CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of January 30, 2004 among EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC., BANKRUPTCY SERVICES LLC and POORMAN-DOUGLAS CORPORATION, as the Borrowers THE VARIOUS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PARTYHERETO, as Lenders, LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, and KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Arranger CREDIT AGREEMENT

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-10.7 9 a04-2291_1ex10d7.htm EX-10.7

Exhibit 10.7

 

 

Execution Copy

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of January 30, 2004

 

among

 

EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC.,
BANKRUPTCY SERVICES LLC

and
POORMAN-DOUGLAS CORPORATION,
as the Borrowers

 

THE VARIOUS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PARTY HERETO,
as Lenders,

 

LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Administrative Agent,

 

and

 

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Syndication Agent

 

 

 

LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Arranger

 



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

 

THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of January 30, 2004 (this “Agreement”) is entered into among EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), BANKRUPTCY SERVICES LLC, a New York limited liability company (“Bankruptcy Services”), POORMAN-DOUGLAS CORPORATION, a Rhode Island corporation (“Poorman”), (Bankruptcy Services, Poorman and each other Subsidiary of the Company that becomes a party hereto as a Borrower pursuant to a Joinder Agreement are collectively referred to herein as the “Borrower Subsidiaries”), the financial institutions that are or may from time to time become parties hereto (together with their respective successors and assigns, the “Lenders”), KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as syndication agent, and LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (in its individual capacity, “LaSalle”), as administrative agent for the Lenders.

 

The Lenders have agreed to make available to the Company term loans and a revolving credit facility (which includes letters of credit) upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

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

 

SECTION 1                                   DEFINITIONS.

 

1.1                                 Definitions.  When used herein the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Account Debtor is defined in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.

 

Account or Accounts is defined in the UCC.

 

Acquired Entity – see the definition of “Permitted Acquisition”.

 

Acquisition means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of all or substantially all of any business or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the Capital Securities of any Person, or otherwise causing any Person to become a Subsidiary, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person (other than a Person that is already a Subsidiary).

 

Administrative Agent means LaSalle in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder and any successor thereto in such capacity.

 

Affected Loan - see Section 8.3.

 

Affiliate of any Person means (a) any other Person which, directly or indirectly, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with such Person, (b) any officer or director of such Person and (c) with respect to any Lender, any entity administered or managed by such Lender or an Affiliate or investment advisor thereof and which is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans.  A Person shall be deemed to be “controlled by” any other Person if such Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 10% or more of the securities (on a fully diluted basis) having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or managers or power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.  Unless expressly stated otherwise herein, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall be deemed an Affiliate of any Loan Party.

 

Agreement - see the Preamble.

 

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Applicable Margin means, for any day, the rate per annum set forth below opposite the level (the “Level”) then in effect, it being understood that the Applicable Margin for (i) LIBOR Loans shall be the percentage set forth under the column “LIBOR Margin”, (ii) Base Rate Loans shall be the percentage set forth under the column “Base Rate Margin”, (iii) the Non-Use Fee Rate shall be the percentage set forth under the column “Non-Use Fee Rate” and (iv) the L/C Fee shall be the percentage set forth under the column “L/C Fee Rate”:

 

Level

 

Total Debt to EBITDA Ratio

 

LIBOR
Margin

 

Base Rate
Margin

 

Non-Use
Fee Rate

 

L/C Fee
Rate

 

I

 

Greater than or equal to 1.50:1

 

3.50

%

2.00

%

0.50

%

3.50

%

II

 

Greater than or equal to 1.00:1 but less than 1.50:1

 

3.25

%

1.75

%

0.50

%

3.25

%

III

 

Greater than or equal to 0.50:1 but less than 1.00:1

 

3.00

%

1.50

%

0.50

%

3.00

%

IV

 

Less than 0.50:1

 

2.75

%

1.25

%

0.50

%

2.75

%

 

The LIBOR Margin, the Base Rate Margin, the Non-Use Fee Rate and the L/C Fee Rate shall be adjusted, to the extent applicable, on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Company provides or is required to provide the annual and quarterly financial statements and other information pursuant Section 10.1.1 or 10.1.2, as applicable, and the related Compliance Certificate, pursuant to Section 10.1.3.  Notwithstanding anything contained in this paragraph to the contrary, (a) if the Company fails to deliver the such financial statements and Compliance Certificate in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.1.1, 10.1.2 and 10.1.3, the LIBOR Margin, the Base Rate Margin, the Non-Use Fee Rate and the L/C Fee Rate shall be based upon Level I above beginning on the date such financial statements and Compliance Certificate were required to be delivered until the fifth (5th) Business Day after such financial statements and Compliance Certificate are actually delivered, whereupon the Applicable Margin shall be determined by the then current Level; (b) no reduction to any Applicable Margin shall become effective at any time when an Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and (c) the initial Applicable Margin on the Closing Date shall be based on Level I until the date on which the financial statements and Compliance Certificate are required to be delivered for the Fiscal Quarter ending June 30, 2004.

 

Asset Disposition means the sale, lease, assignment or other transfer for value (each, a “Disposition”) by any Loan Party to any Person (other than a Loan Party) of any asset or right of such Loan Party (including the loss, destruction or damage of any thereof or any condemnation, confiscation, requisition, seizure or taking thereof) other than (a) the Disposition of any asset which is to be replaced, and is in fact replaced, within 180 days with another asset performing the same or a similar function, (b) the sale or lease of inventory in the ordinary course of business and (c) other Dispositions in any Fiscal Year the Net Cash Proceeds of which do not in the aggregate exceed $325,000 in any Fiscal Year.

 

Assignee - see Section 16.6.1.

 

Assignment Agreement - see Section 16.6.1.

 

Attorney Costs means, with respect to any Person, all reasonable fees and charges of any counsel to such Person, the reasonable allocable cost of internal legal services of such Person to the extent not duplicative of work performed by external counsel, all reasonable disbursements of such internal counsel and all court costs and similar legal expenses.

 

Bank Product Agreements means those certain cash management service agreements entered into from time to time between any Loan Party and a Lender or its Affiliates in connection with any of the Bank Products.

 

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Bank Product Obligations means all obligations, liabilities, contingent reimbursement obligations, fees, and expenses owing by the Loan Parties to any Lender or its Affiliates pursuant to or evidenced by the Bank Product Agreements and irrespective of whether for the payment of money, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising, and including all such amounts that a Loan Party is obligated to reimburse to the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of the Administrative Agent or such Lender purchasing participations or executing indemnities or reimbursement obligations with respect to the Bank Products provided to the Loan Parties pursuant to the Bank Product Agreements.

 

Bank Products means any service or facility extended to any Loan Party by any Lender or the Administrative Agent or its Affiliates including:  (a) credit cards, (b) credit card processing services, (c) debit cards, (d) purchase cards, (e) ACH Transactions, (f) cash management, including controlled disbursement, accounts or services, or (g) Hedging Agreements.

 

Bankruptcy Code means Title 11 of the United States Code (11 U.S.C. § 101 et. seq.) or any replacement or supplemental federal statute dealing with the bankruptcy of debtors.

 

Base Rate means at any time the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.5% and (b) the Prime Rate.

 

Base Rate Loan means any Loan which bears interest at or by reference to the Base Rate.

 

Base Rate Margin - see the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

Borrower Subsidiary – see the Preamble.

 

Borrowers means, collectively, the Company, each Borrower Subsidiary and each other Person that from time to time becomes a Borrower under this Agreement pursuant to a Joinder Agreement, and “Borrower” means any of the Borrowers.

 

BSA - see Section 10.4.

 

Business Day means any day on which LaSalle is open for commercial banking business in Chicago, Illinois and, in the case of a Business Day which relates to a LIBOR Loan, on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank eurodollar market.

 

Capital Expenditures means all expenditures which, in accordance with GAAP, would be required to be capitalized and shown on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company, including expenditures in respect of Capital Leases and expenditures with respect to internally developed capitalized software, but excluding expenditures made in connection with the replacement, substitution or restoration of assets to the extent financed (i) from insurance proceeds (or other similar recoveries) paid on account of the loss of or damage to the assets being replaced or restored or (ii) with awards of compensation arising from the taking by eminent domain or condemnation of the assets being replaced.

 

Capital Lease means, with respect to any Person, any lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) any real or personal property by such Person that, in conformity with GAAP, is accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of such Person.

 

Capital Securities means, with respect to any Person, all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) of such Person’s capital, whether now outstanding or issued or acquired after the Closing Date, including common shares, preferred shares, membership interests in a limited liability company, limited or general partnership interests in a partnership,

 

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interests in a trust, interests in other unincorporated organizations or any other equivalent of such ownership interest.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents means cash and Cash Equivalent Investments held in accounts with the Administrative Agent pursuant to cash collateral or other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

Cash Collateralize means to deliver cash collateral to the Administrative Agent, to be held as cash collateral for outstanding Letters of Credit, pursuant to documentation in form and substance, and in an amount, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.  Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings.

 

Cash Equivalent Investment means, at any time, (a) any evidence of Debt, maturing not more than one year after such time, issued or guaranteed by the United States Government or any agency thereof, (b) commercial paper, maturing not more than one year from the date of issue, or corporate demand notes, in each case (unless issued by a Lender or its holding company) rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or P-2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., (c) any certificate of deposit, time deposit or banker’s acceptance, maturing not more than one year after such time, or any overnight Federal funds transaction that is issued or sold by any Lender or its holding company (or by a commercial banking institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System and has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $250,000,000), (d) any repurchase agreement entered into with any Lender (or commercial banking institution of the nature referred to in clause (c)) which (i) is secured by a fully perfected security interest in any obligation of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (c) above and (ii) has a market value at the time such repurchase agreement is entered into of not less than 100% of the repurchase obligation of such Lender (or other commercial banking institution) thereunder and (e) money market accounts or mutual funds which invest exclusively in assets satisfying the foregoing requirements, and (f) other short term liquid investments approved in writing by the Administrative Agent.

 

Change of Control means the occurrence of any of the following events: (a) if any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date) or related persons constituting a group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) (other than Tom Olofson and Christopher Olofson) become the “beneficial owners” (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date), directly or indirectly, of more than 25% of the total voting power of all classes then outstanding of the Company’s Capital Securities, (b) the Company shall cease to, directly or indirectly, own and control 100% of each class of the outstanding Capital Securities of each Subsidiary or (c) either of Tom Olofson or Christopher Olofson ceases to be actively involved in the day-to-day management of the Company for any reason and a successor reasonably satisfactory to the Required Lenders does not assume such Person’s responsibilities and position within 180 days of such cessation.

 

Closing Date - see Section 12.1.

 

Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

Collateral means all assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries in which a Lien has been granted to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders pursuant to the Collateral Documents to secure the payment and performance of the Obligations.

 

Collateral Access Agreement means an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent pursuant to which a mortgagee or lessor of real property on which collateral is stored or otherwise located, or a warehouseman, processor or other bailee of Inventory or other property owned by any Loan Party, acknowledges the Liens of the Administrative Agent and waives or subordinates (on terms satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) any Liens held by such Person on such property, and, in the case of any such agreement with a mortgagee or lessor, permits the Administrative Agent reasonable access to and use

 

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of such real property following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default to assemble, complete and sell any collateral stored or otherwise located thereon.

 

Collateral Documents means, collectively, the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, each Mortgage, each Collateral Access Agreement, each Pledge Agreement, each Perfection Certificate, each control agreement and any other agreement or instrument pursuant to which the Company, any Subsidiary or any other Person grants or purports to grant collateral to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders to secure the performance of any Obligations or otherwise relates to any Collateral.

 

Commitment means, as to any Lender, such Lender’s commitment to make Loans, and to issue or participate in Letters of Credit, under this Agreement.  The initial amount of each Lender’s commitment to make Loans is set forth on Annex A.

 

Company - see the Preamble.

 

Company Property means all assets, property and property rights, of any kind or nature, tangible or intangible, now or hereafter existing, in which any Borrower or any Loan Party owns, asserts or maintains an interest.

 

Compliance Certificate means a Compliance Certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit B.

 

Computation Period means each period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ending on the last day of a Fiscal Quarter.

 

Consolidated Net Income means, with respect to any Person for any period, the net income (or loss) of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, excluding any gains (or losses) from Asset Dispositions, any extraordinary gains (or losses) and any gains (or losses) from discontinued operations as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Contingent Liability means, with respect to any Person, each obligation and liability of such Person and all such obligations and liabilities of such Person incurred pursuant to any agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person:  (a) guarantees, endorses or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon (by direct or indirect agreement, contingent or otherwise, to provide funds for payment, to supply funds to, or otherwise to invest in, a debtor, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss) the indebtedness, dividend, obligation or other liability of any other Person in any manner (other than by endorsement of instruments in the course of collection), including any indebtedness, dividend or other obligation which may be issued or incurred at some future time; (b) guarantees the payment of dividends or other distributions upon the Capital Securities of any other Person; (c) undertakes or agrees (whether contingently or otherwise):  (i) to purchase, repurchase, or otherwise acquire any indebtedness, obligation or liability of any other Person or any property or assets constituting security therefor, (ii) to advance or provide funds for the payment or discharge of any indebtedness, obligation or liability of any other Person (whether in the form of loans, advances, stock purchases, capital contributions or otherwise), or to maintain solvency, assets, level of income, working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or (iii) to make payment to any other Person other than for value received; (d) agrees to lease property or to purchase securities, property or services from such other Person with the purpose or intent of assuring the owner of such indebtedness or obligation of the ability of such other Person to make payment of the indebtedness or obligation; (e) undertakes to induce the issuance of, or in connection with the issuance of, any letter of credit for the benefit of such other Person; or (f) undertakes or agrees otherwise to assure a creditor against loss.  The amount of any Contingent Liability shall (subject to any limitation set forth herein) be deemed to be the outstanding principal amount (or maximum permitted principal amount, if larger) of the indebtedness, obligation or other liability guaranteed or supported thereby, unless such Contingent Liability is explicitly limited by contract to a stated amount or recourse against a specific asset, in which case, the amount of such Contingent Liability shall be deemed to be such stated amount or the fair market value of such asset, as applicable.

 

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Controlled Group means all members of a controlled group of corporations, all members of a controlled group of trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control and all members of an affiliated service group which, together with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

 

Debt of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all borrowed money of such Person, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (b) all obligations of such Person as lessee under Capital Leases which have been or should be recorded as liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, (c) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and accrued expenses and the deferred purchase price of Acquisitions), (d) all indebtedness secured by a Lien on the property of such Person, whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person; provided that if such Person has not assumed or otherwise become liable for such indebtedness, such indebtedness shall be measured at the fair market value of such property securing such indebtedness at the time of determination, (e) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, with respect to the face amount of all letters of credit (whether or not drawn), bankers’ acceptances and similar obligations issued for the account of such Person (including the Letters of Credit), (f) all Hedging Obligations of such Person, (g) all Contingent Liabilities of such Person where the underlying obligations would constitute Debt under this definition and (h) all Debt of any partnership of which such Person is a general partner.

 

Debt to be Repaid means Debt listed on Schedule 12.1.

 

Designated Proceeds - see Section 6.2.2(a).

 

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

 

Earnout Obligations means all obligations incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition under non-compete agreements, consulting agreements, purchase agreements, earn-out agreements and similar deferred purchase arrangements.

 

EBITDA means, for any Person, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such Person for such period plus, to the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, (i) Interest Expense, income tax expense, depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges, (ii) unamortized costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Related Transactions and any Permitted Acquisition and (iii) expenses and charges which will be indemnified or reimbursed to the extent such amounts are covered by funds in a valid escrow account or similar arrangement, in each case, for such period without duplication and all as determined on a Pro Forma Basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that for purposes of calculating EBITDA for the Company and its Subsidiaries, (a) EBITDA for the three (3) month period ended March 31, 2003, shall be $8,238,000, (b) EBITDA for the three (3) month period ended June 30, 2003, shall be $11,848,000 and (c) EBITDA for the three (3) month period ended September 30, 2003, shall be $14,907,000; provided, further, that for purposes of making the calculations required by Section 12.1, EBITDA for the Company and its Subsidiaries for the three (3) month period ended December 31, 2003, shall be $12,800,000.

 

Environmental Claims means all claims, however asserted, by any governmental, regulatory or judicial authority or other Person alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law, or for release or injury to the environment.

 

Environmental Laws means all present or future federal, state or local laws, statutes, common law duties, rules, regulations, ordinances and codes, together with all administrative or judicial orders, consent agreements, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any governmental authority, in each case relating to public health and safety, or pollution or protection of the environment or workplace, including any of the foregoing relating to the presence, use, production, generation,

 

6



 

handling, transport, treatment, storage, disposal, distribution, discharge, emission, release, threatened release, control or cleanup of any Hazardous Substance.

 

EPIQ Acquisition means EPIQ Systems Acquisition, Inc., a New York corporation.

 

ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

Event of Default means any of the events described in Section 13.1.

 

Excess Cash Flow means, for any period, the remainder of (a) Unadjusted EBITDA for such period, minus (b) the sum, without duplication, of (i) scheduled repayments of principal of Term Loans made during such period, plus (ii) voluntary prepayments of the Term A Loans pursuant to Section 6.2.1 during such period, plus (iii) cash payments made in such period with respect to Capital Expenditures, plus (iv) all income taxes paid in cash by the Loan Parties during such period, plus (v) cash Interest Expense of the Loan Parties during such period.

 

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

 

Excluded Taxes means taxes based upon, or measured by, a Lender’s or the Administrative Agent’s (or a branch of a Lender’s or the Administrative Agent’s) overall net income, overall net receipts, or overall net profits (including franchise taxes imposed in lieu of such taxes), but only to the extent such taxes are imposed by the United States or a taxing authority (a) in a jurisdiction in which such Lender or the Administrative Agent is organized, (b) in a jurisdiction which such Lender’s or the Administrative Agent’s principal office is located, or (c) in a jurisdiction in which such Lender’s or the Administrative Agent’s lending office (or branch) in respect of which payments under this Agreement are made is located.

 

Federal Funds Rate means, for any day, a fluctuating interest rate equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent’s determination of such rate shall be binding and conclusive absent manifest error.

 

Finally Paid or Final Payment, when used in connection with any Debt, means the full payment in cash of all of the obligations with respect to such Debt (other than contingent indemnity obligations not expected to be incurred) and the irrevocable termination of all commitments related thereto.

 

Fiscal Quarter means a fiscal quarter of a Fiscal Year.

 

Fiscal Year means the fiscal year of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which period shall be the 12-month period ending on December 31 of each year.  References to a Fiscal Year with a number corresponding to any calendar year (e.g., “Fiscal Year 2003”) refer to the Fiscal Year ending on December 31 of such calendar year.

 

FRB means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any successor thereto.

 

GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles set forth from time to time in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Research Board, the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies within the U.S. accounting profession with similar or delegated functions and recognized by the Financial Accounting Standards Board as having authority to issue such opinions,

 

7



 

statements or pronouncements) and the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination.

 

Group - see Section 2.2.1.

 

Guaranty and Collateral Agreement means the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement dated as of the date hereof executed and delivered by the Loan Parties, together with any joinders thereto and any other guaranty and collateral agreement executed by a Loan Party, in each case in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

Hazardous Substances means (a) any petroleum or petroleum products, radioactive materials, asbestos in any form that is or could become friable, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, dielectric fluid containing levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas and mold; (b) any chemicals, materials, pollutant or substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances”, “hazardous waste”, “hazardous materials”, “extremely hazardous substances”, “restricted hazardous waste”, “toxic substances”, “toxic pollutants”, “contaminants”, “pollutants” or words of similar import, under any applicable Environmental Law; and (c) any other chemical, material or substance, the exposure to, or release of which is prohibited, limited or regulated by, or for which any duty or standard of care is imposed pursuant to, any Environmental Law.

 

Hedging Agreement means any interest rate, currency or commodity swap agreement, cap agreement or collar agreement, and any other agreement or arrangement designed to protect a Person against fluctuations in interest rates, currency exchange rates or commodity prices.

 

Hedging Obligation means, with respect to any Person, any liability of such Person under any Hedging Agreement.  The amount of any Person’s obligation in respect of any Hedging Obligation shall be deemed to be the incremental obligation that would be reflected in the financial statements of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

 

Indemnified Liabilities - see Section 16.17.

 

Interest Charge Coverage Ratio means, for any Person, for any Computation Period, the ratio of (a) the total for such period of EBITDA for such Person minus the sum of income taxes paid in cash by the Loan Parties and all unfinanced Capital Expenditures (other than Capital Expenditures which are (A) Permitted Acquisitions or (B) expenditures to the extent that such expenditures are made (i) as a tenant in leasehold improvements to the extent reimbursable by the landlord or (ii) with the proceeds of Asset Dispositions) to (b) net cash Interest Expense for such period minus, to the extent included in net cash Interest Expense for such period, fees and expenses paid in connection with this Agreement (other than the fee referenced in Section 5.1).

 

Interest Expense means for any Person for any period the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period (including all imputed interest on Capital Leases).

 

Interest Period means, as to any LIBOR Loan, the period commencing on the date such Loan is borrowed or continued as, or converted into, a LIBOR Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter as selected by the Company pursuant to Section 2.2.2 or 2.2.3, as the case may be; provided that:

 

(a)                                  if any Interest Period would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the following Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to carry such Interest Period into another calendar month, in which event such Interest Period shall end on the preceding Business Day;

 

8



 

(b)                                 any Interest Period that begins 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;

 

(c)                                  the Company may not select any Interest Period for a Revolving Loan which would extend beyond the scheduled Termination Date; and

 

(d)                                 the Company may not select any Interest Period for a Term Loan if, after giving effect to such selection, the aggregate principal amount of all Term Loans having Interest Periods ending after any date on which an installment of the Term Loans is scheduled to be repaid would exceed the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans scheduled to be outstanding after giving effect to such repayment.

 

Inventory is defined in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.

 

Investment means, with respect to any Person, any investment in another Person, whether by acquisition of any debt or Capital Security, by making any loan or advance, by becoming obligated with respect to a Contingent Liability in respect of obligations of such other Person (other than travel and similar advances to employees in the ordinary course of business) or by making an Acquisition.

 

Issuing Lender means LaSalle, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any Affiliate of LaSalle that may from time to time issue Letters of Credit, and their successors and assigns in such capacity.

 

Joinder Agreement means a Joinder Agreement in the form annexed as Exhibit C, or in such other form that may be satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent.

 

Knowledge means, when referring to the “Knowledge” of any Person or any similar phrase or qualification based on knowledge or awareness with respect to such Person, (i) the actual knowledge of such Person, and (ii) the knowledge that any such Person, as a prudent business person, would have obtained in the conduct of his or her business.

 

LaSalle - see the Preamble.

 

L/C Application means, with respect to any request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit, a letter of credit application in the form being used by the Issuing Lender at the time of such request for the type of letter of credit requested.

 

L/C Fee Rate - see the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

Lender - see the Preamble.  References to the “Lenders” shall include the Issuing Lender; for purposes of clarification only, to the extent that LaSalle (or any successor Issuing Lender) may have any rights or obligations in addition to those of the other Lenders due to its status as Issuing Lender, its status as such will be specifically referenced.  In addition to the foregoing, for the purpose of identifying the Persons entitled to share in the Collateral and the proceeds thereof under, and in accordance with the provisions of, this Agreement and the Collateral Documents, the term “Lender” shall include Affiliates of a Lender providing a Bank Product.

 

Lender Party - see Section 16.17.

 

Letter of Credit - see Section 2.1.3.

 

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LIBOR Loan means any Loan which bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the LIBOR Rate.

