$750,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of October 3, 2011 among DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC. as Borrower, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Syndication Agent SUNTRUST BANK and U.S. BANKNATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agents MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, WELLS FARGOSECURITIES, LLC, SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY, INC. and U.S. BANKNATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Joint Lead Arrangers MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITHINCORPORATED and WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC, as Joint Book Managers TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-10.1 2 d237792dex101.htm CREDIT AGREEMENT Credit Agreement

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

 

$750,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 3, 2011

among

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.

as Borrower,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

as Syndication Agent

SUNTRUST BANK

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Documentation Agents

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY, INC.

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as

Joint Lead Arrangers

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

and

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

as Joint Book Managers

 

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1   

1.01  

 

Defined Terms

     1   

1.02  

 

Other Interpretive Provisions

     20   

1.03  

 

Accounting Terms

     21   

1.04  

 

Rounding

     21   

1.05  

 

Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents

     21   

1.06  

 

Additional Alternative Currencies

     22   

1.07  

 

Change of Currency

     22   

1.08  

 

Times of Day

     23   

1.09  

 

Letter of Credit Amounts

     23   

ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

     23   

2.01  

 

Committed Loans

     23   

2.02  

 

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans

     24   

2.03  

 

Letters of Credit

     25   

2.04  

 

Bid Loans

     33   

2.05  

 

Prepayments

     35   

2.06  

 

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

     36   

2.07  

 

Repayment of Loans

     36   

2.08  

 

Interest

     37   

2.09  

 

Fees

     37   

2.10  

 

Computation of Interest and Fees

     38   

2.11  

 

Evidence of Debt

     38   

2.12  

 

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

     39   

2.13  

 

Sharing of Payments by Lenders

     40   

2.14  

 

Increase in Commitments

     41   

2.15  

 

Cash Collateral

     42   

2.16  

 

Defaulting Lenders

     43   

ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

     45   

3.01  

 

Taxes

     45   

3.02  

 

Illegality

     48   

3.03  

 

Inability to Determine Rates

     48   

3.04  

 

Increased Costs

     49   

3.05  

 

Compensation for Losses

     50   

3.06  

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

     51   

3.07  

 

Survival

     51   

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     51   

4.01  

 

Conditions to Effectiveness

     51   

4.02  

 

Conditions to Subsequent Credit Extensions

     52   

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     53   

5.01  

 

Existence, Qualification and Power

     53   

5.02  

 

Authorization; No Contravention

     53   

5.03  

 

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

     53   

5.04  

 

Binding Effect

     53   

5.05  

 

Financial Statements

     54   

5.06  

 

Litigation

     54   

5.07  

 

No Default

     54   


5.08  

 

Environmental Compliance

     54   

5.09  

 

Taxes

     54   

5.10  

 

ERISA Compliance

     55   

5.11  

 

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

     55   

5.12  

 

Disclosure

     55   

5.13  

 

Compliance with Laws

     56   

ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     56   

6.01  

 

Financial Statements

     56   

6.02  

 

Certificates; Other Information

     56   

6.03  

 

Notices

     58   

6.04  

 

Payment of Tax Obligations

     58   

6.05  

 

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

     58   

6.06  

 

Maintenance of Properties

     58   

6.07  

 

Maintenance of Insurance

     58   

6.08  

 

Compliance with Laws

     58   

6.09  

 

Books and Records

     58   

6.10  

 

Inspection Rights

     58   

6.11  

 

Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock

     59   

ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     59   

7.01  

 

Liens

     59   

7.02  

 

Acquisitions

     61   

7.03  

 

Subsidiary Indebtedness

     61   

7.04  

 

Fundamental Changes

     61   

7.05  

 

Dispositions

     62   

7.06  

 

Transactions with Affiliates

     62   

7.07  

 

Burdensome Agreements

     62   

7.08  

 

Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio

     63   

ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

     63   

8.01  

 

Events of Default

     63   

8.02  

 

Remedies Upon Event of Default

     64   

8.03  

 

Application of Funds

     65   

ARTICLE IX ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     66   

9.01  

 

Appointment and Authority

     66   

9.02  

 

Rights as a Lender

     66   

9.03  

 

Exculpatory Provisions

     66   

9.04  

 

Reliance by Administrative Agent

     67   

9.05  

 

Delegation of Duties

     67   

9.06  

 

Resignation of Administrative Agent

     67   

9.07  

 

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

     68   

9.08  

 

No Other Duties, Etc.

     68   

9.09  

 

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

     68   

ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS

     69   

10.01

 

Amendments, Etc.

     69   

10.02

 

Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications

     70   

10.03

 

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

     72   

10.04

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

     72   

10.05

 

Payments Set Aside

     73   

10.06

 

Successors and Assigns

     74   

10.07

 

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

     78   

10.08

 

Right of Setoff

     78   

10.09

 

Interest Rate Limitation

     79   

 

ii


10.10

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

     79   

10.11

 

Survival of Representations and Warranties

     79   

10.12

 

Severability

     79   

10.13

 

Replacement of Lenders

     80   

10.14

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

     80   

10.15

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

     81   

10.16

 

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     81   

10.17

 

USA PATRIOT Act Notice

     82   

10.18

 

Judgment Currency

     82   

 

iii


SCHEDULES

  

1.01(a)

  

Existing Letters of Credit

1.01(b)

  

Mandatory Cost Formulae

2.01

  

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

7.01

  

Existing Material Liens

10.02

  

Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices

EXHIBITS

  

A

  

Form of Committed Loan Notice

B-1

  

Form of Bid Request

B-2

  

Form of Competitive Bid

C

  

Form of Note

D

  

Form of Compliance Certificate

E

  

Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

iv


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of October 3, 2011, among DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC., a Florida corporation (the “Borrower”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Borrower desires to obtain from the Lenders a revolving credit facility in an aggregate initial principal amount of $750,000,000, including a $150,000,000 sublimit for the issuance of standby letters of credit and an option to increase the aggregate principal amount of such credit facility by up to $250,000,000, the proceeds of which will be used for (i) commercial paper back-up, (ii) working capital and capital expenditures, (iii) the refinancing of certain existing indebtedness, (iv) Permitted Acquisitions and (v) general corporate purposes; and

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

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

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

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

Acquisition” means any transaction pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (a) acquires all or substantially all of the Equity Interests of any Person (other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower), or otherwise makes any Person a Subsidiary of the Borrower, or causes any Person other than a Subsidiary to be merged into the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (b) purchases all or substantially all of the business or assets of any Person (other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower).

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

Administrative Agent’s Office” means with respect to any currency, the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 with respect to such currency, or such other address or account with respect to such currency as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.

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

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.


Agreement” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and means this Credit Agreement, as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Agreement Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 10.18.

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders which is, as of the Effective Date, $750,000,000 and which amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

Alternative Currency” means each of Euro, Sterling, Yen, Canadian Dollars and each other currency (other than Dollars) that is approved in accordance with Section 1.06.

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

Alternative Currency Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the Aggregate Commitments and (b) $200,000,000. The Alternative Currency Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16. If the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

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

 

Pricing Level

       

Debt Rating

   Facility Fee     Applicable Rate for
Eurocurrency
Rate Loans;
Letter of Credit Fee
    Applicable Rate
for Base Rate
Loans
 
       

S&P

  

Moody’s

  

Fitch

      
I    >    BBB+    Baa1    BBB+      0.125     0.875     0
II    =    BBB+    Baa1    BBB+      0.150     0.975     0
III    =    BBB      Baa2    BBB        0.175     1.075     0.075
IV    =    BBB-     Baa3    BBB-       0.225     1.275     0.275
V    <    BBB-     Baa3    BBB-       0.250     1.500     0.500

 

2


Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P, Moody’s or Fitch (collectively, the “Debt Ratings”) of the Borrower’s non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt; provided that (a) if one of the respective Debt Ratings issued by the foregoing rating agencies falls within a different pricing level listed above (the “Pricing Level”), then the Pricing Level shall be set based on the Pricing Level shared by the other two rating agencies; (b) if the Debt Ratings issued by the foregoing rating agencies all fall within different Pricing Levels, then the Pricing Level shall be set based on the middle of such Pricing Levels; (c) if the Fitch Debt Rating is no longer available and there is a split in the remaining two Debt Ratings, then the Pricing Level shall be set based on the higher Debt Rating (provided that if the Debt Ratings are split by more than one Pricing Level, the Pricing Level shall be set based on the Pricing Level one level below the higher Debt Rating); (d) if the Borrower has only one Debt Rating, the Pricing Level shall be set based on that Debt Rating; and (e) if the Borrower does not have any Debt Rating, Pricing Level V shall apply.

Each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.

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

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

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

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit E or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal years ended May 30, 2010 and May 29, 2011, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, changes in shareholders’ equity and accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for each such fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.

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

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus  1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) the Eurocurrency Rate plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such “prime rate” announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

3


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

Bid Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Bid Loans of the same Type from each of the Lenders whose offer to make one or more Bid Loans as part of such borrowing has been accepted under the auction bidding procedures described in Section 2.04.

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

Bid Loan Lender” means, in respect of any Bid Loan, the Lender making such Bid Loan to the Borrower.

