Revolving Credit Agreement dated April 13, 2021, among Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Administrative Agent, and other lenders party to the Agreement
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
April 13, 2021
among
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
as the Borrower
The Lenders Party Hereto
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
MORGAN STANLEY MUFG LOAN PARTNERS, LLC,
TRUIST BANK, FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers,
and
MORGAN STANLEY MUFG LOAN PARTNERS, LLC,
TRUIST BANK, FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Co-Syndication Agents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I Definitions | 1 | |||
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms | 1 | |||
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings | 30 | |||
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally | 30 | |||
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations | 31 | |||
SECTION 1.05. Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification | 32 | |||
SECTION 1.06. Letter of Credit Amounts | 32 | |||
SECTION 1.07. Divisions | 33 | |||
ARTICLE II The Credits | 33 | |||
SECTION 2.01. Commitments | 33 | |||
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings | 33 | |||
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings | 33 | |||
SECTION 2.04. [Reserved] | 34 | |||
SECTION 2.05. [Reserved] | 34 | |||
SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit | 34 | |||
SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings | 38 | |||
SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections | 39 | |||
SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments | 40 | |||
SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt | 40 | |||
SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans | 41 | |||
SECTION 2.12. Fees | 41 | |||
SECTION 2.13. Interest | 42 | |||
SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest | 43 | |||
SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs | 45 | |||
SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments | 46 | |||
SECTION 2.17. Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up | 46 | |||
SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs | 50 | |||
SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders | 51 | |||
SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders | 52 | |||
SECTION 2.21. Exchange Rates | 54 | |||
SECTION 2.22. Increase in Commitment | 54 | |||
ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties | 56 | |||
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers | 56 | |||
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability | 56 | |||
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts | 56 | |||
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect | 56 | |||
SECTION 3.05. Properties | 57 | |||
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters | 57 | |||
SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements | 57 | |||
SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status | 57 | |||
SECTION 3.09. Taxes | 57 | |||
SECTION 3.10. ERISA | 57 |
ii
SECTION 3.11. Disclosure | 58 | |||
SECTION 3.12. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions | 58 | |||
SECTION 3.13. Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions | 58 | |||
SECTION 3.14. [Reserved | 58 | |||
SECTION 3.15. Labor Matters | 58 | |||
SECTION 3.16. Subsidiaries | 59 | |||
SECTION 3.17. Insurance | 59 | |||
SECTION 3.18. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit | 59 | |||
ARTICLE IV Conditions | 59 | |||
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date | 59 | |||
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event | 60 | |||
ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants | 61 | |||
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information | 61 | |||
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events | 62 | |||
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business | 63 | |||
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Taxes | 63 | |||
SECTION 5.05. [Reserved] | 63 | |||
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights | 63 | |||
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws | 64 | |||
SECTION 5.08. [Reserved] | 64 | |||
SECTION 5.09. [Reserved] | 64 | |||
SECTION 5.10. Additional Guarantors | 64 | |||
SECTION 5.11. Line of Business | 64 | |||
ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants | 65 | |||
SECTION 6.01. Subsidiary Indebtedness | 65 | |||
SECTION 6.02. Liens | 65 | |||
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes | 66 | |||
SECTION 6.04. [Reserved] | 67 | |||
SECTION 6.05. Restricted Payments | 67 | |||
SECTION 6.06. Transactions with Affiliates | 67 | |||
SECTION 6.07. Total Leverage Ratio | 67 | |||
SECTION 6.08. Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio | 67 | |||
SECTION 6.09. [Reserved] | 67 | |||
SECTION 6.10. Sanctions | 67 | |||
ARTICLE VII Events of Default | 68 | |||
SECTION 7.01. Events of Default | 68 | |||
SECTION 7.02. Remedies Upon an Event of Default | 69 | |||
SECTION 7.03. Application of Payments | 70 | |||
ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent | 71 | |||
SECTION 8.01. Authorization and Action | 71 | |||
SECTION 8.02. Administrative Agents Reliance, Indemnification, Etc. | 73 | |||
SECTION 8.03. Posting of Communications | 74 |
iii
SECTION 8.04. The Administrative Agent Individually | 75 | |||
SECTION 8.05. Successor Administrative Agent | 76 | |||
SECTION 8.06. Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Banks | 76 | |||
SECTION 8.07. Guarantee Matters | 78 | |||
SECTION 8.08. [Reserved] | 78 | |||
SECTION 8.09. Certain ERISA Matters | 78 | |||
ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous | 79 | |||
SECTION 9.01. Notices | 79 | |||
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments | 81 | |||
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity; etc. | 82 | |||
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns | 84 | |||
SECTION 9.05. Survival | 87 | |||
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution | 87 | |||
SECTION 9.07. Severability | 88 | |||
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff | 88 | |||
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process | 89 | |||
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 90 | |||
SECTION 9.11. Headings | 90 | |||
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality | 90 | |||
SECTION 9.13. Material Non-Public Information | 91 | |||
SECTION 9.14. Interest Rate Limitation | 91 | |||
SECTION 9.15. No Fiduciary Duty, etc. | 91 | |||
SECTION 9.16. USA PATRIOT Act | 92 | |||
SECTION 9.17. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions | 92 | |||
SECTION 9.18. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs | 93 | |||
SECTION 9.19. Releases of Guarantees | 93 |
SCHEDULES: | ||
Schedule 1.01A | Material Subsidiaries | |
Schedule 2.01A | Commitments | |
Schedule 2.01C | Letter of Credit Commitments | |
Schedule 3.06 | Disclosed Matters | |
Schedule 3.16 | Subsidiaries | |
Schedule 6.01 | Existing Indebtedness | |
Schedule 6.02 | Existing Liens | |
EXHIBITS: | ||
Exhibit A | Form of Guarantee Agreement | |
Exhibit B | Form of Assignment and Assumption | |
Exhibit C | Form of Borrowing Request | |
Exhibit D | Form of Interest Election Request | |
Exhibit E | [Reserved] | |
Exhibit F-1 | U.S. Tax Certificate (For Non-U.S. Lenders that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes) | |
Exhibit F-2 | U.S. Tax Certificate (For Non-U.S. Participants that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes) | |
Exhibit F-3 | U.S. Tax Certificate (For Non-U.S. Participants that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes) | |
Exhibit F-4 | U.S. Tax Certificate (For Non-U.S. Lenders that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes) | |
Exhibit G | Form of Promissory Note |
iv
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of April 13, 2021 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this Agreement), among Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Borrower), the Lenders party hereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
ABR, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
Adjusted LIBO Rate means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
Administrative Agent means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder, and any successor appointed pursuant to Section 8.05.
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.
Agent Indemnitee has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.03(c).
Agreement has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble hereto.
Alternate Base Rate means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus 1⁄2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%; provided, that for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.14 (for the avoidance of doubt, only until the Benchmark Replacement has been determined pursuant to Section 2.14(b)), then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Alternate Base Rate as determined pursuant to the foregoing would be less than 1.00%, such rate shall be deemed to be 1.00% for purposes of this Agreement.
Alternative Currency means any currencies other than Dollars determined after the Effective Date by mutual agreement of the Borrower, Lenders, Administrative Agent and applicable Issuing Bank; provided, that each such currency is a lawful currency that is readily available, freely transferable and not restricted, able to be converted into Dollars and available in the London interbank deposit market.
Ancillary Document has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.06(b).
Anti-Corruption Laws means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws means Laws in any jurisdiction in which any Loan Party is located or doing business that relates to money laundering or terrorism financing, any predicate crime to money laundering, or any financial record keeping and reporting requirements related thereto.
Applicable Parties has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.03(c).
Applicable Percentage means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lenders Commitment; provided, that in the case of Section 2.20 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, Applicable Percentage shall mean the percentage of the total Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lenders Commitment) represented by such Lenders Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lenders status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.
Applicable Rate means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Revolving Loan, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption Eurodollar Spread or ABR Spread, as the case may be, based upon the Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(c):
Pricing Level | Total Leverage Ratio | Eurodollar Spread | ABR Spread | |||||||
I | Less than 1.00:1.00 | 1.375 | % | 0.375 | % | |||||
II | Less than 1.50:1.00 but greater than or equal to 1.00:1.00 | 1.625 | % | 0.625 | % | |||||
III | Less than 2.00:1.00 but greater than or equal to 1.50:1.00 | 1.875 | % | 0.875 | % | |||||
IV | Greater than or equal to 2.00:1.00 | 2.125 | % | 1.125 | % |
2
For purposes of the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the third Business Day following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(c). If at any time the Borrower fails to deliver the quarterly or annual financial statements or Compliance Certificate required under Section 5.01 on or before the date such financial statements or Compliance Certificate are due, Pricing Level IV shall be deemed applicable for the period commencing three (3) Business Days after such required date of delivery and ending on the date which is three (3) Business Days after such financial statements or Compliance Certificate are actually delivered, after which the Pricing Level shall be determined in accordance with the table above, as applicable.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Pricing Level I shall be deemed to be applicable until the Administrative Agents receipt of the applicable financial statements and Compliance Certificate for the first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date (unless such financial statements demonstrate that Pricing Level II, III or IV should have been applicable during such period, in which case such other Pricing Level shall be deemed to be applicable during such period) and adjustments to the Pricing Level then in effect shall thereafter be effected in accordance with the preceding paragraph.
Approved Electronic Platform has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.03(a).
Approved Fund has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(b).
Arrangers means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley MUFG Loan Partners, LLC, acting through Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and MUFG Bank, Ltd, Truist Bank, Fifth Third Bank, National Association and Citibank, N.A. in their capacities as joint lead arrangers hereunder.
Assignment and Assumption means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B or any other form (including electronic records generated by the use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.
Availability Period means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments in full.
Available Tenor means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, any tenor for such Benchmark or payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, as applicable, that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period pursuant to this Agreement as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of Interest Period pursuant to clause (f) of Section 2.14.
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, regulation rule 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).
3
Bankruptcy Event means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment or has had any order for relief in such proceeding entered in respect thereof; provided, that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person 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 permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.
Benchmark means, initially, LIBO Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to LIBO Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then Benchmark means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to clause (b) or clause (c) of Section 2.14.
Benchmark Replacement means, for any Available Tenor, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:
(1) the sum of: (a) Term SOFR and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
(2) the sum of: (a) Daily Simple SOFR and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
(3) the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
provided that, in the case of clause (1), such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement is displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, provided further that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Term SOFR Transition Event, and the delivery of a Term SOFR Notice, on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date the Benchmark Replacement shall revert to and shall be deemed to be the sum of (a) Term SOFR and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment, as set forth in clause (1) of this definition (subject to the first proviso above).
If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1), (2) or (3) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
4
Benchmark Replacement Adjustment means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Interest Period and Available Tenor for any setting of such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement:
(1) for purposes of clauses (1) and (2) of the definition of Benchmark Replacement, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent:
(a) the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) as of the Reference Time such Benchmark Replacement is first set for such Interest Period that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for the applicable Corresponding Tenor;
(b) the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) as of the Reference Time such Benchmark Replacement is first set for such Interest Period that would apply to the fallback rate for a derivative transaction referencing the ISDA Definitions to be effective upon an index cessation event with respect to such Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor; and
(2) for purposes of clause (3) of the definition of Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities;
provided that, in the case of clause (1) above, such adjustment is displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such Benchmark Replacement Adjustment from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.
Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of Alternate Base Rate, the definition of Business Day, the definition of Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides in its reasonable discretion may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).
Benchmark Replacement Date means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1) in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of Benchmark Transition Event, the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
5
(2) in the case of clause (3) of the definition of Benchmark Transition Event, the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein;
(3) in the case of a Term SOFR Transition Event, the date that is thirty (30) days after the date a Term SOFR Notice is provided to the Lenders and the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.14(c); or
(4) in the case of an Early Opt-in Election, the sixth (6th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, written notice of objection to such Early Opt-in Election from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.
For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
Benchmark Transition Event means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided, that at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
(2) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the NYFRB, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided, that at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(3) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are no longer representative.
For the avoidance of doubt, a Benchmark Transition Event will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
Benchmark Unavailability Period means the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date pursuant to clauses (1) or (2) of that definition has occurred if, at such time,
6
no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14 and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14.
