Unavailability Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(b)(ii).
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Securitization Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, any financing transaction or series of financing transactions (including factoring arrangements) pursuant to which such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or grant a security interest in, accounts, payments, receivables, rights to future payments or residuals or similar rights to payment to a special purpose subsidiary or affiliate of such Person.
“SOFR” means, with respect to any applicable determination date, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate published on such date by the SOFR Administrator on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website (or any successor source); provided, however that if such determination date is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, then SOFR means such rate that applied on the first U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately prior thereto.
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“SOFR Adjustment” means 0.10% (10 basis points).
“SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the administrator of SOFR, or any successor administrator of SOFR designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or other Person acting as the SOFR Administrator at such time that is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, company, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.
“Successor Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(b).
“Supported QFC” has the meaning specified in Section 11.22.
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, 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 (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating thereto, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment). For purposes of clarification, “Synthetic Lease Obligation” shall not include operating leases entered into in the ordinary course of business.
“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, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
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“Term SOFR” means:
(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Term SOFR Loan, the rate per annum equal to the Term SOFR Screen Rate two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; provided that if the rate is not published prior to 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on such determination date then Term SOFR means the Term SOFR Screen Rate on the first U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately prior thereto, in each case, plus the SOFR Adjustment for such Interest Period; and
(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the Term SOFR Screen Rate with a term of one month commencing that day;
provided that if Term SOFR determined in accordance with either of the foregoing provisions (a) or (b) of this definition would otherwise be less than zero, Term SOFR shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.
“Term SOFR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of Term SOFR.
“Term SOFR Replacement Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(b).
“Term SOFR Screen Rate” means the forward-looking SOFR term rate administered by CME (or any successor administrator satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) and published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).
“Threshold Amount” means $100,000,000.
“Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments of such Lender at such time and the outstanding Loans of such Lender at such time.
“Type” means, with respect to any Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Term SOFR Loan.
“UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended form time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person subject to IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.
“UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any Business Day, except any Business Day on which any of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the New York Stock Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is not open for business because such day is a legal holiday under the federal laws of the United States or the laws of the State of New York, as applicable.
“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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“U.S. Special Resolution Regimes” has the meaning specified in Section 11.22.
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).
“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.
“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.
1.02Other Interpretive 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. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all assets and properties, tangible and intangible, real and personal, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(b)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.”
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(c)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.
(d)Any reference herein to a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, consolidation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, shall be deemed to apply to a division of or by a limited liability company, or an allocation of assets to a series of a limited liability company (or the unwinding of such a division or allocation), as if it were a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, consolidation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, as applicable, to, of or with a separate Person. Any division of a limited liability company shall constitute a separate Person hereunder (and each division of any limited liability company that is a Subsidiary, joint venture or any other like term shall also constitute such a Person or entity).
1.03Accounting Terms.
(a)Generally. 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, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. 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.
(b)Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP (including the adoption of IFRS) 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. Any lease that is characterized as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP shall not be a capital or finance lease for purposes of this Agreement.
(c)Calculations. Notwithstanding the above, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that all calculations of the financial covenant in Section 8.09 shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to (A) any Disposition of all of the Equity Interests of, or all or substantially all of the assets of, a Subsidiary, (B) any Disposition of a line of business or division of the Borrower or Subsidiary, or (C) any Acquisition, in each case, occurring during the applicable period.
1.04Rounding.
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 is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
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1.05Times of Day.
Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Pacific time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
1.06Interest Rates.
The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to any reference rate referred to herein or with respect to any rate (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the selection of such rate and any related spread or other adjustment) that is an alternative or replacement for or successor to any such rate (including, without limitation, any Successor Rate) (or any component of any of the foregoing) or the effect of any of the foregoing, or of any Conforming Changes. The Administrative Agent and its Affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions or other activities that affect any reference rate referred to herein, or any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including, without limitation, any Successor Rate) (or any component of any of the foregoing) or any related spread or other adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain any reference rate referred to herein or any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including, without limitation, any Successor Rate) (or any component of any of the foregoing), in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or other action or omission related to or affecting the selection, determination, or calculation of any rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.
ARTICLE II
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01Term Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make a Loan to the Borrower in Dollars in a single Borrowing to occur on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an amount equal to such Lender’s Commitment. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01 and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Term SOFR Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein.
2.02Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.
(a)Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Term SOFR Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (i) telephone or (ii) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice. Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) two (2) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans or of any conversion of Term SOFR Loans to Base Rate Loans and (B) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a
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continuation of Term SOFR Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of a Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Term SOFR Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Term SOFR Loans in any Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.
(b)Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans as described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Sections 5.01 and 5.02, the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.
(c)Except as otherwise provided herein, a Term SOFR Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Term SOFR Loan. During the existence of an Event of Default, no Loans may be converted to or continued as Term SOFR Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the then outstanding Term SOFR Loans be converted to Base Rate Loans on the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto.
(d)After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to the Loans.
(e)With respect to SOFR and Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that, with respect to any such amendment effected, the Administrative Agent shall post each such amendment implementing such Conforming Changes to the Borrower and the Lenders reasonably promptly after such amendment becomes effective.