 

LIBOR Margin - see the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

LIBOR Office means with respect to any Lender the office or offices of such Lender which shall be making or maintaining the LIBOR Loans of such Lender hereunder.  A LIBOR Office of any Lender may be, at the option of such Lender, either a domestic or foreign office.

 

LIBOR Rate means a rate of interest equal to (a) the per annum rate of interest at which United States dollar deposits in an amount comparable to the amount of the relevant LIBOR Loan and for a period equal to the relevant Interest Period are offered in the London Interbank Eurodollar market at 11:00 A.M. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period (or three (3) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period if banks in London, England were not open and dealing in offshore United States dollars on such second preceding Business Day), as displayed in the Bloomberg Financial Markets system (or other authoritative source selected by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) or, if the Bloomberg Financial Markets system or another authoritative source is not available, as the LIBOR Rate is otherwise determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole and absolute discretion, divided by (b) a number determined by subtracting from 1.00 the then stated maximum reserve percentage for determining reserves to be maintained by member banks of the Federal Reserve System for Eurocurrency funding or liabilities as defined in Regulation D (or any successor category of liabilities under Regulation D), such rate to remain fixed for such Interest Period.  The Administrative Agent’s determination of the LIBOR Rate shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

Lien means, with respect to any Person, any interest granted by such Person in any real or personal property, asset or other right owned or being purchased or acquired by such Person (including an interest in respect of a Capital Lease) which secures payment or performance of any obligation and shall include any mortgage, lien, encumbrance, title retention lien, charge or other security interest of any kind, whether arising by contract, as a matter of law, by judicial process or otherwise.

 

Loan Documents means this Agreement, the Notes, the Letters of Credit, the Master Letter of Credit Agreement, the L/C Applications, the Collateral Documents and all documents, instruments and agreements delivered by a Loan Party in connection with the foregoing.

 

Loan Party means the Company, each Borrower Subsidiary and each other Subsidiary of the Company.

 

Loan or Loans means, as the context may require, Revolving Loans and/or Term Loans.

 

Major Contract means any contract of any Loan Party which accounts for 20% or more of the annual revenue of the Loan Parties taken as a whole.

 

Mandatory Prepayment Event - see Section 6.2.2(a).

 

Margin Stock means any “margin stock” as defined in Regulation U.

 

Master Letter of Credit Agreement means, at any time, with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, a master letter of credit agreement or reimbursement agreement in the form annexed as Exhibit G or in the form, if any, being used by the Issuing Lender at such time.

 

Material Adverse Effect means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the financial condition, operations, assets, business, properties or prospects of the Loan Parties taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform any of the Obligations under the Loan

 

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Documents or (c) a material adverse effect upon any substantial portion of the collateral under the Collateral Documents or upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of the Loan Documents.

 

Merger Agreement means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of January 30, 2004 by and among P-D, Company and PD Merger Corp. and the Shareholders’ Representative identified therein.

 

Merger Side Letter means that certain Agreement Related to Merger Agreement dated as of January 30, 2004 by and among P-D, the Company and the shareholders of P-D named therein.

 

Mortgage means a mortgage, deed of trust or similar instrument granting the Administrative Agent a Lien on real property owned by any Loan Party.

 

Multiemployer Pension Plan means a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Company or any other member of the Controlled Group may have any liability.

 

Net Cash Proceeds means:  (a) with respect to any Asset Disposition, the aggregate cash proceeds (including cash proceeds received pursuant to policies of insurance or by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note, installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received) received by any Loan Party pursuant to such Asset Disposition net of (i) the direct costs relating to such sale, transfer or other disposition (including sales commissions and legal, accounting and investment banking fees), (ii) taxes paid or reasonably estimated by the Company to be payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), (iii) amounts required to be applied to the repayment of any Debt secured by a Lien on the asset subject to such Asset Disposition (other than the Loans) and (iv) reserves required to be maintained in accordance with GAAP relating to such Asset Disposition; provided that once GAAP allows such reserves to be released, such reserves will be applied as would have been required had GAAP not required such reserves to be maintained;

 

(b)                                 with respect to any issuance of Capital Securities, the aggregate cash proceeds received by any Loan Party pursuant to such issuance, net of the direct costs relating to such issuance (including sales and underwriters’ commissions); and

 

(c)                                  with respect to any issuance of Debt, the aggregate cash proceeds received by any Loan Party pursuant to such issuance, net of the direct costs of such issuance (including up-front, underwriters’ and placement fees).

 

Non-U.S. Participant - see Section 7.6(d).

 

Non-Use Fee Rate - see the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

Note means a promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

 

Notice of Borrowing - see Section 2.2.2.

 

Notice of Conversion/Continuation - see Section 2.2.3.

 

Obligations means all obligations (monetary (including post-petition interest, allowed or not) or otherwise) of any Loan Party under this Agreement and any other Loan Document including Attorney Costs and any reimbursement obligations of each Loan Party in respect of Letters of Credit and surety bonds, all Hedging Obligations permitted hereunder which are owed to any Lender or its Affiliate, and all Bank Products Obligations, all in each case howsoever created, arising or evidenced, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, now or hereafter existing, or due or to become due.

 

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Operating Lease means any lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) any real or personal property by any Loan Party, as lessee, other than any Capital Lease.

 

PBGC means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

 

P-D means P-D Holdings Corp.

 

Participant - see Section 16.6.2.

 

Pension Plan means a “pension plan”, as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, which is subject to Title IV of ERISA or the minimum funding standards of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Pension Plan), and as to which the Company or any member of the Controlled Group may have any liability, including any liability by reason of having been a substantial employer within the meaning of Section 4063 of ERISA at any time during the preceding five years, or by reason of being deemed to be a contributing sponsor under Section 4069 of ERISA.

 

Perfection Certificate means a perfection certificate executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent by a Loan Party.

 

Permitted Acquisition means any Acquisition by the Company or any other Borrower where each of the following conditions are met:

 

(a)                                  the business or division acquired are for use, or the Person acquired is engaged (such acquired business, division or Person are referred to herein as the “Acquired Entity”) in the same or similar businesses engaged in by the Borrowers on the Closing Date;

 

(b)                                 immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition, no Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default shall exist;

 

(c)                                the Acquired Entity has a positive EBITDA for the twelve-month period most recently completed prior to such Acquisition;

 

(d)                               the consideration paid or provided or to be paid or provided by any Loan Party in connection with such Acquisition is solely cash, Subordinated Debt permitted by Section 11.1(m), Earnout Obligations and/or the deferred purchase price of such Acquisition (provided, that such Earnout Obligations and/or the deferred purchase price of such Acquisition in the aggregate do not exceed 20% of the purchase price of any Acquisition) and Capital Securities of a Loan Party;

 

(e)                                  the aggregate consideration paid or provided or to be paid or provided in connection with (i) such Acquisition does not exceed (A) $10,000,000 in cash consideration and (B) $20,000,000 in overall consideration and assumed liabilities and (ii) all Acquisitions during the term of this Agreement does not exceed (A) $20,000,000 in cash consideration and (B) $60,000,000 in over all consideration and assumed liabilities;

 

(f)                                    immediately after giving effect to such Acquisition, the Company is in pro forma compliance (as determined on a Pro Forma Basis) with all the financial ratios and restrictions set forth in Sections 11.13.1, 11.13.2 and 11.13.3 (provided that for purposes of calculating the Interest Charge Coverage Ratio, Capital Expenditures of the Acquired Entity shall not be included in such calculation) and the Company shall demonstrate such compliance in a certificate of a Senior Officer of the Company delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders ten (10) Business Days in advance of such Acquisition;

 

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(g)                                 in the case of the Acquisition of any Person, the Acquisition is on a “friendly basis” and the Board of Directors of such Person has approved such Acquisition;

 

(h)                                 reasonably prior to such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall have received complete executed or conformed copies of each material document, instrument and agreement to be executed in connection with such Acquisition together with all lien search reports and lien release letters and other documents as the Administrative Agent may require to evidence the termination of Liens on the Acquired Entity;

 

(i)                                     not less than ten (10) Business Days prior to such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall have received an acquisition summary with respect to the Acquired Entity to be acquired, such summary to include a reasonably detailed description thereof (including financial information) and operating results (including financial statements for the most recent twelve (12) month period for which they are available and as otherwise available), the terms and conditions, including economic terms, of the proposed Acquisition, and the Company’s calculation of pro forma EBITDA relating thereto (as determined on a Pro Forma Basis);

 

(j)                                     consents have been obtained in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to the collateral assignment of rights and indemnities under the related acquisition documents;

 

(k)                                  after giving effect to such Acquisition, the Revolving Loan Availability is equal to or more than $5,000,000; and

 

(l)                                     the provisions of Section 10.10 have been satisfied.

 

Permitted Lien means a Lien expressly permitted hereunder pursuant to Section 11.2.

 

Person means any natural person, corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company, association, governmental authority or unit, or any other entity, whether acting in an individual, fiduciary or other capacity.

 

Pledge Agreements means, collectively, each Pledge Agreement dated as of the date hereof and executed and delivered by one or more of the Loan Parties, together with any joinders thereto and any other Pledge Agreement executed by a Loan Party in each case in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time and “Pledge Agreement” shall mean any thereof.

 

Pledged Subsidiary shall mean P-D, Poorman, EPIQ Acquisition, Bankruptcy Services and each other Subsidiary of the Company the Capital Securities of which are required to be pledged as Collateral pursuant to Section 10.10.

 

Prime Rate means, for any day, the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate (whether or not such rate is actually charged by the Administrative Agent), which is not intended to be the Administrative Agent’s lowest or most favorable rate of interest at any one time.  Any change in the Prime Rate announced by the Administrative Agent shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to give notice of any change in the Prime Rate.

 

Pro Forma Basis means with respect to any Acquisition, such Acquisition shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recent Computation Period.  Further, for purposes of making calculations on a “Pro Forma Basis” hereunder, (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property, entities or business units that are the subject of the applicable Acquisition shall be included to the extent relating to any period prior to the date thereof and (b) Debt incurred in connection with

 

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such Acquisition shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable Computation Period, with related interest expense imputed for the applicable period assuming then-prevailing interest rates hereunder.

 

Pro Rata Share means:  (a)  with respect to a Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans, participate in Letters of Credit, reimburse the Issuing Lender, and receive payments of principal, interest, fees, costs, and expenses with respect thereto, (x) prior to the Revolving Commitment being terminated or reduced to zero, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, by (ii) the aggregate Revolving Commitment of all Lenders and (y) from and after the time the Revolving Commitment has been terminated or reduced to zero, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Outstandings by (ii) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving Outstandings;

 

(b)                                 with respect to a Lender’s obligation to make a Term A Loan and receive payments of interest, fees, and principal with respect thereto, (x) prior to the making of the Term A Loans, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) such Lender’s Term A Loan Commitment, by (ii) the aggregate amount of all Lenders’ Term A Loan Commitments, and (y) from and after the making of the Term A Loans, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the principal amount of such Lender’s Term A Loan by (ii) the principal amount of all Term A Loans of all Lenders;

 

(c)                                  with respect to a Lender’s obligation to make a Term B Loan and receive payments of interest, fees, and principal with respect thereto, (x) prior to the making of the Term B Loans, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) such Lender’s Term B Loan Commitment, by (ii) the aggregate amount of all Lenders’ Term B Loan Commitments, and (y) from and after the making of the Term B Loans, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the principal amount of such Lender’s Term B Loan by (ii) the principal amount of all Term B Loans of all Lenders; and

 

(d)                                 with respect to all other matters as to a particular Lender, (x) during any period when Revolving Commitments have not been terminated or Revolving Outstandings or the Term A Loan has not been Finally Paid, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) such Lender’s Revolving Commitment plus the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Term A Loans held by such Lender, by (ii) the aggregate amount of Revolving Commitment of all Lenders plus the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Term A Loans; provided that in the event the Commitments have been terminated or reduced to zero, Pro Rata Share shall be the percentage obtained by dividing (A) the principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Outstandings plus the unpaid principal amount of such Lender’s Term A Loan by (B) the principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Outstandings plus the unpaid outstanding principal amount of all Term A Loans of all Lenders or (y) at any other time, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Term B Loans held by such Lender, by (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term B Loan held of all Lenders.

 

Proceeding means any voluntary or involuntary proceeding commenced by or against any Borrower under any provision of the Bankruptcy Code, or under any other bankruptcy or insolvency law, including assignments for the benefit of creditors, formal or informal moratoria, compositions, extensions generally with its creditors, or proceedings seeking dissolution, receivership, reorganization, arrangement, or other similar relief.

 

Regulation D means Regulation D of the FRB.

 

Regulation U means Regulation U of the FRB.

 

Related Agreements means the Merger Agreement and the Merger Side Letter.

 

Related Transactions means the transactions contemplated by the Related Agreements.

 

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Replacement Lender - see Section 8.7(b).

 

Reportable Event means a reportable event as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder as to which the PBGC has not waived the notification requirement of Section 4043(a), or the failure of a Pension Plan to meet the minimum funding standards of Section 412 of the Code (without regard to whether the Pension Plan is a plan described in Section 4021(a)(2) of ERISA) or under Section 302 of ERISA.

 

Required Lenders means, at any time, Lenders whose Pro Rata Shares exceed 662/3% as determined pursuant to clause (d) of the definition of “Pro Rata Share”.

 

Required Term B Lenders means, at any time, Lenders holding at least 662/3% of the outstanding principal amount of the Term B Loans.

 

Restructure Securities means (a) any Capital Securities issued by a Borrower, and (b) any debt obligations that are in all respects subordinate and junior in right of payment, to at least the same extent as the Subordinated Indebtedness, to the Final Payment of all Senior Indebtedness.

 

Revolving Commitment means, in the aggregate, $25,000,000, as reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 6.1 and, with respect to any Lender, such Lenders Pro Rata Share of such amount as set forth on Annex A.

 

Revolving Loan - see Section 2.1.1.

 

Revolving Loan Availability means, at any time, the remainder of (a) the aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time minus the (b) aggregate Revolving Outstandings at such time.

 

Revolving Outstandings means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans, plus (b) the Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit.

 

SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental authority succeeding to any of the principal functions thereof.

 

Senior Agent means LaSalle Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, or any other Person appointed by the holders of the Senior Indebtedness as administrative agent for purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing.

 

Senior Covenant Default means any Event of Default with respect to the covenants contained in Section 11.13.

 

Senior Debt means all Debt for borrowed money of the Company and its Subsidiaries other than Subordinated Debt.

 

Senior Debt to EBITDA Ratio means, as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter, the ratio of (a) Senior Debt (less Cash and Cash Equivalents) as of such day to (b) EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the Computation Period ending on such day.

 

Senior Indebtedness means all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of every nature of any Borrower or any Loan Party from time to time owed to the Senior Agent or any Senior Lender under the Loan Documents (other than amounts constituting Subordinated Indebtedness), including the principal amount of all debts, claims and indebtedness, accrued and unpaid interest and all premium, fees, costs and expenses, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed or otherwise, heretofore, now and from time to time hereafter owing, due or payable, whether before or after the filing of a Proceeding, including any Hedging Obligations

 

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and Bank Product Obligations at any time due and owing to any Senior Lender, together with any interest accruing thereon after the commencement of a Proceeding, without regard to whether or not such interest is allowed in any Proceeding; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary above, in no event shall Senior Indebtedness include any obligation, liability or indebtedness related to the Term B Loan.  Senior Indebtedness shall be deemed to be outstanding until it is Finally Paid.

 

Senior Lender means each Lender hereunder in its capacity as a holder of Senior Indebtedness.

 

Senior Officer means, with respect to any Loan Party, any of the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the chief operating officer or the treasurer of such Loan Party.

 

Senior Payment Default means any Event of Default under the Loan Documents resulting from the failure to pay, by the time required therefor, any principal, interest, fees or other obligations under the Loan Documents with respect to Senior Indebtedness including any default in payment of any Senior Indebtedness after acceleration thereof.

 

Stated Amount means, with respect to any Letter of Credit at any date of determination, (a) the maximum aggregate amount available for drawing thereunder under any and all circumstances plus (b) the aggregate amount of all unreimbursed payments and disbursements under such Letter of Credit.

 

Subordinated Debt means (a) the Term B Loans and (b) any other unsecured Debt of the Company which has subordination terms, covenants, pricing and other terms which have been approved in writing by the Required Lenders.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness means all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of every nature of any Borrower or any Loan Party from time to time owed to any Subordinated Lender under the Loan Documents relating to the Term B Loan, including the principal amount of all debts, claims and indebtedness, accrued and unpaid interest and all premium, fees, costs and expenses, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed or otherwise, heretofore, now and from time to time hereafter owing, due or payable, whether before or after the filing of a Proceeding (including any amounts payable by any Borrower or any Loan Party in connection with put, redemption, repurchase or repurchase rights under any warrants or any other Capital Securities of any Borrower or any Loan Party held by any Subordinated Lender), together with any interest accruing thereon after the commencement of a Proceeding, without regard to whether or not such interest is allowed in any Proceeding.

 

Subordinated Lender Remedies means any action to commence judicial enforcement of any rights or remedies for payment of any Subordinated Indebtedness (including, without limitation, the initiation of any insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation, readjustment, reorganization or other similar proceedings relative to a Borrower).

 

Subordinated Lenders means each Lender hereunder in its capacity as a holder of Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

Subsidiary means, with respect to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which such Person owns, directly or indirectly, such number of outstanding Capital Securities as have more than 50% of the ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other managers of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity.  Unless the context otherwise requires, each reference to Subsidiaries herein shall be a reference to Subsidiaries of the Company.

 

Taxes means any and all present and future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, charges or withholdings, and any and all liabilities (including interest and penalties and other additions to taxes) with respect to the foregoing, but excluding Excluded Taxes.

 

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Term A Loan Commitment means, in the aggregate, $45,000,000 and, with respect to any Lender, such Lenders Pro Rata Share of such amount as set forth on Annex A

 

Term A Loan Termination Date means the earlier to occur of (a) July 31, 2006 or (b) such other date on the Term A Loans are repaid or are required to be paid pursuant to Section 6 or 13.

 

Term A Loans - see Section 2.1.2.

 

Term B Loan Commitment means, in the aggregate, $30,000,000 and, with respect to any Lender, such Lenders Pro Rata Share of such amount as set forth on Annex A.

 

Term B Loan Termination Date means the earlier to occur of (a) December 31, 2006 or (b) such other date on which the Term B Loans are repaid or are required to be paid pursuant to Section 6 or 13.

 

Term B Loans - see Section 2.1.2.

 

Term Loans means the Term A Loans and the Term B Loans.

 

Termination Date means, with respect to the Revolving Loans, the earlier to occur of (a) July 31, 2006 or (b) such other date on which the Commitments terminate pursuant to Section 6 or 13.

 

Termination Event means, with respect to a Pension Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, (a) a Reportable Event, (b) the withdrawal of the Company or any other member of the Controlled Group from such Pension Plan during a plan year in which Company or any other member of the Controlled Group was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or was deemed such under Section 4068(f) of ERISA, (c) the termination of such Pension Plan, the filing of a notice of intent to terminate such Pension Plan or the treatment of an amendment of such Pension Plan as a termination under Section 4041 of ERISA, (d) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate such Pension Plan or (e) any event or condition that could constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or appointment of a trustee to administer, such Pension Plan.

 

Total Debt means all Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis, excluding (a) contingent obligations in respect of Contingent Liabilities (except to the extent (i) constituting Contingent Liabilities in respect of Debt of a Person other than any Loan Party and (ii) any undrawn Letters of Credit), (b) Hedging Obligations and (c) Debt of the Company to Subsidiaries and Debt of Subsidiaries to the Company or to other Subsidiaries.

 

Total Debt to EBITDA Ratio means, as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter, the ratio of (a) Total Debt (less Cash and Cash Equivalents) as of such day to (b) EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the Computation Period ending on such day.

 

Total Plan Liability means, at any time, the present value of all vested and unvested accrued benefits under all Pension Plans, determined as of the then most recent valuation date for each Pension Plan, using PBGC actuarial assumptions for single employer plan terminations.

 

type - see Section 2.2.1.

 

UCC is defined in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.

 

Unadjusted EBITDA means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period plus, to the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, Interest Expense, income tax expense, depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges, for such period without duplication and all as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Unfunded Liability means the amount (if any) by which the present value of all vested and unvested accrued benefits under all Pension Plans exceeds the fair market value of all assets allocable to those benefits, all determined as of the then most recent valuation date for each Pension Plan, using PBGC actuarial assumptions for single employer plan terminations.

 

Unmatured Event of Default means any event that, if it continues uncured, will, with lapse of time or notice or both, constitute an Event of Default.

 

Withholding Certificate - see Section 7.6(d).

 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary means, as to any Person, a Subsidiary all of the Capital Securities of which (except directors’ qualifying Capital Securities) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person and/or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of such Person.

 

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

 

(b)                                 Section, Annex, Schedule and Exhibit references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

 

(c)                                  The term “including” is not limiting and means “including without limitation.”

 

(d)                                 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.”

 

(e)                                  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) references to agreements (including this Agreement and the other Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent such amendments, restatements, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by the terms of any Loan Document, and (ii) references to any statute or regulation shall be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such statute or regulation.

 

(f)                                    This Agreement and the other Loan Documents may use several different limitations, tests or measurements to regulate the same or similar matters.  All such limitations, tests and measurements are cumulative and each shall be performed in accordance with its terms.

 

(g)                                 This Agreement and the other Loan Documents are the result of negotiations among and have been reviewed by counsel to the Administrative Agent, the Company, the Lenders and the other parties thereto and are the products of all parties.  Accordingly, they shall not be construed against the Administrative Agent or the Lenders merely because of the Administrative Agent’s or Lenders’ involvement in their preparation.

 

(h)                                 Unless otherwise defined or specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all accounting determinations hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements required to be delivered hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis consistent (except for such changes approved by the Company’s independent public accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial statement of the Company delivered pursuant to Section 10.1.1.

 

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SECTION 2                                   COMMITMENTS OF THE LENDERS; BORROWING, CONVERSION AND LETTER OF CREDIT PROCEDURES.

 

2.1                                 Commitments.  On and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the Lenders, severally and for itself alone, agrees to make loans to, and to issue or participate in letters of credit for the account of, the Borrowers as follows:

 

2.1.1                        Revolving Commitment.  Each Lender with a Revolving Commitment agrees to make loans on a revolving basis (“Revolving Loans”) from time to time until the Termination Date in such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such aggregate amounts as the Borrowers may request from all Lenders; provided that the Revolving Outstandings will not at any time exceed Revolving Commitment.  All Borrowers shall be jointly and severally liable for the Revolving Loans and all other Obligations.

 

2.1.2                        Term Loan Commitment.  Each Lender with a Term A Loan Commitment agrees to make a loan to the Borrowers (each such loan, a “Term A Loan”) on the Closing Date in such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Term A Loan Commitment.  Each Lender with a Term B Loan Commitment agrees to make a loan to the Borrowers (each such loan, a “Term B Loan”) on the Closing Date in such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Term B Loan Commitment.  The Commitments of the Lenders to make Term Loans shall expire concurrently with the making of the Term Loans on the Closing Date.  All Borrowers shall be jointly and severally liable for the Term Loans and all other Obligations.

 

2.1.3                        L/C Commitment.  Subject to Section 2.3.1, the Issuing Lender agrees to issue Letters of Credit, in each case containing such terms and conditions as are permitted by this Agreement and are reasonably satisfactory to the Issuing Lender (each, a “Letter of Credit”), at the request of and for the account of the Company from time to time before the scheduled Termination Date and, as more fully set forth in Section 2.3.2, each Lender agrees to purchase a participation in each such Letter of Credit; provided that (a) the aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit shall not at any time exceed $5,000,000 and (b) the Revolving Outstandings shall not at any time exceed Revolving Commitment.