Bid Loan Sublimit” means an amount equal to $200,000,000. The Bid Loan Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

Bid Rate” means a rate of interest expressed in multiples of 1/100th of one percent.

Bid Request” means a written request for one or more Bid Loans substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1.

Board of Directors” means, as to any Person, the board of directors or other governing body of such Person.

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

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

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

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

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

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

 

4


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

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

Canadian Dollars” means the lawful money of Canada.

Capital Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee which in accordance with GAAP, is or should be accounted for, as a capital lease on the balance sheet of such Person.

Cash Collateraland Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or L/C Issuer (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances or, if the L/C Issuer benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the L/C Issuer. “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

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

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

(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) becomes the “beneficial owner” within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the outstanding equity securities of the Borrower entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower; or

(b) during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) of the Board of Directors of the Borrower shall be occupied by individuals who were not (i) members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower on the first day of such period, (ii) elected or nominated by the Board of Directors of the Borrower or (iii) elected or nominated by directors elected or nominated as referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above.

 

5


Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, and (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type, in the same currency and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

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

Competitor” means any Person designated by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent as a “Competitor” pursuant to a written notice in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. It is understood and agreed that such written notice(s) shall be posted to the Platform.

Competitive Bid” means a written offer by a Lender to make one or more Bid Loans, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2, duly completed and signed by a Lender.

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

Consolidated Capitalized Lease Obligations” means, at any date of determination, the aggregate capitalized amount of obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries under Capital Leases on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Indebtedness” means, at any date of determination, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Operating Lease Obligations” means, at any date of determination, the aggregate amount of lease and rental commitments (in the minimum amount required by the applicable lease or rental agreements) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, on a consolidated basis (such consolidation to be in accordance with GAAP), which are not classified as Consolidated Capitalized Lease Obligations hereunder.

Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” means at any date Stockholders’ Equity minus the Intangible Assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

6


Consolidated Total Assets” means the net book value of all assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Total Debt” means, at any date of determination, the sum of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness on such date plus (b) Excess Letter of Credit Obligations on such date plus (c) the product of (i) 6.25 multiplied by (ii) Consolidated Operating Lease Obligations on such date.

Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt to (b) the sum of (i) Stockholders’ Equity plus (ii) Consolidated Total Debt.

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement or instrument to which such Person is a party.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.

Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

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

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

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

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

Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to:

(a) in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, the sum of (i) the Eurocurrency Rate for such Loans plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, plus (iii) any Mandatory Cost plus (iv) 2% per annum,

(b) in the case of the Letter of Credit Fees, the sum of (i) the Applicable Rate plus (ii) 2% per annum,

(c) in the case of a Bid Loan, the sum of (i) the Bid Rate applicable thereto plus (ii) 2% per annum, and

(d) in the case of Base Rate Loans and for all other Obligations (including L/C Borrowings), the sum of (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate plus (iii) 2% per annum.

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.16(b), any Lender, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, that (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder, including in respect of its Loans or participations in respect of Letters of Credit, within three (3) Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, unless such obligation is the subject of a good faith dispute (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its funding obligations or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided, that, a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interests in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority.

 

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Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes issued by any other Person or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith or any capital stock of, or other Equity Interests in, any other Person.

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

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

Effective Date” means October 3, 2011.

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).

EMU” means the economic and monetary union in accordance with the Treaty of Rome 1957, as amended by the Single European Act 1986, the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 and the Amsterdam Treaty of 1998.

EMU Legislation” means the legislative measures of the European Council for the introduction of, changeover to or operation of a single or unified European currency.

Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting.

 

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

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

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA, which in either case results in a Material Adverse Effect; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization, which in either case results in a Material Adverse Effect; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, which in either case results in a Material Adverse Effect; (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) the institution of proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; or (g) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower (including such liability imposed upon Borrower in its capacity as an ERISA Affiliate of another entity).

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

Eurocurrency Base Rate” means:

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

(b) for any interest rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to (i) BBA LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in Same Day Funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made or maintained with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.

 

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Eurocurrency Rate” means (a) for any Interest Period with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Eurocurrency Base Rate for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan for such Interest Period by (ii) one minus the Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan for such Interest Period and (b) for any day with respect to any Base Rate Loan bearing interest at a rate based on the Eurocurrency Rate, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Eurocurrency Base Rate for such Base Rate Loan for such day by (ii) one minus the Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage for such Base Rate Loan for such day.

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

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

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

Excess Letter of Credit Obligations” means, at any time, the amount by which (a) all unpaid reimbursement obligations and all amounts available to be drawn under all letters of credit (including Letters of Credit hereunder) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis exceed (b) $150,000,000.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the Laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 10.13), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office), except to the extent that the assignor to such Foreign Lender in the case of an assignment or the Lender in the case of a designation of a new Lending Office (for the absence of doubt other than the Lending Office at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto) was entitled, at the time of such assignment or designation of a new Lending Office, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a), (d) in the case of amounts payable to a recipient that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code, any backup withholding that is attributable to such recipient’s failure (or inability) to comply with Section 3.01(e), (e) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.01(e), (e) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.0 1(e), (f) any U.S. federal withholding taxes imposed under FATCA and (g) any and all interest, additions to tax and penalties attributable to any taxes described in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f).

 

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Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 20, 2007, among the Borrower, Bank of America, as administrative agent, the syndication agents and documentation agent party thereto and a syndicate of lenders.

Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit described by date of issuance, letter of credit number, undrawn amount, name of beneficiary and date of expiry on Schedule 1.01(a).

Extended Letter of Credit” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03.

Facility Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.09(a).

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

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

Fee Letter” means the fee letter agreement, dated August 31, 2011, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and MLPFS.

Fitch” means Fitch IBCA, Inc.

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction. The term “Foreign Lender” shall also be deemed to include any Lender that is a “disregarded entity” or a foreign partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes if such Lender has one or more foreign owners.

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

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

 

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Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination.

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

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness of another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the payment of such Indebtedness, or (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

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

Honor Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).

Increase Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(d).

Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations hereunder and obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments), (b) all direct obligations arising under bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (c) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (d) all Consolidated Capitalized Lease Obligations, (e) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (d) above of Persons other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary (the amount of such Guarantees to be determined in accordance with GAAP), and (f) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (e) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Borrower or any such Subsidiary.

Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

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Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.

Intangible Assets” means assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, including customer lists, goodwill, computer software, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges, unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and development costs.

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

Interest Period” means (a) as to each Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurocurrency Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; and (b) as to each Bid Loan, a period of not less than 14 days and not more than 180 days as selected by the Borrower in its Bid Request; provided that:

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

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

(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date for the applicable Loan.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

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

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

Joint Lead Arrangers” means MLPFS, WFS, U.S. Bank and STRH.

Judgment Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 10.18.

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

 

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

L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed by the Borrower on the Honor Date or refinanced as a Borrowing. All L/C Borrowings shall be denominated in Dollars.

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

L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.09. For purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes each Lender with a commitment to make Loans as designated in Section 2.01 or in an Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto.

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

Letter of Credit” means (a) any standby letter of credit issued hereunder and (b) any Existing Letter of Credit. Letters of Credit may be denominated in Dollars or in an Alternative Currency.

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

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

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $150,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

Lien” means (a) any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge or other security interest, (b) the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale, capital lease or other title retention agreement (but not an operating lease) and (c) any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property.

 

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

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.15 of this Agreement and the Fee Letter.

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

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

Margin Regulations” means Regulations T, U and X of the FRB.

Margin Stock” has the meaning specified in the Margin Regulations.

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business or properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any Loan Document.

Material Indebtedness” means, at any date, any Indebtedness (excluding any Indebtedness outstanding hereunder), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Contracts, of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary, having an aggregate outstanding principal amount exceeding the Threshold Amount on such date. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Contract at any time shall be the aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Person would be required to pay if such Swap Contract were terminated at the close of business on such date.

Material Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower that the Borrower includes in Exhibit 21 to its Annual Reports on Form 10-K pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Maturity Date” means October 3, 2016.

MLPFS” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, in its capacity as joint lead arranger and joint book manager.

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

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

 

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Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.

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

Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the Borrower of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents include (a) the obligation to pay principal, interest, Letter of Credit commissions, charges, expenses, fees, attorney fees and disbursements, indemnities and other amounts payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) the obligations of the Borrower to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that any Lender, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of the Borrower.

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

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (but not Excluded Taxes).

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to Loans on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any Borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.

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

 

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Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

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

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.

Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.

Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition (a) which has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Person to be acquired (or whose assets or property are to be acquired) in connection with such Acquisition, and (b) as to which both immediately prior to and after giving pro forma effect thereto no Default exists.

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

Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Public Filings” means (i) the Borrower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 29, 2011, (ii) the Borrower’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 28, 2011 and (iii) the Borrower’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 6, 2011 and September 28, 2011 and any other Current Reports of the Borrower on Form 8-K filed with the SEC after May 29, 2011 but before the Effective Date.

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).

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

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

 

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

Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or otherwise, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer of the Borrower so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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STRH” means SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., in its capacity as joint lead arranger.

Sterling” and “£” mean the lawful currency of the United Kingdom.