Beneficial Ownership Certification means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
Beneficial Ownership Regulation means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.
Benefit Plan means any of (a) an employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a plan as defined in Section 4975 of the Code to which Section 4975 of the Code applies, and (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of the Plan Asset Regulations or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such employee benefit plan or plan.
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 assigned to it in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
Borrowing means an advance of Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
Borrowing Request means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03, which shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
Business Day means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, that when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term Business Day shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
Capital Lease Obligations of any Person means, subject to the last sentence of this definition and Section 1.04, the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases or financing leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP. The term Capitalized Lease Obligations shall not include any obligations with respect to any lease, concession or license of property that would have been considered an operating lease under GAAP prior to the adoption of Accounting Standards Codification 842 or any successor or similar pronouncement with respect to lease accounting (ASC 842).
CFC shall mean a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
CFC Holding Company shall mean a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower (i) substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests and/or Indebtedness of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs or (ii) that is treated as a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes and holds Equity Interests of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries.
7
Change in Control means (a) any person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof, 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) directly or indirectly becoming the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of Equity Interests representing more than 35.0% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower or (b) during any period of 12 consecutive months, occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were not (i) directors of the Borrower on the first day of such period, (ii) elected, appointed or nominated to the board of directors of the Borrower and was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of the board of directors of the Borrower or (iii) elected, appointed or nominated to the board of directors of the Borrower and approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of the board of directors of the Borrower.
Change in Law means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement of (a) the adoption of or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) compliance by any Lender or Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lenders or Issuing Banks holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) 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 (y) 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.
Charges has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.14.
Class when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing are Revolving Loans.
Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Collateral Account has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.06(j).
Commitment means, with respect to each Lender, the amount set forth on Schedule 2.01A opposite such Lenders name, or in the Assignment and Assumption, pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable, and giving effect to (a) any reduction in such amount from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 and (b) any reduction or increase in such amount from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04; provided, that at no time shall the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender exceed its Commitment. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders Commitments is $500,000,000.
Commitment Fee Rate means, for any day, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption Commitment Fee based upon the Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent
8
Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(c):
Commitment | Total Leverage Ratio | Commitment Fee | ||||
I | Less than 1.00:1.00 | 0.175 | % | |||
II | Less than 1.50:1.00 but greater than or equal to 1.00:1.00 | 0.225 | % | |||
III | Less than 2.00:1.00 but greater than or equal to 1.50:1.00 | 0.275 | % | |||
IV | Greater than or equal to 2.00:1.00 | 0.325 | % |
For purposes of the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the Commitment Fee Rate resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the third Business Day following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(c). If at any time the Borrower fails to deliver the quarterly or annual financial statements or Compliance Certificate required under Section 5.01 on or before the date such financial statements or Compliance Certificate are due, Commitment Fee Level IV shall be deemed applicable for the period commencing three (3) Business Days after such required date of delivery and ending on the date which is three (3) Business Days after such financial statements or Compliance Certificate are actually delivered, after which the Commitment Fee Level shall be determined in accordance with the table above, as applicable.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Commitment Fee Level I shall be deemed to be applicable until the Administrative Agents receipt of the applicable financial statements and Compliance Certificate for the first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date (unless such financial statements demonstrate that Commitment Fee Level II, III or IV should have been applicable during such period, in which case such other Commitment Fee Level shall be deemed to be applicable during such period) and adjustments to the Commitment Fee Level then in effect shall thereafter be effected in accordance with the preceding paragraph.
Commitment Increase has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(a).
Commodity Exchange Act means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).
Communications has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.03(c).
Compliance Certificate means a certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c).
Connection Income Taxes means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
Consolidated EBITDA means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus, without duplication and to the extent reflected as a charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) income tax expense, (b) Consolidated Interest Charges, (c) depreciation and amortization expense, (d) amortization of intangibles (including, but not limited to, goodwill) and
9
organization costs, (e) equity-based compensation expense (to the extent paid in equity and not in cash), (f) any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring non-cash expenses or losses, (g) to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income, (x) any expenses and charges that are reimbursable by a third party pursuant to indemnification or other similar provisions and actually reimbursed and (y) expenses and reimbursements with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption, to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, in each case, if not actually reimbursed, so long as the Borrower has a good faith expectation that such amounts will be received within the next four fiscal quarters and only to the extent that such amount is in fact reimbursed within the next four fiscal quarters of the date of the determination by the Borrower that there exists such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within the next four fiscal quarters), (h) fees, charges, reserves, costs or expenses related to litigation, restructuring, severance activities, discontinued operations, casualty events and financing, acquisition or divestiture activities, and (i) other non-cash charges and expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reducing such Consolidated Net Income and minus, (a) to the extent included in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) interest income, (ii) any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring income or gains, (iii) income tax credits (to the extent not netted from income tax expense) and (iv) any other non-cash gains and (b) any cash payments made during such period in respect of items described in clause (e) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which the relevant non-cash expenses or losses were reflected as a charge in the statement of Consolidated Net Income, all as determined on a consolidated basis.
Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, for the period of the four immediately preceding fiscal quarters ending on such date, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated EBITDA during such period plus (ii) Operating Lease and Rental Expense during such period to (b) the sum of (x) Consolidated Interest Charges during such period plus, without duplication, (y) Operating Lease and Rental Expense during such period.
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 of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries 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, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Net Income means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or requirement of law applicable to such Subsidiary.
Consolidated Total Assets means, as of the date of determination, the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with GAAP as of such date.
Consolidated Total Debt means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries outstanding at such time, in
10
an amount that would be reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared at such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include any letters of credit, including Letters of Credit, except with respect to any unreimbursed disbursements thereunder.
Contractual Requirement has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.03.
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. The terms Controlling and Controlled have meanings correlative thereto.
Corresponding Tenor with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.
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 assigned to it in Section 9.18.
Credit Party means the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank or any other Lender.
Daily Simple SOFR means, for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which may include a lookback) being established by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining Daily Simple SOFR for business loans; provided, that if the Administrative Agent decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, then the Administrative Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.
Default means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
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.
Defaulting Lender means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lenders good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lenders good faith determination
11
that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations as of the date of certification) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement, provided, that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Partys receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has become, the subject of (i) a Bankruptcy Event or (ii) a Bail-In Action.
Disclosed Matters means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed on Schedule 3.06.
Disposition or Dispose means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (in one transaction or in a series of transactions and whether effected pursuant to a division or otherwise) of any property by any Person (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any issuance of Equity Interests by a Subsidiary of such Person), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
Documentation Agent means Bank of America, N.A.
Dollar Equivalent means, for any amount of any currency, at the time of determination thereof, (a) if such amount is expressed in Dollars, such amount, (b) if such amount is expressed in an Alternative Currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars determined by using the rate of exchange for the purchase of Dollars with the Alternative Currency last provided (either by publication or otherwise provided to the Administrative Agent) by the applicable Thomson Reuters Corp., Refinitiv, or any successor thereto (Reuters) source on the Business Day (New York City time) immediately preceding the date of determination or if such service ceases to be available or ceases to provide a rate of exchange for the purchase of Dollars with the Alternative Currency, as provided by such other publicly available information service which provides that rate of exchange at such time in place of Reuters chosen by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion (or if such service ceases to be available or ceases to provide such rate of exchange, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using any method of determination, it deems appropriate in its sole discretion) and (c) if such amount is denominated in any other currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using any method of determination it deems appropriate in its sole discretion.
Dollars or $ refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
Domestic Subsidiary means each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia.
Early Opt-in Election means, if the then-current Benchmark is LIBO Rate, the occurrence of:
(1) a notification by the Administrative Agent to (or the request by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent to notify) each of the other parties hereto that at least five currently outstanding dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time contain (as a result of amendment or as originally executed) a SOFR-based rate (including SOFR, a term SOFR or any other rate based upon SOFR) as a benchmark rate (and such syndicated credit facilities are identified in such notice and are publicly available for review), and
12
(2) the joint election by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to trigger a fallback from LIBO Rate and the provision by the Administrative Agent of written notice of such election to the Lenders.
EEA Financial Institution means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
EEA Member Country means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
EEA Resolution Authority means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
Effective Date means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02), which date is April 13, 2021.
Electronic Signature means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.
Environmental Laws means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to (i) the environment, (ii) preservation or reclamation of natural resources, (iii) the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or (iv) health and safety matters.
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 shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest, but excluding any debt securities convertible into any of the foregoing.
ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
ERISA Affiliate means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or Section 4001(14) of ERISA or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
ERISA Event means (a) any reportable event, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period
13
is waived); (b) the failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of Withdrawal Liability or of a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
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.
Eurodollar when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
Event of Default has the meaning assigned to it in Section 7.01.
Exchange Rate means with respect to any non-Dollar currency on any date and subject to Section 2.21, (i) if such amount is an Alternative Currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars determined by using the rate of exchange for the purchase of the Dollars with such currency in the London foreign exchange market at or about 11:00 A.M. (London time) on a particular day as displayed by ICE Data Services as the ask price, or as displayed on such other information service which publishes that rate of exchange from time to time in place of ICE Data Services (or if such service ceases to be available, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion in consultation with the Borrower) and (b) if such amount is denominated in any other currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using a publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion in consultation with the Borrower.
Excluded Subsidiary mean (i) each Subsidiary, in each case, for so long as any such Subsidiary does not (on a consolidated basis with its Subsidiaries) constitute a Material Subsidiary, (ii) any CFC Holding Company, (iii) any direct or indirect Subsidiary of a CFC, (iv) any Foreign Subsidiary or CFC Holding Company, (v) each Subsidiary that is prohibited by any applicable Contractual Requirement or Requirements of Law from guaranteeing the Obligations at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary, or which would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization to provide a guarantee (and for so long as such restriction or any replacement or renewal thereof is in effect, but only, in the case of any Contractual Requirement, to the extent such restriction was not entered into in contemplation of such Subsidiary constituting an Excluded Subsidiary), (vi) any other Subsidiary with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as agreed in writing, the cost, burden or other consequences (including adverse tax consequences) of providing a Guarantee of the Obligations shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom, (vii) each other Subsidiary acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder and financed with assumed secured Indebtedness permitted hereunder, and each Subsidiary acquired in such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder that guarantees
14
such Indebtedness, in each case to the extent that, and for so long as, the documentation relating to such Indebtedness to which such Subsidiary is a party prohibits such Subsidiary from guaranteeing the Obligations and such prohibition was not created in contemplation of such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted hereunder, (viii) each Subsidiary that is not wholly owned directly by (x) the Borrower or (y) one or more of the Borrowers wholly owned Subsidiaries and (ix) each special purpose funding vehicle that has entered into any securitization facility not prohibited hereunder, not for profit Subsidiary and captive insurance company.
Excluded Swap Obligation means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation (a) if, and to the extent that, and only for so long as, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Guarantor of such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantors failure for any reason to constitute an eligible contract participant, as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the guarantee of such Guarantor becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or (b) upon the designation as such in any agreement with respect to such Swap Obligations between the relevant Guarantor and counterparty applicable to such Swap Obligations; provided that if a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one Swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swaps for which such guarantee is or becomes illegal.
Excluded Taxes means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a 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, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lenders assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipients failure to comply with Section 2.17(f) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.
FATCA means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.
FCA has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.05.
Federal Funds Effective Rate means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such days federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as shall be set forth on the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks Website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate; provided, that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.
15
Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks Website means the website of the NYFRB at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source.
Federal Reserve Board means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
Financial Officer means the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
Floor means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to LIBO Rate.
Foreign Subsidiary shall mean each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary or is, directly or indirectly, a Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary.
Foreign Lender means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
Governmental Authority means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
Guarantee of or by any Person (the guarantor) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the primary obligor) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any other obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or other obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations or product warranties in effect on the Effective Date or entered into in the ordinary course of business or in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness).
Guarantee Agreement means the Guarantee Agreement to be executed and delivered by the Borrower and each Guarantor, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Guarantor means (i) each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is party to the Guarantee on the Effective Date and (ii) each Subsidiary of the Borrower that becomes a party to the Guarantee after the Effective Date pursuant to Section 5.10 or otherwise, in each case, unless and until such Person ceases to be a Guarantor in a transaction not prohibited by the Loan Documents; provided, that in no event shall any Excluded Subsidiary be required to be a Guarantor (unless such Subsidiary is no longer an Excluded Subsidiary).