2.03[Reserved.]
2.04[Reserved.]
2.05Voluntary Prepayments of Loans. The Borrower may, upon notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part
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without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such notice must be in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) two Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Term SOFR Loans and (2) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any prepayment of Term SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); and (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding). Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Term SOFR Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. Any notice of prepayment of Loans given by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or capital raising or the occurrence of a Change of Control, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
2.06Mandatory Reduction of Commitments. Unless previously terminated, the aggregate Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced to zero at 3:00 p.m. on October 7, 2022.
2.07Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding on such date.
2.08Interest.
(a)Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Term SOFR Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of Term SOFR for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b)(i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii)If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii)Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
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(c)Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.09Fees.
(a)The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers for their respective accounts, in Dollars, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the applicable Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
(b)The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders, in Dollars, such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
2.10Computation of Interest and Fees.
All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to Term SOFR) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
2.11Evidence of Debt. The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the 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 promissory note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each such promissory note shall be in the form of Exhibit 2.11 (a “Note”). Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
2.12Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a)General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately
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available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b)
(i)Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Term SOFR Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such 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 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the 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 (only if such Lender shall fail to pay on demand) the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds 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 Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base 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.
(ii)Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the time at which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. With respect to any payment that the Administrative Agent makes for the account of the Lenders hereunder as to which the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that any of the following applies (such payment referred to as the “Rescindable Amount”): (1) the Borrower has not in fact made such payment; (2) the Administrative Agent has made a payment in excess of the
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amount so paid by such Borrower (whether or not then owed); or (3) the Administrative Agent has for any reason otherwise erroneously made such payment; then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the Rescindable Amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(c)Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
(d)Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).
(e)Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.13Sharing of Payments by Lenders.
If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective 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 Section shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by or on behalf of 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) or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as
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consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Subsidiary (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
2.14[Reserved.]
2.15Defaulting Lenders.
(a)Waivers and Amendments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, 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 definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 11.01.
(b)Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower and the Administrative Agent 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, that 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 to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages, 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.
ARTICLE III
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01Taxes.
(a)Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
(i)Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, as applicable) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, then the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
(ii)If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States
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Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(iii)If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(b)Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(c)Tax Indemnifications.
(i)The Borrower shall, and does hereby, indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (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 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and 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. The Borrower shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below; provided, that such payment by the Borrower shall not prejudice any rights that the Borrower may have against such Lender.
(ii)Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, (x) the
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Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower 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 this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).
(d)Evidence of Payments. Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.
(e)Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.
(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 prescribed by applicable law or the taxing authorities of a jurisdiction pursuant to such applicable law or 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 either (1) set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), 3.01(e)(ii)(B) and 3.01(e)(ii)(D) below or (2) required by applicable law other than the Internal Revenue Code or the taxing authorities of the jurisdiction pursuant to such applicable law to comply with the requirements for exemption or reduction of withholding tax in that jurisdiction) 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,
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(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 copies 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:
(1)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 copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E 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 or IRS Form W-8BEN-E 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;
(2)executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(3)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-A to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or
(4)to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-B or Exhibit 3.01-C, 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 3.01-D on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
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(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 copies (or originals, if required) 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 Internal Revenue 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 Internal Revenue 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 Closing Date.
(iii)Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 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.
(f)Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund (including any application thereof to another amount owed to the refunding Governmental Authority) of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Borrower pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less
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favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
(g)Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 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 Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
3.02Illegality.
If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to any Credit Extension, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon SOFR, or Term SOFR, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower (through the Administrative Agent), (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Term SOFR Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Term SOFR Loans shall, in each case, be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Term SOFR Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Term SOFR Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Term SOFR Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Term SOFR component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon Term SOFR. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
3.03Inability to Determine Rates.
(a)If in connection with any request for a Term SOFR Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (A) no Successor Rate has been determined in accordance with Section 3.03(b), and the circumstances under clause (i) of Section 3.03(b) or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable) or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not otherwise exist for determining Term SOFR for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Term SOFR Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason that Term SOFR for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Term SOFR Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the
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Lenders to make or maintain Term SOFR Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Term SOFR Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Term SOFR Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Term SOFR component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a determination by the Required Lenders described in clause (ii) of this Section 3.03(a), until the Administrative Agent upon instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, (i) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans (to the extent of the affected Term SOFR Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein and (ii) any outstanding Term SOFR Loans shall be deemed to have been converted to Base Rate Loans at the end of their respective applicable Interest Period.
(b)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to the Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:
(i)adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining one month, three month and six month interest periods of Term SOFR, including, without limitation, because the Term SOFR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or
(ii)CME or any successor administrator of the Term SOFR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent or such administrator with respect to its publication of Term SOFR, in each case acting in such capacity, has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which one month, three month and six month interest periods of Term SOFR or the Term SOFR Screen Rate shall or will no longer be made available, or permitted to be used for determining the interest rate of Dollar denominated syndicated loans, or shall or will otherwise cease, provided that, at the time of such statement, there is no successor administrator that is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that will continue to provide such interest periods of Term SOFR after such specific date (the latest date on which one month, three month and six month interest periods of Term SOFR or the Term SOFR Screen Rate are no longer available permanently or indefinitely, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”);
then, on a date and time determined by the Administrative Agent (any such date, the “Term SOFR Replacement Date”), which date shall be at the end of an Interest Period or on the relevant interest payment date, as applicable, for interest calculated and, solely with respect to clause (ii) above, no later than the Scheduled Unavailability Date, Term SOFR will be replaced hereunder and under any Loan Document with Daily Simple SOFR plus the SOFR Adjustment for any payment period for interest calculated that can be determined by the Administrative Agent, in each case, without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “Successor Rate”).