Stockholders’ Equity” means, at any time, the shareholders’ equity of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as set forth or reflected on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Sublimit” means the Alternative Currency Sublimit, the Bid Loan Sublimit or the Letter of Credit Sublimit, as the case may be.

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

Swap Contract” means any agreement with respect to any rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing.

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

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges in the nature of a tax imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Test Amount” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to 30% of the Consolidated Total Assets as of the last day of the fiscal year most recently ended prior to such date for which financial statements have been prepared and delivered to the Lenders.

Threshold Amount” means $50,000,000.

 

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Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

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

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

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

U.S. Bank” means U.S. Bank National Association, in its capacity as joint lead arranger.

WFS” means Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, in its capacity as joint lead arranger and joint book manager.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means as of any date a Subsidiary of a Person with respect to which all the outstanding equity securities entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors or managers (or other persons performing similar function) of such Subsidiary (other than director’s qualifying shares or similar equity interests, shares or interests held by other Persons in connection with requirements under liquor licensing laws or regulations and preferred equity interests in real estate investment trusts that are otherwise wholly-owned) are directly or indirectly beneficially owned by such Person on such date.

Yen” and “¥” mean the lawful currency of Japan.

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such Law and any reference to any Law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

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

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

(d) Each reference to “basis points” or “bps” shall be interpreted in accordance with the convention that 100 bps = 1.0%.

1.03 Accounting Terms.

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

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

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

1.05 Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents.

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

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

 

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1.06 Additional Alternative Currencies.

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

(b) Any such request shall be made to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., 10 Business Days prior to the date of the desired Credit Extension (or such other time or date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the L/C Issuer, in its or their sole discretion). In the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof; and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the L/C Issuer thereof. Each Lender (in the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Loans) or the L/C Issuer (in the case of a request pertaining to Letters of Credit) shall notify the Administrative Agent, not later than 11:00 a.m., five Business Days after receipt of such request whether it consents, in its sole discretion, to the making of Eurocurrency Rate Loans or the issuance of Letters of Credit, as the case may be, in such requested currency.

(c) Any failure by a Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to respond to such request within the time period specified in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be a refusal by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to permit Eurocurrency Rate Loans to be made or Letters of Credit to be issued in such requested currency. If the Administrative Agent and all the Lenders consent to making Eurocurrency Rate Loans in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency hereunder for purposes of any Borrowings of Eurocurrency Rate Loans; and if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer consent to the issuance of Letters of Credit in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency hereunder for purposes of any Letter of Credit issuances. If the Administrative Agent shall fail to obtain consent to any request for an additional currency under this Section 1.06, the Administrative Agent shall promptly so notify the Borrower.

1.07 Change of Currency.

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

 

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(b) Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect the adoption of the Euro by any member state of the European Union and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the Euro; provided that if the Borrower is adversely affected in any material respect by any such change, the Borrower shall have consented thereto.

(c) Each provision of this Agreement also shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect a change in currency of any other country and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the change in currency; provided that if the Borrower is adversely affected in any material respect by any such change, the Borrower shall have consented thereto.

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

1.09 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such Letter of Credit available to be drawn at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit available to be drawn shall be deemed to be the difference of (a) the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time, less (b) the Dollar Equivalent of any amounts drawn or otherwise not available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and not reinstated or available to be reinstated, whether by automatic increase or otherwise.

ARTICLE II

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

2.01 Committed Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment and (iii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Committed Loans and L/C Obligations denominated in Alternative Currencies shall not exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, repay or prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

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2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.

(a) Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars or of any conversion of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars to Base Rate Loans, (ii) four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of a Special Notice Currency) prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies, and (iii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted or continued, (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto and (vi) the currency of the Loans to be borrowed. If the Borrower fails to specify a currency in a Committed Loan Notice requesting a Borrowing, then the Committed Loans so requested shall be made in Dollars. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans; provided, however, that in the case of a failure to timely request a continuation of Committed Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, such Loans shall be continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans in their original currency with an Interest Period of one month. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month. No Loan may be converted into or continued as a Loan denominated in a different currency, but instead must be prepaid in the original currency of such Loan and reborrowed in the other currency.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount (and currency) of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or continuation of Loans denominated in a currency other than Dollars, in each case as described in the preceding subsection (a). In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office for the applicable currency not later than 1:00 p.m., in the case of any Loan denominated in Dollars, and not later than the Applicable Time specified by the Administrative Agent in the case of any Loan in an Alternative Currency, in each case on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting an account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing denominated in Dollars is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and, second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.

 

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(c) During the existence of a Default, no Loans denominated in Dollars may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

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

(e) After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than twelve (12) Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.

(f) The failure of any Lender to make any Loan to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Loan on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make any Loan to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

2.03 Letters of Credit.

(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.

(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries in any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (w) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (x) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, (y) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, and (z) the aggregate amount of all Committed Loans and L/C Obligations denominated in Alternative Currencies shall not exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance, extension or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. Furthermore, each Lender acknowledges and confirms that it has a participation interest in the liability of the L/C Issuer under the Existing Letters of Credit in a percentage equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Committed Loans. The Borrower’s reimbursement obligations in respect of the Existing Letters of Credit, and each Lender’s obligations in connection therewith, shall be governed by the terms of this Agreement.

 

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

(A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iv), the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

(B) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date; provided, however, that a Letter of Credit having an expiry date later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date (an “Extended Letter of Credit”) may be issued if (1) such Extended Letter of Credit (x) has an expiry date no later than one year after the issuance of such Extended Letter of Credit and (y) does not provide for the renewal thereof for additional periods, and (2) Cash Collateral satisfactory to the L/C Issuer in its sole discretion is provided in respect of such Extended Letter of Credit on the Maturity Date in accordance with Section 2.15. Notwithstanding the terms of Section 2.03(h), each Extended Letter of Credit shall have a Letter of Credit Fee applicable thereto at all times after the Maturity Date that shall be agreed to between the L/C Issuer and the Borrower.

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

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

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

(C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000;

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

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

(F) such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or

(G) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

 

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(iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

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

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

(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit.

(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer the following: (1) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (2) the amount and currency thereof; (3) the expiry date thereof; (4) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer the following: (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

 

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

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

(iv) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof and shall state the date payment shall be made by the L/C Issuer. In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in such Alternative Currency. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in Dollars, or the Applicable Time on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in an Alternative Currency (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing and in the applicable currency. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (expressed in Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency) (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the applicable conditions set forth in Article IV (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in Dollars and in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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(g) Applicability of ISP98. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit.

(h) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, in Dollars, a letter of credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the Dollar Equivalent of the daily maximum amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit; provided, however, any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the L/C Issuer for its own account. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.09. Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(i) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the actual daily maximum amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.09. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

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

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

 

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2.04 Bid Loans.

(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees that the Borrower may from time to time request the Lenders to submit offers to make loans (each such loan, a “Bid Loan”) to the Borrower prior to the Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.04; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Bid Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Bid Loans shall not exceed the Bid Loan Sublimit. There shall not be more than ten different Interest Periods in effect with respect to Bid Loans at any time.

(b) Requesting Competitive Bids. The Borrower may request the submission of Competitive Bids by delivering a Bid Request to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (i) one Business Day prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in Dollars or (ii) four Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in an Alternative Currency. Each Bid Request shall specify (i) the requested date of the Bid Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Bid Loans requested (which must be $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof), (iii) the currency of the Bid Loans requested, and (iv) the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto, and shall be signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. No Bid Request shall contain a request for (i) more than one applicable currency or (ii) Bid Loans having more than three different Interest Periods. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise agrees in its sole and absolute discretion, the Borrower may not submit a Bid Request if it has submitted another Bid Request within the prior five Business Days.

(c) Submitting Competitive Bids.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of each Bid Request received by it from the Borrower and the contents of such Bid Request.

(ii) Each Lender may (but shall have no obligation to) submit a Competitive Bid containing an offer to make one or more Bid Loans in response to such Bid Request. Such Competitive Bid must be delivered to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:30 a.m. (A) on the requested date of any Bid Borrowing denominated in Dollars and (B) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in an Alternative Currency; provided, however, that any Competitive Bid submitted by Bank of America in its capacity as a Lender in response to any Bid Request must be submitted to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:15 a.m. on the date on which Competitive Bids are required to be delivered by the other Lenders in response to such Bid Request. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (A) the proposed date of the Bid Borrowing; (B) the principal amount of each Bid Loan for which such Competitive Bid is being made, which principal amount (x) may be equal to, greater than or less than the Commitment of the bidding Lender, (y) must be $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (z) may not exceed the principal amount of Bid Loans for which Competitive Bids were requested; (C) the Bid Rate offered for each such Bid Loan and the Interest Period applicable thereto; and (D) the identity of the bidding Lender.