16
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 as hazardous, toxic, a contaminant or words of similar meaning pursuant to any Environmental Law.
Hedging Agreement means any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging arrangement.
Hedging Obligations means the due and punctual payment and performance of any and all obligations of each Loan Party (whether absolute or contingent and however and whenever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor)) arising in respect of Hedging Agreements that (a) are owed to the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing, or to any Person that, at the time such obligations were incurred, was the Administrative Agent, an Arranger or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing, (b) were owed on the Effective Date to a Person that was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender as of the Effective Date or (c) are owed to a Person that was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such obligations were incurred; provided that Hedging Obligations shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations.
IBA has the meaning assigned to it in Section 1.05.
Impacted Interest Period has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of LIBO Rate.
Increased Amount Date has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(b).
Incremental Lender means any Lender or other financial institution with respect to a Commitment Increase.
Indebtedness of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding (i) accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) earn-outs, hold-backs and similar deferred payment of consideration in acquisitions (but only to the extent that no payment is then owed thereunder) and (iii) deferred compensation payable to directors, officers and employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Persons ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Indebtedness that has been defeased in accordance with GAAP or defeased pursuant to the deposit of cash or Permitted Investments (in an amount sufficient to satisfy all
17
such obligations relating to such Indebtedness at maturity or redemption, as applicable, and all payments of interest and premium, if any) in a trust or account created or pledged for the benefit of the holders of such Indebtedness, and subject to the other applicable terms of the instrument governing such Indebtedness, shall, to the extent so defeased, not constitute or be deemed Indebtedness.
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 any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a) hereof, Other Taxes.
Indemnitee has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.03(b).
Ineligible Institution has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(b).
Information has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.12.
Interest Election Request means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08, which shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
Interest Payment Date means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and the Maturity Date.
Interest Period means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months or, with the consent of each Lender, twelve months thereafter (or, with the consent of each Lender, any such shorter period, including one week), as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
Interpolated Rate means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period; and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which that LIBO Screen Rate is available) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time.
Investment means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests or Indebtedness of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit, advances to customers, commission, travel, and similar advances to officers and employees, in each case
18
made in the ordinary course of business) to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person; provided, that Investments shall not include, in the case of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, intercompany loans (including guarantees), advances, or Indebtedness arising from cash management, tax and/or accounting operations made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices.
IRS means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
ISDA Definitions means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or such successor thereto.
Issuing Bank means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Truist Bank, Fifth Third Bank, National Association, Citibank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., MUFG Union Bank, N.A. and any other Lender that agrees to act as an Issuing Bank, each in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). Any Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term Issuing Bank shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate (it being agreed that such Issuing Bank shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, comply with the requirements of Section 2.06 with respect to such Letters of Credit). Each reference herein to the Issuing Bank in connection with a Letter of Credit or other matter shall be deemed to be a reference to the relevant Issuing Bank with respect thereto.
LC Disbursement means a payment made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
LC Exposure means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time, plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the LC Exposure at such time. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Article 29(a) of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or Rule 3.13 or Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or similar terms of the Letter of Credit itself, or if compliant documents have been presented but not yet honored, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be outstanding and undrawn in the amount so remaining available to be drawn, and the obligations of the Borrower and each Lender shall remain in full force and effect until the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall have no further obligations to make any payments or disbursements under any circumstances with respect to any Letter of Credit.
Lender Parent means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.
Lender Presentation means the Lender Presentation, dated March 25, 2021, relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.
Lender-Related Person has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.03(d).
19
Lenders means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01A and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term Lenders includes the Issuing Banks.
Letter of Credit means any letter of credit issued and outstanding pursuant to this Agreement.
Letter of Credit Agreement has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.06(b).
Letter of Credit Commitment means, with respect to each Issuing Bank, the commitment of such Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder. The initial amount of each Issuing Banks Letter of Credit Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01C, or if an Issuing Bank has entered into an Assignment and Assumption or has otherwise assumed a Letter of Credit Commitment after the Effective Date, the amount set forth for such Issuing Bank as its Letter of Credit Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent. The Letter of Credit Commitment of an Issuing Bank may be modified from time to time by agreement between such Issuing Bank and the Borrower, and notified to the Administrative Agent.
Letter of Credit Sublimit means $20,000,000.
Liabilities means any losses, claims (including intraparty claims), demands, damages or liabilities of any kind.
LIBO Rate means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for Dollars and for any Interest Period, the LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided, that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an Impacted Interest Period) with respect to Dollars then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate.
LIBO Screen Rate means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for Dollars and for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for U.S. Dollars or the relevant currency) for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided, that if the LIBO Screen Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.
LIBOR has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.05.
Lien means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
LLC means any Person that is a limited liability company under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation.
20
Loan Documents means, collectively, this Agreement, including schedules and exhibits hereto, the Guarantee Agreement, each Promissory Note, any Letter of Credit and any other document expressly designated by the Administrative Agent or a Lender and any Loan Party as a Loan Document.
Loan Parties means the Borrower and each Guarantor.
Loans means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
Material Adverse Effect means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations or financial condition, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower and the Guarantors (taken as a whole) to perform their payment obligations under the Loan Documents or (c) the rights and remedies of the Lenders under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
Material Indebtedness means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $75,000,000.
Material Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of the Borrower (a) listed on Schedule 1.01A and (b) which, after the Effective Date, owns assets that account for greater than 5.0% of Consolidated Total Assets as of the date of the last financial statements delivered pursuant to this Agreement.
Maturity Date means the date which is 5 years after the Effective Date; provided, however, that, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day.
Maximum Rate has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.14.
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (or any successor thereto).
Multiemployer Plan means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
NYFRB means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
NYFRB Rate means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided, that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term NYFRB Rate means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m., New York City time on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it, acting reasonably; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.
Obligations means the Loans and all other amounts owing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Affiliate of any of them, of every type and description (whether by reason of an extension of credit, loan, guarantee, indemnification or otherwise), present or future, arising under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assignment), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and however acquired and whether or not evidenced by any note, guarantee or other instrument or for the payment of money, including all fees, interest, charges, expenses, attorneys fees and disbursements and other sums chargeable to the Borrower under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, 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 or allowable claims in such proceeding.
21
Organizational Document shall mean (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (including any unanimous shareholder declaration or agreement applicable to such corporation), (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating or limited liability company agreement and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture, trust 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.
Operating Lease and Rental Expense means, for any period, all operating lease expense and all other rental expense incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during such period but shall exclude lease termination expenses and lease exit costs (whether accounted for as restructuring costs, lease expense or otherwise) incurred during such period.
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, Letter of Credit 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 2.19).
Overnight Bank Funding Rate means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions, as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks Website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.
Participant has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(c).
Participant Register has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(c).
Patriot Act has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.16.
Payment has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.06(c).
Payment Notice has the meaning assigned to it in Section 8.06(c).
PBGC means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established under Section 4002 of ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
Permitted Acquisition means an Investment by any Loan Party in a Person that is engaged in a Similar Business if, as a result of such Investment, (a) such Person becomes a Loan Party or (b) such Person,
22
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, a Loan Party and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person; provided, that the Total Leverage Ratio calculated on a pro forma basis would be no greater than the maximum Total Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 6.07.
Permitted Encumbrances means:
(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b) carriers, warehousemens, mechanics, materialmens, repairmens, landlords and other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than sixty (60) days (or if more than 60 days overdue, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Liens) or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04, in each case so long as such Liens do not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with (i) workers compensation, unemployment insurance, retirement and other social security laws or regulations and (ii) public utility services provided to the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(d) Liens arising out of pledges or deposits to secure (i) the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business and (ii) liability to insurance carriers under insurance or self-insurance arrangements;
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 7.01(k);
(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and other similar encumbrances affecting real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(g) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses (including any such agreements related to intellectual property) granted to third parties in the ordinary course of business and not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(h) Liens in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of law or in the ordinary course of business under customary general terms and conditions encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set-off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry or arising pursuant to such banking institutions general terms and conditions;
(i) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods (other than fixed or capital assets) and proceeds thereof of any Person securing such Persons obligations in respect of bankers acceptances or letters of credit issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods in the ordinary course of business;
23
(j) 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 in the ordinary course of business;
(k) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Permitted Investments or encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts, other brokerage accounts or merchant processing accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;
(l) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered in the ordinary course of business;
(m) Liens on any cash earnest money deposits made in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement for an acquisition;
(n) in the case of (i) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or (ii) the Equity Interests in any Person that is not a Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction, including any put and call arrangements, related to Equity Interests in such Subsidiary or such other Person set forth in the Organizational Documents of such Subsidiary or such other Person or any related joint venture, shareholders or similar agreements and any Liens on the Equity Interests in such Person to secure Indebtedness incurred by such Person;
(o) financing statements with respect to a lessors rights in and to personal property leased to such Person in the ordinary course of such Persons business;
(p) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, licensor or sublicensor under leases or licenses permitted by this Agreement that are entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(q) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks or other financial institutions not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;
(r) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries are located;
(s) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;
(t) Liens in connection with the sale or transfer of the Equity Interests in a Subsidiary not prohibited under this Agreement and customary rights and restrictions contained in agreements relating to such sale or transfer, in each case, pending the completion thereof; and
(u) Liens on cash, cash equivalents or marketable securities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary securing obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary under Swap Agreements not incurred for speculative purposes.
24
Permitted Investments means:
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, including treasuries and government sponsored enterprises), in each case maturing within three (3) years from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b) investments in commercial paper maturing (i) within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moodys or (ii) within ninety (90) days from the date of acquisition thereof and rated, at such date of acquisition, at least A-2 by S&P or at least P-2 by Moodys;
(c) investments in certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and time deposits maturing within twelve (12) months from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;
(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than thirty (30) days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above;
(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) at the date of acquisition are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moodys and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000; and
(f) securities with maturities of three (3) years or less from the date of acquisition which (or the issuer of which) are rated at least A or A-1 by S&P or A2 or P-1 by Moodys.
Person means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
Plan means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an employer as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
Plan Asset Regulations means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.
Prime Rate means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the Prime Rate in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the bank prime loan rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.
Projections has the meaning assigned to it in Section 4.01(h).
Promissory Note has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.10(e).
25
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.
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 assigned to it in Section 9.18.
Recipient means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, as applicable.
Reference Time with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is LIBO Rate, 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the day that is two London banking days preceding the date of such setting, and (2) if such Benchmark is not LIBO Rate, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.
Register has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(b)(iv).
Regulation D means Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
Regulation T means Regulation T of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
Regulation U means Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
Regulation X means Regulation X of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.
Related Parties means, with respect to any specified Person, (1) such Persons Affiliates and the controlling persons, (2) their respective directors, officers, employees or partners of such Persons described in clause (1) and (3) the respective advisors, agents and other representatives of such Person or any of its controlling person or Affiliates, in the case of this clause (3) acting at the instructions of such Person or its Related Parties described in clause (2) of this definition.
Relevant Governmental Body means the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB or, in each case, any successor thereto.
Representatives has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.12.
Required Lenders means, subject to Section 2.20, (a) at any time prior to the earlier of the Loans becoming due and payable pursuant to Section 7.01 or the Commitments terminating or expiring, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and Unfunded Commitments representing more than 50.0% of the sum of the Total Revolving Credit Exposure and Unfunded Commitments at such time, provided, that solely for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Section 7.01 the Unfunded Commitment of each Lender shall be deemed to be zero; and (b) for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Section 7.01 or the Commitments expire or terminate, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures representing more than 50.0% of the sum of the Total Revolving Credit Exposure at such time.
Requirements of Law shall mean, as to any Person, the Organizational Documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule, or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or assets or to which such Person or any of its property or assets is subject.
26
Resolution Authority means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.
Responsible Officer means the president, Financial Officer or other executive officer of any Person.
Restricted Payment means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
Reuters has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of Dollar Equivalent.
Revaluation Date means each of the following: (i) the date on which such Letter of Credit is issued, (ii) the first Business Day of each calendar month and (iii) the date of any amendment of such Letter of Credit that has the effect of increasing the face amount thereof.
Revolving Credit Exposure means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lenders Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.