If the Successor Rate is Daily Simple SOFR plus the SOFR Adjustment, all interest payments will be payable on a quarterly basis.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) if the Administrative Agent determines that Daily Simple SOFR is not available on or prior to the Term SOFR Replacement Date, or (ii) if
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the events or circumstances of the type described in Section 3.03(b)(i) or (ii) have occurred with respect to the Successor Rate then in effect, then in each case, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing Term SOFR or any then current Successor Rate in accordance with this Section 3.03 at the end of any Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, as applicable, with an alternative benchmark rate giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated credit facilities syndicated and agented in the United States for such alternative benchmark. and, in each case, including any mathematical or other adjustments to such benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated credit facilities syndicated and agented in the United States for such benchmark, which adjustment or method for calculating such adjustment shall be published on an information service as selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time in its reasonable discretion and may be periodically updated. For the avoidance of doubt, any such proposed rate and adjustments, shall constitute a “Successor Rate”. Any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders object to such amendment.
The Administrative Agent will promptly (in one or more notices) notify the Borrower and each Lender of the implementation of any Successor Rate.
Any Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent.
Notwithstanding anything else herein, if at any time any Successor Rate as so determined would otherwise be less than zero, the Successor Rate will be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
In connection with the implementation of a Successor Rate, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement; provided that, with respect to any such amendment effected, the Administrative Agent shall post each such amendment implementing such Conforming Changes to the Borrower and the Lenders reasonably promptly after such amendment becomes effective.
For purposes of this Section 3.03, those Lenders that either have not made, or do not have an obligation under this Agreement to make, the relevant Loans in Dollars shall be excluded from any determination of Required Lenders.
3.04Increased Costs.
(a)Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i)impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender
(ii)subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes and (B) Excluded Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or
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other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii)impose on any Lender any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Term SOFR Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b)Capital Requirements. If any Lender reasonably determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such 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 capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c)Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender 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 to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such 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).
3.05Compensation for Losses.
Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
(a)any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Term SOFR Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Term SOFR Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
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(b)any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Term SOFR Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or
(c)any assignment of a Term SOFR Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13;
excluding any loss of anticipated profits, but including any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
3.06Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a)Designation of a Different Lending Office. Each Lender may make any Credit Extension to the Borrower through any Lending Office, provided that the exercise of this option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Credit Extension in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b)Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.
3.07Survival.
All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.
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ARTICLE IV
[RESERVED]
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE V
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
5.01Conditions to Effectiveness of the Agreement.
This Agreement shall become effective upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a)Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(i)Loan Documents. Executed counterparts of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and, in the case of this Agreement, by each Lender.
(ii)Opinions of Counsel. Satisfactory opinions of legal counsel to the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date.
(iii)Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc.
(A)copies of the Organization Documents of the Borrower certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of the Borrower to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;
(B)such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of the Borrower as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party; and
(C)such customary documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that the Borrower is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation.
(iv)Closing Certificate. A certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that (A) the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article VI or any other Loan Document are true and correct in all material respects (or, if such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it is true and correct in all respects as drafted) on and as of the Closing Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects (or, if such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it is true and correct in all respects as drafted) as of such earlier date and (B) at the time of and immediately after
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giving effect to the Loans to be made on the Closing Date, no Default has occurred and is continuing.
(b)Fees. Receipt by the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders of any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date.
(c)Attorney Costs. The Borrower shall have paid 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 invoiced 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).
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
5.02Conditions to the Credit Extension .
The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Term SOFR Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a)The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article VI or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) as of such earlier date.
(b)No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.
(c)The Administrative Agent shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Term SOFR Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 5.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
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ARTICLE VI
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
6.01Existence, Qualification and Power.
The Borrower and each Material Subsidiary (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) in the case of the Borrower, execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.02Authorization; No Contravention.
The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to which such Person is party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law, except in each case referred to in clauses (b) or (c), to the extent that such contravention or violation could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.03Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.
No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document other than those that have already been obtained and are in full force and effect.
6.04Binding Effect.
Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower. Each Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms.
6.05Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a)The financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 7.01(a) and 7.01(b) (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments); and (iii) in the case of the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section
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7.01(a), show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness, to the extent required to be shown on financial statements, or the notes thereto, prepared in accordance with GAAP.
(b)The Audited Financial Statements and the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ending July 2, 2022 (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments); and (iii) in the case of the Audited Financial Statements, show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness, to the extent required to be shown on financial statements, or the notes thereto, prepared in accordance with GAAP.
(c)Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06Litigation.
There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any Subsidiary or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (b) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.07Taxes.