 

2.2                                 Loan Procedures.

 

2.2.1                        Various Types of Loans.  Each Revolving Loan shall be, and each Term A Loan may be divided into tranches which are either a Base Rate Loan or a LIBOR Loan (each a “type” of Loan), as the Borrowers shall specify in the related notice of borrowing or conversion pursuant to Section 2.2.2 or 2.2.3.  Each Term B Loan shall only bear interest as set forth in the Term B Loan Note.  LIBOR Loans having the same Interest Period are sometimes called a “Group” or collectively “Groups”.  Base Rate Loans and LIBOR Loans may be outstanding at the same time, provided that not more than eight (8) different Groups of LIBOR Loans shall be outstanding at any one time.  All borrowings, conversions and repayments of Revolving Loans shall be effected so that each Lender will have a ratable share (according to its Pro Rata Share) of all types and Groups of Revolving Loans.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrowers may not select any Interest Period for a LIBOR Loan which is longer than one month prior to the earlier of (x) ninety (90) days after the Closing Date and (y) the date that the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrowers that it has completed its primary syndication of the Loans and the Commitments.

 

2.2.2                        Borrowing Procedures.  The Borrowers shall give written notice (each such written notice, a “Notice of Borrowing”) substantially in the form of Exhibit E or telephonic notice (followed immediately by a Notice of Borrowing) to the Administrative Agent of each proposed borrowing not later than (a) in the case of a Base Rate borrowing, 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, on the proposed date of such borrowing, and (b) in the case of a LIBOR borrowing, 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, at least three Business Days prior to the proposed date of such borrowing.  Each such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Administrative Agent, shall be irrevocable, and shall specify the date, amount and type of borrowing and, in the case of a LIBOR borrowing, the initial Interest Period therefor.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender thereof.  Not later than 1:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the date of a proposed borrowing, each

 

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Lender shall provide the Administrative Agent at the office specified by the Administrative Agent with immediately available funds covering such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such borrowing and, so long as the Administrative Agent has not received written notice that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 12 with respect to such borrowing have not been satisfied, the Administrative Agent shall pay over the funds received by the Administrative Agent to the Borrowers on the requested borrowing date.  Each borrowing shall be on a Business Day.  Each Base Rate borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of at least $500,000 and an integral multiple of $500,000, and each LIBOR borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of at least $500,000 and an integral multiple of at least $250,000.

 

2.2.3                        Conversion and Continuation Procedures.  (a)  Subject to Section 2.2.1, the Borrowers may, upon irrevocable written notice to the Administrative Agent in accordance with clause (b) below:

 

(A)                               elect, as of any Business Day, to convert any Revolving Loans or Term A Loans (or any part thereof in an aggregate amount not less than $500,000 a higher integral multiple of $250,000) into Revolving Loans or Term A Loans of the other type; or
 
(B)                                 elect, as of the last day of the applicable Interest Period, to continue any Revolving Loans or Term A Loans that are then LIBOR Loans having Interest Periods expiring on such day (or any part thereof in an aggregate amount not less than $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $250,000) for a new Interest Period;
 

provided that after giving effect to any prepayment, conversion or continuation, the aggregate principal amount of each Group of Revolving Loans or Term A Loans that are then LIBOR Loans shall be at least $500,000 and an integral multiple of $250,000.

 

(b)                                 The Borrowers shall give written notice (each such written notice, a “Notice of Conversion/Continuation”) substantially in the form of Exhibit F or telephonic notice (followed immediately by a Notice of Conversion/Continuation) to the Administrative Agent of each proposed conversion or continuation not later than (i) in the case of conversion of Revolving Loans or Term A Loans into Base Rate Loans, 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, on the proposed date of such conversion and (ii) in the case of conversion into or continuation of Revolving Loans or Term A Loans that are then LIBOR Loans, 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, at least three (3) Business Days prior to the proposed date of such conversion or continuation, specifying in each case:

 

(A)                               the proposed date of conversion or continuation;
 
(B)                                 the aggregate amount of such Revolving Loans or Term A Loans (as the case may be) to be converted or continued;
 
(C)                                 the type of such Revolving Loans or Term A Loans (as the case may be) resulting from the proposed conversion or continuation; and
 
(D)                                in the case of conversion of such Revolving Loans or Term A Loans (as the case may be) into, or continuation of, LIBOR Loans, the duration of the requested Interest Period therefor.
 

(c)                                  If upon the expiration of any Interest Period applicable to such Revolving Loans or Term A Loans (as the case may be) as LIBOR Loans, the Company has failed to select timely a new Interest Period to be applicable to such LIBOR Loans, the Company shall be deemed to have elected to convert such LIBOR Loans into Base Rate Loans effective on the last day of such Interest Period.

 

(d)                                 The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of a Notice of Conversion/Continuation pursuant to this Section 2.2.3 or, if no timely notice is provided by the Company, of the details of any automatic conversion.

 

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(e)                                  Any conversion of any Revolving Loans or Term A Loans (as the case may be) to a LIBOR Loan on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period therefor shall be subject to Section 8.4.

 

2.3                                 Letter of Credit Procedures.

 

2.3.1                        L/C Applications.  The Company shall execute and deliver to the Issuing Lender the Master Letter of Credit Agreement from time to time in effect.  The Company shall give notice to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender of the proposed issuance of each Letter of Credit on a Business Day which is at least three Business Days (or such lesser number of days as the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender shall agree in any particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed date of issuance of such Letter of Credit.  Each such notice shall be accompanied by an L/C Application, duly executed by the Company and in all respects satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender, together with such other documentation as the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender may request in support thereof, it being understood that each L/C Application shall specify, among other things, the date on which the proposed Letter of Credit is to be issued, the expiration date of such Letter of Credit (which shall not be later than the scheduled Termination Date (unless such Letter of Credit is Cash Collateralized)) and whether such Letter of Credit is to be transferable in whole or in part.  Any Letter of Credit outstanding after the scheduled Termination Date which is Cash Collateralized for the benefit of the Issuing Lender shall be the sole responsibility of the Issuing Lender.  So long as the Issuing Lender has not received written notice that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 12 with respect to the issuance of such Letter of Credit have not been satisfied, the Issuing Lender shall issue such Letter of Credit on the requested issuance date.  The Issuing Lender shall promptly advise the Administrative Agent of the issuance of each Letter of Credit and of any amendment thereto, extension thereof or event or circumstance changing the amount available for drawing thereunder.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of the Master Letter of Credit Agreement, any L/C Application and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall control.

 

2.3.2                        Participations in Letters of Credit.  Concurrently with the issuance of each Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Lender with a Revolving Commitment, and each such Lender shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from the Issuing Lender, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation, to the extent of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share, in such Letter of Credit and the Company’s reimbursement obligations with respect thereto.  If the Company does not pay any reimbursement obligation when due, the Company shall be deemed to have immediately requested that the Lenders make a Revolving Loan which is a Base Rate Loan in a principal amount equal to such reimbursement obligations.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify such Lenders of such deemed request and, without the necessity of compliance with the requirements of Section 2.2.2, 12.2 or otherwise such Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent its Pro Rata Share of such Loan.  The proceeds of such Loan shall be paid over by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Lender for the account of the Company in satisfaction of such reimbursement obligations.  For the purposes of this Agreement, the unparticipated portion of each Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the Issuing Lender’s “participation” therein.  The Issuing Lender hereby agrees, upon request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, to deliver to the Administrative Agent or such Lender a list of all outstanding Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Lender, together with such information related thereto as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may reasonably request.

 

2.3.3                        Reimbursement Obligations.  (a)  The Borrowers hereby jointly and severally and unconditionally and irrevocably agree to reimburse the Issuing Lender for each payment or disbursement made by the Issuing Lender under any Letter of Credit honoring any demand for payment made by the beneficiary thereunder, in each case on the date that such payment or disbursement is made subject to the terms of the Master Letter of Credit Agreement.  Any amount not reimbursed on the date of such payment or disbursement shall bear interest from the date of such payment or disbursement to the date that the Issuing Lender is reimbursed by the Borrowers therefor, payable on demand, at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate from time to time in effect plus the Base Rate Margin from time to time in effect plus, beginning on the third Business Day after receipt of notice from the Issuing Lender of such payment or disbursement, 2%.  The

 

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Issuing Lender shall notify the Company and the Administrative Agent whenever any demand for payment is made under any Letter of Credit by the beneficiary thereunder; provided that the failure of the Issuing Lender to so notify the Company shall not affect the rights of the Issuing Lender or the Lenders in any manner whatsoever.

 

(b)                                 The Borrowers’ joint and several reimbursement obligations hereunder shall be irrevocable and unconditional under all circumstances (other than as set forth in the Master Letter of Credit Agreement), including (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right which any Loan Party may have at any time against a beneficiary named in a Letter of Credit, any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such transferee may be acting), the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with any Letter of Credit, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transactions (including any underlying transaction between any Loan Party and the beneficiary named in any Letter of Credit), (iii) the validity, sufficiency or genuineness of any document which the Issuing Lender has determined complies on its face with the terms of the applicable Letter of Credit, even if such document should later prove to have been forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein shall have been untrue or inaccurate in any respect, or (iv) the surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of any of the terms hereof.  Without limiting the foregoing, no action or omission whatsoever by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (excluding any Lender in its capacity as the Issuing Lender) under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or any related matters shall result in any liability of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to the Borrowers, or relieve any Borrowers of any of their obligations hereunder to any such Person.

 

2.3.4                        Funding by Lenders to Issuing Lender.  If the Issuing Lender makes any payment or disbursement under any Letter of Credit and (a) the Borrowers have not reimbursed the Issuing Lender in full for such payment or disbursement by 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, on the date of such payment or disbursement, (b) a Revolving Loan may not be made in accordance with Section 2.3.2 or (c) any reimbursement received by the Issuing Lender from any Borrower is or must be returned or rescinded upon or during any bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower or otherwise, each other Lender with a Revolving Commitment shall be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender, in full or partial payment of the purchase price of its participation in such Letter of Credit, its Pro Rata Share of such payment or disbursement (but no such payment shall diminish the obligations of the Borrowers under Section 2.3.3), and, upon notice from the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each other Lender thereof.  Each other Lender with a Revolving Commitment irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to so pay to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the Issuing Lender’s account the amount of such other Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such payment or disbursement.  If and to the extent any such Lender shall not have made such amount available to the Administrative Agent by 2:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the Business Day on which such Lender receives notice from the Administrative Agent of such payment or disbursement (it being understood that any such notice received after noon, Chicago time, on any Business Day shall be deemed to have been received on the next following Business Day), such Lender agrees to pay interest on such amount to the Administrative Agent for the Issuing Lender’s account forthwith on demand, for each day from the date such amount was to have been delivered to the Administrative Agent to the date such amount is paid, at a rate per annum equal to (a) for the first three days after demand, the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect and (b) thereafter, the Base Rate from time to time in effect.  Any Lender’s failure to make available to the Administrative Agent its Pro Rata Share of any such payment or disbursement shall not relieve any other Lender with a Revolving Commitment of its obligation hereunder to make available to the Administrative Agent such other Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such payment, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make available to the Administrative Agent such other Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any such payment or disbursement.

 

2.4                                 Commitments Several.  The failure of any Lender to make a requested Loan on any date shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation (if any) to make a Loan on such date, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make any Loan to be made by such other Lender.

 

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2.5                                 Certain Conditions.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no Lender shall have an obligation to make any Loan, or to permit the continuation of or any conversion into any LIBOR Loan, and the Issuing Lender shall not have any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit, if an Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists.

 

2.6                                 Joint and Several.  (a)  The obligations of each Borrower under this Agreement and the Loan Documents shall be joint and several and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be affected by (i) the failure of Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any of their successors or assigns, or any holder of the Notes or any of the Obligations to assert any claim or demand or to exercise or enforce any right, power or remedy against any other Borrower or the Collateral or otherwise, (ii) any extension or renewal for any period (whether or not longer than the original period) or exchange of any of the Obligations or the release or compromise of any obligation of any nature of any Person with respect thereto, (iii) the surrender, release or exchange of all or any part of any property (including without limitation the Collateral) securing payment, performance and observance of any of the Obligations or the compromise or extension or renewal for any period (whether or not longer than the original period) of any obligations of any nature of any Person with respect to any such property, (iv) the invalidity or unenforceability of any of the Obligations as against any other Borrower, any other guarantor thereof or any other Person, and (v) any other act, matter or thing which would or might, in the absence of this provision, operate to release, discharge or otherwise prejudicially affect the obligations of Borrowers, other than Final Payment.

 

(b)                                 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and except to the extent that any of the following are expressly required by the provisions of any of the Loan Documents, each Borrower hereby waives (i) presentment, demand for payment and protest of nonpayment of any of the Obligations, and notices of protest, dishonor or nonperformance, (ii) notice of any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default or Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s inability to enforce performance of the other Borrowers’ obligations to any holder of Obligations, (iii) demand for performance or observance of, and any enforcement of any provision of, or any pursuit or exhaustion of rights or remedies with respect to any security for the Obligations or against the other Borrowers or any other Loan Party or guarantor of, the Obligations pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise, and any requirements of diligence or promptness on the part of any Lender or any holder of the Obligations in connection therewith, (iv) any action or nonaction on the part of Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder of Obligations which may impair or prejudice the rights of any Borrower, including without limitation subrogation rights or rights to obtain exoneration, contribution, indemnification or any other reimbursement or compensation from any other Borrower, any other guarantor or borrowers in respect of the Obligations or any other Person, (v) failure or delay to perfect or continue the perfection of any security interest in any Collateral, (vi) any action which harms or impairs the value of, or any failure to preserve or protect the value of, any Collateral, (vii) any defense based upon an election of remedies by Administrative Agent or any Lender or the holders of the Obligations, (viii) any defense based upon any statute or rule of law which provides that the obligation of a surety must be neither larger in amount nor in other respects more burdensome than that of the principal, (ix) any and all demands and notices of every kind and description, including notice of the creation of any of the Obligations, with respect to the foregoing or which may be required to be given by any statute or rule of law and (x) all defenses (other than indefeasible payment in full) which any Borrower may now or hereafter have to the payment of the Obligations which could otherwise be asserted by such Borrower.  In addition to the defenses referred to above which have been expressly waived hereunder, each Borrower waives all other defenses (other than indefeasible payment in full) which it may now or hereafter have to the payment by it of the Obligations.  No delay or omission on the part of Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder of any Obligation or with respect to the Collateral shall operate as a waiver or relinquishment of such right.  No action which Administrative Agent or any Lender, the holder of any Obligation, any Borrower or any other Loan Party may take or refrain from taking with respect to the Obligations, including any amendments thereto or modifications thereof or waivers with respect thereto, shall affect the provisions of this Agreement or the obligations of Borrowers hereunder.  None of the rights of Administrative Agent or any Lender or of any holder of any Obligation shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of any of them or any Borrower or any other Loan Party, by any noncompliance by any Borrower with the terms, provisions and covenants of this

 

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Agreement, regardless of any knowledge thereof which Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder of the Obligations may have or otherwise be charged with.  Each Borrower hereby agrees to waive, and does hereby absolutely and irrevocably waive and relinquish the benefit and advantage of, and does hereby covenant not to assert, any appraisement, valuation, stay, extension, redemption or similar laws, now or at any time hereafter in force, which might delay, prevent or otherwise impede the performance or enforcement of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the Obligations.  Each Borrower’s obligations under this Section 2.6 shall not be affected by the invalidity or unenforceability of any of the Obligations as against the other Borrowers, any other guarantor thereof or any other Person.  For purposes of this Section 2.6, the Obligations shall be due and payable when and as the same shall be so due and payable under the terms of any Loan Document, notwithstanding the fact that the collection or enforcement thereof may be stayed or enjoined under Title 11 of the United States Code, as from time to time in effect, or other applicable law, regulation or order.

 

(c)                                  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Borrower hereby grants to Administrative Agent full power in its uncontrolled discretion, without notice to such Borrower, such notice being hereby expressly waived, and without in any way affecting the joint and several liability of such Borrower under this Agreement:

 

(i)                                     To waive compliance with, and any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default under, and to consent to any amendment to or modification of any term or provision of, or to give any waiver in respect of, any other Loan Document, the Collateral, the Obligations or any guarantee thereof (each as from time to time in effect);

 

(ii)                                   To grant any one or more extensions or renewals of the Obligations (for any period, no matter how long), or any total or partial release (by operation of law or otherwise), discharge, compromise or settlement with respect to the obligations of any Borrower or any other Person in respect of the Obligations, whether or not rights against the other Borrowers under this Section 2.6 are reserved in connection therewith;

 

(iii)                                To take security in any form for the Obligations, and to the extent permitted in any security agreement to consent to (A) the addition to, (B) the substitution, exchange, surrender, release or other disposition of, or (C) deal in any other manner with, all or any part of any property contained in the Collateral whether or not the property, if any, received upon the exercise of such power shall be of a character or value the same as or different from the character or value of any property disposed of, and to obtain, modify or release any present or future guarantees of the Obligations and at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default to proceed against any of the Collateral or such guarantees in any order;

 

(iv)                               To, at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, collect or liquidate any of the Obligations or the Collateral in any manner or to refrain from collecting or liquidating any of the Obligations or the Collateral; and

 

(v)                                  To extend credit under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or otherwise, in such amount as Administrative Agent or any Lender may determine, even though the condition of Borrowers (financial or otherwise on an individual or consolidated basis) may have deteriorated since the date hereof.

 

(d)                                 Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that it has made such investigation as it deems desirable of the risks undertaken by such Borrower in entering into this Agreement and is fully satisfied that it understands all such risks.  Each Borrower hereby waives any obligation which may now or hereafter exist on the part of Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder of any Obligation to inform such Person of the risks being undertaken by entering into this Agreement or of any changes in such risks and, from and after the date hereof, each Borrower undertakes to keep itself informed of such risks and any changes therein.  Further,

 

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each Borrower hereby expressly waives any duty which may now or hereafter exist on the part of Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder of any Obligation to disclose to such Borrower any matter related to the business, operations, character, collateral, credit or condition (financial or otherwise) of any Loan Party (including the other Borrowers) or Affiliates or its or their properties or management, whether now or hereafter known by any one or more of the Administrative Agent and Lenders or any holder of any Obligation.  Each Borrower represents, warrants and agrees that it assumes sole responsibility for obtaining from each other Borrower all information concerning this Agreement and all other Loan Documents and all other information as to any other Loan Party and Affiliates or their properties or management or anything relating to any of the above as such Borrower deems necessary or desirable.

 

(e)                                  Each Borrower hereby covenants and agrees that (i) it will not enforce or otherwise exercise any rights of reimbursement, subrogation, contribution or other similar rights with respect to the Obligations against any Person, including without limitation any other guarantor of the Obligations or the other Borrowers, prior to the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of the Commitments hereunder, and (ii) all Debt, claims and Obligations now or hereafter owing by the other Borrowers to such Borrower are hereby subordinated to the prior payment in full of the Obligations and are so subordinated as a claim against the other Borrowers or any of their assets, whether such claim be in the ordinary course of business or in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, insolvency or bankruptcy, so that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Unmatured Event of Default or Event of Default no payment with respect to any such Debt, claim or liability will be made or received while any of the Obligations (including Obligations relating to Letters of Credit) are outstanding or prior to the termination of Lenders’ commitments hereunder.

 

SECTION 3                                   EVIDENCING OF LOANS.

 

3.1                                 Notes.  The Loans of each Lender shall be evidenced by a Note, with appropriate insertions, payable to the order of such Lender in a face principal amount equal to the sum of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment plus the principal amount of such Lender’s Term Loans.

 

3.2                                 Recordkeeping.  The Administrative Agent, on behalf of each Lender, shall record in its records, the date and amount of each Loan made by each Lender, each repayment or conversion thereof and, in the case of each LIBOR Loan, the dates on which each Interest Period for such Loan shall begin and end.  The aggregate unpaid principal amount so recorded shall be rebuttably presumptive evidence of the principal amount of the Loans owing and unpaid.  The failure to so record any such amount or any error in so recording any such amount shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the Obligations of the Borrowers hereunder or under any Note to repay the principal amount of the Loans hereunder, together with all interest accruing thereon.

 

SECTION 3                                   INTEREST.

 

4.1                                 Interest Rates.  The Borrowers jointly and severally promise to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan for the period commencing on the date of such Loan until such Loan is paid in full as follows:

 

(a)                                  at all times while a Revolving Loan or Term A Loan is a Base Rate Loan, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Base Rate from time to time in effect plus the Base Rate Margin from time to time in effect; and

 

(b)                                 at all times while such Revolving Loan or Term A Loan is a LIBOR Loan, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the LIBOR Rate applicable to each Interest Period for such Loan plus the LIBOR Margin from time to time in effect;

 

(c)                                  with respect to the Term B Loan, as set forth in the Note(s) for the Term B Loan;

 

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provided that at any time an Event of Default exists, unless the Required Lenders otherwise consent, the interest rate applicable to each Loan shall be increased by 2% (and, in the case of Obligations not bearing interest, such Obligations shall bear interest at the Base Rate applicable to Revolving Loans plus 2%), provided further that such increase may thereafter be rescinded by the Required Lenders, notwithstanding Section 16.1.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 13.1.1 or 13.1.4, such increase shall occur automatically.

 

4.2                                 Interest Payment Dates.  Except to the extent otherwise provided in the Note(s) for the Term B Loan, accrued interest on each Base Rate Loan shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each calendar month and at maturity.  Accrued interest on each LIBOR Loan shall be payable on the last day of each Interest Period relating to such Loan (and, in the case of a LIBOR Loan with an Interest Period in excess of three months, on the three-month anniversary of the first day of such Interest Period), upon a prepayment of such Loan, and at maturity.  After maturity, and at any time an Event of Default exists, accrued interest on all Loans shall be payable on demand.

 

4.3                                 Setting and Notice of LIBOR Rates.  The applicable LIBOR Rate for each Interest Period shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and notice thereof shall be given by the Administrative Agent promptly to the Company and each Lender.  Each determination of the applicable LIBOR Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties hereto, in the absence of demonstrable error.  The Administrative Agent shall, upon written request of the Company or any Lender, deliver to the Company or such Lender a statement showing the computations used by the Administrative Agent in determining any applicable LIBOR Rate hereunder.

 

4.4                                 Computation of Interest.  Interest shall be computed for the actual number of days elapsed on the basis of a year of 360 days.  The applicable interest rate for each Base Rate Loan shall change simultaneously with each change in the Base Rate.

 

SECTION 5                                   FEES.

 

5.1                                 Non-Use Fee.  The Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a non-use fee, for the period from the Closing Date to the Termination Date, at the Non-Use Fee Rate in effect from time to time of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share (as adjusted from time to time) of the unused amount of the Revolving Commitment.  For purposes of calculating usage under this Section, the Revolving Commitment shall be deemed used to the extent of Revolving Outstandings.  Such non-use fee shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter and on the Termination Date for any period then ending for which such non-use fee shall not have previously been paid.  The non-use fee shall be computed for the actual number of days elapsed on the basis of a year of 360 days.

 

5.2                                 Letter of Credit Fees.  (a)  The Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a letter of credit fee for each Letter of Credit equal to the L/C Fee Rate in effect from time to time of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share (as adjusted from time to time) of the undrawn amount of such Letter of Credit (computed for the actual number of days elapsed on the basis of a year of 360 days); provided that, unless the Required Lenders otherwise consent, the rate applicable to each Letter of Credit shall be increased by 2% at any time that an Event of Default exists.  Such letter of credit fee shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter and on the Termination Date (or such later date on which such Letter of Credit expires or is terminated) for the period from the date of the issuance of each Letter of Credit (or the last day on which the letter of credit fee was paid with respect thereto) to the date such payment is due or, if earlier, the date on which such Letter of Credit expired or was terminated.