Revolving Loan means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.
S&P means Standard & Poors Rating Services, a Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC business (or any successor thereto).
Sale Leaseback shall mean any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any real or tangible personal property, which property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or such Subsidiary to such Person in contemplation of such leasing.
Sanctioned Country means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).
Sanctioned Person means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majestys Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) any government that is itself the subject or target of Sanctions or (d) any Person owned 50% or more, individually or in the aggregate, by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a), (b) or (c).
Sanctions means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state or Her Majestys Treasury of the United Kingdom.
SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United State of America.
27
Significant Subsidiary means any Subsidiary that would be a significant subsidiary as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as in effect on the Effective Date.
Similar Business means any business in which the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are engaged on the date of this Agreement or that is reasonably related, similar, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto or that is a reasonable extension thereof.
SOFR means, with respect to any Business Day, a rate per annum equal to the secured overnight financing rate published for such Business Day published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrators Website on the immediately succeeding Business Day.
SOFR Administrator means the NYFRB (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate)
SOFR Administrators Website means the NYFRBs Website, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.
Solvent means, as to any Person as of any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts, including contingent debts, as they become absolute and matured taking into account refinancing alternatives, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities, including contingent debts and liabilities, beyond such Persons ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature and (d) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Persons property would constitute an unreasonably small capital. The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.
Statutory Reserve Rate means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentage (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Federal Reserve Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as Eurocurrency liabilities in Regulation D). Such reserve percentage shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
subsidiary means, with respect to any Person (the parent) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parents consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled by the parent and/or one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
28
Subsidiary means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
Supported QFC has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.18.
Swap has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
Swap Agreement means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided, that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
Swap Obligation means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any Swap Agreement.
Taxes means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), value added taxes, or any other goods and services, use or sales taxes, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
Term SOFR means, for the applicable Corresponding Tenor as of the applicable Reference Time, the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.
Term SOFR Notice means a notification by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders and the Borrower of the occurrence of a Term SOFR Transition Event.
Term SOFR Transition Event means the determination by the Administrative Agent that (a) Term SOFR has been recommended for use by the Relevant Governmental Body, (b) the administration of Term SOFR is administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent and (c) a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, has previously occurred resulting in a Benchmark Replacement in accordance with Section 2.14 that is not Term SOFR.
Test Period means, for any determination under this Agreement, the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination and for which financial statements shall have been delivered (or were required to be delivered) to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01 (or, before the first delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01, the most recent period of four fiscal quarters at the end of which financial statements are available).
Total Leverage Ratio means, as at the last day of any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt on such day to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such period.
Total Revolving Credit Exposure means, at any time, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loans at such time and (b) the total LC Exposure at such time.
Transactions means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the Borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
29
Type, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.
UK Financial Institution means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within 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.
Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
Unfunded Commitment means, with respect to each Lender, the Commitment of such Lender less its Revolving Credit Exposure.
U.S. Person means a United States person within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
U.S. Special Resolution Regime has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.18.
U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(B)(3).
Withdrawal Liability means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
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.
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a Revolving Loan) or by Type (e.g., a Eurodollar Loan) or by Class and Type (e.g., a Eurodollar Revolving Loan). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a Borrowing) or by Type (e.g., a Eurodollar Borrowing).
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. 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 (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as
30
referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Persons successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein), (c) the words herein, hereof and hereunder, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (e) any reference to any law, rule or regulation herein shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law, rule or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time (including by succession of comparable successor laws) and (f) the words asset and property shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations.
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided, that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to (i) any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at fair value, as defined therein, (ii) any change in GAAP occurring after the date hereof as a result of the adoption of any proposals set forth in the Proposed Accounting Standards Update, Leases (Topic 840), issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board on August 17, 2010, or any other proposals issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in connection therewith, in each case if such change would require treating any lease (or similar arrangement conveying the right to use) as a capital lease where such lease (or similar arrangement) would not have been required to be so treated under GAAP as in effect on the date hereof and (iii) any treatment of Indebtedness under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 or 2015-03 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.
(b) For the purpose of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any Test Period, (i) if during such Test Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made any disposition, Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period shall be calculated after giving effect thereto on a pro forma basis, and (ii) if during such Test Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made an acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period shall be calculated after giving effect thereto on a pro forma basis; provided, that Borrower shall not be required to calculate Consolidated EBITDA on a pro forma basis with respect to any acquisition and disposition if the Borrower determines in its sole discretion that it does not have reasonably and readily identifiable information to make such pro forma calculation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if for SEC reporting purposes the Borrower is required to prepare pro forma financial statements in connection with an acquisition or disposition of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, then the Borrower will calculate Consolidated EBITDA on a pro forma basis with respect to such acquisition and/or disposition.
31
SECTION 1.05. Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification. The interest rate on a Loan denominated in Dollars or an Alternative Currency may be derived from an interest rate benchmark that is, or may in the future become, the subject of regulatory reform. Regulators have signaled the need to use alternative benchmark reference rates for some of these interest rate benchmarks and, as a result, such interest rate benchmarks may cease to comply with applicable laws and regulations, may be permanently discontinued, and/or the basis on which they are calculated may change. The interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is determined by reference to the LIBO Rate, which is derived from the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR). LIBOR is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. On March 5, 2021, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) publicly announced that (a) immediately after December 31, 2021, publication of all seven euro LIBOR settings, all seven Swiss Franc LIBOR settings, the spot next, 1-week, 2-month and 12-month Japanese Yen LIBOR settings, the overnight, 1-week, 2-month and 12-month British Pound Sterling LIBOR settings, and the 1-week and 2-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will permanently cease; immediately after June 30, 2023, publication of the overnight and 12-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will permanently cease; immediately after December 31, 2021, the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month Japanese Yen LIBOR settings and the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month British Pound Sterling LIBOR settings will cease to be provided or, subject to consultation by the FCA, be provided on a changed methodology (or synthetic) basis and no longer be representative of the underlying market and economic reality they are intended to measure and that representativeness will not be restored; and immediately after June 30, 2023, the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will cease to be provided or, subject to the FCAs consideration of the case, be provided on a synthetic basis and no longer be representative of the underlying market and economic reality they are intended to measure and that representativeness will not be restored. There is no assurance that dates announced by the FCA will not change or that the administrator of LIBOR and/or regulators will not take further action that could impact the availability, composition, or characteristics of LIBOR or the currencies and/or tenors for which LIBOR is published. Each party to this agreement should consult its own advisors to stay informed of any such developments. Public and private sector industry initiatives are currently underway to identify new or alternative reference rates to be used in place of LIBOR. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, Section 2.14(b) and (c) provide the mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower, pursuant to Section 2.14(e), of any change to the reference rate upon which the interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is based. However, the Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to LIBOR or other rates in the definition of LIBO Rate or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof (including, without limitation, (i) any such alternative, successor or replacement rate implemented pursuant to Section 2.14(b) or (c), whether upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, and (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes pursuant to Section 2.14(d)), including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the LIBO Rate or have the same volume or liquidity as did the London interbank offered rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability.
SECTION 1.06. Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the amount of such Letter of Credit available to be drawn at such time; provided, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Letter of Credit Agreement related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the available amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum amount is available to be drawn at such time.
32
SECTION 1.07. Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdictions laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized and acquired on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans denominated in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result (after giving effect to any application of proceeds of such Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.10) in (A) such Lenders Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lenders Commitment or (B) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings.
(a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided, that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lenders failure to make Loans as required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided, that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing that is made to the Borrower, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided, that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided, that there shall not at any time be more than a total of 10 Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by submitting a Borrowing Request (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the
33
proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided, that any such notice of an ABR Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be signed by a Responsible Officer of a Borrower. Each such Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate principal amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term Interest Period; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrowers account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.
If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one months duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lenders Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04. [Reserved].
SECTION 2.05. [Reserved].
SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit.
(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request any Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit as the applicant thereof for the support of the Borrowers or its Subsidiaries obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to such Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period, in the aggregate amount up to but not exceeding the Letter of Credit Sublimit.
(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or fax (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to an Issuing Bank selected by it and to the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment or extension, but in any event no less than three (3) Business Days) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with clause (c) of this Section), the amount and currency of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be reasonably necessary to enable the applicable Issuing Bank to prepare, amend or extend such Letter of Credit. In addition, as a condition to any such Letter of Credit issuance, the Borrower shall have entered into a continuing agreement (or other letter of credit agreement) for the issuance of letters of credit and/or shall submit a letter of credit application, in each case, as required by the respective Issuing Bank and using such Issuing Banks standard form (each,
34
a Letter of Credit Agreement). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment or extension (i) (x) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit issued by any Issuing Bank at such time plus (y) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements made by such Issuing Bank that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time shall not exceed its Letter of Credit Commitment, (ii) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the total Letter of Credit Commitments, (iii) no Lenders Revolving Credit Exposure shall exceed its Commitment and (iv) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the total Commitments. The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Bank with the consent of such Issuing Bank; provided, that the Borrower shall not reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Bank if, after giving effect of such reduction, the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) above shall not be satisfied.
An Issuing Bank shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:
(i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Issuing Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to such Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or require that such Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable on the Effective Date and that such Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it;
(ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally; or
(iii) the Letter of Credit is denominated in a currency other than Dollars or an Alternative Currency.
(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the applicable Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.
(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or the Lenders, such Issuing Bank that issued such Letter of Credit hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lenders Applicable Percentage from time to time of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Issuing Bank, such Lenders Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in clause (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason, including after the Maturity Date. Each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this clause in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments.
35
(e) Reimbursement. Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, first Business Day following the date that such LC Disbursement was made; provided, that if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000, the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrowers obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lenders Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the applicable Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this clause, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this clause to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this clause to reimburse an Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.
(f) Obligations Absolute. The Borrowers obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in clause (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein or herein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the respective Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrowers obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor any Issuing Bank, nor any of their respective Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms, any error in translation or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the respective Issuing Bank; provided, that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Banks failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of an Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to
36
be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, an Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank for any Letter of Credit shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under such Letter of Credit issued by it. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly after such examination notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by fax or electronic mail) of such demand for payment if such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided, that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Lenders of their obligations with respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(h) Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank for any Letter of Credit shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the reimbursement is due and payable at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is payable; provided, that if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to clause (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this clause shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to clause (e) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(i) Replacement and Resignation of an Issuing Bank.
(i) An Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued by it thereafter and (y) references herein to the term Issuing Bank shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit then outstanding and issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit or extend or otherwise amend any existing Letter of Credit.
(ii) Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Bank, any Issuing Bank may resign as an Issuing Bank at any time upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, such resigning Issuing Bank shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.06(i)(i) above.
(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50.0% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this clause, the Borrower shall deposit in respect of each outstanding Letter of Credit issued for the Borrowers account in an account with
37
the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders (the Collateral Account), an amount in Dollars equal to 103% of the LC Exposure attributable to such Letters of Credit as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided, that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in Section 7.01(h) or (i). Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.
The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrowers risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Monies in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed, together with related fees, costs and customary processing charges, and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50.0% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Obligations. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all such Events of Default have been cured or waived.
(k) Letters of Credit Issued for Account of Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder supports any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, or states that a Subsidiary is the account party, applicant, customer, instructing party, or the like of or for such Letter of Credit, and without derogating from any rights of the applicable Issuing Bank (whether arising by contract, at law, in equity or otherwise) against such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit, the Borrower (i) shall reimburse, indemnify and compensate the applicable Issuing Bank hereunder for such Letter of Credit (including to reimburse any and all drawings thereunder) as if such Letter of Credit had been issued solely for the account of the Borrower and (ii) irrevocably waives any and all defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of any or all of the obligations of such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit (other than the defense of payment and performance in full in cash). The Borrower hereby acknowledge that the issuance of such Letters of Credit for their respective Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrowers business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.
SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof solely by wire transfer of immediately available funds, by 2:00 p.m., New York City time (or, in the case of a notice for a same day ABR Borrowing, 3:00 p.m., New York City time), to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. Except in respect of the provisions of this Agreement covering the reimbursement of Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received in the aforesaid account of the Administrative Agent to an account of the Borrower designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided, that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lenders
38
share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with clause (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lenders Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections.
(a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be signed by a Responsible Officer of a Borrower.
(c) Each Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term Interest Period.