The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed or caused to be filed all federal and state income and other material Tax returns required to be filed, and have paid all material Taxes imposed upon them to the extent such Taxes have become due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is party to any tax sharing agreement with any Person that is not the Borrower or a Subsidiary (other than agreements the principal purpose of which is not the sharing of Taxes, such as agreements with vendors, customers and lessors).
6.08“Plan Assets”.
As of the Closing Date, the Borrower is not and will not be using “plan assets”
(within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to the Borrower’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments or this Agreement.
(within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to the Borrower’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments or this Agreement.
6.09Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.
(a)The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying
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margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 8.01 or Section 8.05 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 9.01(e) will be margin stock.
(b)None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
6.10Disclosure.
No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that (a) with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time made and (b) with respect to information relating to the Borrower’s industry generally and trade data which relates to a Person that is not the Borrower or a Subsidiary thereof, the Borrower represents and warrants only that such information is believed by it in good faith to be accurate in all material respects. The information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification, if applicable, is true and correct in all respects.
6.11Compliance with Laws.
The Borrower and each Subsidiary is in compliance with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.12OFAC; Anti-Corruption Laws.
Neither the Borrower nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any Related Party, (a) is currently the subject of any Sanctions, (b) is located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction or (c) is or has been (within the previous five (5) years) engaged in any transaction with any Person who is now or was then the subject of Sanctions or who is located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction. No Credit Extension, nor the proceeds from any Credit Extension, has been used, directly or indirectly, to lend, contribute, provide or has otherwise made available to fund any activity or business in any Designated Jurisdiction or to fund any activity or business of any Person located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction or who is the subject of any Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in any violation by any Person (including any Lender, the Lead Arrangers or the Administrative Agent) of Sanctions. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their business in all material respects in compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws.
6.13Affected Financial Institutions.
The Borrower is not an Affected Financial Institution.
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ARTICLE VII
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrower shall and shall cause each Subsidiary to:
7.01Financial Statements.
Deliver to the Administrative Agent (for distribution to the Lenders):
(a)as soon as available, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal year ending on or about December 31, 2022, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of KPMG, LLP, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young, PwC or another independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and
(b)as soon as available, but in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending October 1, 2022, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, and the related consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form, as applicable, the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year (or the last date of the last fiscal year, as applicable) and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 7.02(d), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under Section 7.01(a) or 7.01(b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in Section 7.01(a) or (b) above at the times specified therein.
7.02Certificates; Other Information.
Deliver to the Administrative Agent (for distribution to the Lenders):
(a)concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default under the financial covenant set forth herein or, if any such Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event;
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(b)concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 7.01(a) and 7.01(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent, or a Lender requests executed originals, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes);
(c)[reserved];
(d)promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the equityholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower or any Subsidiary may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;
(e)promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statement or report furnished to any holder of debt securities in excess of the Threshold Amount of the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished pursuant to Section 7.01 or any other clause of this Section 7.02;
(f)to the extent the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, an updated Beneficial Ownership Certification promptly following any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered to any Lender in relation to the Borrower that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in such certification; and
(g)promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may from time to time reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or 7.01(b) or Section 7.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents (A) are available on the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov or (B) are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on another Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that in the case of documents that are not available on http://www.sec.gov: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper 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 by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
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The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated as “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”
7.03Notices.
Promptly notify the Administrative Agent (who will notify the Lenders) of:
(a)the occurrence of any Default;
(b)any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or
(c)the occurrence of any ERISA Event.
Each notice pursuant to this Section 7.03 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 7.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
7.04Payment of Taxes.
Pay and discharge, prior to delinquency, all its material Tax liabilities, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary.
7.05Preservation of Existence.
Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 8.04.
7.06Compliance with Laws.
Comply with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of
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Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.07Inspection Rights.
Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender (to the extent accompanied by the Administrative Agent) to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and (to the extent the Borrower’s officers are afforded a reasonable opportunity to participate) independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that (i) so long as no Event of Default then exists, except for one collective visit per calendar year (which shall be at the reasonable expense of the Borrower), all such visits and inspections shall be at the sole expense of the Administrative Agent and participating Lenders and such visits and inspections shall occur no more frequently semi-annually, and (ii) when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the reasonable expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.
7.08Use of Proceeds.
Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions to finance working capital, capital expenditures and other lawful purposes (including, without limitation, mergers and Acquisitions), provided that in no event shall the proceeds of the Credit Extensions be used in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.
7.09Anti-Corruption Laws.
Conduct its businesses in compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws.
7.10Ranking.
Cause the Obligations to rank at least pari passu in right of payment with all other unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower.