(iii) Any Competitive Bid shall be disregarded if it (A) is received after the applicable time specified in clause (ii) above, (B) is not substantially in the form of a Competitive Bid as specified herein, (C) contains qualifying, conditional or similar language, (D) proposes terms other than or in addition to those set forth in the applicable Bid Request, or (E) is otherwise not responsive to such Bid Request. Any Lender may correct a Competitive Bid containing a manifest error by submitting a corrected Competitive Bid (identified as such) not later than the applicable time required for submission of Competitive Bids. Any such submission of a corrected Competitive Bid shall constitute a revocation of the Competitive Bid that contained the manifest error. The Administrative Agent may, but shall not be required to, notify any Lender of any manifest error it detects in such Lender’s Competitive Bid.

 

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(iv) Subject only to the provisions of Sections 3.02, 3.03 and 4.02 and clause (iii) above, each Competitive Bid shall be irrevocable.

(d) Notice to Borrower of Competitive Bids. Not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) on the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in Dollars, or (ii) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of the identity of each Lender that has submitted a Competitive Bid that complies with Section 2.04(c) and of the terms of the offers contained in each such Competitive Bid.

(e) Acceptance of Competitive Bids. Not later than 11:30 a.m. (i) on the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in Dollars, and (ii) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Bid Borrowing that is denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of its acceptance or rejection of the offers notified to it pursuant to Section 2.04(d). The Borrower shall be under no obligation to accept any Competitive Bid and may choose to reject all Competitive Bids. In the case of acceptance, such notice shall specify the aggregate principal amount of Competitive Bids for each Interest Period that is accepted. The Borrower may accept any Competitive Bid in whole or in part; provided that:

(i) the aggregate principal amount of each Bid Borrowing may not exceed the applicable amount set forth in the related Bid Request;

(ii) the principal amount of each Bid Loan must be $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof;

(iii) the acceptance of offers may be made only on the basis of ascending Bid Rates within each Interest Period; and

(iv) the Borrower may not accept any offer that is described in Section 2.04(c)(iii) or that otherwise fails to comply with the requirements hereof.

(f) Procedure for Identical Bids. If two or more Lenders have submitted Competitive Bids at the same Bid Rate for the same Interest Period, and the result of accepting all of such Competitive Bids in whole (together with any other Competitive Bids at lower Bid Rates accepted for such Interest Period in conformity with the requirements of Section 2.04(e)(iii)) would be to cause the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the applicable Bid Borrowing to exceed the amount specified therefor in the related Bid Request, then, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lenders, such Competitive Bids shall be accepted as nearly as possible in proportion to the amount offered by each such Lender in respect of such Interest Period, with such accepted amounts being rounded to the nearest whole multiple of $1,000,000.

(g) Notice to Lenders of Acceptance or Rejection of Bids. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender having submitted a Competitive Bid whether or not its offer has been accepted and, if its offer has been accepted, of the amount of the Bid Loan or Bid Loans to be made by it on the date of the applicable Bid Borrowing. Any Competitive Bid or portion thereof that is not accepted by the Borrower by the applicable time specified in Section 2.04(e) shall be deemed rejected.

 

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(h) Funding of Bid Loans. Each Lender that has received notice pursuant to Section 2.04(g) that all or a portion of its Competitive Bid has been accepted by the Borrower shall make the amount of its Bid Loan(s) available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the requested Bid Borrowing. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02, the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent.

(i) Notice of Range of Bids. After each Competitive Bid auction pursuant to this Section 2.04, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender that submitted a Competitive Bid in such auction of the ranges of bids submitted (without the bidder’s name) and accepted for each Bid Loan and the aggregate amount of each Bid Borrowing.

2.05 Prepayments.

(a) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, (B) four Business Days (or five, in the case of prepayment of Loans denominated in Special Notice Currencies) prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies, and (C) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; (iii) any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies shall be in a minimum principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iv) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurocurrency Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall irrevocably make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.16, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

(b) No Bid Loan may be prepaid without the prior consent of the applicable Bid Loan Lender.

(c) If the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower at any time that the Total Outstandings at any such time exceed an amount equal to 105% of the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall prepay Loans and/or the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Outstanding Amount as of such date of payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the Aggregate Commitments then in effect; provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 2.15, the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect. The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange fluctuations.

 

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(d) If the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all Loans and L/C Obligations denominated in Alternative Currencies at such time exceeds an amount equal to 105% of the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall prepay Loans and/or the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Outstanding Amount as of such date of payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect; provided, however, that subject to the provisions of Section 2.15, the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(d) unless after prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings denominated in Alternative Currencies exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect. The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange fluctuations.

2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. three Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Alternative Currency Sublimit, the Bid Loan Sublimit or the Letter of Credit Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of any such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. A notice of termination of the Aggregate Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, and 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; provided, however, the Borrower shall be responsible for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders caused by the revocation of such notice of termination in accordance with Sections 3.05 or 10.04. The amount of any such Aggregate Commitment reduction shall not be applied to the Alternative Currency Sublimit, the Bid Loan Sublimit or the Letter of Credit Sublimit unless otherwise specified by the Borrower. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

2.07 Repayment of Loans.

(a) The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans on such date.

(b) The Borrower shall repay each Bid Loan on the last day of the Interest Period in respect thereof.

 

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2.08 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period plus an applicable margin equal to the Applicable Rate plus (in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan of any Lender which is lent from a Lending Office in the United Kingdom or a Participating Member State) the Mandatory Cost (it being understood that the interest calculated pursuant to this clause (i) with respect to any Lender shall be increased by the Mandatory Cost only to the extent that such Lender is required to pay such Mandatory Cost); (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus an applicable margin equal to the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Bid Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for the Interest Period therefor at a rate per annum equal to the Bid Rate for such Interest Period.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (after any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to at the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (after any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

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

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

2.09 Fees. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:

(a) Facility Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a facility fee (the “Facility Fee”) in Dollars equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Commitments (or, if the Aggregate Commitments have terminated, on the Outstanding Amount of all Committed Loans and L/C Obligations), regardless of usage, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16. The Facility Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period (and thereafter so long as any Committed Loans or L/C Obligations remain outstanding), including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Effective Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period (and, if applicable, thereafter on demand); provided, that (A) no Facility Fee shall accrue on the Commitment of a Defaulting Lender so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender and (B) any Facility Fee accrued with respect to the Commitment of a Defaulting Lender during the period prior to the time such Lender became a Defaulting Lender and unpaid at such time shall not be payable by the Borrower so long as such Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender. The Facility Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

 

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(b) Other Fees. The Borrower shall pay to MLPFS and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts, in Dollars, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

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

2.11 Evidence of Debt.

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

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

(c) Entries made in good faith by the Administrative Agent in the Register pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) above, and by each Lender in its accounts pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) above, shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to, in the case of the Register each Lender and, in the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, absent manifest error; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or such Lender to make any entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

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2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

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

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

 

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(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, 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 L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in Same Day Funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the Overnight Rate.

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

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

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and the obligations of the Lenders to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).

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

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

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

 

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(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.15 or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

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

2.14 Increase in Commitments.

(a) Request for Increase. Upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments by a maximum aggregate amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $250,000,000; provided that (i) there exists no Default or Event of Default, (ii) the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenant set forth in Section 7.08, (iii) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $50,000,000, and (iv) the Borrower may make a maximum of three such requests. At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).

(b) Lender Elections to Increase. Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase. Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment. No existing Lender shall be under any obligation to increase its Commitment and any such decision whether to increase its Commitment shall be in such Lender’s sole and absolute discretion.

(c) Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder. Subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Borrower may also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(d) Effective Date and Allocations. If the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.

 

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(e) Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase. As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of the Borrower dated as of the Increase Effective Date (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the Borrower approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.14, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (B) no Default or Event of Default exists. The Borrower shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Committed Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.

(f) Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.

2.15 Cash Collateral.

(a) Certain Credit Support Events. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer (i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, the Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations. If the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations at such time exceeds 105% of the Letter of Credit Sublimit then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an amount equal to the amount by which the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations exceeds the Letter of Credit Sublimit. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender). The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of Cash Collateral, request that additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of exchange rate fluctuations.

(b) Grant of Security Interest. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at the Administrative Agent. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Lender, such Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.15(c). If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured thereby, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.

 

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(c) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.15 or Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.16 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied in satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided herein.

(d) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender) or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or a Subsidiary shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 2.15 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 8.03) and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

2.16 Defaulting Lenders.

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

(i) Waivers and Amendment. The Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 10.01.

(ii) Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amount received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08), 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 that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer hereunder; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by the L/C Issuer, to be held as Cash Collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any participation in any Letter of Credit; 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 that 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 non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the L/C Issuer against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to that 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 L/C Borrowings in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or L/C Borrowings were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to the pay the Loans of, and L/C Borrowings owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Borrowings owed to, that Defaulting Lender. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

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(iii) Certain Fees. The Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive any Facility Fee pursuant to Section 2.09(a) for any period during which such Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to such Defaulting Lender) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.03(h).

(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.03, the “Applicable Percentage” of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided, that, (x) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if, on the date of such reallocation, no Default or Event of Default exists; and (y) the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Commitment of that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of that Lender.

(v) Replacement of Defaulting Lenders. The Borrower may require any Defaulting Lender to assign its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.13.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Committed Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided, that, no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; provided, further, that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

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ARTICLE III

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01 Taxes.