 

(b)                                 In addition, with respect to each Letter of Credit, the Company agrees to pay to the Issuing Lender, for its own account, (i) such fees and expenses as the Issuing Lender customarily requires in connection with the issuance, negotiation, processing and/or administration of letters of credit in similar

 

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situations and (ii) a letter of credit fronting fee in the amount and at the times agreed to by the Company and the Issuing Lender.

 

5.3                                 Administrative Agent’s Fees.  The Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent such agent’s fees as are mutually agreed to from time to time by the Company and the Administrative Agent.

 

5.4                                 Term B Loan Fees.  In the event that the Term B Loan is not Finally Paid (a) within 180 days of the Closing Date, a non-refundable fee in the amount of 1% of the aggregate principal amount of Term B Loan held by each Lender shall be payable to each such Lender and (b) within 365 days of the Closing Date, an additional non-refundable fee in the amount of 1.5% of the aggregate principal amount of Term B Loan held by each Lender shall be payable to each such Lender, the fees referenced in clauses (a) and (b) above shall be payable by the Borrowers on the earliest to occur of (i) the Term B Loan Termination Date or (ii) the Final Payment of the Term B Loan.

 

SECTION 6                                   REDUCTION OR TERMINATION OF THE REVOLVING COMMITMENT; PREPAYMENTS.

 

6.1                                 Reduction or Termination of the Revolving Commitment.

 

6.1.1                        Voluntary Reduction or Termination of the Revolving Commitment.  The Company may from time to time on at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice received by the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly advise each Lender thereof) permanently reduce the Revolving Commitment to an amount not less than the Revolving Outstandings.  Any such reduction shall be in an amount not less than $5,000,000 or a higher integral multiple of $1,000,000.  Concurrently with any reduction of the Revolving Commitment to zero (0), the Borrowers shall pay all interest on the Revolving Loans, all non-use fees and all letter of credit fees and shall Cash Collateralize in full all obligations arising with respect to the Letters of Credit.

 

6.1.2                        All Reductions of the Revolving Commitment.  All reductions of the Revolving Commitment shall reduce the Revolving Commitment of each Lender with a Revolving Commitment ratably according to their respective Pro Rata Shares.

 

6.2                                 Prepayments.

 

6.2.1                        Voluntary Prepayments.  (a) The Borrowers may from time to time prepay the Revolving Loans and the Term A Loans in whole or in part; provided that the Company shall give the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly advise each Lender) notice thereof not later than 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, on the day of such prepayment (which shall be a Business Day), specifying the Loans to be prepaid and the date and amount of prepayment.  Any such partial prepayment shall be in an amount equal to $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $250,000.

 

(b)                                 Until all Senior Debt has been Finally Paid, the Borrowers may not make any voluntary prepayment with respect to the Term B Loans and the Obligations related thereto.  From and after the date all Senior Debt has been Finally Paid, the Borrowers may from time to time prepay the Term B Loans in whole or in part; provided that the Company shall give the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly advise each affected Lender) notice thereof not later than 11:00 A.M., Chicago time, on the day of such prepayment (which shall be a Business Day), specifying the date and amount of prepayment.  Any such partial prepayment shall be in an amount equal to $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $250,000.

 

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6.2.2                        Mandatory Prepayments.

 

(a)                                  The Borrowers jointly and severally agree to make a prepayment of the Term Loans until paid in full upon the occurrence of any of the following (each a “Mandatory Prepayment Event”) at the following times and in the following amounts (such applicable amounts being referred to as “Designated Proceeds”):

 

(i)                                     Concurrently with the receipt by any Loan Party of any Net Cash Proceeds from any Asset Disposition, in an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied to Term A Loan.

 

(ii)                                  Concurrently with the receipt by any Loan Party of any Net Cash Proceeds from any issuance of Capital Securities of any Loan Party (excluding (x) any issuance of Capital Securities pursuant to any employee or director option program, benefit plan or compensation program, (y) any issuance by a Subsidiary to the Company or another Subsidiary and (z) any issuance of Capital Securities as consideration for a Permitted Acquisition) in an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds (up to the amount required to pay the unpaid principal amount and all accrued and unpaid interest on the Term B Loan) to the Term B Loan.

 

(iii)                               Concurrently with the receipt by any Loan Party of any Net Cash Proceeds from any issuance of any Debt of any Loan Party (excluding Debt permitted by clauses (a) through (i) of Section 11.1), in an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied to Term A Loan.

 

(iv)                              Concurrently with the receipt by any Loan Party of any Net Cash Proceeds from the issuance of the Subordinated Debt permitted by Section 11.1(g), in an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied to Term B Loan until the Term B Loan is Finally Paid.

 

(v)                                 From the Closing Date until (x) the Term B Loan is Finally Paid and (y) the Company has maintained a Senior Debt to EBITDA Ratio of less than or equal to 1.00 to 1.00 for two (2) consecutive Fiscal Quarters, within 105 days after the end of each Fiscal Year (commencing with Fiscal Year December 31, 2004), in an amount equal to 50% of Excess Cash Flow for such Fiscal Year shall be applied to Term A Loan.

 

6.3                                 Manner of Prepayments.

 

6.3.1                        All Prepayments.  Each voluntary partial prepayment shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a higher integral multiple of $250,000.  Any partial prepayment of a Group of LIBOR Loans shall be subject to the proviso to Section 2.2.3(a).  Any prepayment of a LIBOR Loan on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period therefor shall include interest on the principal amount being repaid and shall be subject to Section 8.4.  Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, all principal payments in respect of the Loans shall be applied first, to repay outstanding Base Rate Loans and then to repay outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.  All partial prepayments of Term A Loan shall be applied pro rata to reduce the payments required under Section 6.4.2 hereof.

 

6.4                                 Repayments.

 

6.4.1                        Revolving Loans.  The Revolving Loans of each Lender shall be paid in full and the Revolving Commitment shall terminate on the Termination Date.

 

6.4.2                        Term A Loans.  The Term A Loan of each Lender shall be paid in installments equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the aggregate principal amount of the installments of the Term A Loan as follows:

 

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Payment Date

 

Amount

 

April 30, 2004

 

$

4,500,000

 

July 31, 2004

 

$

4,500,000

 

October 31, 2004

 

$

4,500,000

 

January 31, 2005

 

$

4,500,000

 

April 30, 2005

 

$

4,500,000

 

July 31, 2005

 

$

4,500,000

 

October 31, 2005

 

$

4,500,000

 

January 31, 2006

 

$

4,500,000

 

April 30, 2006

 

$

4,500,000

 

July 31, 2006

 

$

4,500,000

 

 

Unless sooner paid in full, the outstanding principal balance of the Term A Loan shall be paid in full on the Term A Loan Termination Date.

 

6.4.3                        Term B Loans.  Subject to Section 15 hereof, unless sooner paid in full, the outstanding principal balance of the Term B Loan shall be paid in full on the Term B Loan Termination Date.

 

SECTION 7                                   MAKING AND PRORATION OF PAYMENTS; SETOFF; TAXES.

 

7.1                                 Making of Payments.  All payments of principal of or interest on the Notes, and of all fees, shall be made by the Borrowers to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the office specified by the Administrative Agent not later than noon, Chicago time, on the date due; and funds received after that hour shall be deemed to have been received by the Administrative Agent on the following Business Day.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to each Lender its share of all such payments received in collected funds by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender.  All payments under Section 8.1 shall be made by the Borrowers directly to the Lender entitled thereto without setoff, counterclaim or other defense.

 

7.2                                 Application of Certain Payments.  So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (a) payments matching specific scheduled payments then due shall be applied to those scheduled payments and (b) voluntary and mandatory prepayments shall be applied as set forth in Sections 6.2 and 6.3.  After the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, all amounts collected or received by the Administrative Agent or any Lender as proceeds from the sale of, or other realization upon, all or any part of the Collateral shall be applied as the Administrative Agent shall determine in its discretion or, in the absence of a specific determination by the Administrative Agent, as set forth in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.  Concurrently with each remittance to any Lender of its share of any such payment, the Administrative Agent shall advise such Lender as to the application of such payment.

 

7.3                                 Due Date Extension.  If any payment of principal or interest with respect to any of the Loans, or of any fees, falls due on a day which is not a Business Day, then such due date shall be extended to the immediately following Business Day (unless, in the case of a LIBOR Loan, such immediately following Business Day is the first Business Day of a calendar month, in which case such due date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day) and, in the case of principal, additional interest shall accrue and be payable for the period of any such extension.

 

7.4                                 Setoff.  Each Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent and each Lender have all rights of set-off and bankers’ lien provided by applicable law, and in addition thereto, the each Borrower agrees that at any time any Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent and each Lender may apply to the payment of any Obligations of the Borrowers hereunder, whether or not then due, any and all balances, credits, deposits, accounts or moneys of any Borrower then or thereafter with the Administrative Agent or such Lender.

 

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7.5                                 Proration of Payments.  Subject to Section 15 hereof, if any Lender shall obtain any payment or other recovery (whether voluntary, involuntary, by application of offset or otherwise, on account of (a) principal of or interest on any Loan, but excluding (i) any payment pursuant to Section 8.7 or 15.6 and (ii) payments of interest on any Affected Loan) or (b) its participation in any Letter of Credit) in excess of its applicable Pro Rata Share of payments and other recoveries obtained by all Lenders on account of principal of and interest on the Loans (or such participation) then held by them, then such Lender shall purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans (or sub-participations in Letters of Credit) held by them as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment or other recovery ratably with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of the excess payment or other recovery is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, the purchase shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery.

 

7.6                                 Taxes.

 

(a)                                  All payments made by the Borrowers hereunder or under any Loan Documents shall be made without setoff, counterclaim, or other defense.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, all payments hereunder or under the Loan Documents (including any payment of principal, interest, or fees) to, or for the benefit, of any Person shall be made by the Borrowers free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for, or account of, any Taxes now or hereinafter imposed by any taxing authority.

 

(b)                                 If any Borrower makes any payment hereunder or under any Loan Document in respect of which it is required by applicable law to deduct or withhold any Taxes, the Borrowers shall increase the payment hereunder or under any such Loan Document such that after the reduction for the amount of Taxes withheld (and any taxes withheld or imposed with respect to the additional payments required under this Section 7.6(b)), the amount paid to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent equals the amount that was payable hereunder or under any such Loan Document without regard to this Section 7.6(b).  To the extent any Borrower withholds any Taxes on payments hereunder or under any Loan Document, the Borrowers shall jointly and severally pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxing authority within the time allowed for payment under applicable law and shall deliver to the Administrative Agent within thirty (30) days after it has made payment to such authority a receipt issued by such authority (or other evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) evidencing the payment of all amounts so required to be deducted or withheld from such payment.

 

(c)                                  If any Lender or the Administrative Agent is required by law to make any payments of any Taxes on or in relation to any amounts received or receivable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or any Tax is assessed against a Lender or the Administrative Agent with respect to amounts received or receivable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, the Borrowers will jointly and severally indemnify such person against (i) such Tax (and any reasonable counsel fees and expenses associated with such Tax) and (ii) any taxes imposed as a result of the receipt of the payment under this Section 7.6(c); provided that if the Borrowers reasonably believe that such Taxes were not correctly or legally asserted and if the Borrowers paid such Taxes to the taxing authority or reimbursed the Administrative Agent or a Lender in the amount of such Taxes, the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, will use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to obtain a refund of such Taxes so long as such efforts would not, in the sole determination of the Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, result in any additional costs, expenses or risks or be otherwise disadvantageous to it.  A certificate prepared in good faith as to the amount of such payment by such Lender or the Administrative Agent shall, absent manifest error, be final, conclusive, and binding on all parties.

 

(d)                                 Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees that if it subsequently recovers, or receives a permanent net tax benefit with respect to, any amount of Taxes (i) previously paid by it and as to which it has been indemnified by or on behalf of the Borrowers or (ii) previously deducted by the Borrowers (including, without limitation, any Taxes deducted from any additional sums payable under clause (i) of subsection (a) above), the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, shall reimburse the

 

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Borrowers to the extent of the amount of any such recovery or permanent net tax benefit (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by or on behalf of the Borrowers under this Section 7.6 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such recovery or tax benefit less any Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent or the applicable Lender with respect to such indemnity payments or such additional amounts paid, by or on behalf of the Borrowers under this Section 7.6); provided, however, that the Borrowers, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agree to repay to the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, the amount paid over to the Borrowers (together with any penalties, interest or other charges), in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such amount to the relevant taxing authority.

 

(e)                                  (i)                                     To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Lender that is not a United States person within the meaning of Code section 7701(a)(30) (a “Non-U.S. Participant”) shall deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date (or in the case of a Lender that is an Assignee, on the date of such assignment to such Lender) two accurate and complete original signed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8ECI, or W-8IMY (or any successor or other applicable form prescribed by the IRS) certifying to such Lender’s entitlement to a complete exemption from, or a reduced rate in, United States withholding tax on interest payments to be made hereunder or any Loan.  If a Lender that is a Non-U.S. Participant is claiming a complete exemption from withholding on interest pursuant to Sections 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code, the Lender shall deliver (along with two accurate and complete original signed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN) a certificate in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Administrative Agent (any such certificate, a “Withholding Certificate”).  In addition, each Lender that is a Non-U.S. Participant agrees that from time to time after the Closing Date, (or in the case of a Lender that is an Assignee, after the date of the assignment to such Lender), when a lapse in time (or change in circumstances occurs) renders the prior certificates hereunder obsolete or inaccurate in any material respect, such Lender shall, to the extent permitted under applicable law, deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent two new and accurate and complete original signed copies of an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8ECI, or W-8IMY (or any successor or other applicable forms prescribed by the IRS), and if applicable, a new Withholding Certificate, to confirm or establish the entitlement of such Lender or the Administrative Agent to an exemption from, or reduction in, United States withholding tax on interest payments to be made hereunder or on any Loan.

 

(ii)                                  Each Lender that is not a Non-U.S. Participant (other than any such Lender which is taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) shall provide two properly completed and duly executed copies of IRS Form W-9 (or any successor or other applicable form) to the Company and the Administrative Agent certifying that such Lender is exempt from United States backup withholding tax.  To the extent that a form provided pursuant to this Section 7.6(e)(ii) is rendered obsolete or inaccurate in any material respects as result of change in circumstances with respect to the status of a Lender, such Lender shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent revised forms necessary to confirm or establish the entitlement to such Lender’s or Agent’s exemption from United States backup withholding tax.

 

(iii)                               The Borrowers shall not be required to pay additional amounts to a Lender, or indemnify any Lender, under this Section 7.6 to the extent that such obligations would not have arisen but for the failure of such Lender to comply with Section 7.6(e).  Each Non-U.S. Participant will promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers of any changes in circumstances that would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction under this Section 7.6.

 

(iv)                              Each Lender agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and hold the Administrative Agent harmless for the full amount of any and all present or future Taxes and related liabilities (including penalties, interest, additions to tax and expenses, and any Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable to the Administrative Agent under this Section 7.6) which are imposed on or with respect to principal, interest or fees payable to such Lender hereunder and which are not paid by the Company pursuant to this Section 7.6, whether or not such Taxes or related liabilities were correctly or legally asserted.  This

 

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indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days from the date the Administrative Agent makes written demand therefor.

 

SECTION 8                                   INCREASED COSTS; SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR LIBOR LOANS.

 

8.1                                 Increased Costs.  (a)  If, after the date hereof, the adoption of, or any change in, any applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change in the interpretation or administration of any applicable law, rule or regulation by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency:  (i) shall impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve (including any reserve imposed by the FRB, but excluding any reserve included in the determination of the LIBOR Rate pursuant to Section 4), special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by any Lender; or (ii) shall impose on any Lender any other condition affecting its LIBOR Loans, its Note or its obligation to make LIBOR Loans; and the result of anything described in clauses (i) and (ii) above is to increase the cost to (or to impose a cost on) such Lender (or any LIBOR Office of such Lender) of making or maintaining any LIBOR Loan, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (or its LIBOR Office) under this Agreement or under its Note(s) with respect thereto, within three (3) Business Days after receiving written demand from such Lender (which demand shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the basis for such demand and a calculation of the amount thereof in reasonable detail, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Administrative Agent), the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay directly to such Lender such additional amount as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or such reduction, so long as such amounts have accrued on or after the day which is 180 days prior to the date on which such Lender first made demand therefor.

 

(b)                                 If any Lender shall reasonably determine that any change in, or the adoption or phase-in of, any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or the compliance by any Lender or any Person controlling such Lender with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such controlling Person’s capital as a consequence of such Lender’s obligations hereunder or under any Letter of Credit to a level below that which such Lender or such controlling Person could have achieved but for such change, adoption, phase-in or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such controlling Person’s policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender or such controlling Person to be material, then from time to time, within three (3) Business Days after receiving written demand from such Lender (which demand shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the basis for such demand and a calculation of the amount thereof in reasonable detail, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Administrative Agent), the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to pay to such Lender such additional amount as will compensate such Lender or such controlling Person for such reduction so long as such amounts have accrued on or after the day which is 180 days prior to the date on which such Lender first made demand therefor.

 

8.2                                 Basis for Determining Interest Rate Inadequate or Unfair.  If (a) the Administrative Agent reasonably determines in good faith (which determination shall be binding and conclusive on the Borrowers) that by reason of circumstances affecting the interbank LIBOR market adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable LIBOR Rate for any Interest Period; or

 

(a)                                  the Required Lenders advise the Administrative Agent in good faith that the LIBOR Rate as determined by the Administrative Agent will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of maintaining or funding LIBOR Loans for such Interest Period (taking into account any amount to which such Lenders may be entitled under Section 8.1) or that the making or funding of LIBOR Loans has become

 

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impracticable as a result of an event occurring after the date of this Agreement which in the opinion of such Lenders materially affects such Loans;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the other parties thereof and, so long as such circumstances shall continue, (i) no Lender shall be under any obligation to make or convert any Base Rate Loans into LIBOR Loans and (ii) on the last day of the current Interest Period for each LIBOR Loan, such Loan shall, unless then repaid in full, automatically convert to a Base Rate Loan.

 

8.3                                 Changes in Law Rendering LIBOR Loans Unlawful.  If any change in, or the adoption of any new, law or regulation, or any change in the interpretation of any applicable law or regulation by any governmental or other regulatory body charged with the administration thereof, should make it (or in the good faith judgment of any Lender cause a substantial question as to whether it is) unlawful for any Lender to make, maintain or fund LIBOR Loans, then such Lender shall promptly notify each of the other parties hereto and, so long as such circumstances shall continue, (a) such Lender shall have no obligation to make or convert any Base Rate Loan into a LIBOR Loan (but shall make Base Rate Loans concurrently with the making of or conversion of Base Rate Loans into LIBOR Loans by the Lenders which are not so affected, in each case in an amount equal to the amount of LIBOR Loans which would be made or converted into by such Lender at such time in the absence of such circumstances) and (b) on the last day of the current Interest Period for each LIBOR Loan of such Lender (or, in any event,  on such earlier date as may be required by the relevant law, regulation or interpretation), such LIBOR Loan shall, unless then repaid in full, automatically convert to a Base Rate Loan.  Each Base Rate Loan made by a Lender which, but for the circumstances described in the foregoing sentence, would be a LIBOR Loan (an “Affected Loan”) shall remain outstanding for the period corresponding to the Group of LIBOR Loans of which such Affected Loan would be a part absent such circumstances.

 

8.4                                 Funding Losses.  The Borrowers hereby agree that within three (3) Business Days after receiving written demand from any Lender (which demand shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the basis for the amount being claimed, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Administrative Agent), the Borrowers will jointly and severally indemnify such Lender against any net loss or expense which such Lender may sustain or incur (including any net loss or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund or maintain any LIBOR Loan), as reasonably determined by such Lender, as a result of (a) any payment, prepayment or conversion of any LIBOR Loan of such Lender on a date other than the last day of an Interest Period for such Loan (including any conversion pursuant to Section 8.3) or (b) any failure of the Borrowers to borrow, convert or continue any Loan on a date specified therefor in a Notice of Borrowing or a Notice of Conversion/Continuation pursuant to this Agreement.  For this purpose, all notices to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be irrevocable.

 

8.5                                 Right of Lenders to Fund through Other Offices.  Each Lender may, if it so elects, fulfill its commitment as to any LIBOR Loan by causing a foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that in such event for the purposes of this Agreement such Loan shall be deemed to have been made by such Lender and the joint and several obligations of the Borrowers to repay such Loan shall nevertheless be to such Lender and shall be deemed held by it, to the extent of such Loan, for the account of such branch or Affiliate.

 

8.6                                 Discretion of Lenders as to Manner of Funding.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, each Lender shall be entitled to fund and maintain its funding of all or any part of its Loans in any manner it sees fit, it being understood, however, that for the purposes of this Agreement all determinations hereunder shall be made as if such Lender had actually funded and maintained each LIBOR Loan during each Interest Period for such Loan through the purchase of deposits having a maturity corresponding to such Interest Period and bearing an interest rate equal to the LIBOR Rate for such Interest Period.

 

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8.7                                 Mitigation of Circumstances; Replacement of Lenders.  (a)  Each Lender shall promptly notify the Company and the Administrative Agent of any event of which it has knowledge which will result in, and will use reasonable commercial efforts available to it (and not, in such Lender’s sole judgment, otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender) to mitigate or avoid, (i) any obligation by the Borrowers to pay any amount pursuant to Section 7.6 or 8.1 or (ii) the occurrence of any circumstances described in Section 8.2 or 8.3 (and, if any Lender has given notice of any such event described in clause (i) or (ii) above and thereafter such event ceases to exist, such Lender shall promptly so notify the Company and the Administrative Agent).  Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender will provide to the Borrowers or file any document or instrument or designate a different funding office if such designation will avoid (or reduce the cost to the Borrowers of) any event described in clause (i) or (ii) above and providing or filing such document or instrument or making such designation will not, in such Lender’s sole judgment, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

 

(b)                                 If the Borrowers become obligated to pay additional amounts to any Lender pursuant to Section 7.6 or 8.1, or any Lender gives notice of the occurrence of any circumstances described in Section 8.2 or 8.3, the Company may designate another bank which is acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion (such other bank being called a “Replacement Lender”) to purchase the Loans of such Lender and such Lender’s rights hereunder, without recourse to or warranty by, or expense to, such Lender, for a purchase price equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Loans payable to such Lender plus any accrued but unpaid interest on such Loans and all accrued but unpaid fees owed to such Lender and any other amounts payable to such Lender under this Agreement, and to assume all the obligations of such Lender hereunder, and, upon such purchase and assumption (pursuant to an Assignment Agreement), such Lender shall no longer be a party hereto or have any rights hereunder (other than rights with respect to indemnities and similar rights applicable to such Lender prior to the date of such purchase and assumption) and shall be relieved from all obligations to the Borrowers hereunder, and the Replacement Lender shall succeed to the rights and obligations of such Lender hereunder.