ARTICLE VIII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, shall remain outstanding:
8.01Liens.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:
(a)Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;
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(b)Liens existing on the Closing Date and any renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not increased and (ii) any Lien securing Indebtedness in excess of (x) $5,000,000 individually or (y) $20,000,000 in the aggregate (when taken together with all other Liens outstanding in reliance on this proviso that are not set forth on Schedule 8.01) shall only be permitted to the extent such Lien is listed on Schedule 8.01;
(c)Liens (other than Liens imposed under ERISA) for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
(d)landlord’s, carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than forty-five (45) days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;
(e)pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;
(f)deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(g)easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person; any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Persons;
(h)Liens securing judgments (or appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 9.01(h);
(i)Liens securing purchase money Indebtedness (including obligations in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations) hereafter incurred to finance the purchase of fixed assets, and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof; provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, together with any accessions thereof; provided that in the event such Indebtedness is owed to any Person that has financed more than one purchase of any fixed or capital assets, such Liens may secure all such purchase money obligations and may apply to all such fixed or capital assets financed by such Person under such financings; and (ii) such Liens attach to such property concurrently with or within ninety (90) days after the acquisition thereof;
(j)leases, subleases and licenses granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(k)(i) any interest of title of a third party lessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases permitted by this Agreement, (ii) Liens or restrictions that the interest or title of
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such lessor may be subject to, or (iii) subordination of the interest of the lessee under such lease to any Lien or restriction referred to in the preceding clause (ii);
(l)Liens on securities deemed to exist in connection with repurchase agreements entered into by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;
(m)(i) normal and customary rights of setoff upon, and banker’s liens granted in respect of, deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions, and (ii) customary Liens granted in the ordinary course of business in connection with any Banking Services Agreement; provided that no Liens granted in connection with a Banking Services Agreement shall extend to specific cash collateral pledged by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to support such Banking Services Agreement;
(n)Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;
(o)Liens on assets of Foreign Subsidiaries that do not secure Indebtedness;
(p)Liens on assets of a Person (and its Subsidiaries) existing at the time such Person is acquired or merged with or into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (and not created in anticipation or contemplation thereof); provided that, such Liens do not extend to assets not subject to such Liens at the time of acquisition (other than improvements thereon);
(q)Liens on cash and cash equivalents arising in connection with the defeasance, discharge or redemption of Indebtedness;
(r)Liens in favor of a trustee pursuant to an indenture relating to any Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement to the extent such Liens (i) only secure customary compensation and reimbursement obligations of such trustee and (ii) are limited to the cash held by such trustee (excluding cash held in trust for the payment of such Indebtedness);
(s)Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;
(t)Liens arising by operation of law in favor of issuers of letters of credit in the documents presented under a letter of credit;
(u)assignments of insurance or condemnation proceeds provided to landlords (or their mortgagees) pursuant to the terms of any lease and Liens and rights reserved in any lease for rent or for compliance with the terms of such lease;
(v)Liens on cash relating to escrows established for an adjustment in purchase price or liabilities or indemnities for Dispositions, to the extent such Dispositions are permitted hereby; and
(w)other Liens; provided, that, the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding obligations secured by Liens permitted under this clause (w), plus (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness of Subsidiaries permitted by Section 8.03(i) shall not at any time exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, determined as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 7.01.
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8.02[Reserved].
8.03Indebtedness.
The Borrower shall not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a)[reserved];
(b)Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date (and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof); provided that (i) the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (ii) any Indebtedness in excess of (x) $5,000,000 individually or (y) $20,000,000 in the aggregate (when taken together with all other Indebtedness outstanding in reliance on this proviso that is not set forth on Schedule 8.03) shall only be permitted to the extent such Indebtedness is listed on Schedule 8.03;
(c)intercompany Indebtedness owing by a Subsidiary to the Borrower or another Subsidiary;
(d)obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Person, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;”
(e)purchase money Indebtedness (including obligations in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations) hereafter incurred to finance the purchase of fixed assets, and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof, provided that such Indebtedness when incurred shall not exceed the purchase price of the asset(s) financed;
(f)Guarantees by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided, that, (i) the Indebtedness of any other Subsidiary so Guaranteed is permitted under this Section 8.03 and (ii) any Subsidiary that shall Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower shall also have guaranteed the Obligations under an agreement satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent;
(g)to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;
(h)to the extent constituting Indebtedness, Banking Services Agreements; and
(i)other Indebtedness; provided, that, the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding obligations secured by Liens permitted under Section 8.01(w), plus (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness permitted under this clause (i), shall not at any time exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, determined as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 7.01.
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8.04Fundamental Changes.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, merge, dissolve, liquidate or consolidate with or into another Person, except that so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, (a) the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any of its Subsidiaries provided that the Borrower is the continuing or surviving Person, (b) any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Subsidiary, (c) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge with any other Person in connection with a Qualified Acquisition provided that if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower is the continuing or surviving Person, and (d) any Subsidiary may dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time provided that (i) such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the residual assets of such Subsidiary shall be transferred to the parent of such Subsidiary.
8.05Dispositions.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make any Disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis.
8.06Change in Nature of Business.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
8.07Transactions with Affiliates.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any Affiliate of such Person, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than (a) advances of working capital to the Borrower, (b) transfers of cash and assets to the Borrower, (c) intercompany transactions not prohibited by this Agreement, including, without limitation, transactions between or among Subsidiaries, (d) reasonable compensation and reimbursement of expenses of, and indemnities issued to, officers and directors and (e) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Agreement, other transactions which are on terms and conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as could reasonably be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.