(a) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall, except as may be required by Law, be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, provided that if the Borrower shall be required by applicable Law to deduct any Indemnified Taxes (including any Other Taxes) from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law.

(c) Indemnification by the Borrower. (i) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The Borrower shall also, and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required by clause (ii) of this subsection. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(ii) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, each Lender and the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, against any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities, penalties, interest and expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against such Borrower or the Administrative Agent by any Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy, inadequacy or deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to such Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (e). Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii). The agreements in this clause (ii) shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

 

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

(e) Status of Lenders. Any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code, and not an exempt recipient described in Section 6049(b)(4) of the Code, shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding, other withholding or information reporting requirements. Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the Law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a resident for tax purposes in the United States, any Foreign Lender shall 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 request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender (or its owner) is legally entitled to do so), whichever (if any) of the following is applicable:

(i) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,

(ii) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,

(iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender (and in the case of a Foreign Lender that is a “disregarded entity” or a foreign partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, any owner of such Foreign Lender) is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 871 (h)(3) or 881 (c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881 (c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN,

(iv) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY, together with forms and certificates described in clauses (i) through (iii) above as may be required, or

(v) any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

 

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Without limiting the obligations of the Lenders set forth above regarding delivery of certain forms and documents to establish each Lender’s status for U.S. withholding tax purposes, each Lender agrees promptly to deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, as the Administrative Agent or the Borrower shall reasonably request, on or prior to the Effective Date, and in a timely fashion thereafter, such other documents and forms required by any relevant taxing authorities under the Laws of any jurisdiction, duly executed and completed by such Lender, as are required under such Laws to confirm such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable withholding taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Lender outside of the U.S. by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in such jurisdiction. Each Lender shall promptly (i) if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent upon the obsolescence, expiration or invalidity of any previously delivered form or certificate, deliver such forms and certificates as are described in this Section 3.01(e), (ii) notify the Administrative Agent of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction and at any other time such Lender determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any previously delivered form or certificate to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent (or any other form of certification adopted by a taxing authority for such purpose), and (iii) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably necessary (including the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any such jurisdiction that the Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender. Additionally, to the extent legally able to do so, the Borrower shall promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, as the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall reasonably request, on or prior to the Effective Date, and in a timely fashion thereafter, such documents and forms required by any relevant taxing authorities under the Laws of any jurisdiction, duly executed and completed by the Borrower, as are required to be furnished by such Lender or the Administrative Agent under such Laws in connection with any payment by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of Taxes or Other Taxes, or otherwise in connection with the Loan Documents, with respect to such jurisdiction.

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 Company or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this paragraph, “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund or credit of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund or credit (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund or credit), net of all out- of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund or credit), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority or loses the benefit of such credit, as applicable. This subsection shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person. For the purposes of this clause (f), a credit shall be deemed “received” to the extent of the actual application of such credit in reduction of a tax obligation of the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer or Lender using such credit.

 

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3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurocurrency Rate Loans (whether denominated in Dollars or an Alternative Currency) or Base Rate Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars or any Alternative Currency in the applicable interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies or, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in Dollars, to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be suspended and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, and such Loans are denominated in Dollars, convert all such Eurocurrency Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate) either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Required Lenders reasonably determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) deposits (whether in Dollars or an Alternative Currency) are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurocurrency Base Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan (whether in Dollars or an Alternative Currency) or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurocurrency Base Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies shall be suspended and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurocurrency Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

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3.04 Increased Costs.

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

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Eurocurrency Rate) or the L/C Issuer; or

(ii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will from time to time, within ten (10) Business Days after written demand by such Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender or L/C Issuer and showing in reasonable detail the basis for the calculation thereof, shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto in the absence of manifest error.

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

 

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

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

(e) The foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not apply in the case of any Change in Law in respect of Taxes which instead shall be governed by Section 3.01.

3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

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

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

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

(d) any assignment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13;

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

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

 

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3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, 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 judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender in any material respect. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.

3.07 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

4.01 Conditions to Effectiveness. This Agreement and the obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder shall become effective upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Deliveries. The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, each dated the Effective Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Effective Date) and each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:

(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower;

(ii) an original Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Effective Date;

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

 

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(iv) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that the Borrower is duly organized or formed and that the Borrower is validly existing, and in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization, including certified copies of the Borrower’s Organization Documents and certificate of good standing from the Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization;

(v) an opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender; and

(vi) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that (A) the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Effective Date and (B) the condition specified in Section 4.02(b) has been satisfied.

(b) Termination of Existing Credit Agreement. The Existing Credit Agreement has been (or concurrently with the Effective Date is being) paid in full and terminated in accordance with its terms.

(c) Lender Approval of Conditions. Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the date hereof specifying its objection thereto.

(d) Notice of Receipt. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of its receipt of the documents required under Section 4.01(a) in satisfactory form and substance.

(e) Fees. Receipt by the Administrative Agent, MLPFS and the Lenders of any fees required to be paid on or before the Effective Date.

4.02 Conditions to Subsequent Credit Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than any Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans), is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V (except for the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.05(c) and 5.06) shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Credit Extension and any Increase Effective Date, (i) except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date and (ii) except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.

(b) No Default or Event of Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

 

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

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

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power. The Borrower (a) is a corporation duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, (b) has all requisite power and authority to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business as presently conducted and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is authorized and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or authorization; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to which it is party, (a) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and (b) do not and will not: (i) violate the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (ii) violate or result in a default or creation of any Lien under (A) any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) violate any Law, except, in each case referred to in clause (b)(ii) or (iii), to the extent such violation or default would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. The Borrower has obtained each approval, consent, exemption or authorization, or made each filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document to which the Borrower is a party, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by the Borrower. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which the Borrower is a party when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, subject to general principles of equity and to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other state or Federal Debtor Relief Laws or Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and any implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

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5.05 Financial Statements.

(a) The Audited Financial Statements furnished to the Administrative Agent and each Lender (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and the consolidated Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and the consolidated Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(b) The unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and the consolidated Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(b), and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter covered thereby furnished to the Administrative Agent and each Lender (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and the consolidated Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

(c) Since May 29, 2011, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in the Public Filings.

5.06 Litigation. Except for the matters disclosed in the Public Filings, there are (a) no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries or against any of their respective properties that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (b) no orders, decrees, judgments, rulings, injunctions, writs, temporary restraining orders or other orders of any nature issued by any court or Governmental Authority that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.07 No Default. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

5.08 Environmental Compliance. The Borrower and each Material Subsidiary conducts in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing (a) Environmental Laws and (b) claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Borrower has reasonably concluded that the effect of such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.09 Taxes. The Borrower and each Material Subsidiary has timely filed (taking into account all properly granted extensions) all Federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and has timely paid (taking into account all properly granted extensions) all Federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or its properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, whether or not shown on any tax return, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary is party to any tax sharing agreement.

 

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5.10 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws, (ii) each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code or an application for such a letter is either currently being processed by the IRS or will be timely submitted to the IRS and, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred that would prevent, or cause the loss of, such tax-qualified status and (iii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA.

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

(c) No ERISA Event has occurred and the Borrower is not aware of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan; (ii) the Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate has met all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of each Pension Plan, and no waiver of the minimum funding standards under the Pension Funding Rules has been applied for or obtained.

5.11 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock.

(b) The Borrower is not required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

5.12 Disclosure. Taken as a whole, the written reports, financial statements, certificates and other written information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or delivered hereunder or under any Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) do not, at the time furnished, contain any material misstatement of fact or omit 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, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time made.

 

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

ARTICLE VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

The Borrower covenants and agrees that, so long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation (other than contingent indemnification obligations) hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (and not cash collateralized or supported by a back-to-back letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer):

6.01 Financial Statements. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (for further distribution to each Lender):

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, changes in shareholders’ equity and accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the Borrower in each fiscal year, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of each such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, changes in shareholders’ equity and accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail certified by a Responsible Officer as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(b), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.

6.02 Certificates; Other Information. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer;

 

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(b) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements filed by the Borrower with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(b) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02 (which website includes an option to subscribe to a free service alerting subscribers by e-mail of new SEC filings), at www.sec.gov, or at such other Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that, with respect to documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b): (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and each Lender (by telecopier 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 for delivery by a Lender, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or MLPFS will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (i) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (ii) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”, the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, MLPFS, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (iii) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor,” and (iv) the Administrative Agent and MLPFS shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”

 

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6.03 Notices.

(a) Promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days after any Responsible Officer obtains knowledge thereof) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of the occurrence of any Default; and

(b) Promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days after any Responsible Officer obtains knowledge thereof) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of any announcement by Moody’s, S&P or Fitch of any change in a Debt Rating.

Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

6.04 Payment of Tax Obligations. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, pay and discharge, as the same shall become due and payable, all its material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Loan Party or such Subsidiary.

6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. The Borrower shall (a) preserve and maintain its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05; and (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses, approvals and franchises in each case which are necessary in the conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation or non-renewal of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.06 Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Material Subsidiary to, (a) maintain, preserve and protect all of its properties and equipment necessary and material to the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; and (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Material Subsidiary to, maintain insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, or systems of self- insurance, against such risks and in such amounts as are customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses.