 

8.8                                 Conclusiveness of Statements; Survival of Provisions.  Determinations and statements of any Lender pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4 shall be conclusive absent demonstrable error.  Lenders may use reasonable averaging and attribution methods in determining compensation under Sections 8.1 and 8.4, and the provisions of such Sections shall survive repayment of the Obligations, cancellation of any Notes, expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and termination of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9                                   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

 

To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make Loans and issue and participate in Letters of Credit hereunder, each Borrower hereby jointly with the other Borrowers and severally represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, both before and after giving effect to the Related Transactions:

 

9.1                                 Organization.  Each Loan Party is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; and each Loan Party is duly qualified to do business in each jurisdiction where, because of the nature of its activities or properties, such qualification is required, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.2                                 Authorization; No Conflict.  Each Loan Party is duly authorized to execute and deliver each Loan Document to which it is a party, each Borrower is duly authorized to borrow monies hereunder and each Loan Party is duly authorized to perform its Obligations under each Loan Document to which it is a party.  The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which it is a party, and the borrowings by each Borrower hereunder, do not and will not (a) require any consent or approval of any governmental agency or authority (other than (i) any consent or approval which has been obtained and is in full force and effect, (ii) filings to release Liens and to perfect Liens, (iii) those required in the ordinary course of business, (iv) those required in connection with the exercise of remedies and (v) such others, the failure of which to obtain or make, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), (b) conflict

 

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with (i) any provision of law, (ii) the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party or (iii) any material agreement, indenture, instrument or other document, or any judgment, order or decree, which is binding upon any Loan Party or any of their respective properties or (c) require, or result in, the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Loan Party (other than Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent created pursuant to the Collateral Documents).

 

9.3                                 Validity and Binding Nature.  Each of this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is a party is the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person, enforceable against such Person in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting the enforceability of creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity.

 

9.4                                 Financial Condition.  The audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2002 and the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries as at March 31, 2003, June 30, 2003, and September 30, 2003, copies of each of which have been delivered to each Lender, were prepared in accordance with GAAP (subject, in the case of such unaudited statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end adjustments) and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at such dates and the results of their operations for the periods then ended.

 

9.5                                 No Material Adverse Change.  Since December 31, 2002 (but after giving effect to the Related Transactions on a Pro Forma Basis) there has been no material adverse change in the financial condition, operations, assets, business, properties or prospects of the Loan Parties taken as a whole.

 

9.6                                 Litigation; Debt and Contingent Liabilities.  No litigation (including derivative actions), arbitration proceeding or governmental investigation or proceeding is pending or, to the Knowledge of a Senior Officer, threatened against any Loan Party which might reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in Schedule 9.6.  Other than any liability incident to such litigation or proceedings, no Loan Party has any material contingent liabilities not listed on Schedule 9.6 or permitted by Section 11.1.  Except as described therein, Schedule 11.1 sets forth a complete and correct list of all outstanding Debt in the aggregate principal amount of at least $50,000 of the Loan Parties as of the Closing Date since which date there has been no material change in the amounts, interest rates, sinking funds, installment payments or maturities of the Debt of the Loan Parties.  As of the date hereof, no Loan Party is in default and no waiver of default is currently in effect, in the payment of any principal or interest on any Debt of any Loan Party the aggregate principal amount of which exceeds $50,000 and no event or condition exists with respect to any such Debt of a Loan Party that would permit (or that with notice or the lapse of time, or both, would permit) one or more Persons to cause such Debt to become due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment.

 

9.7                                 Ownership of Properties; Liens.  Each Loan Party owns good and, in the case of real property, marketable title to all of its material properties and assets which it owns or purports to own, real and personal, tangible and intangible, of any nature whatsoever (including patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights), free and clear of all Liens, charges and claims (including infringement claims with respect to patents, trademarks, service marks, copyrights and the like) except as permitted by Section 11.2.

 

9.8                                 Equity Ownership; Subsidiaries.  (a) All issued and outstanding Capital Securities of each Loan Party are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable, and free and clear of all Liens other than those in favor of the Administrative Agent and Permitted Liens, and such securities were issued in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws concerning the issuance of securities.  Schedule 9.8 sets forth the authorized Capital Securities of each Loan Party as of the Closing Date.  All of the issued and outstanding Capital Securities of the Company are owned as set forth on Schedule 9.8 as of the Closing Date, and all of the issued and outstanding Capital Securities of each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary is, directly or indirectly, owned by the Company.  As of the Closing Date, except as set forth on Schedule 9.8, there are no

 

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pre-emptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights or other similar agreements or understandings for the purchase or acquisition of any Capital Securities of any Loan Party.

 

(b)                                 Immediately after giving effect to the Related Transactions, (i) the Company shall own 100% of the issued and outstanding Capital Securities of P-D and (ii) P-D shall own 100% of the issued and outstanding Capital Securities of Poorman.

 

9.9                                 Pension Plans.  (a) The Unfunded Liability of all Pension Plans does not in the aggregate exceed twenty percent of the Total Plan Liability for all such Pension Plans.  Each Pension Plan complies in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and regulations.  No contribution failure under Section 412 of the Code, Section 302 of ERISA or the terms of any Pension Plan has occurred with respect to any Pension Plan, sufficient to give rise to a Lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA, or otherwise to have a Material Adverse Effect.  There are no pending or, to the knowledge of Company, threatened, claims, actions, investigations or lawsuits against any Pension Plan, any fiduciary of any Pension Plan, or the Company or other any member of the Controlled Group with respect to a Pension Plan or a Multiemployer Pension Plan which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled Group has engaged in any prohibited transaction (as defined in Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA) in connection with any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Pension Plan which would subject that Person to any material liability.  Within the past five years, neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled Group has engaged in a transaction which resulted in a Pension Plan with an Unfunded Liability being transferred out of the Controlled Group, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Termination Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Pension Plan, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)                                 All contributions (if any) have been made to any Multiemployer Pension Plan that are required to be made by the Company or any other member of the Controlled Group under the terms of the plan or of any collective bargaining agreement or by applicable law; neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled Group has withdrawn or partially withdrawn from any Multiemployer Pension Plan, incurred any withdrawal liability with respect to any such plan or received notice of any claim or demand for withdrawal liability or partial withdrawal liability from any such plan, and no condition has occurred which, if continued, could result in a withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any such plan; and neither the Company nor any other member of the Controlled Group has received any notice that any Multiemployer Pension Plan is in reorganization, that increased contributions may be required to avoid a reduction in plan benefits or the imposition of any excise tax, that any such plan is or has been funded at a rate less than that required under Section 412 of the Code, that any such plan is or may be terminated, or that any such plan is or may become insolvent.

 

9.10                           Investment Company Act.  No Loan Party is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” or a “subsidiary” of an “investment company,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

9.11                           Public Utility Holding Company Act.  No Loan Party is a “holding company”, or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or of a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

 

9.12                           Regulation U.  The Company is not engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock.

 

9.13                           Taxes; Tax Shelter Registration.

 

(a)                                  Each Loan Party has timely filed all tax returns and reports required by law to have been filed by it and has paid all taxes and governmental charges due and payable with respect to such return, except any such taxes or charges which are being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for

 

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which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its books.  The Loan Parties have made adequate reserves on their books and records in accordance with GAAP for all taxes that have accrued but which are not yet due and payable.  To the Knowledge of a Senior Officer of the Company, no Loan Party has participated in any transaction that relates to a year of the taxpayer (which is still open under the applicable statute of limitations) which is a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2) (irrespective of the date when the transaction was entered into).

 

(b)                                 No Loan Party intends to treat any of the transactions contemplated by any Loan Document as being a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4.

 

9.14                           Solvency, etc.  On the Closing Date, and immediately prior to and after giving effect to the issuance of each Letter of Credit and each borrowing hereunder and the use of the proceeds thereof, with respect to the Loan Parties taken as a whole, (a) the fair value of its assets on a going concern basis is greater than the amount of its liabilities (including disputed, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) as such value is established and liabilities evaluated, (b) the present fair saleable value of its assets on a going concern basis is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) it is able to realize upon its assets and generally pay its debts and other liabilities (including disputed, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) as they mature in the normal course of business, (d) it does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond its ability to generally pay as such debts and liabilities mature and (e) it is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which its property would constitute unreasonably small capital.

 

9.15                           Environmental Matters.  Except as disclosed on Schedule 9.15 hereto, the on-going operations of each Loan Party comply in all respects with all Environmental Laws, except such non-compliance which could not (if enforced in accordance with applicable law) reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.  Each Loan Party has obtained, and maintained in good standing, all licenses, permits, authorizations, registrations and other approvals required under any Environmental Law and required for their respective ordinary course operations, and for their reasonably anticipated future operations, and each Loan Party is in compliance with all terms and conditions thereof, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.  No Loan Party or any of its properties or operations is subject to, or reasonably anticipates the issuance of, any written order from or agreement with any Federal, state or local governmental authority, nor subject to any judicial or docketed administrative or other proceeding, respecting any Environmental Law, Environmental Claim or Hazardous Substance the subject matter of which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  There are no Hazardous Substances or other conditions or circumstances existing with respect to any property, arising from operations prior to the Closing Date, or relating to any waste disposal, of any Loan Party that could reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.  No Loan Party has any underground storage tanks that are not properly registered or permitted under applicable Environmental Laws or that at any time have released, leaked, disposed of or otherwise discharged Hazardous Substances except, in either case, as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.16                           Insurance.  Set forth on Schedule 9.16 is a complete and accurate summary of the property and casualty insurance program of the Loan Parties as of the Closing Date (including the names of all insurers, policy numbers, expiration dates, amounts and types of coverage, annual premiums, exclusions, deductibles, self-insured retention, and a description in reasonable detail of any self-insurance program, retrospective rating plan, fronting arrangement or other risk assumption arrangement involving any Loan Party).  Each Loan Party and its properties are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies which are not Affiliates of the Loan Parties, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies of a similar size engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where such Loan Parties operate.

 

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9.17                           Real Property.  Set forth on Schedule 9.17 is a complete and accurate list, as of the Closing Date, of the address of all real property owned or leased by any Loan Party, together with, in the case of leased property, the name and mailing address of the lessor of such property.

 

9.18                           Information.  All information heretofore or contemporaneously herewith furnished in writing by any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of or in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is, and all written information hereafter furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant hereto or in connection herewith will be, true and accurate in every material respect on the date as of which such information is dated or certified, and none of such information is or will be incomplete by omitting to state any material fact necessary to make such information not misleading in light of the circumstances under which made (it being recognized by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that any projections and forecasts provided by the Company are based on good faith estimates and assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable when made and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections and forecasts may differ from projected or forecasted results).

 

9.19                           Intellectual Property.  Each Loan Party owns and possesses or has a license or other right to use all patents, patent rights, trademarks, trademark rights, trade names, trade name rights, service marks, service mark rights, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights as are necessary for the conduct of the businesses of the Loan Parties, without any infringement upon rights of others which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  A true, correct and complete list of all patents, patent applications, and registrations of, or applications for registration of, trademarks, trademark rights, trade names, trade name rights, service marks, service mark rights and copyrights as are necessary for the conduct of the businesses of the Loan Parties is set forth on Schedule 9.19 hereto.

 

9.20                           Burdensome Obligations.  No Loan Party is a party to any agreement or contract or subject to any restriction contained in its organizational documents which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9.21                           Labor Matters.  Except as set forth on Schedule 9.21, no Loan Party is subject to any labor or collective bargaining agreement.  There are no existing or threatened strikes, lockouts or other labor disputes involving any Loan Party that singly or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Hours worked by and payment made to employees of the Loan Parties are not in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable law, rule or regulation dealing with such matters.

 

9.22                           No Default.  No Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists or would result from the incurrence by any Loan Party of any Debt hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

 

9.23                           Related Agreements, Related Transaction, etc.  (a)  The Company has heretofore furnished the Administrative Agent a true and correct copy of the Related Agreements and there have been no amendments to such Related Agreements from the copies so provided.

 

(b)                                 Each Loan Party and, to the Knowledge of a Senior Officer of the Company, each other party to the Related Agreements, has duly taken all necessary corporate, partnership or other organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Related Agreements and the consummation of transactions contemplated thereby.

 

(c)                                  The Related Transactions will comply with all applicable legal requirements, and all necessary governmental, regulatory, creditor, shareholder, partner and other material consents, approvals and exemptions required to be obtained by the Loan Parties and, to the Knowledge of a Senior Officer of the Company, each other party to the Related Agreements in connection with the Related Transactions will be, prior to consummation of the Related Transactions, duly obtained and will be in full force and effect.  As of the date of the Related Agreements, all applicable waiting periods with respect to the Related Transactions will

 

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have expired without any action being taken by any competent governmental authority which restrains, prevents or imposes material adverse conditions upon the consummation of the Related Transactions unless otherwise consented to by the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)                                 The execution and delivery of the Related Agreements did not, and the consummation of the Related Transactions will not, violate any statute or regulation of the United States (including any securities law) or of any state or other applicable jurisdiction, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental body binding on any Loan Party or, to the Knowledge of a Senior Officer of the Company, any other party to the Related Agreements, or result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement, indenture, instrument or other document, or any judgment, order or decree, to which any Loan Party is a party or by which any Loan Party is bound or, to the Knowledge of a Senior Officer of the Company, to which any other party to the Related Agreements is a party or by which any such party is bound.

 

(e)                                  No statement or representation made in the Related Agreements by any Loan Party or, to the Knowledge of any Senior Officer of the Company, any other Person, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading in any material respect.

 

(f)                                    No material condition to the consummation of the Related Transaction has been waived (without the prior consent of the Administrative Agent).

 

(g)                                 Immediately after giving effect to the Related Transaction, all Debt to be Repaid will be paid in full, and all agreements and instruments governing the Debt to be Repaid and all Liens securing such Debt to be Repaid will be terminated or released pursuant to a payoff letter.

 

9.24                           Subordinated Debt.  The subordination provisions set forth in Section 15 hereof, with respect to the Term B Loan, are enforceable against the holders of the Subordinated Debt by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.  All Obligations with respect to Revolving Loans and Term A Loans constitute Senior Debt entitled to the benefits of such subordination provisions.  Each Borrower acknowledges that the Administrative Agent and each Lender is entering into this Agreement and are extending the Commitments and making the Revolving Loans and Term A Loans in reliance upon the such subordination provisions and this Section 9.24.

 

9.25                           Major Contracts.  There is no default by any Loan Party party to any Major Contract thereto or, to the Knowledge of the Senior Officers of the Company, any other party party thereto in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants or conditions contained in such Major Contract which could reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 10                             AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.

 

Until the expiration or termination of the Commitments and thereafter until all Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are Finally Paid and all Letters of Credit have been terminated, the Company agrees that, unless at any time the Required Lenders shall otherwise expressly consent in writing, it will:

 

10.1                           Reports, Certificates and Other Information.  Furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

10.1.1                  Annual Report.  Promptly when available and in any event within ninety (90) days after the close of each Fiscal Year: (a) a copy of the annual audit report of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such Fiscal Year, including therein consolidated balance sheets and statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Year, certified without

 

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adverse reference to going concern value and without qualification by independent auditors of recognized standing selected by the Company and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, together with (i) if requested by the Administrative Agent in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to the date the audited financials are required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 10.1.1, a written statement from such accountants to the effect that in making the examination necessary for the signing of such annual audit report by such accountants, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the Company was not in compliance with any provision of Section 11.1, 11.3 or 11.13 of this Agreement insofar as such provision relates to accounting matters or, if something has come to their attention that caused them to believe that the Company was not in compliance with any such provision, describing such non-compliance in reasonable detail and (ii) a comparison with the previous Fiscal Year; and (b) separate balance sheets for each Loan Party as of the end of such Fiscal Year and statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each Subsidiary of the Company for such Fiscal Year, certified by a Senior Officer of the Company.

 

10.1.2                  Quarterly Reports.  Promptly when available and in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each Fiscal Quarter (except the last Fiscal Quarter of each Fiscal Year), (a) consolidated balance sheets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter, together with consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Quarter and for the period beginning with the first day of such Fiscal Year and ending on the last day of such Fiscal Quarter, together with a comparison with the corresponding period of the previous Fiscal Year, certified by a Senior Officer of the Company; and (b) separate balance sheets of each Loan Party as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter, together with statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Quarter and for the period beginning with the first day of such Fiscal Year and ending on the last day of such Fiscal Quarter, together with a comparison with the corresponding period of the previous Fiscal Year, certified by a Senior Officer of the Company.

 

10.1.3                  Compliance Certificates.  Contemporaneously with the furnishing of a copy of each annual audit report pursuant to Section 10.1.1 and each set of statements pursuant to Section 10.1.2, a duly completed compliance certificate in the form of Exhibit B, with appropriate insertions, dated the date of such annual report or such quarterly statements and signed by a Senior Officer of the Company, containing (i) a computation of each of the financial ratios and restrictions set forth in Section 11.13 and to the effect that such officer has not become aware of any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default that has occurred and is continuing or, if there is any such event, describing it and the steps, if any, being taken to cure it and (ii) a written statement of the Company’s management setting forth a discussion of the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations.

 

10.1.4                  Reports to the SEC and to Shareholders.  Promptly upon the filing or sending thereof, copies of all regular, periodic or special reports of any Loan Party filed with the SEC; copies of all registration statements of any Loan Party filed with the SEC (other than on Form S-8); and copies of all proxy statements or other communications made to security holders generally.

 

10.1.5                  Notice of Default, Litigation and ERISA Matters.  Promptly upon a Senior Officer of a Loan Party obtaining Knowledge becoming aware of any of the following, written notice describing the same and the steps being taken by the Company or the Subsidiary affected thereby with respect thereto:

 

(a)                                  the occurrence of an Event of Default or an Unmatured Event of Default;

 

(b)                                 any litigation, arbitration or governmental investigation or proceeding not previously disclosed by the Company to the Lenders which has been instituted or, to the Knowledge of a Senior Officer of the Company, is threatened against any Loan Party or to which any of the properties of any thereof is subject which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)                                  the institution of any steps by any member of the Controlled Group or any other Person to terminate any Pension Plan, or the failure of any member of the Controlled Group to make a

 

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required contribution to any Pension Plan (if such failure is sufficient to give rise to a Lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA) or to any Multiemployer Pension Plan, or the taking of any action with respect to a Pension Plan which could result in the requirement that the Company furnish a bond or other security to the PBGC or such Pension Plan, or the occurrence of any event with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Pension Plan which could result in the incurrence by any member of the Controlled Group of any material liability, fine or penalty (including any claim or demand for withdrawal liability or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Pension Plan), or any material increase in the contingent liability of the Company with respect to any post-retirement welfare benefit plan or other employee benefit plan of the Company or another member of the Controlled Group, or any notice that any Multiemployer Pension Plan is in reorganization, that increased contributions may be required to avoid a reduction in plan benefits or the imposition of an excise tax, that any such plan is or has been funded at a rate less than that required under Section 412 of the Code, that any such plan is or may be terminated, or that any such plan is or may become insolvent;

 

(d)                                 any cancellation or material change in any insurance maintained by any Loan Party; or

 

(e)                                  any other event (including (i) any violation of any Environmental Law or the assertion of any Environmental Claim or (ii) the enactment or effectiveness of any law, rule or regulation) which might reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10.1.6                  Management Reports.  Promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of all detailed financial and management reports submitted to the Company by independent auditors in connection with each annual or interim audit made by such auditors of the books of the Company.

 

10.1.7                  Projections.  As soon as practicable, and in any event not later than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of each Fiscal Year, financial projections for the Company and its Subsidiaries for such Fiscal Year (including quarterly operating and cash flow budgets) prepared in a manner consistent with the projections delivered by the Company to the Lenders prior to the Closing Date or otherwise in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Officer of the Company on behalf of the Company to the effect that (a) such projections were prepared by the Company in good faith, (b) the Company had a reasonable basis for the assumptions contained in such projections when such projections were made and (c) such projections have been prepared in accordance with such assumptions.

 

10.1.8                  Subordinated Debt and Related Transaction Notices.  Promptly following receipt, copies of any material notices (including notices of default or acceleration) received from any holder or trustee of, under or with respect to any Subordinated Debt or in connection with the Related Transactions.

 

10.1.9                  Other Information.  Promptly from time to time, such other information concerning the Loan Parties as any Lender or the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

10.2                           Books, Records and Inspections.  Keep, and cause each other Loan Party to keep, its books and records in accordance with sound business practices sufficient to allow the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP; permit, and cause each other Loan Party to permit, any Lender or the Administrative Agent or any representative thereof to inspect the properties and operations of the Loan Parties; and permit, and cause each other Loan Party to permit, at any reasonable time and with reasonable notice (or at any time without notice if an Event of Default exists), any Lender or the Administrative Agent or any representative thereof to visit any or all of its offices, to discuss its financial matters with its officers and its independent auditors (and the Company hereby authorizes such independent auditors to discuss such financial matters with any Lender or the Administrative Agent or any representative thereof, provided that the Company is given an opportunity to be present at such discussion), and to examine (and, at the expense of the Loan Parties, photocopy extracts from) any of its books or other records; and permit, and cause each other Loan Party to permit, the Administrative Agent and its representatives to inspect the Inventory and other tangible

 

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assets of the Loan Parties, to perform appraisals of the equipment of the Loan Parties, and to inspect, audit, check and make copies of and extracts from the books, records, computer data, computer programs, journals, orders, receipts, correspondence and other data relating to Inventory, Accounts and any other collateral.  All such inspections or audits by the Administrative Agent shall be at the Company’s expense, provided that so long as no Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default exists, the Company shall not be required to reimburse the Administrative Agent for inspections or audits more frequently than once each Fiscal Year.

 

10.3                           Maintenance of Property; Insurance.  (a)  Keep, and cause each other Loan Party to keep, all property necessary in the business of the Company or such other Loan Party in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear, casualty and condemnation excepted.

 

(b)                                 Maintain, and cause each other Loan Party to maintain, with responsible insurance companies, such insurance coverage as may be required by any law or governmental regulation or court decree or order applicable to it and such other insurance, to such extent and against such hazards and liabilities, as is customarily maintained by companies similarly situated, but which shall insure against all risks and liabilities of the type identified on Schedule 9.16 and shall have insured amounts not materially less than, and deductibles not materially higher than, those set forth on such schedule; and, upon request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, furnish to the Administrative Agent or such Lender a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the nature and extent of all insurance maintained by the Loan Parties.  The Company shall cause each issuer of an insurance policy to provide the Administrative Agent with an endorsement (i) showing the Administrative Agent as loss payee with respect to each policy of property or casualty insurance and naming the Administrative Agent and each Lender as an additional insured with respect to each policy of liability insurance, (ii) providing that thirty (30) days’ (or ten (10) days’ in the case of non-payment of premiums) notice will be given to the Administrative Agent prior to any cancellation of, material reduction or change in coverage provided by or other material modification to such policy and (iii) reasonably acceptable in all other respects to the Administrative Agent.  The Company shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a collateral assignment, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of each business interruption insurance policy maintained by the Company.

 

(c)                                  UNLESS THE COMPANY PROVIDES THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT WITH EVIDENCE OF THE INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT MAY PURCHASE INSURANCE AT THE COMPANY’S EXPENSE TO PROTECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S AND THE LENDERS’ INTERESTS IN THE COLLATERAL.  THIS INSURANCE MAY, BUT NEED NOT, PROTECT ANY LOAN PARTY’S INTERESTS.  THE COVERAGE THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURCHASES MAY NOT PAY ANY CLAIM THAT IS MADE AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE COLLATERAL.  THE COMPANY MAY LATER CANCEL ANY INSURANCE PURCHASED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, BUT ONLY AFTER PROVIDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT WITH EVIDENCE THAT THE COMPANY HAS OBTAINED INSURANCE AS REQUIRED BY THIS AGREEMENT.  IF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURCHASES INSURANCE FOR THE COLLATERAL, THE COMPANY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS OF THAT INSURANCE, INCLUDING INTEREST AND ANY OTHER CHARGES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE INSURANCE, UNTIL THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CANCELLATION OR EXPIRATION OF THE INSURANCE.  THE COSTS OF THE INSURANCE MAY BE ADDED TO THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE LOANS OWING HEREUNDER.  THE COSTS OF THE INSURANCE MAY BE MORE THAN THE COST OF THE INSURANCE THE LOAN PARTIES MAY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ON THEIR OWN.