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one months duration.
(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lenders portion of each resulting Borrowing.
39
(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period, such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments.
(a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided, that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 and not less than $25,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, (A) any Lenders Revolving Credit Exposure would exceed its Commitment or (B) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure would exceed the total Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under clause (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days (or such lesser period as the Administrative Agent agrees) prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided, that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the occurrence of one or more events specified therein, 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. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.
(a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date.
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lenders share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to clause (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein absent manifest error; provided, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
40
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note (a Promissory Note). In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender and its registered assigns substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit G hereto. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form.
SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans.
(a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part without premium or penalty (except as provided in Section 2.16) and any such payment shall be applied as directed by Borrower, subject to prior notice in accordance with clause (b) of this Section.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by fax or electronic mail) of any prepayment of a Borrowing hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided, that any notice of prepayment is delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the occurrence of one or more events specified therein, 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. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and any break funding payments required by Section 2.16.
SECTION 2.12. Fees.
(a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender, in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Commitment Fee Rate on the daily amount by which the aggregate Commitments exceed the Total Revolving Credit Exposure during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates. Commitment fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable in arrears on the 15th day following such last day and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in each outstanding Letter of Credit, which shall accrue on the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans, during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lenders Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to each Issuing Bank for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank,
41
which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the Dollar Equivalent of the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit, during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, as well as such Issuing Banks standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment or extension of any Letter of Credit and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of such Issuing Bank relating to the Letters of Credit as from time to time in effect. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable in Dollars on the 15th day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided, that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to this clause shall be payable within ten (10) days after written demand therefor. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in Dollars in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to an Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.13. Interest.
(a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Loan, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
(c) [reserved].
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2.00% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding clauses of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2.00% per annum plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in clause (a) of this Section.
(e) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the applicable Commitments; provided, that (i) interest accrued pursuant to clause (d) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
42
(f) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest.
(a) Subject to clauses (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of this Section 2.14, if prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable (including because the LIBO Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis), for Dollars and such Interest Period; provided, that no Benchmark Transition Event shall have occurred at such time; or
(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for Dollars and such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, telecopy or electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (A) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (B) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided, that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document (and any Swap Agreement shall be deemed not to be a Loan Document for purposes of this Section 2.14), if a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (1) or (2) of the definition of Benchmark Replacement for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (3) of the definition of Benchmark Replacement for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document and subject to the proviso below in this paragraph, if a Term SOFR Transition Event and its related Benchmark
43
Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then the applicable Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder or under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings, without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided, that, this clause (c) shall not be effective unless the Administrative Agent has delivered to the Lenders and the Borrower a Term SOFR Notice. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to deliver a Term SOFR Notice after a Term SOFR Transition Event and may do so in its sole discretion.
(d) In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(e) The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (i) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, a Term SOFR Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (iii) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, (iv) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to clause (d) below and (v) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.14, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.14.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including Term SOFR or LIBO Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of Interest Period for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of Interest Period for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.
(g) Upon the Borrowers receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any request for a Eurodollar Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Loans to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to ABR Loans. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of ABR based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of ABR.
44
SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs.
(a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or Issuing Bank;
(ii) impose on any Lender or Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or
(iii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender or Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lenders or the Issuing Banks capital or on the capital of such Lenders or Issuing Banks holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lenders or Issuing Banks holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lenders or Issuing Banks policies and the policies of such Lenders or Issuing Banks holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lenders or Issuing Banks holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender or Issuing Bank describing the Change in Law in reasonable detail and setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in clause (a) or (b) of this Section including in reasonable detail a description of the basis for such claim for compensation and an explanation of how such amount or amounts were determined, shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lenders or Issuing Banks right to demand such compensation; provided, that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving
45
rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lenders or Issuing Banks intention to claim compensation therefor; provided, further, that if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof. Any claim made by a Lender under this Section 2.15 shall be generally consistent with such Lenders treatment of other customers of such Lender that such Lender considers, in its reasonable discretion, to (i) be similarly situated to the Borrower and (ii) have generally similar provisions in their credit agreements with such Lender.
SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender (other than, in the case of a claim for compensation based on the failure to borrow as specified in clause (c) above, any Lender whose failure to make a Loan required to be made by it hereunder has resulted in such failure to borrow) for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in the relevant currency of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 2.16, shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) Business Days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.17. Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up.
(a) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.
46
(c) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(d) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable and documented expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lenders failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to setoff and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (e).
(f) Status of Lenders.
(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lenders 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.
47
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:
(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), an executed copy 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, an executed copy of IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the interest article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the business profits or other income article of such tax treaty;
(2) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, an executed copy 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 Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a 10 percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a controlled foreign corporation described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate) and (y) an executed copy of IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8BEN; or
(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, an executed copy of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F-2 or Exhibit F-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided, that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies 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
48
(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lenders obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Each Lender (or Participant) agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, the Lender who granted the participation) in writing of its legal inability to do so. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), FATCA shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(g) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this clause (h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this clause (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this clause (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the 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 clause shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(i) Survival. Each partys obligations under this Section shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.
49
(j) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section, the term Lender includes any Issuing Bank and the term applicable law includes FATCA.
SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs.
(a) The Borrower shall make each payment or prepayment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date when due or the date fixed for any prepayment hereunder, in immediately available funds, without setoff, recoupment or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, except payments to be made directly to Issuing Banks as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars.
(b) At any time that payments are not required to be applied in the manner required by Section 7.03, if at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary 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 Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; 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 clause shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this clause 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 Borrowers 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.
50
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received, prior to any date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Banks pursuant to the terms hereof or any other Loan Document (including any date that is fixed for prepayment by notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.11(b)), notice from the Borrower that the Borrower will not make such payment or prepayment, 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 or the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank 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 NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof) (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lenders obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold such amounts in a segregated account over which the Administrative Agent shall have exclusive control as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section, in the case of each of clause (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.
SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, 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 2.17, then 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 reasonable judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, 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 2.17, if any Lender becomes Defaulting Lender, or in connection with any proposed amendment, modification, waiver or termination requiring the consent of all the Lenders or all affected Lenders, the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained but the consent of any Lender whose consent is required is not obtained, 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 Section 9.04 or pursuant to procedures agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided, that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent with respect to any assignee that is not already a Lender hereunder (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Banks), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) subject to the Borrowers rights with respect to Defaulting Lenders hereunder, such Lender
51
shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, 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) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and 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 clause may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), 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 and 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, that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.
SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:
(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12;
(b) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 7.03 or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Issuing Bank hereunder; third, to cash collateralize LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lenders potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize future LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Banks against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lenders breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lenders breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided, that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has
52
not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in the Borrowers obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to clause (d) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(c) the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided, that this clause (c) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;
(d) if any LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(i) all or any part of the LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lenders Revolving Credit Exposure to exceed its Commitment;
(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within three (3) Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize for the benefit of the applicable Issuing Banks only the Borrowers obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;
(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure is cash collateralized;
(iv) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.12(a) and Section 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders Applicable Percentages; and
(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all commitment fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lenders Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lenders LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Banks until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and
(e) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lenders then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments and the Letter of Credit
53
Commitments, as applicable, of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.20(d), and LC Exposure related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(d)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).
If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) any Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Issuing Banks shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.
In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Issuing Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lenders Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
SECTION 2.21. Exchange Rates.
(a) No later than 1:00 P.M. (New York City time) on each Revaluation Date, the Administrative Agent shall determine the Exchange Rate as of such Revaluation Date with respect to each applicable Alternative Currency, provided, that upon receipt of a Borrowing Request pursuant to Section 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall determine the Exchange Rate with respect to the relevant Alternative Currency on the related Revaluation Date (it being acknowledged and agreed that the Administrative Agent shall use such Exchange Rate for the purposes of determining compliance with Section 2.01 with respect to such Borrowing Request). The Exchange Rates so determined shall become effective on the relevant Revaluation Date, shall remain effective until the next succeeding Revaluation Date and shall for all purposes of this Agreement be the Exchange Rates employed in converting any amounts between Dollars and any Alternative Currency.
(b) No later than 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on each Revaluation Date, the Administrative Agent shall determine the aggregate amount of the Dollar Equivalents of the LC Exposure denominated in any Alternative Currency then outstanding.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower of each determination of an Exchange Rate hereunder.
SECTION 2.22. Increase in Commitment.
(a) The Borrower may, at its option any time before the Maturity Date, seek to increase the Commitments (any such increase, a Commitment Increase) upon written notice to the Administrative Agent; provided that, the aggregate principal amount of all Commitment Increases shall not exceed $250,000,000.
(b) Any such notice delivered to the Administrative Agent in connection with a Commitment Increase may be delivered at a time when no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and shall specify (i) the amount of such Commitment Increase (which shall not be less than $50,000,000 (unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) or, if less, the maximum amount of Commitment Increase remaining to be established hereunder) sought by the Borrower, (ii) the
54
date (each, an Increased Amount Date) on which the Borrower proposes that such Commitment Increase shall be effective, which shall be a date not less than ten Business Days after the date on which such notice is delivered to the Administrative Agent (unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) and (iii) the identity of each Incremental Lender to whom the Borrower proposes any portion of such Commitment Increase be allocated and the amounts of such allocations. The Administrative Agent, subject to the consent of the Borrower (which shall not be unreasonably withheld) may allocate the Commitment Increase (which may be declined by any Lender (in its sole discretion)) on either a ratable basis to the Lenders or on a non pro-rata basis to one or more Lenders and/or other Persons (other than Ineligible Institutions) reasonably acceptable to each of the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Borrower which have expressed a desire to accept the Commitment Increase. The Administrative Agent will then notify each existing Lender and Incremental Lender of such revised allocations of the Commitments, including the desired increase. No Commitment Increase shall become effective until each of the Incremental Lenders extending such Commitment Increase and the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a document in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent pursuant to which any such Incremental Lender states the amount of its Commitment Increase and agrees to assume and accept the obligations and rights of a Lender hereunder, and the Borrower accepts such new Commitments.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Commitment Increase shall be established unless (i) no Default or Event of Default shall exist on such Increased Amount Date before or after giving effect to such Commitment Increase; (ii) all fees and expenses, if any, owing in respect of such increase to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will have been paid; (iii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with each of the covenants set forth in Section 6.07 and 6.08 as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period after giving effect to the making of any Revolving Loans pursuant to such Commitment Increase on the effective date and other customary and appropriate pro forma adjustment events, including any acquisitions or dispositions after the beginning of the relevant Test Period but on or prior to or simultaneous with the establishment of such Commitment Increase; and (iv) the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered any customary legal opinions or other customary closing documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with any such Commitment Increase.
(d) Upon the effectiveness of any Commitment Increase of any Incremental Lender that is not already a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.22(d), (i) such Incremental Lender shall be deemed to be a Lender hereunder, and henceforth shall be entitled to all the rights of, and benefits accruing to, Lenders hereunder and shall be bound by all agreements, acknowledgements and other obligations of Lenders hereunder and (ii) Schedule 2.01A hereto shall be deemed to have been amended to reflect the Commitment of such Incremental Lender. After giving effect to any Commitment Increase, all Loans and all such other credit exposure shall be held ratably by the Lenders in proportion to their respective Commitments, as revised to reflect the increase in the Commitments. The terms of any such Commitment Increase and the extensions of credit made pursuant thereto shall be identical to those of the other Commitments and the extensions of credit made pursuant thereto. Each Commitment Increase shall be deemed for all purposes a Commitment and each Loan made thereunder shall be deemed, for all purposes, a Loan. The Administrative Agent may elect or decline to arrange the increase in Commitment sought by the Borrower but is under no obligation to arrange or consummate any such increase. The Borrower will cooperate with the Administrative Agent in such efforts.
(e) In connection with any increase in the Commitments under this Section 2.22, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may, without the consent of any Lender, effect such technical amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, to give effect to the provisions of this Section 2.22; provided that the Administrative Agent shall post such amendment to the Lenders (which may be posted to an Approved Electronic Platform) reasonably promptly after the effectiveness thereof.