8.08Use of Proceeds.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose in any case in a manner that violates Regulation T, U or X of the FRB.
8.09Financial Covenant.
The Borrower shall not permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than 3.25 to 1.0; provided, however, in connection with any Qualified Acquisition for which the purchase consideration equals or exceeds $250,000,000, if the Consolidated Leverage Ratio would be greater than 3.00 to 1.0 but less than or equal to 3.50 to 1.0 after giving effect to such Qualified Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, the otherwise applicable maximum Consolidated
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Leverage Ratio for each of the four consecutive fiscal quarters, beginning with the fiscal quarter in which such Qualified Acquisition occurs, shall, at the discretion of the Borrower, be increased to 3.75 to 1.0; provided, further, that (i) the maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall revert to 3.25 to 1.0 at the end of such four fiscal quarter period and (ii) after such reversion following the four fiscal quarter period during an election by the Borrower to increase the maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio, the otherwise applicable Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall be in effect for at least two consecutive fiscal quarters before the Borrower shall again be able to elect to increase the maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio pursuant to this proviso. In the event the Borrower elects to increase the Consolidated Leverage Ratio pursuant to this Section 8.09, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing at such time as the applicable Qualified Acquisition is consummated.
8.10Fiscal Year.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, change its fiscal year (other than to conform to the fiscal year of the Borrower); provided, that the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries shall be permitted to change its fiscal year to match the calendar year commencing in 2023.
8.11Sanctions.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, permit any Loan or the proceeds of any Loan, directly or indirectly, (a) to be lent, contributed or otherwise made available to fund any activity or business in any Designated Jurisdiction; (b) to fund any activity or business of any Person located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction or who is the subject of any Sanctions; or (c) in any other manner that will result in any violation by any Person (including any Lender, the Lead Arrangers or Administrative Agent) of any Sanctions.
8.12Anti-Corruption Laws.
The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach applicable Anti-Corruption Laws.
Article IX
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
9.01Events of Default.
Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a)Non-Payment. The Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or (ii) within three (3) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five (5) Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(b)Specific Covenants. The Borrower fails to perform or observe (i) any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.01, 7.02 or 7.03 (other than Section 7.03(a)) and such failure continues for five (5) Business Days, or (ii) any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Sections 7.03(a), 7.05, 7.07 or 7.08, or Article VIII; or
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(c)Other Defaults. The Borrower fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after the earlier of (i) the Borrower becoming aware of such failure or (ii) the date written notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent; or
(d)Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be materially incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or
(e)Cross-Default. (i) The Borrower or any Material Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or (C) any other event occurs, in each case, the effect of which non-payment, default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded (other than any prepayment of Indebtedness required in connection with a Disposition otherwise permitted thereunder); or (ii) there occurs (A) under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) under any Swap Contract any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or
(f)Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. The Borrower or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, examiner or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, examiner or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g)Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Borrower or any Material Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied
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against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within thirty (30) days after its issue or levy; or
(h)Judgments. There is entered against the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of the claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i)ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or
(j)Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect or ceases to give the Administrative Agent any material part of the Liens purported to be created thereby; or the Borrower or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or the Borrower denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any provision of any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or
(k)Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.
9.02Remedies Upon Event of Default.
If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(h)declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans to be terminated, whereupon such commitments shall be terminated;
(i)declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and
(j)exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or at equity;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans shall automatically terminate and the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
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9.03Application of Funds.
After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 9.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Section 2.15, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third held by them;
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
ARTICLE X
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
10.01Appointment and Authority.
Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have any 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.
10.02Rights 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
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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.
10.03Exculpatory Provisions.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(a)shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b)shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(c)shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.
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, or (iv) 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. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objections.
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10.04Reliance by Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. 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.
10.05Delegation of Duties.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
10.06Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a)The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, 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 thirty (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, 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, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required
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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) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder 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 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 (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender 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 as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the 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 11.04 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 (A) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (B) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, (1) acting as collateral agent or otherwise holding any collateral security on behalf of any of the holders of the Obligations and (2) in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.
10.07Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.
Each Lender expressly acknowledges that none of the Administrative Agent nor any Lead Arranger has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by the Administrative Agent or any Lead Arranger hereafter taken, including any consent to, and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent or any Lead Arranger to any Lender as to any matter, including whether the Administrative Agent or any Lead Arranger have disclosed material information in their (or their Related Parties’) possession. Each Lender represents to the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Lead Arranger, 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 of, appraisal of, and investigation into, the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower hereunder. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Lead Arranger, 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,
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continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and 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, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower. Each Lender represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility and (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course and is entering into this Agreement as a Lender for the purpose of making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender, and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument, and each Lender agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing. Each Lender represents and warrants that it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities.
10.08No Other Duties; Etc.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents 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 or a Lender hereunder.
10.09Administrative 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 the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(a)to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04) 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 to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment
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or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
10.10ERISA Matters.
(a)Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i)such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments or this Agreement,
(ii)the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement,
(iii)(A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, or
(iv)such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
(b)In addition, unless either (1) clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).
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10.11Recovery of Erroneous Payments .