 

10.4                           Compliance with Laws; Payment of Taxes and Liabilities.  (a)                  Comply, and cause each other Loan Party to comply, in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, decrees, orders, judgments, licenses and permits, except where failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) without limiting clause (a) above, ensure, and cause each other Loan Party to ensure, that no person who owns a controlling interest in or otherwise controls a Loan Party is or shall be

 

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(i) listed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Person List maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), Department of the Treasury, and/or any other similar lists maintained by OFAC pursuant to any authorizing statute, Executive Order or regulation or (ii) a person designated under Section 1(b), (c) or (d) of Executive Order No. 13224 (September 23, 2001), any related enabling legislation or any other similar Executive Orders, (c) without limiting clause (a) above, comply, and cause each other Loan Party to comply, with all applicable Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) and anti-money laundering laws and regulations and (d) pay, and cause each other Loan Party to pay, prior to delinquency, all material taxes and other governmental charges against it or any collateral, as well as claims of any kind which, if unpaid, could become a Lien on any of its property; provided that the foregoing shall not require any Loan Party to pay any such tax or charge so long as it shall contest the validity thereof in good faith by appropriate proceedings and shall set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and, in the case of a claim which could become a Lien on any collateral, such contest proceedings shall stay the foreclosure of such Lien or the sale of any portion of the collateral to satisfy such claim.

 

10.5                           Maintenance of Existence, etc.  Maintain and preserve, and (subject to Section 11.4) cause each other Loan Party to maintain and preserve, (a) its existence and good standing in the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) its qualification to do business and good standing in each jurisdiction where the nature of its business makes such qualification necessary (other than such jurisdictions in which the failure to be qualified or in good standing could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

 

10.6                           Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of the Loans, and the Letters of Credit, solely to finance the Related Transactions, for working capital purposes, for Capital Expenditures and for other general business purposes; and not use or permit any proceeds of any Loan to be used, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of “purchasing or carrying” any Margin Stock.

 

10.7                           Employee Benefit Plans.

 

(a)                                  Maintain, and cause each other member of the Controlled Group to maintain, each Pension Plan in substantial compliance with all applicable requirements of law and regulations.

 

(b)                                 Make, and cause each other member of the Controlled Group to make, on a timely basis, all required contributions to any Multiemployer Pension Plan.

 

(c)                                  Not, and not permit any other member of the Controlled Group to (i) seek a waiver of the minimum funding standards of ERISA, (ii) terminate or withdraw from any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Pension Plan or (iii) take any other action with respect to any Pension Plan that would reasonably be expected to entitle the PBGC to terminate, impose liability in respect of, or cause a trustee to be appointed to administer, any Pension Plan, unless the actions or events described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) individually or in the aggregate would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10.8                           Environmental Matters.  If any release or threatened release or other disposal of Hazardous Substances shall occur or shall have occurred on any real property or any other assets of any Loan Party, the Company shall, or shall cause the applicable Loan Party to, cause the prompt containment and removal of such Hazardous Substances and the remediation of such real property or other assets as necessary to comply with all Environmental Laws, where the failure to do so could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall, and shall cause each other Loan Party to, comply with any Federal or state judicial or administrative order requiring the performance at any real property of any Loan Party of activities in response to the release or threatened release of a Hazardous Substance, where the failure to do so could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10.9                           Tax Shelter Registration.  Notify the Administrative Agent of any action (or the intention to take an action) inconsistent with the representation in Section 9.13(b).  If the Company so notifies the Administrative Agent, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders

 

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may treat the transactions contemplated hereby (or any single transaction contemplated hereby) as part of a transaction that is subject to Treasury Regulation Section ###-###-####-1, and the Administrative Agent and such Lender, as applicable, may maintain the lists and other regulations required by such Treasury Regulation.  To the extent the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines to maintain such list, each Loan Party shall cooperate with the Administrative Agent and Lenders in obtaining the information required under such Treasury Regulation.  Within 10 days after notifying the Administrative Agent under this Section 10.9, the Company shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a duly completed copy of IRS Form 8886 or any successor form.

 

10.10                     Further Assurances.  (a)  Take, and cause each other Loan Party to take, such actions as are necessary or as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request from time to time to ensure that the Obligations of each Loan Party under the Loan Documents are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and each domestic Subsidiary (as well as all Capital Securities of each domestic Subsidiary and 65% of all Capital Securities of each direct foreign Subsidiary) and guaranteed by each domestic Subsidiary (including, upon the acquisition or creation thereof, any Subsidiary acquired or created after the Closing Date), in each case as the Administrative Agent may determine, including, without limitation, (i) the execution and delivery of guaranties, security agreements, pledge agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, financing statements and other documents, and the filing or recording of any of the foregoing and opinions related thereto, (ii) the delivery of certificated securities and other collateral with respect to which perfection is obtained by possession and (iii) cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent a current environmental site assessment report prepared in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s standard requirements for environmental assessments of real property.

 

(b)                                 With respect to each parcel of real property owned by any Loan Party, within sixty (60) days of the Closing Date, cause a duly executed Mortgage providing for a fully perfected Lien, in favor of the Administrative Agent, in all right, title and interest of the Company or such Subsidiary in such real property, together with:

 

(i)                                 an ALTA Loan Title Insurance Policy, issued by an insurer acceptable to the Administrative Agent, insuring the Administrative Agent’s Lien on such real property and containing such endorsements as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require (it being understood that the amount of coverage, exceptions to coverage and status of title set forth in such policy shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent);

 

(ii)                              copies of all documents of record concerning such real property as shown on the commitment for the ALTA Loan Title Insurance Policy referred to above;

 

(iii)                           original or certified copies of all insurance policies required to be maintained with respect to such real property by this Agreement, the applicable Mortgage or any other Loan Document;

 

(iv)                          a survey certified to the Administrative Agent meeting such standards as the Administrative Agent may reasonably establish and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(v)                             a flood insurance policy concerning such real property, if required by the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973; and

 

(vi)                          an appraisal, prepared by an independent appraiser engaged directly by the Administrative Agent, of such parcel of real property or interest in real property, which appraisal shall satisfy the requirements of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act, if applicable, and shall evidence compliance with the supervisory loan-to-value limits set forth in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, if applicable.

 

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Additionally, within such time period, (A) in the case of any material leased real property, the Borrowers will use their commercially reasonable efforts to provide a Collateral Access Agreement from the landlord of such property waiving or subordinating any landlord’s Lien in respect of personal property kept at the premises subject to such lease and (B) in the case of any material mortgaged real property, the Borrowers will use their commercially reasonable efforts to provide a waiver from the mortgagee thereof waiving any Lien in respect of personal property kept at the premises subject to such Mortgage.

 

10.11                     Deposit Accounts.  Within ninety (90) days of the Closing Date, unless the Administrative Agent otherwise consents in writing, in order to facilitate the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ maintenance and monitoring of their security interests in the collateral, maintain all of their principal operating deposit accounts and investment accounts with the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 11                             NEGATIVE COVENANTS.

 

Until the expiration or termination of the Commitments and thereafter until all Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are Finally Paid and all Letters of Credit have been terminated, the Company agrees that, unless at any time the Required Lenders shall otherwise expressly consent in writing, it will:

 

11.1                           Debt.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Debt, except:

 

(a)                                  Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

 

(b)                                 Debt secured by Liens permitted by Section 11.2(d), and extensions, renewals and refinancings thereof; provided that the aggregate amount of all such Debt at any time outstanding shall not exceed $3,000,000;

 

(c)                                  Debt of any Borrower to any other Borrower; provided that if such Debt is evidenced by a note, such note shall be pledged and delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents as additional collateral security for the Obligations, and the obligations under any demand note shall be subordinated to the Obligations of the applicable Borrower hereunder in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(d)                                 Hedging Obligations approved by Administrative Agent and incurred in favor of a Lender or an Affiliate thereof for bona fide hedging purposes and not for speculation;

 

(e)                                  Debt described on Schedule 11.1 and any extension, renewal or refinancing thereof so long as the principal amount thereof is not increased;

 

(f)                                    the Debt to be Repaid (so long as such Debt is repaid on the Closing Date with the proceeds of the initial Loans hereunder);

 

(g)                                 Subordinated Debt of the Company incurred to refinance the Term B Loans on terms and conditions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, in an amount not to exceed the remainder of (x) $75,000,000 less (y) the amount of Subordinated Debt outstanding under clause (m) below, or, if less, such amount such that immediately after giving effect to the issuance and the application of proceeds thereof, the Total Debt to EBITDA Ratio is less than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00; provided, that (i) immediately before and after giving effect to the issuance of such Subordinated Debt (A) no Unmatured Event of Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (B) the Revolving Loan Availability is equal to or more than $5,000,000 and (ii) the proceeds of such Subordinated Debt are actually used to Finally Pay the Term B Loans and the remaining proceeds, if any, are deposited in an account maintained with the

 

45



 

Administrative Agent which has been pledged as Collateral for the Obligations pursuant to cash collateral arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and thereafter, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default, used to make Permitted Acquisitions or to prepay the Term A Loans or the Revolving Loan pursuant to Section 6.2.1;

 

(h)                                 Earnout Obligations and/or the deferred purchase price incurred in connection with a Permitted Acquisition in an amount not to exceed 20% of the purchase price of such Permitted Acquisition;

 

(i)                                     accretion and capitalization of interest on Debt otherwise permitted under this Agreement;

 

(j)                                     Debt incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the financing of insurance premiums;

 

(k)                                  Debt incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of netting services, overdraft protections and otherwise in connection with deposit accounts;

 

(l)                                     Debt of an Acquired Entity acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition outstanding at the time of such Permitted Acquisition, provided that such Debt shall not have been incurred in contemplation of such Permitted Acquisition;

 

(m)                               Subordinated Debt incurred in connection with Permitted Acquisitions in an amount not to exceed the remainder of (x) $75,000,000 less the amount of Subordinated Debt outstanding under clause (g) above; provided, that immediately before and after giving effect to the issuance of such Subordinated Debt no Unmatured Event of Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and

 

(n)                                 other Debt, in addition to the Debt listed above, in an aggregate outstanding amount not at any time exceeding $500,000.

 

11.2                           Liens.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, create or permit to exist any Lien on any of its real or personal properties, assets or rights of whatsoever nature (whether now owned or hereafter acquired), except:

 

(a)                                  Liens for taxes or other governmental charges not at the time delinquent or thereafter payable without penalty or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and, in each case, for which it maintains adequate reserves;

 

(b)                                 Liens arising in the ordinary course of business (such as (i) Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, bankers and materialmen and other similar Liens imposed by law and (ii) Liens in the form of deposits or pledges incurred in connection with worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation and other types of social security (excluding Liens arising under ERISA) or in connection with surety bonds, bids, performance bonds and similar obligations) for sums not overdue or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and not involving any advances or borrowed money or the deferred purchase price of property or services and, in each case, for which it maintains adequate reserves;

 

(c)                                  Liens described on Schedule 11.2 as of the Closing Date;

 

(d)                                 subject to the limitation set forth in Section 11.1(b), (i) Liens arising in connection with Capital Leases (and attaching only to the property being leased), (ii) Liens existing on property at the time of the acquisition thereof by any Loan Party (and not created in contemplation of such

 

46



 

acquisition) and (iii) Liens that constitute purchase money security interests on any property securing debt incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the cost of acquiring such property, provided that any such Lien attaches to such property within sixty (60) days of the acquisition thereof and attaches solely to the property so acquired;

 

(e)                                  attachments, appeal bonds, judgments and other similar Liens, for sums not exceeding $500,000 (exclusive of amounts covered by valid and collectible insurance other than self insurance in respect thereof by a Person that has acknowledged its obligation to make such payment) arising in connection with court proceedings, provided the execution or other enforcement of such Liens is effectively stayed and the claims secured thereby are being actively contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;

 

(f)                                    easements, covenants, conditions, rights of way, restrictions, minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar Liens not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of any Loan Party;

 

(g)                                 Liens arising under the Loan Documents;

 

(h)                                 the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (c) above upon or in the same property subject thereto arising out of the extension, renewal or replacement of the Debt secured thereby (without increase in the amount thereof);

 

(i)                                     Liens which arise under Article 4 of the UCC on items in collection and documents and proceeds related thereto;

 

(j)                                     Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statements regarding leases and consignments;

 

(k)                                  any interest or title of a licensor, sublicensor, lessor or sublessor under any lease or lease agreement to the extent limited to each item licensed or leased;

 

(l)                                     Liens in connection with Hedging Agreements permitted pursuant to this Agreement;

 

(m)                               Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto; and

 

(n)                                 zoning, building codes and other land use laws regulating the use or occupancy of real property which do not interfere, in any material respect, with the ordinary conduct of the business of any Loan Party and any Liens, encumbrances and encroachments described in any title insurance policy or survey delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

11.3                           Restricted Payments.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, (a) make any distribution with respect to its Capital Securities (other than distributions in-kind), (b) purchase or redeem any of its Capital Securities, other than purchases from employees, officers and directors of the Loan Parties upon termination of their employment in an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000 in any Fiscal Year, provided that both immediately before and after giving effect to any such purchase or redemption, no Unmatured Event of Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (c) pay any management fees or similar fees to any of its equityholders or any Affiliate thereof, (d) make any redemption, prepayment, defeasance, repurchase or any other payment in respect of any Subordinated Debt (other than the Term B Loans as set forth in Sections 6.2.2(a)(ii) and (iv)) or (e) set aside funds for any of the foregoing.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) any Subsidiary may pay dividends or make other distributions to the Company or to a domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary; and (ii) the Company may make regularly scheduled payments of interest in respect of Subordinated Debt to the extent permitted under the subordination provisions thereof.

 

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11.4                           Mergers, Consolidations, Sales.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, (a) be a party to any merger or consolidation, or purchase or otherwise acquire all or substantially all of the assets or any Capital Securities of any class of, or any partnership or joint venture interest in, any other Person, (b) sell, transfer, convey or lease all or any substantial part of its assets (including Capital Securities of any Subsidiary) except for sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business, or (c) sell or assign with or without recourse any receivables, except for (i) any such merger, consolidation, sale, transfer, conveyance, lease or assignment of or by any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary into the Company or into any other domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary; (ii) any such purchase or other acquisition by the Company or any domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the assets or Capital Securities of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary; (iii) from and after the date the Term B Loan is Finally Paid, Permitted Acquisitions, (iv) transfers among Loan Parties, (v) sales and dispositions of assets (including the Capital Securities of Subsidiaries) for at least fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company) so long as the net book value of all assets sold or otherwise disposed of in any Fiscal Year does not exceed $1,000,000 and (vi) the sale of the assets used in the Infrastructure Software business unit of Bankruptcy Services (which consist mainly of internally developed software); provided that the Net Cash Proceeds of such sale do not exceed $2,000,000.

 

11.5                           Modification of Organizational Documents.  Not permit the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party to be amended or modified in any way which could reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the interests of the Lenders.

 

11.6                           Transactions with Affiliates.  Except as set forth on Schedule 11.6, not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into, or cause, suffer or permit to exist any transaction, arrangement or contract with any of its other Affiliates (other than a Borrower) which is on terms which are less favorable than are obtainable from any Person which is not one of its Affiliates; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) reasonable compensation, expense reimbursement and indemnities provided to officers and directors in the ordinary course of business, (b) reasonable stock option plans, (c) reasonable employment contracts in the ordinary course of business, (d) stock repurchases from employees and officers to the extent permitted pursuant to by Section 11.3 and (e) advances to officers and employees permitted pursuant to Section 11.10.

 

11.7                           Unconditional Purchase Obligations.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into or be a party to any contract for the purchase of materials, supplies or other property or services if such contract requires that payment be made by it regardless of whether delivery is ever made of such materials, supplies or other property or services.

 

11.8                           Inconsistent Agreements.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into any agreement containing any provision which would (a) be violated or breached by any borrowing by the Company hereunder or by the performance by any Loan Party of any of its Obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (b) prohibit any Loan Party from granting to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, a Lien on any of its assets or (c) create or permit to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to (i) pay dividends or make other distributions to the Company or any other Subsidiary, or pay any Debt owed to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (ii) make loans or advances to any Loan Party or (iii) transfer any of its assets or properties to any Loan Party, other than (A) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of all or a substantial part of the assets of any Subsidiary pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder (B) restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to purchase money Debt, Capital Leases and other secured Debt permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Debt and (C) customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

 

11.9                           Business Activities; Issuance of Equity.  (a)  (i) Not, and not permit any other Borrower to, engage in any line of business other than the businesses engaged in on the date hereof and businesses reasonably related thereto and (ii) not permit any other Loan Party to engage in any business other than that directly incidental to being a holding company without any independent operations.

 

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(b)                                 Not permit any Loan Party which is not a Borrower to directly or indirectly make, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Debt or any Investment, other than such Person’s Investment in its Subsidiaries in existence on the Closing Date.

 

(c)                                  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, issue any Capital Securities of a Subsidiary of the Company other than any issuance by a Subsidiary to the Company or another Subsidiary in accordance with Section 11.3.

 

11.10                     Investments.  Not permit any Loan Party other than a Borrower to make or permit to exist any Investment and not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, make or permit to exist any Investment in any other Person, except the following:

 

(a)                                  contributions by the Company to the capital of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, or by any Subsidiary to the capital of any other domestic Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, so long as the recipient of any such capital contribution has guaranteed the Obligations and such guaranty is secured by a pledge of all of its Capital Securities and substantially all of its real and personal property, in each case in accordance with Section 10.10;

 

(b)                                 Investments constituting Debt permitted by Section 11.1;

 

(c)                                  Contingent Liabilities constituting Debt permitted by Section 11.1 or Liens permitted by Section 11.2;

 

(d)                                 Cash Equivalent Investments;

 

(e)                                  subject to Section 10.11, bank deposits in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f)                                    Investments in securities of Account Debtors received pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such account debtors;

 

(g)                                 Investments listed on Schedule 11.10 as of the Closing Date;

 

(h)                                 Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(i)                                     earnest money required in connection with Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(j)                                     Investments consisting of notes received in connection with an Asset Disposition which have been pledged to the Administrative Agent as Collateral for the Obligations in an amount not to exceed 20% of the sales price of such Asset Disposition; and

 

(k)                                  any Borrower may capitalize or forgive any Debt owed to it by another Loan Party in the ordinary course of business;

 

(l)                                     loans to officers and employees of the Borrowers not to exceed $100,000 outstanding at any time;

 

(m)                               Investments consisting of guaranties of lease obligations of a Loan Party; and

 

(n)                                 other Investments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000 at any one time outstanding.

 

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provided that any Investment which when made complies with the requirements of the definition of the term “Cash Equivalent Investment” may continue to be held notwithstanding that such Investment if made thereafter would not comply with such requirements.

 

11.11                     Restriction of Amendments to Certain Documents.  Not amend or otherwise modify in any manner materially adverse to the Lenders, or waive any material rights under, any Related Agreements or any Major Contract.

 

11.12                     Fiscal Year.  Not change its Fiscal Year.

 

11.13                     Financial Covenants.

 

11.13.1                                    EBITDA.  Not permit EBITDA as of the last day of any Computation Period to be less than the applicable amount set forth below for such Computation Period:

 

Computation
Period Ending

 

EBITDA

 

December 31, 2003

 

 

$

46,000,000

 

March 31, 2004

 

 

$

46,000,000

 

June 30, 2004

 

 

$

44,000,000

 

September 30, 2004

 

 

$

39,000,000

 

December 31, 2004

 

 

$

38,000,000

 

March 31, 2005

 

 

$

40,000,000

 

June 30, 2005

 

 

$

41,000,000

 

September 30, 2005

 

 

$

43,000,000

 

December 31, 2005

 

 

$

45,000,000

 

March 31, 2006

 

 

$

47,000,000

 

June 30, 2006

 

 

$

49,000,000

 

September 30, 2006

 

 

$

52,000,000

 

December 31, 2006

 

 

$

52,000,000

 

 

11.13.2                                    Interest Charge Coverage Ratio.  Not permit the Interest Charge Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any period to be less than the applicable ratio set forth below for such period:

 

Period

 

Interest Charge Coverage
Ratio

 

Three (3) month period ending March 31, 2004

 

3.00 to 1.00

 

Six (6) month period ending June 30, 2004

 

3.00 to 1.00

 

Nine (9) month period ending September 30, 2004

 

2.85 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending December 31, 2004

 

2.85 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending March 31, 2005

 

3.25 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending June 30, 2005

 

3.50 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending September 30, 2005

 

3.75 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending December 31, 2005

 

4.00 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending March 31, 2006

 

4.00 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending June 30, 2006

 

4.00 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending September 30, 2006

 

4.00 to 1.00

 

Computation Period ending December 31, 2006

 

4.00 to 1.00

 

 

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11.13.3                                    Senior Debt to EBITDA Ratio.  Not permit the Senior Debt to EBITDA Ratio as of the last day of any Computation Period to exceed the applicable ratio set forth below for such Computation Period:

 

Computation
Period Ending

 

Senior Debt to
EBITDA Ratio

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2004

 

 

1.50 to 1.00

 

June 30, 2004

 

 

1.40 to 1.00

 

September 30, 2004

 

 

1.40 to 1.00

 

December 31, 2004

 

 

1.30 to 1.00

 

March 31, 2005

 

 

1.10 to 1.00

 

June 30, 2005

 

 

1.00 to 1.00

 

September 30, 2005

 

 

0.90 to 1.00

 

December 31, 2005

 

 

0.75 to 1.00

 

March 31, 2006

 

 

0.65 to 1.00

 

June 30, 2006

 

 

0.50 to 1.00

 

September 30, 2006

 

 

0.50 to 1.00

 

December 31, 2006

 

 

0.50 to 1.00

 

 

provided, however, that if the Term B Loan has been Finally Paid, the Company will not permit the Senior Debt to EBITDA Ratio as of the last day of each Computation Period (beginning with the Computation Period Ending March 31, 2005) to exceed 1.00 to 1.00.

 

11.13.4                                    Capital Expenditures.  Not permit the aggregate amount of all Capital Expenditures made by the Loan Parties in Fiscal Year 2004 to exceed $13,000,000, in Fiscal Year 2005 to exceed $14,000,000 and in Fiscal Year 2006 to exceed $15,000,000.  If the Loan Parties do not utilize the entire amount of Capital Expenditures permitted in any Fiscal Year, the Loan Parties may carry forward, to the immediately succeeding Fiscal Year only, 50% of such unutilized amount (with Capital Expenditures made by the Loan Parties in such succeeding Fiscal Year applied last to such unutilized amount); provided that, Capital Expenditures shall not include (A) Permitted Acquisitions or (B) expenditures to the extent that such expenditures (i) are made as a tenant in leasehold improvements to the extent reimbursable by the landlord, (ii) the purchase price paid in connection with a Permitted Acquisition to the extent such purchase price would otherwise constitute a Capital Expenditure or (iii) are made with the proceeds of a Disposition of assets which are used to replace such disposed asset with another asset performing the same or a similar function within 180 days of such Disposition.

 

11.14                     Cancellation of Debt.  Not, and not permit any other Loan Party to, cancel any claim or debt owing to it (other than claims or debts owed by other Loan Parties permitted pursuant to Section 11.10), except for reasonable consideration or in the ordinary course of business, and except for the cancellation of debts or claims not to exceed $250,000 in the aggregate in any Fiscal Year.

 

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SECTION 12                             EFFECTIVENESS; CONDITIONS OF LENDING, ETC.