55
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders on the Effective Date and as of each other date the representations and warranties are required or deemed to be made pursuant to this Agreement, that:
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdiction) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization or formation, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdiction) in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except, in each case, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Borrowers corporate or other organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is to be a party, when executed and delivered by such Loan Party, will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower or such Loan Party, as the case may be, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) any reports required to be filed by the Borrower with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (ii) those that may be required from time to time in the ordinary course of business that may be required to comply with certain covenants contained in the Loan Documents or (iii) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, (c) will not violate any applicable law or regulation of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any order of any Governmental Authority, (d) will not violate, terminate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any other Loan Party or its assets (any such term, covenant, condition or provision, a Contractual Requirement) other than any such breach, default, termination or creation or imposition of Lien and (e) will not result in the creation or imposition of, or the requirement to create, any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, except in the case of clauses (a), (c), (d) and (e) above for any such violations or defaults that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020, reported on by Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of certain footnotes.
(b) Since December 31, 2020, there has been no Material Adverse Effect on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
56
SECTION 3.05. Properties.
(a) Each Loan Party has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes or where the failure to have such title or interest would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Each Loan Party owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by such Loan Party, to the best of knowledge of the Borrower, does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters.
(a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in writing against or affecting the Borrower or any other Loan Party (i) as to which there is a reasonable expectation of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters or as disclosed in filings made by the Borrower with the SEC on or before the date hereof) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of other Loan Parties (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) to the knowledge of the Borrower, have become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in filings made by the Borrower with the SEC on or before the date hereof.
SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Loan Parties are in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status. No Loan Party is an investment company as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each Loan Party has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur,
57
would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Codification No. 715) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Codification No. 715) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans, except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. Neither the Lender Presentation, the Projections nor any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other written factual information (other than Projections, forward-looking statements and information of a general economic or industry nature) furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains as of the date such reports, financial statements, certificates or other written information were so furnished, 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 with respect to projected financial information and other forward-looking statements (including the Projections), the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time; it being recognized by the Lenders that such projections and other forward-looking statements are as to future events and are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections or other forward-looking statements may differ significantly from the projected results and such differences may be material.
SECTION 3.12. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors and to the knowledge of the Borrower its employees and agents, are in compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any of their respective directors or officers or to the knowledge of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or the Transactions will violate any Anti-Corruption Law, Anti-Money Laundering Laws or applicable Sanctions.
SECTION 3.13. Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions. None of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is an entity deemed to hold plan assets (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations), and, assuming no plan assets are used by any Lender in making of any Loan and the issuance of any Letter of Credit hereunder, neither the execution, delivery nor performance of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement, including the making of any Loan and the issuance of any Letter of Credit hereunder, will give rise to a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.
SECTION 3.14. [Reserved].
SECTION 3.15. Labor Matters. Except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there are no strikes or other labor disputes against the Borrower or any
58
of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened; (b) hours worked by and payment made to employees of Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable law dealing with such matters; and (c) all payments due from Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries on account of employee health and welfare insurance have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the relevant Person.
SECTION 3.16. Subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date, Schedule 3.16 sets forth the name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each Subsidiary and, as to each such Subsidiary, the percentage of each class of Equity Interests owned directly or indirectly by the Borrower.
SECTION 3.17. Insurance. Each of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties maintains, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION 3.18. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including Acquisitions, Investments and Restricted Payments permitted hereunder). No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, including Regulations T, U and X. Letters of Credit will be issued only to support the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (x) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws, (y) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with applicable Sanctions, or (z) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include fax or electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and (ii) from each party to the Guarantee Agreement either (A) a counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include fax or electronic transmission of a signed signature page of the Guarantee Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of the Guarantee Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the Loan Parties and (ii) a written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti, Colorado counsel for the Loan Parties, in each case, covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.
59
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date, with appropriate insertions and attachments, including the certificate of incorporation or formation, as applicable, of each Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party, and (ii) a certificate of compliance, certificate of status or other applicable certificate of good standing certificate (to the extent such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdiction) as of a recent date for each Loan Party from its jurisdiction of organization.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received the audited financial statements and the unaudited quarterly financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 3.04(a). The Administrative Agent hereby acknowledges receipt of the financial statements required in this clause (f) with respect to the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020.
(g) (i) The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least three (3) days prior to the Effective Date, all documentation and other information regarding the Borrower requested in connection with applicable know your customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act, to the extent requested in writing of the Borrower at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date and (ii) to the extent the Borrower qualifies as a legal entity customer under the requirements of the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, at least three (3) days prior to the Effective Date, any Lender that has requested, in a written notice to the Borrower at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower shall have received such Beneficial Ownership Certification (provided, that upon the execution and delivery by such Lender of its signature page to this Agreement, the condition set forth in this clause (ii) shall be deemed to be satisfied).
(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory financial statement projections (the Projections) of the Borrower through and including the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, which shall be accompanied by a detailed description of the key assumptions used in preparing such Projections. The Administrative Agent hereby acknowledges receipt of the Projections required in this clause (h) with respect to the period through and including the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto.
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any conversion or continuation of a Loan), and of each Issuing Bank to issue, amend or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to receipt of the request therefor in accordance herewith and to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable; provided, that any representation and warranty (x) that
60
is qualified as to materiality, Material Adverse Effect or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects and (y) which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects (or, in the case of any representation or warranty qualified by materiality, Material Adverse Effect or similar language, in all respects) only as of such specified date.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing (excluding any conversion or continuation of any existing Loan) and each issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated (or have been cash collateralized in accordance with Section 2.06), in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenant and agree with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent for transmission to each Lender:
(a) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021), its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountant firm of recognized national or regional standing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (without a going concern or like qualification or exception (other than any qualification or exception, that is expressly solely with respect to, or expressly resulting solely from, (i) an upcoming maturity date under any Indebtedness under the Loan Documents or (ii) any actual or potential inability to satisfy a financial maintenance covenant at such time or on a future date or in a future period) and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit in any material respects) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(b) 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 ended June 30, 2021), its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes (which certification requirement shall be deemed satisfied by the execution by a Financial Officer of the certification required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K);
61
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred and, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations of the Total Leverage Ratio demonstrating compliance with Section 6.07, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio demonstrating compliance with Section 6.08 and (iv) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, customary management discussion and analysis of the important operational and financial developments during the fiscal period covered by such financial statements (which shall be deemed satisfied by any management discussion and analysis disclosed in filings made by the Borrower with the SEC); and
(e) promptly following any request therefor, (x) such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request and (y) information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable know your customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation; provided, that, with respect to clause (x), none of the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries will be required to provide information constituting attorney work product, subject to attorney/client privilege or confidentiality obligations not created in contemplation of this Agreement.
Documents and information required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), (b) or (d) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which such documents or information (i) are posted on the Borrowers behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether made available by the Administrative Agent) or (ii) shall be available on the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.; provided, that: (A) upon written request by the Administrative Agent (or any Lender acting through the Administrative Agent) to the Borrower, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (B) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by fax 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 timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such document to it and maintaining its copies of such documents.
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent for distribution to each Lender prompt written notice of the following, promptly after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower having knowledge thereof:
(a) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws, that, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
62
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(d) notice of any action arising under any Environmental Law or of any noncompliance by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with any Environmental Law or any permit, approval, license or other authorization required thereunder that, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(e) any material change in accounting or financial reporting practices by the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(f) [reserved];
(g) any other development that results in, or would reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect; and
(h) any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered to such Lender that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in such certification.
Documents and information required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.02(b), (c) or (d) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which such documents or information shall be available on the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.; provided, that: (A) upon written request by the Administrative Agent (or any Lender acting through the Administrative Agent) to the Borrower, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (B) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by fax 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.
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things reasonably necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business, taken as a whole, (other than the preservation of the existence of the Borrower) except to the extent that failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided, that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Taxes. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.05. [Reserved].
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries in all material respects, are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities, and are in conformity with GAAP. The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon at least five (5) Business Days prior notice, to visit and inspect, during normal business hours at reasonable times, its offices and other facilities, properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, to discuss its affairs, finances
63
and condition with its officers and independent accountants (it being agreed that, the foregoing will be coordinated through the Borrower and the Administrative Agent); provided, that unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time such inspection commences, only one visit or inspection shall be permitted in any 12 consecutive calendar months. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.06, none of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter that (i) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives) is prohibited by applicable law or any binding agreement not entered into in contemplation of avoiding such inspection and disclosure rights, (iii) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product, or (iv) in respect of which the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary owes confidentiality obligations to any third party not entered into in contemplation of avoiding such inspection and disclosure rights.
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects.
SECTION 5.08. [Reserved].
SECTION 5.09. [Reserved].
SECTION 5.10. Additional Guarantors. With respect to any new Material Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) organized or acquired after the Effective Date by any Loan Party and any existing Subsidiary that becomes a Material Subsidiary after the Effective Date that, promptly, but in any event within sixty (60) days (or such longer period as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent), cause such Subsidiary (a) to become a party to the Guarantee Agreement, (b) to deliver to the Administrative Agent such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of such Subsidiary, the authorization of the entering into the Guarantee Agreement and the transactions related thereto, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (c) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, to deliver to the Administrative Agent legal opinions relating to the matters described above.
SECTION 5.11. Line of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause any of its Subsidiaries to refrain from entering into any business, either directly or through any Subsidiary, except for those businesses in which the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are engaged on the date of this Agreement or that are reasonably related, similar, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto or that is a reasonable extension thereof.
64
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or been terminated, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01. Subsidiary Indebtedness. The Borrower will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 6.01 and refinancings, extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness; provided, that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement 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;
(c) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(d) Guarantees by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(e) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided, that such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 270 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement;
(f) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof in connection with a Permitted Acquisition; provided, that such initial Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and any refinancings, extensions, renewals or replacements of such Indebtedness does not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (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);
(g) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary as an account party in respect of trade letters of credit;
(h) other Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of $400,000,000 and 7.5% of the Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding; provided that (i) such Indebtedness shall have a final maturity no earlier than the Maturity Date, (ii) the weighted average life to maturity of such Indebtedness shall be no shorter than that of the facility hereunder, (iii) such Indebtedness shall have covenants no more restrictive on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, when taken as a whole than the covenants hereunder, as reasonably determined by the Borrower and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of secured Indebtedness permitted by this clause (h) shall not exceed the greater of $50,000,000 and 1.0% of the Consolidated Total Assets; and
(i) Hedging Obligations (excluding Hedging Obligations entered into for speculative purposes).
SECTION 6.02. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances;
65
(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 6.02 and any refinancings, extensions, renewals and replacements thereof; provided, that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, other than improvements and accessions to the subject assets and proceeds thereof, and (ii) the amount of such Lien is not increased at the time of such refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement 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;
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided, that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (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);
(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets (including Capital Lease Obligations and purchase money Liens) acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided, that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100.0% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iii) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(e) Liens on cash collateral provided by the Borrower to an Issuing Bank in respect of any cash collateralized Letter of Credit as contemplated by Section 2.06(j);
(f) Liens on cash collateral or government securities to secure obligations under Hedging Agreement; and
(g) other Liens securing an aggregate principal amount of outstanding Indebtedness or other obligations not to exceed the greater of $50,000,000 and 1.0% of the Consolidated Total Assets.
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or otherwise Dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge or consolidate with or into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person may merge or consolidate with or into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary, (iii) any Subsidiary may Dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary and (iv) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that the Borrower will not merge into or consolidate with any other Person, except as permitted by clause (i) above, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution).
(b) The Borrower will not change its method for determining (i) the end of its fiscal year or (ii) its fiscal quarters without providing prior written notice to the Administrative Agent.
66
SECTION 6.04. [Reserved].
SECTION 6.05. Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (b) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (d) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make any other Restricted Payment (other than Restricted Payments to repurchase Equity Interests) not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing prior to making such Restricted Payment or would arise after giving effect thereto; provided that any unused amounts in any fiscal year may be carried over to the next fiscal year and (e) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make any other Restricted Payment so long as (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing prior to making such Restricted Payment or would arise after giving effect thereto and (ii) the Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed 2.50:1.00 after giving effect thereto on a pro forma basis.
SECTION 6.06. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, in excess of $25,000,000, except
(a) transactions at prices and on terms and conditions, when taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arms-length basis from unrelated third parties;
(b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (or between or among two or more Subsidiaries) not involving any other Affiliate;
(c) transactions otherwise permitted under this Agreement;
(d) payment of directors fees and reimbursement of actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending meetings of the governing body of the Borrower;
(e) employment arrangements with officers and other employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business; and
(f) transactions entered into in connection with any accounts receivable financing.