Without limitation of any other provision in this Agreement, if at any time the Administrative Agent makes a payment hereunder in error to any Lender (the “Credit Party”), whether or not in respect of an Obligation due and owing by the Borrower at such time, where such payment is a Rescindable Amount, then in any such event, each Credit Party receiving a Rescindable Amount severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the Rescindable Amount received by such Credit Party in immediately available funds in the currency so received, with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such Rescindable Amount is received by it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. Each Credit Party irrevocably waives any and all defenses, including any “discharge for value” (under which a creditor might otherwise claim a right to retain funds mistakenly paid by a third party in respect of a debt owed by another) or similar defense to its obligation to return any Rescindable Amount. The Administrative Agent shall inform each Credit Party promptly upon determining that any payment made to such Credit Party comprised, in whole or in part, a Rescindable Amount.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
11.01Amendments, Etc.
No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that:
(a)no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(i)extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02) without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 5.02 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Commitments of any Lender);
(ii)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) or any scheduled reduction of the Commitments hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment or whose Commitments are to be reduced;
(iii)reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or (subject to clause (i) of the final paragraph to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (A) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate or (B) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein)
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even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(iv)change Section 9.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(v)change any provision of this Section 11.01(a) or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; or
(vi)release the Borrower without the consent of each Lender;
(b)unless also signed by the Administrative Agent, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein:
(i)any Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto;
(ii)each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein;
(iii)the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow the Borrower to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders;
(iv)the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency;
(v)no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects such Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender;
(vi)the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may make amendments contemplated by Section 3.03(b); and
(vii)this Agreement may be amended and restated without the consent of any Lender (but with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated), the Commitments of such Lender shall have terminated, such Lender shall have no other commitment or other obligation
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hereunder and shall have been paid in full all principal, interest and other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement.
11.02Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.
(a)Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile or e-mail transmission as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i)if to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the address, facsimile number, e-mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and
(ii)if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, e-mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications 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 and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(b)Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail, FpML 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 pursuant to Article II if such Lender 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 each, 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), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
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(c)The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.
(d)Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities laws.
(e)Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic notices and Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
11.03No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.
No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate)
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preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
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 Borrower 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 9.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, 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) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (c) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to the Borrower 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 9.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b) and (c) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, 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.
11.04Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a)Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent) in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent or any 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 hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(a) shall not apply with respect to Taxes (other than any Taxes arising from any non-Tax expense).
(b)Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower) 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
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respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, as determined in a final and nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c)Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party thereof, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) 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 Exposures of all Lenders at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders’ Applicable 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), in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party thereof acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).
(d)Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and the Borrower hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, 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 the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
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(e)Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after demand therefor, unless being contested in a court of competent jurisdiction.
(f)Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
11.05Payments Set Aside.
To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
11.06Successors and Assigns.
(a)Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent 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 and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
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(i)Minimum Amounts.
(A)in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the related Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in subsection (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 subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(ii)Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s Loans and Commitments, and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned;
(iii)Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(A)the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, 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 ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof); and
(B)the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.
(iv)Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an electronic transmission system as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
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(v)No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) any Defaulting Lender, its Lender Parent or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) a natural Person (or a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person or relative(s) thereof).
(vi)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 (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans in accordance with its Applicable 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 subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment); provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
(c)Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it, or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an electronic transmission system as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender
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pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d)Participations. 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 any Person described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section 11.06(b)(v)) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans 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 and the 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 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in Section 11.01(a) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.13 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 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation 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 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (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 (i) 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 or (ii) as is necessary to permit the Borrower to comply with applicable Law. 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.
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(e)Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
11.07Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.
Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates, its auditors 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 any regulatory 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 hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (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 facilities provided hereunder, (ii) the provider of any Platform or other electronic delivery service used by the Administrative Agent to deliver Borrower materials or notices to the Lenders or (iii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry (including league table providers) and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.
For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.
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11.08Rights of Setoff.
If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, 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 or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or its Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch or 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 9.03 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 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 and its respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its respective Affiliates may have. Each 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.
11.09Interest Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
11.10Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.
This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents 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, 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 5.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof 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 or any other Loan Document, or any certificate delivered thereunder, by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g., “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or
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certificate. Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.
11.11Survival of Representations and Warranties.
All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.
11.12Severability.
If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
11.13Replacement of Lenders.
If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, 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 contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) 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:
(a)the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);
(b)such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(c)in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
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(d)such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e)in the case of an 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.
Each party hereto agrees that (i) an assignment required pursuant to this Section 11.13 may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and (ii) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to an be bound by the terms thereof; provided, that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided further that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11.13 to the contrary, the Lender that acts as the Administrative Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of Section 10.06.
11.14Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
(a)GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND ANY CLAIMS, 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 NEW YORK.
(b)SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER 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, 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 NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE
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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 OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c)WAIVER OF VENUE. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d)SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
11.15Waiver of Jury Trial.
EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
11.16No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.
In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) each of the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be
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acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower and its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by Law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
11.17Electronic Execution; Electronic Records .