 

The obligation of each Lender to make its Loans and of the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

12.1                           Initial Credit Extension.  The obligation of the Lenders to make the initial Loans and the obligation of the Issuing Lender to issue its initial Letter of Credit (whichever first occurs) is, in addition to the conditions precedent specified in Section 12.2, subject to the conditions precedent that (a) all Debt to be Repaid has been (or concurrently with the initial borrowing will be) paid in full, and that all agreements and instruments governing the Debt to be Repaid and that all Liens securing such Debt to be Repaid have been (or concurrently with the initial borrowing will be) terminated or released pursuant to a payoff letter and (b) the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) evidence, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Company has completed, or concurrently with the initial credit extension hereunder will complete, the Related Transactions in accordance with the terms of the Related Agreements (without any material amendment thereto or waiver thereunder unless consented to by the Lenders); (ii) evidence reasonably satisfactory to it that (w) the sum of (A) the aggregate purchase price under the Related Transaction, plus (B) the amount required to refinance all existing Debt of the Loan Parties shall not exceed $115,000,000, (x) the aggregate fees and expenses payable by the Company with respect to the Related Transactions would not exceed $5,500,000, (y) after giving effect to the funding of the Term Loans and Revolving Loans on the Closing Date and the payment of all costs and expenses, (A) the Senior Debt to EBITDA Ratio would be equal to or less than 1.45 to 1.00 and (B) the Total Debt to EBITDA Ratio would be equal to or less than 2.10 to 1.00 and (z) there has been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since December 31, 2002 and with respect to P-D since September 30, 2003; and (iii) all of the following, each duly executed and dated the Closing Date (or such earlier date as shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (and the date on which all such conditions precedent have been satisfied or waived in writing by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is called the “Closing Date”):

 

12.1.1                  Notes.  A Revolving Note, Term A Loan Note and/or Term B Loan Note for each Lender.

 

12.1.2                  Authorization Documents.  For each Loan Party, such Person’s (a) charter (or similar formation document), certified by the appropriate governmental authority; (b) good standing certificates in its state of incorporation (or formation) and in each other state requested by the Administrative Agent; (c) bylaws (or similar governing document); (d) resolutions of its board of directors (or similar governing body) approving and authorizing such Person’s execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is party and the transactions contemplated thereby; and (e) signature and incumbency certificates of its officers executing any of the Loan Documents (it being understood that the Administrative Agent and each Lender may conclusively rely on each such certificate until formally advised by a like certificate of any changes therein), all certified by its secretary or an assistant secretary (or similar officer) as being in full force and effect without modification.

 

12.1.3                  Related Transactions.  Evidence that the Related Transaction shall have been or shall concurrently be consummated in accordance with applicable law and on satisfactory terms.  The Related Agreements shall have satisfactory terms and conditions, and no material provision of such documentation shall have been waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in any material respect unless consented to by the Administrative Agent.  The Loan Parties shall have no debt other than the Obligations under this Agreement and debt approved by the Administrative Agent.  The capitalization and structure of the Loan Parties after the Acquisition shall be reasonably satisfactory in all respects.  Copies of the Related Agreements certified by the secretary or assistant secretary (or similar officer) of the Company as being true, accurate and complete.

 

12.1.4                  Consents, etc.  Certified copies of all documents evidencing any necessary corporate or partnership action, consents and governmental approvals (if any) required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of the documents referred to in this Section 12.

 

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12.1.5                  Letter of Direction.  A letter of direction containing funds flow information with respect to the proceeds of the Loans on the Closing Date.

 

12.1.6                  Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.  A counterpart of the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement executed by each Loan Party, together with all instruments, transfer powers and other items required to be delivered in connection therewith.

 

12.1.7                  Perfection Certificate.  A Perfection Certificate completed and executed by each Loan Party.

 

12.1.8                  [Intentionally Omitted.]

 

12.1.9                  Opinions of Counsel.  Opinions of counsel for each Loan Party, including local counsel reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, and all other opinions issued pursuant to the Related Transactions.

 

12.1.10                                    Insurance.  Evidence of the existence of insurance required to be maintained pursuant to Section 10.3(b), together with evidence that the Administrative Agent has been named as a lender’s loss payee and an additional insured on all related insurance policies, as appropriate.

 

12.1.11                                    Payment of Fees.  Evidence of payment by the Company of all accrued and unpaid fees, costs and expenses to the extent then due and payable on the Closing Date, together with all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute the Administrative Agent’s reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by the Administrative Agent through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude final settling of accounts between the Company and the Administrative Agent).

 

12.1.12                                    Solvency Certificate.  A Solvency Certificate executed by a Senior Officer of the Company.

 

12.1.13                                    Financial Statements.  Copies of (a) the audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Subsidiaries for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001 and 2002, (b) the audited consolidated financial statements for P-D and its subsidiaries for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2002 and 2003, (c) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal month and quarterly period ended after December 31, 2002, (d) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for P-D and its subsidiaries for each fiscal month and quarterly period ended after September 30, 2003 and (e) an accounting due diligence report prepared by CBIZ using agreed-upon procedures for P-D for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2002 and 2003.

 

12.1.14                                    Pro Forma and Projected Financial Statements.  (a) A consolidated pro forma balance sheet of the Company as at the Closing Date, adjusted to give effect to the consummation of the Related Transactions and the financings contemplated hereby as if such transactions had occurred on such date, consistent in all material respects with the sources and uses of cash as previously described to the Lenders and the forecasts previously provided to the Lenders.

 

(b)                                 Projected balance sheets, statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows prepared by the Company after giving effect to the consummation of the Related Transactions and the financings contemplated hereby and the use of the proceeds therefrom on a quarterly basis for Fiscal Year 2004 and on an annual basis for Fiscal Year 2005 and 2006.

 

12.1.15                                    Search Results; Lien Terminations.  Certified copies of Uniform Commercial Code search reports dated a date reasonably near to the Closing Date, listing all effective financing statements which name any Loan Party (under their present names and any previous names) as debtors, together with (a) copies of such financing statements, (b) payoff letters evidencing repayment in full of all Debt to be Repaid, the

 

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termination of all agreements relating thereto and the release of all Liens granted in connection therewith, with Uniform Commercial Code or other appropriate termination statements and documents effective to evidence the foregoing (other than Liens permitted by Section 11.2) and (c) such other Uniform Commercial Code termination statements as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

12.1.16                                    Filings, Registrations and Recordings.  The Administrative Agent shall have received each document (including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements) required by the Collateral Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected Lien on the collateral described therein, prior to any other Liens (subject only to Liens permitted pursuant to Section 11.2), in proper form for filing, registration or recording.

 

12.1.17                                    Closing Certificate, Consents and Permits.  A certificate executed by an officer of the Company on behalf of the Company certifying (a) the matters set forth in Section 12.2.1 as of the Closing Date and (b) the occurrence of the closing of the Related Transactions and that such closing has been consummated in accordance with the terms of the Related Agreements without waiver of any material condition thereof; together with evidence that (i) all necessary governmental, regulatory, creditor, shareholder, partner and other material consents, approvals and exemptions required to be obtained by the Company in connection with the Related Transactions have been duly obtained and are in full force and effect and (ii) all material permits necessary for the operation of any business(es) acquired in connection with the Related Transactions have been obtained.

 

12.1.18                                    Other.  Such other documents as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

12.2                           Conditions.  The obligation (a) of each Lender to make each Loan and (b) of the Issuing Lender to issue each Letter of Credit is subject to the following further conditions precedent that:

 

12.2.1                                          Compliance with Warranties, No Default, etc.  Both before and after giving effect to any borrowing and the issuance of any Letter of Credit, the following statements shall be true and correct:

 

(a)                                  the representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all respects with the same effect as if then made (except to the extent stated to relate to a specific earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such earlier date); and

 

(b)                                 no Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default shall have then occurred and be continuing.

 

12.2.2                                          Confirmatory Certificate.  If requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, the Administrative Agent shall have received (in sufficient counterparts to provide one to each Lender) a certificate dated the date of such requested Loan or Letter of Credit and signed by a duly authorized representative of the Company as to the matters set out in Section 12.2.1 (it being understood that each request by the Company for the making of a Loan or the issuance of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Company that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 12.2.1 will be satisfied at the time of the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit), together with such other documents as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request in support thereof.

 

SECTION 13     EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND THEIR EFFECT.

 

13.1                           Events of Default.  Each of the following shall constitute an Event of Default under this Agreement:

 

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13.1.1                                          Non-Payment of the Loans, etc.  Default in the payment when due of the principal of any Loan; or default, and continuance thereof for three (3) Business Days, in the payment when due of any interest, fee, reimbursement obligation with respect to any Letter of Credit or other amount payable by the Company hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

 

13.1.2                                          Non-Payment of Other Debt.  Any default shall occur under the terms applicable to any Debt of any Loan Party in an aggregate amount (for all such Debt so affected and including undrawn committed or available amounts and amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) exceeding $500,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto and such default shall (a) consist of the failure to pay such Debt when due, whether by acceleration or otherwise, or (b) accelerate the maturity of such Debt or permit the holder or holders thereof, or any trustee or agent for such holder or holders, to cause such Debt to become due and payable (or require any Loan Party to purchase or redeem such Debt or post cash collateral in respect thereof) prior to its expressed maturity.

 

13.1.3                                          Bankruptcy, Insolvency, etc.  Any Loan Party becomes insolvent or generally fails to pay, or admits in writing its inability or refusal to pay, debts as they become due; or any Loan Party applies for, consents to, or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or other custodian for such Loan Party or any property thereof, or makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or, in the absence of such application, consent or acquiescence, a trustee, receiver or other custodian is appointed for any Loan Party or for a substantial part of the property of any thereof and is not discharged within sixty (60) days; or any bankruptcy, reorganization, debt arrangement, or other case or proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law, or any dissolution or liquidation proceeding, is commenced in respect of any Loan Party, and if such case or proceeding is not commenced by such Loan Party, it is consented to or acquiesced in by such Loan Party, or remains for sixty (60) days undismissed; or any Loan Party takes any action to authorize, or in furtherance of, any of the foregoing.

 

13.1.4                                          Non-Compliance with Loan Documents.  (a) Failure by any Loan Party to comply with or to perform any covenant set forth in Section 10.1.5, 10.3(b), 10.5 or 10.9 or Section 11; or (b) failure by any Loan Party to comply with or to perform any other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (and not constituting an Event of Default under any other provision of this Section 13) and continuance of such failure described in this clause (b) for thirty (30) days.

 

13.1.5                                          Representations; Warranties.  Any representation or warranty made by any Loan Party herein or any other Loan Document is breached or is false or misleading in any material respect, or any schedule, certificate, financial statement, report, notice or other writing (other than projections and budgets) furnished by any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection herewith is false or misleading in any material respect on the date as of which the facts therein set forth are stated or certified.

 

13.1.6                                          Pension Plans.  (a) Any Person institutes steps to terminate a Pension Plan if as a result of such termination the Company or any member of the Controlled Group could be required to make a contribution to such Pension Plan, or could incur a liability or obligation to such Pension Plan, in excess of $250,000; (b) a contribution failure occurs with respect to any Pension Plan sufficient to give rise to a Lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA; (c) the Unfunded Liability exceeds twenty percent of the Total Plan Liability, or (d) there shall occur any withdrawal or partial withdrawal from a Multiemployer Pension Plan and the withdrawal liability (without unaccrued interest) to Multiemployer Pension Plans as a result of such withdrawal (including any outstanding withdrawal liability that the Company or any member of the Controlled Group have incurred on the date of such withdrawal) exceeds $250,000.

 

13.1.7                                          Judgments.  Final judgments which (exclusive of amounts covered by valid and collectible insurance other than self insurance in respect thereof by a Person that has acknowledged its obligation to make such payment) exceed an aggregate of $500,000 shall be rendered against any Loan Party and shall not have been paid, discharged or vacated or had execution thereof stayed pending appeal within forty-five (45) days after entry or filing of such judgments.

 

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13.1.8                                          Invalidity of Collateral Documents, etc.  Any material Collateral Document shall cease to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party (or any Person by, through or on behalf of any Loan Party) shall contest in any manner the validity, binding nature or enforceability of any Collateral Document.

 

13.1.9                                          Invalidity of Subordination Provisions, etc.  Any subordination provision in any document or instrument governing Subordinated Debt, or any subordination provision in any guaranty by any Subsidiary of any Subordinated Debt, shall cease to be in full force and effect, or any Loan Party or any other Person (including the holder of any applicable Subordinated Debt, unless such Person is also a holder of Obligations which constitute Senior Debt) shall contest in any manner the validity, binding nature or enforceability of any such provision.

 

13.1.10                                    Change of Control.  A Change of Control shall occur.

 

13.1.11                                    Major Contracts.  (a) Any Person shall terminate, discontinue or revoke any of its material obligations under any Major Contract other than at the scheduled end of the term of such Major Contract; (b) any Major Contract is terminated by any Person other than at the scheduled end of the term of such Major Contract; or (c) any breach or violation of any term or provision of any Major Contract shall occur which could reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

13.2                           Effect of Event of Default.  If any Event of Default described in Section 13.1.3 shall occur in respect of the Company, the Commitments shall immediately terminate and the Loans and all other Obligations hereunder shall become immediately due and payable and the Borrowers shall become immediately and jointly and severally obligated to Cash Collateralize all Letters of Credit, all without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind; and, if any other Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, (a) the Administrative Agent may (and, upon the written request of the Required Lenders shall) declare the Commitments to be terminated in whole or in part and/or declare all or any part of the Loans and all other Obligations hereunder to be due and payable and/or demand that the Borrowers immediately Cash Collateralize all or any Letters of Credit, whereupon the Commitments shall immediately terminate (or be reduced, as applicable) and/or the Loans and other Obligations hereunder shall become immediately due and payable (in whole or in part, as applicable) and/or the Borrowers shall become immediately and jointly and severally obligated to Cash Collateralize the Letters of Credit (all or any, as applicable), and (b) the Required Term B Lenders may declare all or any part of the Term B Loans and all other Obligations hereunder relating thereto to be due and payable, all without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind.  The Administrative Agent or the Required Term B Lenders shall promptly advise the Company of any such declaration, but failure to do so shall not impair the effect of such declaration.  Any cash collateral delivered hereunder in connection with any Letter of Credit shall be held by the Administrative Agent (without liability for interest thereon) and applied to the Obligations arising in connection with any drawing under a Letter of Credit.  After the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit, such cash collateral shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to any remaining Obligations hereunder and any excess shall be delivered to the Company or as a court of competent jurisdiction may elect.

 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, after the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other Obligations hereunder and under the Loan Documents (including without limitation the maximum amount of all contingent liabilities under Letters of Credit) shall have become due and payable, all amounts collected or received by the Administrative Agent or any Lender on account of amounts outstanding under any of the Loan Documents or in respect of the Collateral shall be paid over or delivered as follows:

 

FIRST, to the payment of all fees, costs, expenses and indemnities of the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as such), including Attorney Costs, and any other Obligations owing to the Agent in respect of sums advanced by the Administrative Agent to preserve the Collateral or to preserve its security interest in the Collateral, until paid in full;

 

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SECOND, to the payment of all fees, costs, expenses and indemnities (including Attorney Costs) of the Lenders, pro-rata, until paid in full;

 

THIRD, to the payment of all of the Obligations (other than Term B Loans, Bank Product Obligations and Hedging Obligations) consisting of accrued and unpaid interest owing to any Lender, pro-rata, until paid in full;

 

FOURTH, to the payment of all of the Obligations (other than Term B Loans, Bank Product Obligations and Hedging Obligations) consisting of principal owing to any Lender, pro-rata, until paid in full;

 

FIFTH, to the payment of the Administrative Agent an amount equal to 110% of all Obligations in respect of outstanding Letters of Credit to be held as cash collateral in respect of such obligations;

 

SIXTH, to the payment of all of the Obligations regarding Term B Loans consisting of accrued and unpaid interest owing to any such Lender, pro-rata, until paid in full;

 

SEVENTH, to the payment of all of the Obligations regarding Term B Loans, consisting of principal owing to any such Lender, pro-rata, until paid in full;

 

EIGHTH, to the payment of all Bank Products Obligations and Hedging Obligations owing to any Lender or its Affiliates, pro-rata, until paid in full;

 

NINTH, to the payment of all other Obligations owing to each Lender, pro-rata, until paid in full; and

 

TENTH, to the payment of any remaining proceeds, if any, to whomever may be lawfully entitled to receive such amounts.

 

SECTION 14                             THE AGENT.

 

14.1                           Appointment and Authorization.  Each Lender hereby irrevocably (subject to Section 14.10) appoints, designates and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and each other Loan Document and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to it by the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility except those expressly set forth herein, nor shall the Administrative Agent have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or participant, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the use of the term “agent” herein and in other Loan Documents with reference to the Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law.  Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.

 

14.2                           Issuing Lender.  The Issuing Lender shall act on behalf of the Lenders (according to their Pro Rata Shares) with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith.  The Issuing Lender shall have all of the benefits and immunities (a) provided to the Administrative Agent in this Section 14 with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the Issuing Lender in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and the applications and agreements for letters of credit pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent”, as used in this Section 14,

 

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included the Issuing Lender with respect to such acts or omissions and (b) as additionally provided in this Agreement with respect to the Issuing Lender.

 

14.3                           Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document by or through agents, employees or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel and other consultants or experts concerning all matters pertaining to such duties.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agent or attorney-in-fact that it selects in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

14.4                           Exculpation of Administrative Agent.  None of the Administrative Agent nor any of its directors, officers, employees or agents shall (a) be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of them under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby (except to the extent resulting from its own gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein as determined by a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction), or (b) be responsible in any manner to any Lender or Participant for any recital, statement, representation or warranty made by any Loan Party or Affiliate of the Company, or any officer thereof, contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien or security interest therein), or for any failure of the Borrowers or any other party to any Loan Document to perform their Obligations hereunder or thereunder.  The Administrative Agent shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

 

14.5                           Reliance by Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, communication, signature, resolution, representation, notice, consent, certificate, electronic mail message, affidavit, letter, telegram, facsimile, telex or telephone message, statement or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons, and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to any Loan Party), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or all of the Lenders or any affected Lender if such action is required to be consented to by all of Lenders or any affected Lender pursuant to the terms of Section 16.1) as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, confirmation from the Lenders of their obligation to indemnify the Administrative Agent against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action.  The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Required Lenders and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon each Lender.  For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 12, 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 written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

14.6                           Notice of Default.  The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default except with respect to defaults in the payment of principal, interest and fees required to be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from a Lender or the Company referring to this Agreement, describing such Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”.  The Administrative Agent will notify the Lenders of its receipt of any such

 

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notice.  The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default as may be requested by the Required Lenders in accordance with Section 13; provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent has received any such request, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Event of Default or Unmatured Event of Default as it shall deem advisable or in the best interest of the Lenders so long as it is not in conflict with any express provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

14.7                           Credit Decision.  Each Lender acknowledges that the Administrative Agent has not made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by the Administrative Agent hereafter taken, including any consent and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of the Loan Parties, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent to any Lender as to any matter, including whether the Administrative Agent has disclosed material information in its possession.  Each Lender represents to the Administrative Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Company hereunder.  Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrowers.  Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly herein required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial or other condition or creditworthiness of the Borrowers which may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent.

 

14.8                           Indemnification.  Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, each Lender shall indemnify upon demand the Administrative Agent and its directors, officers, employees and agents (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrowers and without limiting the obligation of the Borrowers to do so), according to its applicable Pro Rata Share, from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities (as hereinafter defined); provided that no Lender shall be liable for any payment to any such Person of any portion of the Indemnified Liabilities to the extent determined by a final, nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the applicable Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  No action taken in accordance with the directions of the Required Lenders (or all of the Lenders or any affected Lender if such action is required to be consented to by all of Lenders or any affected Lender pursuant to the terms of Section 16.1) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section.  Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs and Taxes) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrowers.  The undertaking in this Section shall survive repayment of the Loans, cancellation of the Notes, expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit, any foreclosure under, or modification, release or discharge of, any or all of the Collateral Documents, termination of this Agreement and the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent.

 

14.9                           Administrative Agent in Individual Capacity.  LaSalle and its Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the account of, accept deposits from, acquire equity interests in and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting or other business with the Loan Parties and their Affiliates as though LaSalle were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without notice to or consent of any Lender.  Each Lender acknowledges that, pursuant to such activities, LaSalle or its Affiliates may receive

 

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information regarding the Borrowers or their Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of the Borrowers or such Affiliates) and acknowledge that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to provide such information to them.  With respect to their Loans (if any),  LaSalle and its Affiliates shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though LaSalle were not the Administrative Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” include LaSalle and its Affiliates, to the extent applicable, in their individual capacities.

 

14.10                     Successor Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Lenders.  If the Administrative Agent resigns under this Agreement, the Required Lenders shall, with (so long as no Event of Default exists) the consent of the Company (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders.  If no successor agent is appointed prior to the effective date of the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may appoint, after consulting with the Lenders and the Company, a successor agent from among the Lenders.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as successor agent hereunder, such successor agent shall succeed to all the rights, powers and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent and the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such successor agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent’s appointment, powers and duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated.  After any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Section 14 and Sections 16.5 and 16.16 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement.  If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Administrative Agent by the date which is thirty (30) days following a retiring Administrative Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective and the Lenders shall perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above.

 

14.11                     Collateral Matters.  The Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, (a) to release any Lien granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Collateral Document (i) upon termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all Loans and all other obligations of the Borrowers hereunder and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit; (ii) constituting property sold or to be sold or disposed of as part of or in connection with any Disposition permitted hereunder; or (iii) subject to Section 16.1, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders; or (b) to subordinate its interest in any Collateral to any holder of a Lien on such collateral which is permitted by Section 11.2(d)(i) or (d)(iii) (it being understood that the Administrative Agent may conclusively rely on a certificate from the Company in determining whether the Debt secured by any such Lien is permitted by Section 11.1(b)).  Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release, or subordinate its interest in, particular types or items of Collateral pursuant to this Section 14.8.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to give blockage notices in connection with any Subordinated Debt at the direction of Required Lenders and agrees that it will not act unilaterally to deliver such notices.

 

14.12                     Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan 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 Borrowers) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(a)                                  to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders

 

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and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 5, 16.5 and 16.16) allowed in such judicial proceedings; and

 

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

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 5, 16.5 and 16.16.

 

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

 

14.13                     Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers.  None of the Lenders or other Persons identified on the facing page or signature pages of this Agreement as a “syndication agent,” “documentation agent,” “co-agent,” “book manager,” “lead manager,” “arranger,” “lead arranger” or “co-arranger”, if any, shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than, in the case of such Lenders, those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender.  Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

 

SECTION 15                             SUBORDINATION OF TERM LOAN B.

 

15.1                           Subordination of Subordinated Indebtedness to Senior Indebtedness.  Each Borrower covenants and agrees, and each Subordinated Lender by its acceptance of a Note evidencing a Term B Loan (whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment) likewise covenants and agrees, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Documents, that the payment of any and all of the Subordinated Indebtedness shall be subordinate and subject in right and time of payment, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, to the Final Payment of all Senior Indebtedness.  Each holder of Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, shall be deemed to have acquired Senior Indebtedness in reliance upon the provisions contained in this Section 15.

 

15.2                           Subordination of Liens.  Each Subordinated Lender hereby covenants and agrees that any Liens and rights of any kind such Subordinated Lender may now have or hereafter acquire (or be deemed to now have or hereafter acquire) whether pursuant to the Security Documents or otherwise against any Borrower or any Loan Party and/or any Company Property, if any, shall be subordinate and subject to the Liens and rights against any Borrower, any Loan Party and/or any Company Property of the Senior Lenders arising from or out of the Senior Indebtedness, regardless of the order, time or manner in which any Liens attach to or are perfected in any Company Property.