SECTION 6.07. Total Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any Test Period to be greater than 3.00 to 1.00.
SECTION 6.08. Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any Test Period to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.
SECTION 6.09. [Reserved].
SECTION 6.10. Sanctions. The Borrower will not request any Loan or Letter of Credit, and the Loan Parties will not use, and will procure that their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents will not use, the proceeds of the Loans or Letters of Credit (A) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (B) to fund, finance or facilitate any
67
activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with applicable Sanctions, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
SECTION 7.01. Events of Default. If any of the following events (each, an Event of Default) shall occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Section 7.01) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party in or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect (or, in the case of any representation or warranty qualified by materiality, Material Adverse Effect or similar language, in any respect) when made or deemed made;
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to the Borrowers existence) or in Article VI;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Section 7.01) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f) the Borrower or any Loan Party that is a Material Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue after any applicable grace period;
(g) any default occurs in respect of any Material Indebtedness that results in such Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g)(i) shall not apply to any Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency,
68
receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed, uncharged or unbonded for sixty (60) consecutive days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i) the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Section 7.01, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(j) the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary shall admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $75,000,000 to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance or indemnity (other than standard deductibles) as to which the insurer or indemnitor has been notified of such judgment and has not denied coverage thereof) shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Material Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that results in liability of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary, that when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(m) a Change in Control shall occur; or
(n) any material 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 Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Borrower or any other Person contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or the Borrower denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports in writing to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document.
SECTION 7.02. Remedies Upon an Event of Default. If an Event of Default occurs (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in Sections 7.01(h) or 7.01(i)), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may with the consent of the Required Lenders, and shall at the request of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, take any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times:
(a) terminate any outstanding Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately;
(b) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and
69
thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Document, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower;
(c) require that the Borrower provides cash collateral as required in Section 2.06(j); and
(d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks under the Loan Documents and applicable law.
If an Event of Default described in Sections 7.01(h) or 7.01(i) occurs with respect to the Borrower, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Document including any break funding payment, shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to cash collateralize the LC Exposure as provided in clause (c) above shall automatically become effective, in each case, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.
SECTION 7.03. Application of Payments. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, following the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 7.01 and notice thereof to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or the Required Lenders:
(a) all payments received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to Section 2.20, be applied by the Administrative Agent as follows:
(i) first, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts payable to the Administrative Agent (including fees and disbursements and other charges of counsel to the Administrative Agent payable under Section 9.03 and amounts pursuant to Section 2.12(c) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such);
(ii) second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, expenses, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, reimbursement obligations in respect of LC Disbursements, interest and Letter of Credit fees) payable to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (including fees and disbursements and other charges of counsel to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks payable under Section 9.03) arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (ii) payable to them;
(iii) third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit fees and charges and interest on the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements, ratably among the Lenders and the Issuing Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (iii) payable to them;
(iv) fourth, (A) to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements and (B) to cash collateralize that portion of LC Exposure comprising the undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise cash collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.06 or 2.20, ratably among the Lenders and the Issuing Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause (iv) payable to them; provided, that (x) any such amounts applied pursuant to subclause (B) above shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the applicable Issuing Banks to cash collateralize Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit, (y) subject to Section 2.06 or 2.20, amounts used to cash collateralize the aggregate amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to this clause (iv) shall be used to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur and (z) upon the expiration of any Letter of Credit (without any pending drawings), the pro rata share of cash collateral shall be distributed to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth in this Section 7.03;
70
(v) fifth, to the payment in full of all other Obligations, in each case ratably among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to them in accordance with the respective amounts thereof then due and payable; and
(vi) finally, the balance, if any, after all Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by law; and
(b) if any amount remains on deposit as cash collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired (without any pending drawings), such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
SECTION 8.01. Authorization and Action. (a) Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors and assigns to serve as the administrative agent under the Loan Documents and each Lender and each Issuing Bank authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent under such agreements and to exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent is a party, and to exercise all rights, powers and remedies that the Administrative Agent may have under such Loan Documents.
(b) As to any matters not expressly provided for herein and in the other Loan Documents (including enforcement or collection), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, pursuant to the terms in the Loan Documents), and, unless and until revoked in writing, such instructions shall be binding upon each Lender and each Issuing Bank; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that (i) the Administrative Agent in good faith believes exposes it to liability unless the Administrative Agent receives an indemnification and is exculpated in a manner satisfactory to it from the Lenders and the Issuing Banks with respect to such action or (ii) is contrary to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or applicable law, including any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors; provided, further, that the Administrative Agent may seek clarification or direction from the Required Lenders prior to the exercise of any such instructed action and may refrain from acting until such clarification or direction has been provided. Except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Administrative Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
71
(c) In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:
(i) the Administrative Agent does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or duty or any other relationship as the agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender, Issuing Bank or holder of any other obligation other than as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, regardless of whether a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (and it is understood and agreed that the use of the term agent (or any similar term) herein or in any other Loan Document with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary duty or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law, and that such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties); additionally, each Lender agrees that it will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby; and
(ii) nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account;
(d) The Administrative Agent may perform any 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 of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers 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 pursuant to this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.
(e) None of any Documentation Agent nor any Arranger shall have obligations or duties whatsoever in such capacity under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and shall incur no liability hereunder or thereunder in such capacity, but all such persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder.
(f) In case of the pendency of any proceeding with respect to any Loan Party under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, LC Disbursements and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim under Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.15, 2.17 and 9.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
72
(ii) 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 proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each Issuing Bank 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 or the Issuing Banks, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due to it, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, under the Loan Documents (including under Section 9.03). 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 or Issuing Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or Issuing Bank or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or Issuing Bank in any such proceeding.
(g) The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and, except solely to the extent of the Borrowers rights to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article, none of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions.
SECTION 8.02. Administrative Agents Reliance, Indemnification, Etc.
(a) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (i) liable to any Lender for any action taken or omitted to be taken by such party, the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties under or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (x) with the consent of 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 to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or (y) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agents reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page) or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of any Loan Party to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any (i) notice of any of the events or circumstances set forth or described in Section 5.02 unless and until written notice thereof stating that it is a notice under Section 5.02 in respect of this Agreement and identifying the specific clause under said Section is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, or (ii) notice of any Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a notice of Default or a notice of an Event of Default) is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or an Issuing Bank. Further, 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 any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the sufficiency, validity,
73
enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items (which on their face purport to be such items) expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for, or be responsible for any Liabilities, cost or expense suffered by the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Lender or any Issuing Bank as a result of, any determination of the Revolving Credit Exposure, any of the component amounts thereof or any portion thereof attributable to each Lender or Issuing Bank, or any Exchange Rate or Dollar Equivalent.
(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent (i) may treat the payee of any promissory note as its holder until such promissory note has been assigned in accordance with Section 9.04, (ii) may rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 9.04(b), (iii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts, (iv) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender or Issuing Bank and shall not be responsible to any Lender or Issuing Bank for any statements, warranties or representations made by or on behalf of any Loan Party in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (v) in determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Bank sufficiently in advance of the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (vi) 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 notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper party or parties (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).
SECTION 8.03. Posting of Communications.
(a) The Borrower agree that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks by posting the Communications on IntraLinks, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the Approved Electronic Platform).
(b) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Effective Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.
(c) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED AS IS AND AS AVAILABLE. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW)
74
DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. 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 THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY ARRANGER, ANY DOCUMENTATION AGENT OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, APPLICABLE PARTIES) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY LOAN PARTY, ANY LENDER, ANY ISSUING BANK OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY LOAN PARTYS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENTS TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.
Communications means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.
(d) Each Lender and each Issuing Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lenders or Issuing Banks (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.
(e) Each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agents generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.
(f) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.
SECTION 8.04. The Administrative Agent Individually. With respect to its Commitment, Loans, Letter of Credit Commitments and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be. The terms Issuing Banks, Lenders, Required Lenders and any similar terms shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, Issuing Bank or as one of the Required Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks.
75
SECTION 8.05. Successor Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving thirty (30) days prior written notice thereof to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower, whether or not a successor Administrative Agent has been appointed. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, subject to the consent of the Borrower, to appoint a successor Administrative Agent; provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agents giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. In either case, such appointment shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Borrower (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be required while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Prior to any retiring Administrative Agents resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Administrative Agent its rights as Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.
(b) Notwithstanding clause (a) of this Section, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (ii) the Required Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided, that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and each Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agents resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article VIII and Section 9.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
SECTION 8.06. Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Banks. (a) Each Lender represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Documentation Agent or any other Lender, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger,
76
any Documentation Agent or any other Lender, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrower and their Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
(b) Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Effective Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Effective Date or the effective date of any such Assignment and Assumption or any other document pursuant to which it shall have become a Lender hereunder.
(c) (i) Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable, that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable, from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a Payment) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender or such Issuing Bank (whether or not known to such Lender or such Issuing Bank), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender or such Issuing Bank shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender or such Issuing Bank to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender and such Issuing Bank shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on discharge for value or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or any Issuing Bank under this Section 8.06(c) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(ii) Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby further agree that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a Payment Notice) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank agree that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable, shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender or such Issuing Bank to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.
77
(iii) The Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender or any Issuing Bank that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender or such Issuing Bank with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by the Borrower or any other Loan Party except, in each case, to the extent such erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds of the Borrower or any other Loan Party.
(iv) Each partys obligations under this Section 8.06(c) shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, an Issuing Bank, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.
SECTION 8.07. Guarantee Matters. Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights in accordance with Section 9.08 or with respect to a Lenders right to file a proof of claim in an insolvency proceeding, no Lender shall have any right individually to enforce any Guarantee of the Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders in accordance with the terms thereof.
SECTION 8.08. [Reserved].
SECTION 8.09. Certain ERISA Matters.
(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, and each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i) such Lender is not using plan assets (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,
(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 Lenders entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, 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 Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of subsections (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 Lenders entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or
78
(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 subclause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in subclause (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 each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent, or any Arranger, any Documentation Agent or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (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 to hereto or thereto).
(c) The Administrative Agent, and each Arranger and Documentation Agent hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide investment advice or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments, this Agreement and any other Loan Documents (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent fees or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, bankers acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01. Notices.
(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to clause (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 fax or electronic mail, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, to the Borrower at:
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
610 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Attention: Jack Hartung, Chief Financial Officer
Email:
79
(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to it at:
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
10 S Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60603
Attention: Charitra Shetty
Facsimile: 844 ###-###-####
Email: ***@*** and ***@***
(iii) if to an Issuing Bank, to it at, in the case of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.:
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
10 S Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60603
Attention: LC Team
Facsimile:   ###-###-####
Email: ***@***; and
(iv) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or fax number or electronic mail address) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices delivered through Approved Electronic Platforms, to the extent provided in clause (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said clause (b).
(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Approved Electronic Platforms pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided, that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
(c) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the senders receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the return receipt requested function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided, that for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.
(d) Any party hereto may change its address or fax number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.
80
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments.
(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by clause (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Subject to Section 2.14(b) and (c) and Section 9.02(c) below, neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided, that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon (other than interest accruing pursuant to Section 2.13(d) or a waiver thereof), or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby; provided that any modification, waiver or amendment to the financial covenant definitions or financial ratios or any component thereof or the waiver of any other covenant shall not constitute an reduction of interest or fees payable hereunder, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon (other than interest accruing pursuant to Section 2.13(d) or a waiver thereof), or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.09(c) or 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the ratable reduction of Commitments or the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change the payment waterfall provisions of Section 2.20(b) or 7.03 without the written consent of each Lender, (vi) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of Required Lenders or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender or (vii) release all or substantially all of the Guarantors from their obligations under the Guarantee Agreement (other than pursuant to Section 9.19 hereof), in each case, without the written consent of each Lender; provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Banks hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Banks, as the case may be; and provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend or modify the provisions of Section 2.06 without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no consent with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement shall be required of any Defaulting Lender, except with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the first proviso of this clause (b) and then only in the event such Defaulting Lender shall be affected by such amendment, waiver or other modification.