6.08 Compliance with Laws. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.09 Books and Records. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Material Subsidiary to, maintain proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP.

6.10 Inspection Rights. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its principal officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably requested, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower, but not more frequently than once per 12-month period; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower as often as may be reasonably requested.

 

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6.11 Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock.

(a) The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions for (i) commercial paper back-up, (ii) working capital and capital expenditures, (iii) the refinancing of certain existing indebtedness, (iv) Permitted Acquisitions and related fees and expenses and (v) general corporate purposes not in violation of any Law or of any Loan Document.

(b) The Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Borrowing, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose, in each case, in a manner which violates the Margin Regulations.

(c) Immediately after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of any Credit Extension that constitutes a “purpose credit” as defined under Regulation U issued by the FRB, not more than 25% (or such greater or lesser percentage as is provided in the exclusions from the definition of “Indirectly secured” contained in Regulation U as in effect at the time of the making of such Credit Extension) of the value of the assets of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be Margin Stock.

ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

The Borrower covenants and agrees that, so long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation (other than contingent indemnification obligations) hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (and not cash collateralized or supported by a back-to-back letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer):

7.01 Liens. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens existing on the date hereof and to the extent any such Liens secure Indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of $1,000,000 individually, such Liens are listed on Schedule 7.01;

(b) Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet due which are not delinquent or remain payable without penalty, or to the extent non-payment thereof is permitted under Section 6.04;

(c) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, processors’ landlords’ or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations which are not delinquent by more than 60 days or to the extent non-payment thereof is permitted under Section 6.04 or which have been bonded for the full amount;

 

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

(e) deposits to secure the performance of bids, tenders, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(f) zoning restrictions, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

(g) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);

(h) any interest or title of a lessor under any lease;

(i) licenses, leases or subleases granted to other Persons not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries;

(j) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to bankers’ liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided that (A) such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against access by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board and (B) such deposit account is not intended by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to provide collateral for debt for borrowed money owed to the depository institution;

(k) purchase money Liens and Liens securing Capital Leases; provided that the Lien attaches only to the asset being purchased or leased and does not exceed 100% of the purchase price or fair market value of such asset;

(l) Liens on assets of Persons which become Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement; provided that such Liens existed at the time of such Persons became Subsidiaries and were not created in anticipation thereof;

(m) extensions, renewals or replacements, in whole or in part, of any Liens referred to in the foregoing clauses (a), (k) and (l); provided that the principal amount of Indebtedness secured thereby and not otherwise authorized by this Section 7.01 shall not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness, plus any premium or fee payable in connection with any such extension, renewal or replacement, so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement;

(n) Liens, if any, in favor of the Administrative Agent on Cash Collateral delivered pursuant to Section 2.15(a); and

(o) other Liens on assets or other properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; provided that the sum of (i) the aggregate Indebtedness secured by such other Liens (exclusive of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by clauses (a) through (n) of this Section 7.01) plus, without duplication, (ii) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(h) shall not exceed an amount equal to 10% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth at the time such Indebtedness is incurred.

 

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7.02 Acquisitions. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to make any Acquisitions except Permitted Acquisitions.

7.03 Subsidiary Indebtedness. The Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof;

(b) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary;

(c) any Indebtedness incurred to refinance any Indebtedness of any Subsidiary outstanding on the Effective Date to the extent the amount of Indebtedness so incurred is not in excess of the amount of Indebtedness refinanced, plus any interest, fees and premiums incurred in connection therewith;

(d) Indebtedness consisting of that certain $700,000,000 aggregate indebtedness of GMRI, Inc., a Florida corporation, to Darden Realty, Inc., a Maryland corporation, incurred on January 28, 1999;

(e) Guarantees by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary to the extent such Indebtedness is permitted under this Agreement;

(f) reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit obtained in the ordinary course of business;

(g) Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases; and

(h) other Indebtedness incurred after the Effective Date in an aggregate amount not to exceed 10% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth at the time such Indebtedness is incurred.

7.04 Fundamental Changes. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Material Subsidiary to, merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom:

(a) any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with (i) the Borrower, provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (ii) any one or more other Subsidiaries, provided that when any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary is merging with another Subsidiary, the Wholly-Owned Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving Person;

(b) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) (i) to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is the Borrower or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, then the transferee must either be the Borrower or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, or (ii) pursuant to a Disposition permitted under Section 7.05;

 

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(c) the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any Person so long as (i) the Borrower is the surviving Person or (ii) (A) the surviving Person expressly assumes by a duly executed amendment to this Agreement all of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and (B) such transfer of the Borrower’s rights and obligations hereunder is approved by the Administrative Agent and each Lender in accordance with the terms of Section 10.06(a); and

(d) any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any Person so long as such Subsidiary is the surviving Person.

7.05 Dispositions. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;

(b) Dispositions of equipment and inventory in the ordinary course of business;

(c) Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property within 90 days of such Disposition;

(d) Dispositions permitted pursuant to Section 7.04;

(e) Dispositions by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary; and

(f) other Dispositions made after the Effective Date in an amount that does not exceed the Test Amount.

7.06 Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction with any Affiliate of the Borrower, except (a) as expressly permitted by this Agreement, (b) in connection with the repurchase by the Borrower of common stock of the Borrower, (c) in connection with any dividends or distributions with respect to any Equity Interests of the Borrower, (d) in the ordinary course of business and pursuant to the reasonable conduct of business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary or (e) on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to transactions between or among the Borrower and any of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries or between or among any Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries.

7.07 Burdensome Agreements. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Material Subsidiary to, enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that limits the ability of any Material Subsidiary to pay dividends or make other distributions on its capital stock to the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary owning such capital stock or otherwise transfer property to the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7.07 shall prohibit (a) any limitations or restrictions contained in Contractual Obligations existing on the Effective Date, (b) limitations or restrictions with respect to a Person acquired by the Borrower or a Material Subsidiary and existing at the time of such acquisition, which limitations or restrictions are not applicable to any other Person, (c) customary limitations or restrictions in any acquisition agreement with respect to a Person subject to any disposition by the Borrower or a Material Subsidiary, which limitations or restrictions are not applicable to any other Person, and (d) limitations or restrictions consisting of customary net worth, leverage and other financial covenants, customary covenants regarding the merger or sale of assets of a Material Subsidiary, customary restrictions on transactions with Affiliates, and customary subordination provisions with respect to intercompany debt, in each case contained in, or required by, any Contractual Obligation governing Indebtedness of a Subsidiary permitted under Section 7.03; provided that the limitations or restrictions contained in any extensions, refinancings, renewals or replacements of the Contractual Obligations referred to in clauses (a) and (b) are no less favorable in any material respect to the Lenders than those that are being extended, refinanced, renewed or replaced.

 

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7.08 Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than 0.75 to 1.00.

ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

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

(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower fails to perform or observe (i) any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.05 (with respect to existence of the Borrower only), 6.11 or Article VII or (ii) any term, covenant or agreement contained in Sections 6.01, 6.02 or 6.03(a) and such failure continues for ten or more days; or

(c) Other Defaults. The Borrower fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in this Agreement and such failure continues for 30 or more days after delivery of notice to a Responsible Officer of such failure from the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower herein, other than any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made in Section 5.10, shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. The Borrower or any Material Subsidiary (i) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, or (ii) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any Material Indebtedness, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause or to permit the holder or holders of such Material Indebtedness to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Material Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity; provided, however, that an Event of Default under this Section 8.01(e) caused by the occurrence of a default with respect to such Material Indebtedness shall be cured for purposes of this Agreement (i) upon the party asserting such default waiving such default, (ii) upon the Borrower or such Subsidiary curing such default prior to such party exercising any remedies with respect thereto if, at the time of such waiver or such cure the Administrative Agent has not exercised any rights or remedies with respect to an Event of Default under this Section 8.01(e) or (iii) upon the Borrower’s or such Material Subsidiary’s otherwise making adequate provision for the payment of such Material Indebtedness in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders prior to such party exercising any remedies with respect thereto if, at the time of such adequate provision the Administrative Agent has not exercised any rights or remedies with respect to an Event of Default under this Section 8.01(e); or

 

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(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. The Borrower or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Inability to Pay Indebtedness; Attachment. (i) The Borrower or any Material Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or

(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third- party insurance) and such judgment or order shall continue unsatisfied and unstayed for a period of 60 days (i) after the entry of any such judgment or order, or (ii) after any appeal in good faith of such judgment or order so long as during such appeal any execution of such judgment or order is stayed; or

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

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

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

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

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

 

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(c) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and

(d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents;

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender. The Administrative Agent shall use reasonable efforts to give the Borrower prompt written notice of any exercise of the remedies set forth in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of Section 8.02, but the failure to deliver such notice shall not impair the availability, effectiveness or validity of such remedy.