(a)This Agreement, any Loan Document and any other Communication, including Communications required to be in writing, may be in the form of an Electronic Record and may be executed using Electronic Signatures. The Borrower and each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees that any Electronic Signature on or associated with any Communication shall be valid and binding on such Person to the same extent as a manual, original signature, and that any Communication entered into by Electronic Signature, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person enforceable against such Person in accordance with the terms thereof to the same extent as if a manually executed original signature was delivered. Any Communication may be executed in as many counterparts as necessary or convenient, including both paper and electronic counterparts, but all such counterparts are one and the same Communication. For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this paragraph may include, without limitation, use or acceptance of a manually signed paper Communication which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed Communication converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention. Any of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of any Communication in the form of an imaged Electronic Record (“Electronic Copy”), which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document. All Communications in the form of an Electronic Record, including an Electronic Copy, shall be considered an original for all purposes, and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by such Person pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (a) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower and/or any Lender without further verification and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.
(b)The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means). The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any Communication (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution or signed using an Electronic Signature) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and
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believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).
(c)Each of the Borrower and each Credit Party hereby waives (i) any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document, and (ii) waives any claim against the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Related Party for any liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures, including any liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Borrower to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.
11.18USA PATRIOT Act Notice.
Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
11.19[Reserved].
11.20California Judicial Reference.
If any action or proceeding is filed in a court of the State of California by or against any party hereto in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (a) the parties agree, and hereby agree to advise the applicable court, that the adjudication of any such action or proceeding (and all related claims) shall be made pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 638 by a referee, who shall be a single active or retired California state court judge mutually agreeable to the parties (it being agreed that the parties shall not seek to appoint a referee that may be disqualified pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 641 or 641.2 without the prior written consent of the parties) or, if the parties are unable to agree upon a referee within ten (10) days after a party serves written notice of intent for judicial reference upon the other parties, the referee shall be selected by the court in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure Section 640(b) who shall hear and determine all of the issues in such action or proceeding (whether of fact or of law) and report a statement of decision, provided that (i) at the option of any party to such proceeding, any such issues pertaining to a “provisional remedy” as defined in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1281.8 shall be heard and determined by the court and (ii) the foregoing shall not be deemed to apply to or limit the right of Administrative Agent (or any Lender) (A) to exercise self-help remedies such as (but not limited to) setoff, (B) to foreclose judicially or nonjudicially against any real or personal property collateral, or to exercise judicial or nonjudicial power of sale rights, or (C) to pursue rights against a party in a third-party proceeding in any action brought against Administrative Agent or any Lender (including actions in bankruptcy court), and (b) without limiting the generality of Section 11.04, the Borrower shall be solely responsible to pay all fees and expenses of any referee appointed in such action or proceeding. The Administrative Agent (or, if applicable, any Lender) may exercise the rights set forth in the foregoing clauses (a) through (b), inclusive, before, during or after the pendency of any judicial reference
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proceeding. Neither the exercise of self-help remedies nor the institution or maintenance of an action for foreclosure or provisional remedies or the opposition to any such provisional remedies shall constitute a waiver of the right of any party, including, but not limited to, the claimant in any such action, to require submission to judicial reference the merits of the dispute occasioning resort to such remedies. No provision in the Loan Documents regarding submission to jurisdiction and/or venue in any court is intended or shall be construed to be in derogation of the provisions in any Loan Document for judicial reference of any of dispute.
11.21Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions.
Solely to the extent any Lender that is an Affected Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a)the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender that is an Affected Financial Institution; and
(b)the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i)a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii)a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii)the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.
11.22Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs .
To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Swap Contract or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States): In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special
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Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
BORROWER: | CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC. | |||||||
By: /s/ John M. Wall | ||||||||
Name: John M. Wall | ||||||||
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Signature Page to Loan Agreement
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
ADMINISTRATIVE | ||||||||
AGENT: | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | |||||||
as Administrative Agent | ||||||||
By: /s/ Carolen Alfonso | ||||||||
Name: Carolen Alfonso | ||||||||
Title: Assistant Vice President | ||||||||
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LENDERS: | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | |||||||
as a Lender | ||||||||
By: /s/ Lindsay Sames | ||||||||
Name: Lindsay Sames | ||||||||
Title: Vice President | ||||||||
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., | ||||||||
as a Lender | ||||||||
By: /s/ Zachary Quan | ||||||||
Name: Zachary Quan | ||||||||
Title: Vice President | ||||||||
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HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, | ||||||||
as a Lender | ||||||||
By: /s/ Mark Gibbs | ||||||||
Name: Mark Gibbs | ||||||||
Title: Managing Director | ||||||||
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ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, | ||||||||
as a Lender | ||||||||
By: /s/ Nicholas Heslip | ||||||||
Name: Nicholas Heslip | ||||||||
Title: Authorized Signatory | ||||||||
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THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, | ||||||||
as a Lender | ||||||||
By: /s/ Khrystyna Manko | ||||||||
Name: Khrystyna Manko | ||||||||
Title: Director | ||||||||
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WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||||||||
as a Lender | ||||||||
By: /s/ Spencer Ferry | ||||||||
Name: Spencer Ferry | ||||||||
Title: Director | ||||||||
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