(c) If the Administrative Agent and the Borrower acting together identify any ambiguity, omission, mistake, inconsistency, typographical error or other defect in any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend, modify or supplement such provision to cure such ambiguity, omission, mistake, inconsistency, typographical error or other defect, and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement.
81
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity; etc..
(a) Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, which shall be limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of one primary counsel, and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction, to such persons, taken as a whole (and, solely in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest where any person affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, one additional counsel for each affected person, taken as a whole, and one additional local counsel for such affected person, taken as a whole, in each relevant material jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of local counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions)), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof, (ii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of one counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, of a single local counsel and any specialist counsel in each relevant material jurisdiction and in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest where any person affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another primary counsel per applicable material jurisdiction for such affected person taken as a whole) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) Indemnity. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, each Issuing Bank 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 Liabilities and related expenses, including expenses for any Indemnitee, which shall be limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one primary counsel, and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for the Administrative Agent, and not more than one outside counsel, and if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for all of the other Indemnitees taken as a whole (and, solely in the case of an actual or potential conflict of interest where any person affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, one additional counsel for each affected Indemnitee and one additional local counsel in each relevant material jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of local counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions)), incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising out of or in connection with (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by an Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit) or (iii) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation, arbitration or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such claim, litigation, investigation, arbitration or proceeding is brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or its or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third-party and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided, that the foregoing indemnity will not, as to any Indemnitee, apply to losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses to the extent they arise from (i) the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of
82
such Indemnitee (or its Related Parties) as determined in a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, (ii) the breach in bad faith of an Indemnitees funding obligations or any other material breach of its (or its Related Parties) obligations hereunder or any other Loan Document, as determined in a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (iii) any disputes brought by an Indemnitee against any other Indemnitee that do not involve an act or omission by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Affiliates (other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity as the Administrative Agent or an Arranger). This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c) Lender Reimbursement. Each Lender severally agrees to pay any amount required to be paid by the Borrower under clause (a) or (b) of this Section 9.03 to the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each, an Agent Indemnitee) (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Applicable Percentage in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Applicable Percentage immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent Indemnitee under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided, that the unreimbursed expense or Liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent Indemnitee in its capacity as such; provided, further, that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such Liabilities, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent Indemnitees gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.
(d) Limitation of Liability. To the extent permitted by applicable law (i) the Borrower shall not assert, and the Borrower hereby waives, any claim against the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Documentation Agent, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, and any Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called a Lender-Related Person) for any Liabilities arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including an Approved Electronic Platform or otherwise via the Internet) other than Liabilities that are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Lender-Related Person (it being understood that all information and materials so transmitted shall continue to be subject to the confidentiality provisions set forth herein and in the Approved Electronic Platform), and (ii) no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any Liabilities against any other party hereto, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, exemplary, 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 or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided, that nothing in this clause (d)(ii) shall relieve the Borrower of any obligation they may have to indemnify an Indemnitee, as provided in this Section 9.03, against special, indirect, exemplary, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.
(e) All amounts due under this Section 9.03 shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor (together with reasonable documentation supporting such reimbursement request).
83
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns.
(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of an Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void), (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section and (iii) as provided by the terms of this Agreement. 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 (including any Affiliate of an Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in clause (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in clause (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, participations in Letters of Credit and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:
(A) the Borrower; provided, that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to an assignment of all or a portion of the Revolving Loans and Commitments unless the Borrower shall have objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof; provided, that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default under Sections 7.01(h) or 7.01(i) with respect to the Borrower has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;
(B) the Administrative Agent; provided, that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment; and
(C) each Issuing Bank.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lenders Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or 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) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent; provided, that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Sections 7.01(h) or 7.01(i) with respect to the Borrower has occurred and is continuing;
(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lenders rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided, that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lenders rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;
84
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower, the Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignees compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms Approved Fund and Ineligible Institution have the following meanings:
Approved Fund means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and 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.
Ineligible Institution means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Lender Parent, (c) a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof or (d) the Borrower or any of their Affiliates; provided, that with respect to clause (c), such company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to clause (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto 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 Lenders rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 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 clause (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the
85
Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the Register). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks 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, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(v) Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignees completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in clause (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by clause (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided, that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Sections 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this clause.
(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Banks, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a Participant), other than an Ineligible Institution, in all or a portion of such Lenders rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided, that (A) such Lenders obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lenders rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided, that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Sections 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender and the information)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to clause (b) of this Section; provided, that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.19 as if it were an assignee under clause (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowers request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender; provided, that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) 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
86
register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participants 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 Participants interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided, that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the other Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Documents shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or been terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution. (a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on 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 (i) fees payable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) the reductions of the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Bank 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 4.01, 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 which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
(b) Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of (x) this Agreement, (y) any other Loan Document and/or (z) any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any notice delivered pursuant to Section 9.01), certificate, request, statement,
87
disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby (each an Ancillary Document) that is an Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, such other Loan Document or such Ancillary Document, as applicable.. The words execution, signed, signature, delivery, and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form (including deliveries by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept Electronic Signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent and pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided further, without limiting the foregoing, (i) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept any Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party without further verification thereof and without any obligation to review the appearance or form of any such Electronic Signature and (ii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the parties hereto, as applicable, hereby (i) agree that, for all purposes, including without limitation, in connection with any workout, restructuring, enforcement of remedies, bankruptcy proceedings or litigation among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Loan Parties, Electronic Signatures transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and/or any electronic images of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall have the same legal effect, validity, and enforceability as any paper original, (ii) agree that the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document in the form of an imaged electronic record in any format, which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Persons business, and destroy the original paper document (and all such electronic records shall be considered an original for all purposes and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record), (iii) waive any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document and/or such Ancillary Document, respectively, including with respect to any signature pages thereto and (iv) waive any claim against any Lender-Related Person for any Liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agents and/or any Lenders reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures and/or transmissions by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page, 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.
SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, each Issuing Bank, and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to setoff and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held, and other obligations at any time owing, by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or any such Affiliate, to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower
88
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 such Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, Issuing Bank or 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 office or Affiliate of such Lender or such Issuing Bank different from the branch office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so setoff shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.20 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, 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, each Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, such Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.
(a) This Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
(b) Each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that, notwithstanding the governing law provisions of any applicable Loan Document, any claims brought against the Administrative Agent by any Lender relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or the consummation or administration of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan (or if such court lacks subject matter jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan), and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may (and any such claims, cross-claims or third party claims brought against the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties may only) be heard and determined in such Federal (to the extent permitted by law) or New York State court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower, any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(d) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in clause (c) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
89
(e) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY 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 THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY 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 BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, legal counsel, independent auditors, professionals and other experts or agents (collectively, Representatives) on a need-to-know basis and who are informed of the confidential nature of such Information and agree to keep Information of this type confidential on terms similar to those contained herein (provided that such Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender shall be responsible for the compliance of their Representatives, Affiliates and Representatives of its Affiliates with this section), (b) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender or any of their Affiliates or upon the good faith determination by counsel that such information should be disclosed in light of ongoing oversight or review of such Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender by any such Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over such Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender or its Affiliates (in which case the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender shall, except with respect to any ordinary course audit or examination conducted by accountants or any regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, promptly notify you, in advance, to the extent lawfully permitted to do so), (c) in any legal, judicial, or administrative proceeding or other compulsory process or otherwise as required by applicable law, rule or regulations or as requested by a Governmental Authority (in which case the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender shall, except with respect to any routine or ordinary course audit or examination conducted by accountants or any regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, promptly notify you, in advance, to the extent lawfully permitted to do so), (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and their obligations, (g) on a confidential basis to (1) subject to the Borrowers prior approval of the Information proposed to be disclosed any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of identification numbers
90
with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, Information means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry. 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.
SECTION 9.13. Material Non-Public Information.
(a) EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 9.12 FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR ITS SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
(b) ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWER, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.
SECTION 9.14. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the Charges), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the Maximum Rate) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the NYFRB Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
SECTION 9.15. No Fiduciary Duty, etc.
(a) The Borrower acknowledge and agree, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other
91
Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arms length contractual counterparty to the Borrower with respect to the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated herein and therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Borrower or any other person. The Borrower agree that they will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, the Borrower acknowledge and agree that no Credit Party is advising the Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. The Borrower shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated herein or in the other Loan Documents, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to the Borrower with respect thereto.
(b) The Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its Affiliates, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrower and other companies with which the Borrower may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.
(c) In addition, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which the Borrower may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from the Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with the Borrower in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. The Borrower also acknowledge that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to the Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies.
SECTION 9.16. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (the Patriot Act) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.
SECTION 9.17. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. 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 Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document 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 party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and
92
(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.
SECTION 9.18. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Agreements 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 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.
SECTION 9.19. Releases of Guarantees.
(a) A Guarantor shall automatically be released and discharged in full from its obligations under the Guarantee Agreement upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary. In connection with any termination or release pursuant to this Section, the Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender to) execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Partys expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.
(b) Further, the Administrative Agent may (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender to), upon the request of the Borrower, release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if, as of the time such Guarantor is released and immediately after giving effect thereto, the Guaranty of such Guarantor is not required by Section 5.10.
93
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender (without requirement of notice to or consent of any Lender except as expressly required by Section 9.02) to take any action requested by the Borrower having the effect of releasing any guarantee obligations (i) to the extent necessary to permit consummation of any transaction not prohibited by any Loan Document or that has been consented to in accordance with Section 9.02, or (ii) under the circumstances described in clause (c) below.
(d) At such time as the Loans, the reimbursement obligations in respect of LC Disbursements and the other obligations under the Loan Documents shall have been paid in full, the Commitments have been terminated and no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding (or any Letters of Credit that are outstanding shall have been cash collateralized or backstopped in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Issuing Bank thereof), the Guarantees and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party under the Guarantee Agreement shall automatically terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person.
[Remainder of Page Left Intentionally Blank]
94
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL, INC., as the Borrower | ||||
By: | /s/ Jack Hartung | |||
Name: | Jack Hartung | |||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent | ||||
By: | /s/ Gregory T. Martin | |||
Name: | Gregory T. Martin | |||
Title: | Executive Director |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
TRUIST BANK, as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ James W. Ford | |||
Name: | James W. Ford | |||
Title: | Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Jeff P. Poe | |||
Name: | Jeff P. Poe | |||
Title: | Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
CITIBANK, N.A., as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Jonathan Eng | |||
Name: | Jonathan Eng | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Robert J. Beckley | |||
Name: | Robert J. Beckley | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
MORGAN STANLEY BANK, N.A., | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Michael King | |||
Name: | Michael King | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
MUFG UNION BANK, N.A., as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Christine Howatt | |||
Name: | Christine Howatt | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Jason Clay | |||
Name: | Jason Clay | |||
Title: | Vice President, Corproate Client Group Finance |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Denise Crouch | |||
Name: | Denise Crouch | |||
Title: | Vice President |
[Signature Page to Revolving Credit Facility]
SCHEDULE 2.01A
Commitments
Lender | Commitment | |||
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | $ | 75,000,000.00 | ||
Truist Bank | $ | 75,000,000.00 | ||
Fifth Third Bank, National Association | $ | 75,000,000.00 | ||
Citibank, N.A. | $ | 75,000,000.00 | ||
Bank of America, N.A. | $ | 50,000,000.00 | ||
Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. | $ | 37,500,000.00 | ||
MUFG Union Bank, N.A | $ | 37,500,000.00 | ||
Royal Bank of Canada | $ | 37,500,000.00 | ||
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | $ | 37,500,000.00 | ||
|
| |||
Total: | $ | 500,000,000.00 | ||
|
|
Schedule 2.01A
Schedule 2.01C
Letter of Credit Commitments
Issuing Bank | Letter of Credit Commitment | |||
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | $ | 4,000,000.00 | ||
Truist Bank | $ | 4,000,000.00 | ||
Fifth Third Bank, National Association | $ | 4,000,000.00 | ||
Citibank, N.A. | $ | 4,000,000.00 | ||
Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. | $ | 2,000,000.00 | ||
MUFG Union Bank, N.A | $ | 2,000,000.00 | ||
|
| |||
Total: | $ | 20,000,000.00 | ||
|
|
Schedule 2.01C