8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received by the Administrative Agent on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

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

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest, Letter of Credit Fees and Facility Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer as required by Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

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

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

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

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

 

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Subject to Sections 2.03(c) and 2.15, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

ARTICLE IX

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

9.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

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

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

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

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

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

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

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

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

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

9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States, with the consent of the Borrower (unless a Default has occurred and is then existing, in which case the consent of the Borrower shall not be required), which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

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

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

9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Joint Book Managers, Joint Lead Arrangers, Syndication Agents or Documentation Agents, if any, listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws or any other judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise.

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h) and (i), 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

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

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.

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

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

10.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement and no consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;

(b) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

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

(d) change Section 2.13 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;

(e) amend Section 1.06 or the definition of “Alternative Currency” without the written consent of each Lender; or

 

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(f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;

and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; and (ii) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender, (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (iv) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein and (v) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow the Borrower to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders.

10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.

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

(i) if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

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

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

 

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Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

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

(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

 

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

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

10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

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

(b) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of not more than one counsel in any jurisdiction; provided, that, in the case of a conflict of interest where the Indemnitee affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another counsel in each applicable jurisdiction for such affected Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), or (iii) any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of such Indemnitee.

 

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(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

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

10.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect in the applicable currency of such recovery or payment. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

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10.06 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section 10.06, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section 10.06, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section 10.06 and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a), (b) (with respect to Section 7.08 only), (f) or (g) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

 

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(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate Facilities on a non-pro rata basis;

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

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a), (b) (with respect to Section 7.08 only), (f) or (g) has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

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

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

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B) or (C) to a natural person.

(vi) No Assignment Resulting in Additional Indemnified Taxes. No such assignment shall be made to any Person that, through its Lending Offices, is not capable of lending the applicable Alternative Currencies to the Borrower without the imposition of any additional Indemnified Taxes. Each assignee represents and warrants to the Borrower that such assignee is capable of lending the applicable Alternative Currencies to the Borrower without the imposition of any additional Indemnified Taxes.

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

 

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(viii) Assignee is not a Competitor. Each assignee represents and warrants to the Borrower that such assignee is not a Competitor.

The assignee shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) all applicable tax forms as provided in Section 3.01(e). Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section 10.06, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section 10.06.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may 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. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower, any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or any Competitor (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that directly and adversely affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 10.06. To the extent permitted by Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender.

 

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(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant (in the case of a Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender) and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply, and does so comply, with Section 3.01(e) as though it were a Lender (it being agreed that any requirement in Section 3.01(e) that the Borrower or the Administrative Agent request a form, certificate or other documentation shall be treated for this purpose as having been satisfied).

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

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

(h) Resignation as L/C Issuer after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

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10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable Law or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to a written agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 10.07, 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 any Eligible Assignee invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.14(c) or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.07 or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

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

10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to setoff and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that, in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer 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.

 

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

10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents 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 that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

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

10.12 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

 

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10.13 Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06(b);

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

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

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

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

10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

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

 

80


(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

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

10.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Joint Lead Arranger has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor any Joint Lead Arranger has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

81


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

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

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

82


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

 

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC., a Florida corporation
By:  

/s/ William R. White, III

Name: William R. White, III
Title: Senior Vice President and Treasurer


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

/s/ Erik M. Truette

Name: Erik M. Truette
Title: Assistance Vice President


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

/s/ John H. Schmidt

Name: John H. Schmidt
Title: Director


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Karen H. McClain

Name: Karen H. McClain
Title: Managing Director


SUNTRUST BANK,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ J. Matthew Rowand

Name: J. Matthew Rowand
Title: Vice President


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Steven L. Sawyer

Name: Steven L. Sawyer
Title: Vice President


COMERICA BANK,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Gerald R. Finney, Jr.

Name: Gerald R. Finney, Jr.
Title: Vice President


FIFTH THIRD BANK, an Ohio banking corporation,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ John A. Marian

Name: John A. Marian
Title: Vice President


MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK (USA),
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Robert Gallagher

Name: Robert Gallagher
Title: Senior Vice President


DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Heidi Sandquist

Name: Heidi Sandquist
Title: Director
By:  

/s/ Ming K. Chu

Name: Ming K. Chu
Title: Vice President


GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Mark Walton

Name: Mark Walton
Title: Authorized Signatory


SCHEDULE 1.01(B)

MANDATORY COST FORMULAE

 

1. The Mandatory Cost (to the extent applicable) is an addition to the interest rate to compensate Lenders for the cost of compliance with:

 

  (a) the requirements of the Bank of England and/or the Financial Services Authority (or, in either case, any other authority which replaces all or any of its functions); or

 

  (b) the requirements of the European Central Bank.

 

2. On the first day of each Interest Period (or as soon as practicable thereafter) the Administrative Agent shall calculate, as a percentage rate, a rate (the “Additional Cost Rate”) for each Lender, in accordance with the paragraphs set out below. The Mandatory Cost will be calculated by the Administrative Agent as a weighted average of the Additional Cost Rates of those Lenders that are subject to the compliance requirements listed in paragraph 1 above (weighted in proportion to the percentage participation of each such Lender in the relevant Loan) and will be expressed as a percentage rate per annum. The Administrative Agent will, at the request of the Borrower or any Lender, deliver to the Borrower or such Lender as the case may be, a statement setting forth the calculation of any Mandatory Cost.

 

3. (a) The Additional Cost Rate for any Lender lending from a Lending Office in a Participating Member State will be the percentage notified by that Lender to the Administrative Agent. This percentage will be certified by such Lender in its notice to the Administrative Agent to be its reasonable determination of the cost, if any (expressed as a percentage of such Lender’s participation in all Loans made from such Lending Office), of complying with the minimum reserve requirements of the European Central Bank in respect of Loans made from that Lending Office.

(b) If a Lender fails to specify a rate pursuant to paragraph 3(a) above, the Administrative Agent will assume that the Lender has not incurred any such cost.

 

4. The Additional Cost Rate for any Lender lending from a Lending Office in the United Kingdom will be calculated by the Administrative Agent as follows:

 

  (a) in relation to any Loan in the lawful currency of the United Kingdom (“Sterling” or “£”):

 

AB+C(B-D)+E x 0.01    per cent per annum   
100 - (A+C)      

 

  (b) in relation to any Loan in any currency other than Sterling:

 

E x 0.01    per cent per annum   
300      

Where:

 

  “A” is the percentage of Eligible Liabilities (assuming these to be in excess of any stated minimum) which that Lender is from time to time required to maintain as an interest free cash ratio deposit with the Bank of England to comply with cash ratio requirements.


  “B” is the percentage rate of interest (excluding the Applicable Rate, the Mandatory Cost and any interest charged on overdue amounts pursuant to the first sentence of Section 2.08(b) and, in the case of interest (other than on overdue amounts) charged at the Default Rate, without counting any increase in interest rate effected by the charging of the Default Rate) payable for the relevant Interest Period of such Loan.

 

  “C” is the percentage (if any) of Eligible Liabilities which that Lender is required from time to time to maintain as interest bearing Special Deposits with the Bank of England.

 

  “D” is the percentage rate per annum payable by the Bank of England to the Administrative Agent on interest bearing Special Deposits.

 

  “E” is designed to compensate Lenders for amounts payable under the Fees Regulations and is calculated by the Administrative Agent as being the average of the most recent rates of charge supplied by the Lenders to the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph 7 below and expressed in pounds per £1,000,000.

 

5. For the purposes of this Schedule:

 

  (a) Eligible Liabilities” and “Special Deposits” have the meanings given to them from time to time under or pursuant to the Bank of England Act 1998 or (as may be appropriate) by the Bank of England;

 

  (b) Fees Regulations” means the FSA Supervision Manual or such other law or regulation as may be in force from time to time in respect of the payment of fees for the acceptance of deposits;

 

  (c) Fee Tariffs” means the fee tariffs specified in the Fees Regulations under the activity group A.1 Deposit acceptors (ignoring any minimum fee or zero rated fee required pursuant to the Fees Regulations but taking into account any applicable discount rate); and

 

  (d) Tariff Base” has the meaning given to it in, and will be calculated in accordance with, the Fees Regulations.

 

6. In application of the above formulae, A, B, C and D will be included in the formulae as percentages (i.e. 5% will be included in the formula as 5 and not as 0.05). A negative result obtained by subtracting D from B shall be taken as zero. The resulting figures shall be rounded to four decimal places.

 

7. If requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, each Lender with a Lending Office in the United Kingdom or a Participating Member State shall, as soon as practicable after publication by the Financial Services Authority, supply to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the rate of charge payable by such Lender to the Financial Services Authority pursuant to the Fees Regulations in respect of the relevant financial year of the Financial Services Authority (calculated for this purpose by such Lender as being the average of the Fee Tariffs applicable to such Lender for that financial year) and expressed in pounds per £1,000,000 of the Tariff Base of such Lender.


8. Each Lender shall supply any information required by the Administrative Agent for the purpose of calculating its Additional Cost Rate. In particular, but without limitation, each Lender shall supply the following information in writing on or prior to the date on which it becomes a Lender:

 

  (a) its jurisdiction of incorporation and the jurisdiction of the Lending Office out of which it is making available its participation in the relevant Loan; and

 

  (b) any other information that the Administrative Agent may reasonably require for such purpose.

Each Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent in writing of any change to the information provided by it pursuant to this paragraph.

 

9. The percentages or rates of charge of each Lender for the purpose of A, C and E above shall be determined by the Administrative Agent based upon the information supplied to it pursuant to paragraphs 7 and 8 above and on the assumption that, unless a Lender notifies the Administrative Agent to the contrary, each Lender’s obligations in relation to cash ratio deposits, Special Deposits and the Fees Regulations are the same as those of a typical bank from its jurisdiction of incorporation with a Lending Office in the same jurisdiction as such Lender’s Lending Office.

 

10. The Administrative Agent shall have no liability to any Person if such determination results in an Additional Cost Rate which over- or under-compensates any Lender and shall be entitled to assume that the information provided by any Lender pursuant to paragraphs 3, 7 and 8 above is true and correct in all respects.

 

11. The Administrative Agent shall distribute the additional amounts received as a result of the Mandatory Cost to the Lenders on the basis of the Additional Cost Rate for each Lender based on the information provided by each Lender pursuant to paragraphs 3, 7 and 8 above.

 

12. Any determination by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Schedule in relation to a formula, the Mandatory Cost, an Additional Cost Rate or any amount payable to a Lender shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.

 

13. The Administrative Agent may from time to time, after consultation with the Borrower and the Lenders, determine the need for, and notify all parties of, any amendments which are required to be made to this Schedule in order to comply with any change in law, regulation or any requirements from time to time imposed by the Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority or the European Central Bank (or, in any case, any other authority which replaces all or any of its functions) and any such determination shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.


SCHEDULE 2.01

 

COMMITMENTS

AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES

 

  

  

Lender

   Commitment      Applicable
Percentage
 

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 145,000,000         19 ###-###-####

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 145,000,000         19 ###-###-####

SunTrust Bank

   $ 105,000,000         14.000000000

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 105,000,000         14.000000000

Comerica Bank

   $ 60,000,000         8.000000000

Fifth Third Bank

   $ 60,000,000         8.000000000

Mizuho Corporate Bank (USA)

   $ 60,000,000         8.000000000

Goldman Sachs Bank USA

   $ 50,000,000         6 ###-###-####

Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch

   $ 20,000,000         2 ###-###-####

Total

   $ 750,000,000         100.000000000


SCHEDULE 7.01

Existing Material Liens

1. Liens securing the Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(d).


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

Date:             ,        

 

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2011 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Darden Restaurants, Inc. a Florida corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

 

¨     A Borrowing of Committed Loans    ¨     A conversion or continuation of Loans   

 

  1. On                                          (a Business Day).

 

  2. In the amount of             .

 

  3. Comprised of                                         .

[Type of Committed Loan requested]

 

  4. In the following currency:                                         .

 

  5. For Eurocurrency Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of              month[s].

The Committed Borrowing, if any, requested herein complies with the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.01 of the Agreement.

 

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.,

a Florida corporation

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 


EXHIBIT B-1

FORM OF BID REQUEST

 

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2011 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Darden Restaurants, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

The Lenders are invited to make Bid Loans:

 

1. On                                          (a Business Day).

 

2. In an aggregate amount not exceeding                      (with any sublimits set forth below).

 

3. In the following currency:                                         

 

4. Comprised of:

 

Bid Loan No.   

Interest Period

requested

  

Maximum principal

amount requested

1

                days/mos   

2

                days/mos   

3

                days/mos   

The Bid Borrowing requested herein complies with the requirements of the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) of the Agreement.

The Borrower authorizes the Administrative Agent to deliver this Bid Request to the Lenders. Responses by the Lenders must be in substantially the form of Exhibit B-2 to the Agreement and must be received by the Administrative Agent by the time specified in Section 2.04 of the Agreement for submitting Competitive Bids.

 

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC.,
a Florida corporation
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 


EXHIBIT B-2

FORM OF COMPETITIVE BID

            ,         

 

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2011 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Darden Restaurants, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

In response to the Bid Request dated             ,          the undersigned offers to make the following Bid Loan(s):

 

  1. Borrowing date:                      (a Business Day).

 

  2. In an aggregate amount not exceeding              (with any sublimits set forth below).

 

  3. Comprised of:                                     

 

Bid Loan No.

   Interest Period offered    Bid Maximum    Rate Bid*  

1

                days/mos         (-+)     

2

                days/mos         (-+)     

3

                days/mos         (-+)     

 

   Contact Person:  

 

    Telephone:  

 

 

[LENDER]

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

* Expressed in multiples of 1/100th of a percent.


******************************************************************************

THIS SECTION IS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE BORROWER IF IT WISHES TO ACCEPT ANY

OFFERS CONTAINED IN THIS COMPETITIVE BID:

The offers made above are hereby accepted in the amounts set forth below:

 

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC., a Florida corporation

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF NOTE

[Date]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to                      or registered assigns (the “Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Loan from time to time made by the Lender to the Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2011 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the Borrower, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan from the date of such Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in the currency in which such Loan was denominated and in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office for such currency. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Agreement.

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note may become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Agreement. Loans made by the Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Lender may also attach schedules to this Note and endorse thereon the date, amount, currency and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]


DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC., a Florida corporation
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 


LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

 

Date  

Type of

Loan Made

 

Amount of

Loan Made

 

End of

Interest

Period

 

Amount of

Principal or

Interest

Paid This

Date

 

Outstanding

Principal

Balance

This Date

 

Notation

Made By

           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Financial Statement Date:                     ,

 

To: Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2011 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Darden Restaurants, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

The undersigned Responsible Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the                      of the Borrower, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Certificate to the Administrative Agent on the behalf of the Borrower, and that:

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

[1. The Borrower has delivered the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year of the Borrower ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.]

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

[1. The Borrower has delivered the unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(b) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended as of the above date. Such financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.]

2. The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a reasonably detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower during the accounting period covered by such financial statements.

3. To the best knowledge of the undersigned [select one:] [no Default has occurred and is continuing.] or [the following is a list of each Default that has occurred and is continuing and its nature and status:]

4. The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of                     .

 

DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC., a Florida corporation
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 


For the Quarter/Year ended                      (“Statement Date”)

SCHEDULE 11

to the Compliance Certificate

($ in 000’s)

 

I. Section 7.08 – Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio.

 

A.

  

Consolidated Indebtedness as of the Statement Date:

   $                

B.

  

Excess Letter of Credit Obligations as of the Statement Date

   $                

C.

  

Consolidated Operating Lease Obligations as of the Statement Date

   $                

D.

  

Consolidated Total Debt as of the Statement Date (Line A + Line B + (Line C x 6.25))

   $                

E.

  

Stockholders’ Equity as of the Statement Date:

   $                

F.

  

Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio (Line D / (Line D + Line E)):

                  to 1.00   

Maximum permitted: 0.75 to 1.00

 

1 

In the event that the computation of the financial covenants herein conflicts with the Agreement, the terms of the Agreement shall control.


EXHIBIT E

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the] [each] Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each] Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors] [the Assignees] hereunder are several and not joint.] Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, [the] [each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor] [the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s] [the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender] [their respective capacities as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of [the Assignor] [the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, the Letters of Credit included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of [the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)] [the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the] [any] Assignor to [the] [any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the] [any] Assignor.

 

1.   Assignor[s]:  

 

  
2.   Assignee[s]:  

 

  
   

 

  
  [for each Assignee, indicate [Affiliate][Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]]
3.   Borrower:   Darden Restaurants, Inc., a Florida corporation
4.   Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement.
5.   Credit Agreement: Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2011, among Darden Restaurants, Inc., the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.


  6. Assigned Interest[s]:

 

Assignor[s]

  

Assignee[s]

  

Aggregate

Amount of

Commitment/Loans

for all Lenders

    

Amount of

Commitment

/Loans

Assigned

    

Percentage

Assigned of

Commitment/

Loans

   

CUSIP

Number

      $                    $                                    
      $                    $                                    
      $                    $                                    

 

[7. Trade Date:     ]

Effective Date:             , 20         [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR  
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]  
By:  

 

  Title:  
ASSIGNEE  
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]  
By:  

 

  Title:  

 

[Consented to and]1 Accepted:

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

By:  

 

Title:  
[Consented to:]2

Darden Restaurants, Inc.,

as Borrower

 

1 

To be inserted if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the Credit Agreement.

2 

To be inserted if the consent of the Borrower is required by the Credit Agreement.


By:

 

 

Title:

[Consented to:]3

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as L/C Issuer

By:

 

 

Title:

 

3

To be inserted if the consent of the L/C Issuer is required by the Credit Agreement.


ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

1. Representations and Warranties.

1.1. Assignor. [The] [Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2. Assignee. [The][Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it has reviewed the list(s) of Competitors posted to the Platform and it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), (v), (vi) and (viii) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the] [the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the] [such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the] [such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the] [such] Assigned Interest, (vii) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee and (viii) (A) the source of any funds it is using to acquire the assigning Lender’s interest or to fund any Credit Extension is not and will not be plan assets as defined under the regulations of the Department of Labor of any Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or (B) the assignment or Credit Extension is not and will not be a non-exempt prohibited transaction as defined in Section 406 of ERISA; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, [the] [any] Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the] [each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the] [the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the] [the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.


3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.