 

15.3                           Permitted Payments.

 

(a)                                  Notwithstanding the terms of the Loan Documents, each Borrower hereby agrees that it shall not make (and will not permit any other Loan Party to make), and each Subordinated Lender hereby agrees that it will not accept, any payment or distribution with respect to the Subordinated Indebtedness including any payment or distribution received through the exercise of any right of setoff, counterclaim or crossclaim, until the Senior Indebtedness is Finally Paid; provided that any Borrower may make to the Subordinated Lenders

 

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and the Subordinated Lenders may accept (1) subject to the limitation set forth in clause (i) below, payments of principal of, interest on and other amounts payable with respect thereto from the proceeds of an issuance of Capital Securities and Subordinated Debt permitted by Section 11.1(g) and (2) subject to the following limitations, any scheduled payments in respect of interest on, and payments in respect of reasonable fees of professionals and expenses payable with respect to, the Subordinated Indebtedness, all on a non-accelerated basis and in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents:

 

(i)                                     If a Senior Payment Default has occurred, no payment or distribution shall be made by any Borrower (or any other Loan Party) or accepted by any Subordinated Lender on the Subordinated Indebtedness until the earlier to occur of (x) the date on which all Senior Payment Defaults have been cured or waived or (y) Final Payment of all the Senior Indebtedness.

 

(ii)                                  If a Senior Covenant Default shall have occurred, no payment or distribution on the Subordinated Indebtedness shall be made by any Borrower (or any other Loan Party) or accepted by any Subordinated Lender on the Subordinated Indebtedness for a period (a “Blockage Period”) of time commencing upon delivery by the Senior Agent to any Borrower and Subordinated Lenders of written notice stating that a Senior Covenant Default exists or would be created by the making of such payment (the “Blockage Notice”) and continuing until the earlier to occur of (A) 90 days from the date of delivery of the Blockage Notice, or (B) the date on which all Senior Covenant Defaults have been cured or waived.

 

(iii)                               Upon the cure or waiver of any Senior Payment Default or the expiration of any Blockage Period, the Borrowers may make, and the Subordinated Lenders may receive, any payments of the Subordinated Indebtedness to the extent, if any, such payment would be permitted under this Section 15.3.

 

(b)                                 No Senior Payment Default or Senior Covenant Default shall be deemed to have been waived for purposes of this Section 15.3 unless and until a Borrower shall have received a written waiver in accordance with this Agreement from the Senior Agent or the Senior Lenders.

 

(c)                                  If any Subordinated Lender receives payment pursuant to clause (a) of this Section _15.3, such payment shall be deemed to constitute a representation by Company that no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom and that such payment is otherwise permitted by such clause (a).

 

(d)                                 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, no more than one (1) blockage period under Section 15.3(a)(ii) may occur during the term of this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  The failure of the Borrowers to make any payment with respect to the Subordinated Indebtedness by reason of the operation of this Section 15.3 shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of Default under the Loan Documents.

 

(f)                                    The Company shall not be prohibited from making, and the Subordinated Lenders shall not be prohibited from receiving, any payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness in kind.

 

(g)                                 The provisions of this Section 15.3 shall not be applicable to the extent that the provisions of Section 15.5 are applicable.

 

15.4                           Forbearance of Legal Remedies.

 

(a)                                  Until the Senior Indebtedness is Finally Paid, the Subordinated Lenders shall not, without the prior written consent of the Senior Agent, exercise any Subordinated Lender Remedies, until the earliest to occur of the following:

 

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(i)                                     acceleration of the Senior Indebtedness;

 

(ii)                                  the passage of 60 days from the delivery to the Senior Agent of written notice from the Subordinated Lenders that a default under the Loan Documents has occurred and such default shall not have been cured or waived within such period;

 

(iii)                               the commencement or initiation of any Proceeding by a Person other than a Subordinated Lender or any Person on behalf of a Subordinated Lender.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary or any rights or remedies available to the Subordinated Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, applicable law or otherwise, prior to the time that the Senior Indebtedness has been Finally Paid, any payments, distributions or other proceeds obtained by any Subordinated Lender from the exercise of any Subordinated Lender Remedies shall in any event be held in trust by it for the benefit of the Senior Agent and the Senior Lenders and promptly paid or delivered to the Senior Agent for the benefit of the Senior Lenders in the form received.

 

15.5                           Dissolution, Liquidation, Reorganization or Bankruptcy.

 

(a)                                  In the event of any Proceeding involving a Borrower:

 

(i)                                     all Senior Indebtedness shall be Finally Paid before the Subordinated Lenders shall be entitled to receive any payment on account of any Subordinated Indebtedness (except (1) payment in the form of Restructure Securities, and (2) payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness in kind); and

 

(ii)                                  any payment or distribution of assets of such Person of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Subordinated Lenders would be entitled except for these provisions, shall be paid by the liquidating trustee or agent or other Person making such payment or distribution directly to the Senior Agent, to the extent necessary to make Final Payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution or provision therefor to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.  Each Subordinated Lender irrevocably authorizes, empowers and directs any debtor, debtor-in-possession, receiver, trustee or agent or other Person having authority, to pay or otherwise deliver all such payments or distributions to Senior Agent.

 

(b)                                 Until the Senior Indebtedness has been Finally Paid, if a Proceeding shall occur and be continuing, the Subordinated Lenders shall file all claims they may have against a Borrower.  If the Subordinated Lenders fail to file such claims prior to ten (10) days before the expiration of time to do so, the Senior Agent may (but shall have no obligation to) file such claims in the Subordinated Lenders’ name on behalf of the Senior Lenders.

 

(c)                                  Each Subordinated Lender shall, in connection with any such Proceeding, retain the right to vote and otherwise act in any such proceeding (including the right to vote to accept or reject any plan of partial or complete liquidation, reorganization, arrangement, composition or extension).

 

(d)                                 If any Subordinated Lender has or at any time acquires any Lien securing any Subordinated Indebtedness, such Subordinated Lender agrees not to (i) initiate any proceeding involving the marshalling of any of Company Property (whether in a Proceeding or otherwise) or (ii) assert any right it may have to “adequate protection” of its interest, if any, in such security in any Proceeding and agrees that it will not seek to have the automatic stay lifted with respect to such security, in each case without the prior written consent of the Senior Agent.

 

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15.6                           Obligation of Company Unconditional.  Nothing contained herein or in the Loan Documents is intended to or shall impair, as between the Borrowers and the Subordinated Lenders, the obligation of the Borrowers, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Subordinated Lenders the Subordinated Indebtedness as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with its terms, or to affect the relative rights of the Subordinated Lenders and creditors of any Borrower other than the Senior Lenders.

 

15.7                           Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of any Borrower or Holders of Senior Indebtedness.  No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time or in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any failure to act on the part of the holders of any Senior Indebtedness or a Borrower or Loan Party, or by any noncompliance by a Borrower or Loan Party with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Section 15, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder of Senior Indebtedness may have or be otherwise charged with, or any amendment or modification of or supplement to the Loan Documents (to the extent permitted pursuant to the terms hereof ) or any exercise or non-exercise of any right, power or remedy under or in respect of the Senior Indebtedness.

 

15.8                           Incorrect Payments.  If any Borrower or any Loan Party shall make or the Subordinated Lenders shall collect any payment on account of the principal of, premium or interest on or any other amounts due under the Subordinated Indebtedness in contravention of this Agreement, such payments shall be held in trust by the Subordinated Lenders and not commingled with any assets of any Subordinated Lender and shall be paid over and delivered to the Senior Agent, for the benefit of the Senior Lenders, promptly upon receipt thereof.

 

15.9                           Amendment of the Loan Documents and Loan Documents.

 

(a)                                  Each Subordinated Lender agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Senior Agent, agree to any amendment, modification or supplement to the Loan Documents the effect of which is to (i) increase the maximum principal amount of the Subordinated Indebtedness (except as may be due to the payment in kind of any obligations under the Loan Documents) or increase the rate of interest by more than 200 basis points (other than in connection with the imposition of default interest), increase the portion of the interest required to be paid in cash, or increase fees required to be paid with respect to the Subordinated Indebtedness, (ii) accelerate the dates upon which payments of principal or interest on the Subordinated Indebtedness are due, (iii) change or add any event of default or any covenant with respect to the Subordinated Indebtedness, if the resulting event of default or covenant would be more restrictive to any Borrower or any Loan Party, (iv) change any redemption or prepayment provisions of the Subordinated Indebtedness, (v) alter the subordination provisions with respect to the Subordinated Indebtedness, including subordinating the Subordinated Indebtedness to any other indebtedness, (vi) take any Liens in any assets of any Borrower or any Loan Party (other than Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents) or (vii) change or amend any other term of the Loan Documents if such change or amendment would result in a Senior Payment Default or Senior Covenant Default, increase the obligations of any Borrower or any Loan Party or confer additional material rights on any Subordinated Lender or any other holder of the Subordinated Indebtedness in a manner adverse to any Borrower, any Loan Party or the Senior Lenders.

 

(b)                                 The Senior Indebtedness may at any time be amended, modified, restated, refinanced or waived without limitation and without notice to, or the consent of, the Subordinated Lenders; provided that the Senior Lenders shall not, without the prior written consent of holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Subordinated Indebtedness, agree to any amendment, modification or supplement to the Loan Documents the effect of which is to (i) increase the principal amount of the Senior Indebtedness in excess of $70,000,000, less the amount of any principal repayments and commitment reductions to the extent such payments and reductions cannot be reborrowed (specifically excluding any such repayments and commitment reductions in connection with a refinancing), (ii) shorten the amortization payments in respect of the Senior Indebtedness (other than in connection with exercise of remedies), or (iii) increase the interest rate margins by more than 200 basis points (other than in connection with the imposition of default interest).

 

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15.10                     Subrogation.  Subject to the Final Payment of all Senior Indebtedness, the Subordinated Lenders shall be subrogated to the rights of the Senior Lenders to receive payments and distributions of cash, property and securities applicable to the Senior Indebtedness to the extent that distributions otherwise payable to the Subordinated Lenders have been applied to the Senior Indebtedness, until all amounts payable under the Subordinated Indebtedness shall have been paid in full.  For purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the Senior Lenders of any cash, property or securities to which the Subordinated Lenders would be entitled except for the provisions of this Agreement, and no payment pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement to the Senior Lenders by the Subordinated Lenders shall, as among any Borrower and its creditors other than the Senior Lenders, be deemed to be a payment or distribution by such Borrower to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness.  If the Borrowers fail to make any payment on account of the Subordinated Indebtedness by reason of any provision contained herein, such failure shall, notwithstanding such provision contained herein, constitute an Event of Default with respect to the Subordinated Indebtedness if and to the extent such failure would otherwise constitute such an Event of Default in accordance with the terms of the Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

15.11                     Termination of Section.  This Section 15 shall continue and shall be irrevocable until the date all of the Senior Indebtedness has been Finally Paid or otherwise discharged and released in an express writing to such effect by the Senior Lenders.

 

15.12                     Reinstatement.  The obligations of the Subordinated Lenders under this Section 15 shall continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any payment in respect of any Senior Indebtedness is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by any Senior Lender by reason of any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, composition or similar proceeding or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, any Borrower, any Loan Party or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

 

15.13                     Defines Rights of Creditors.  The provisions of this Section 15 are solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Senior Lenders and the Subordinated Lenders and shall not be deemed to create any rights or priorities in favor of any other Person, including any Borrower.

 

SECTION 16                             GENERAL.

 

16.1                           Waiver; Amendments.  No delay on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in the exercise of any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise by any of them of any right, power or remedy preclude other or further exercise thereof, or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy.  Subject to Section 15.9, no amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent with respect to, any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and acknowledged by and consented to in writing by the Required Lenders, and then any such amendment, modification, waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, that no waiver of an Unmatured Event of Default or Event of Default or amendment, modification, waiver or consent with respect to Section 11.13 will be effective with respect to the Term B Lenders without the written consent of the Required Term B Lenders.  Subject to Section 15.9, no amendment, modification, waiver or consent shall (a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (b) extend the date scheduled for payment of any principal (excluding mandatory prepayments) of or interest on the Loans or any fees payable hereunder without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (c) reduce the principal amount of any Loan, the rate of interest thereon or any fees payable hereunder, without the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (other than the waiver of the 2% increase in interest rate due to the occurrence of an Event of Default); or (d) release any party from its obligations under the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement or all or any substantial part of the Collateral granted under the Collateral Documents, change the definition of “Required Lenders”, any provision of this Section 16.1 or reduce the aggregate Pro Rata Share required to effect an amendment, modification, waiver or consent, without, in each case, the written consent of all Lenders.  No provision of Section 6.2.2 or Section 6.3 with respect to the timing or application of mandatory

 

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prepayments of the Loans shall be amended, modified or waived without the consent of Lenders having a majority of the aggregate Pro Rata Shares of the Term Loans affected thereby.  No provision of Section 14 or other provision of this Agreement affecting the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such shall be amended, modified or waived without the consent of the Administrative Agent.  No provision of this Agreement relating to the rights or duties of the Issuing Lender in its capacity as such shall be amended, modified or waived without the consent of the Issuing Lender.  No provision of this Agreement relating to the rights or duties of the Term B Loan Lenders in their capacity as such shall be amended, modified or waived without the consent of the majority of the Term B Loan Lenders, including, without limitation, the rights of Term B Loan Lenders pursuant to Section 6.2.

 

16.2                           Confirmations.  The Company and each holder of a Note agree from time to time, upon written request received by it from the other, to confirm to the other in writing (with a copy of each such confirmation to the Administrative Agent) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans then outstanding under such Note.

 

16.3                           Notices.  Except as otherwise provided in Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3, all notices hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission) and shall be sent to the applicable party at its address shown on Annex B or at such other address as such party may, by written notice received by the other parties, have designated as its address for such purpose.  Notices sent by facsimile transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent; notices sent by mail shall be deemed to have been given three Business Days after the date when sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid; and notices sent by hand delivery or overnight courier service shall be deemed to have been given when received.  For purposes of Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely on telephonic instructions from any person that the Administrative Agent in good faith believes is an authorized officer or employee of the Company, and the Borrowers jointly and severally agree to hold the Administrative Agent and each other Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense resulting from any such reliance.

 

16.4                           Computations.  Where the character or amount of any asset or liability or item of income or expense is required to be determined, or any consolidation or other accounting computation is required to be made, for the purpose of this Agreement, such determination or calculation shall, to the extent applicable and except as otherwise specified in this Agreement, be made in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied; provided that if the Company notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrowers wish to amend any covenant in Section 11 (or any related definition) to eliminate or to take into account the effect of any change in GAAP on the operation of such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Required Lenders wish to amend Section 11 (or any related definition) for such purpose), then the Borrowers’ compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant (or related definition) is amended in a manner satisfactory to the Borrowers and the Required Lenders.

 

16.5                           Costs and Expenses.  The Borrowers agree, jointly and severally, to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent (including Attorney Costs) in connection with the preparation, execution, syndication, delivery and administration (including perfection and protection of any Collateral and the costs of Intralinks (or similar service), if applicable) of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and all other documents provided for herein or delivered or to be delivered hereunder or in connection herewith (including any amendment, supplement or waiver to any Loan Document), whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated, and all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent and each Lender after an Event of Default in connection with the collection of the Obligations or the enforcement of this Agreement the other Loan Documents or any such other documents or during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect thereof.  In addition, the Borrowers agree, jointly and severally, to pay and to save the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from all liability for, any fees of the Company’s auditors in connection with any reasonable exercise by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of their rights pursuant to Section 10.2.

 

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All Obligations provided for in this Section 16.5 shall survive repayment of the Loans, cancellation of the Notes, expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and termination of this Agreement.

 

16.6                           Assignments; Participations.

 

16.6.1                                          Assignments.  (a)  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Persons (any such Person, an “Assignee”) all or any portion of such Lender’s Loans and Commitments, with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender (for an assignment of the Revolving Loans and the Revolving Commitment) and, so long as no Event of Default exists, the Company (which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed and shall not be required for an assignment by a Lender to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender).  Except as the Administrative Agent and the Company may otherwise agree, any such assignment (i) shall be in a minimum aggregate amount equal to $5,000,000 or, if less, the remaining Commitment and Loans held by the assigning Lender and (ii) if such assignment is a partial assignment of a Lender’s Loans and Commitments, shall not cause there to be more than five (5) unaffiliated Lenders.  Each Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with the interests so assigned to an Assignee until the Administrative Agent shall have received and accepted an effective assignment agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (an “Assignment Agreement”) executed, delivered and fully completed by the applicable parties thereto and a processing fee of $3,500.  No assignment may be made to any Person if at the time of such assignment any Borrower would be obligated to pay any greater amount under Section 7.6 or 8 to the Assignee than such Borrower is then obligated to pay to the assigning Lender under such Sections (and if any assignment is made in violation of the foregoing, the Company will not be required to pay such greater amounts).  Any attempted assignment not made in accordance with this Section 16.6.1 shall be treated as the sale of a participation under Section 16.6.2.  Each Borrower shall be deemed to have granted its consent to any assignment requiring its consent hereunder unless the Company has expressly objected to such assignment within five (5) Business Days after notice thereof.

 

(b)                                 From and after the date on which the conditions described above have been met, (i) such Assignee shall be deemed automatically to have become a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to such Assignee pursuant to such Assignment Agreement, shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender hereunder and (ii) the assigning Lender, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment Agreement, shall be released from its rights (other than its indemnification rights) and obligations hereunder.  Upon the request of the Assignee (and, as applicable, the assigning Lender) pursuant to an effective Assignment Agreement, the Borrowers shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent for delivery to the Assignee (and, as applicable, the assigning Lender) a Note in the principal amount of the Assignee’s Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Commitment plus the principal amount of the Assignee’s Term Loans (and, as applicable, a Note in the principal amount of the Pro Rata Share of the Revolving Commitment retained by the assigning Lender plus the principal amount of the Term Loans retained by the assigning Lender).  Each such Note shall be dated the effective date of such assignment.  Upon receipt by the assigning Lender of such Note, the assigning Lender shall return to the Company any prior Note held by it.

 

(c)                                  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

16.6.2                                          Participations.  Any Lender may at any time sell to one or more Persons participating interests in its Loans, Commitments or other interests hereunder (any such Person, a “Participant”); provided that in no event shall there be more than five (5) unaffiliated Participants at any time.  In the event of a sale by a Lender of a participating interest to a Participant, (a) such Lender’s obligations hereunder shall remain unchanged for all purposes, (b) the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent shall continue to deal solely and

 

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directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations hereunder, (c) all amounts payable by the Borrowers shall be determined as if such Lender had not sold such participation and shall be paid directly to such Lender and (d) for purposes of monitoring the number of Participants hereunder, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such sale.  No Participant shall have any direct or indirect voting rights hereunder except with respect to any event described in Section 16.1 expressly requiring the unanimous vote of all Lenders or, as applicable, all affected Lenders.  Each Lender agrees to incorporate the requirements of the preceding sentence into each participation agreement which such Lender enters into with any Participant.  The Borrowers agree that if amounts outstanding under this Agreement are due and payable (as a result of acceleration or otherwise), each Participant shall be deemed to have the right of set-off in respect of its participating interest in amounts owing under this Agreement and with respect to any Letter of Credit to the same extent as if the amount of its participating interest were owing directly to it as a Lender under this Agreement; provided that such right of set-off shall be subject to the obligation of each Participant to share with the Lenders, and the Lenders agree to share with each Participant, as provided in Section 7.5.  The Borrowers also agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 7.6 or 8 as if it were a Lender (provided that on the date of the participation no Participant shall be entitled to any greater compensation pursuant to Section 7.6 or 8 than would have been paid to the participating Lender on such date if no participation had been sold and that each Participant complies with Section 7.6(d) as if it were an Assignee).

 

16.7                           Register.  The Administrative Agent shall maintain a copy of each Assignment Agreement delivered and accepted by it and register (the “Register”) for the recordation of names and addresses of the Lenders and the Commitment of each Lender from time to time and whether such Lender is the original Lender or the Assignee.  No assignment shall be effective unless and until the Assignment Agreement is accepted and registered in the Register.  All records of transfer of a Lender’s interest in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, as to the ownership of the interests in the Loans.  The Administrative Agent shall not incur any liability of any kind with respect to any Lender with respect to the maintenance of the Register.

 

16.8                           GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH NOTE SHALL BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER AND GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES.

 

16.9                           Confidentiality.  The Administrative Agent and each Lender agree to use commercially reasonable efforts (equivalent to the efforts the Administrative Agent or such Lender applies to maintain the confidentiality of its own confidential information) to maintain as confidential all information provided to them by any Loan Party and designated as confidential, except that the Administrative Agent and each Lender may disclose such information (a) to Persons employed or engaged by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in evaluating, approving, structuring or administering the Loans and the Commitments; (b) to any Assignee or Participant or potential Assignee or Participant that has agreed to comply with the covenant contained in this Section 16.9 (and any such Assignee or Participant or potential Assignee or Participant may disclose such information to Persons employed or engaged by them as described in clause (a) above); (c) as required or requested by any federal or state regulatory authority or examiner, or any insurance industry association, or as reasonably believed by the Administrative Agent or such Lender to be compelled by any court decree, subpoena or legal or administrative order or process; (d) as, on the advice of the Administrative Agent’s or such Lender’s counsel, is required by law; (e) in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy under the Loan Documents or in connection with any litigation to which the Administrative Agent or such Lender is a party; (f) to any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender; (g) to any Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any other Lender who may provide Bank Products to the Loan Parties; or (h) that ceases to be confidential through no fault of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowers hereby consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of a “tombstone” or similar advertising material relating to the financing transactions

 

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contemplated by this Agreement, and the Administrative Agent reserves the right to provide to industry trade organizations information necessary and customary for inclusion in league table measurements.

 

16.10                     Severability.  Whenever possible each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Agreement.  All obligations of the Borrowers and rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders expressed herein or in any other Loan Document shall be in addition to and not in limitation of those provided by applicable law.

 

16.11                     Nature of Remedies.  All Obligations of the Borrowers and rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders expressed herein or in any other Loan Document shall be in addition to and not in limitation of those provided by applicable law.  No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, 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.

 

16.12                     Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, embodies the entire agreement and understanding among the parties hereto and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings of such Persons, verbal or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof (except as relates to the fees described in Section 5.3) and any prior arrangements made with respect to the payment by the Company of (or any indemnification for) any fees, costs or expenses payable to or incurred (or to be incurred) by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.

 

16.13                     Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different parties hereto on separate counterparts and each such counterpart shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same Agreement.  Receipt of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective delivery thereof.  Electronic records of executed Loan Documents maintained by the Lenders shall deemed to be originals.

 

16.14                     Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and the successors and assigns of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.  No other Person shall be a direct or indirect legal beneficiary of, or have any direct or indirect cause of action or claim in connection with, this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.  No Borrower may assign or transfer any of its rights or Obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender.

 

16.15                     Captions.  Section captions used in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of this Agreement.

 

16.16                     Patriot Act Notification.  As required by federal law and LaSalle’s policies and practices, LaSalle may need to collect certain customer identification information and documentation in connection with opening or maintaining accounts, or establishing or continuing to provide services.

 

16.17                 INDEMNIFICATION BY THE BORROWERS.  IN CONSIDERATION OF THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS AND THE AGREEMENT TO EXTEND THE COMMITMENTS PROVIDED HEREUNDER, EACH BORROWER HEREBY AGREES, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY, TO INDEMNIFY, EXONERATE AND HOLD THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, EACH LENDER AND EACH OF THE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES AND AGENTS OF THE

 

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ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER (EACH A “LENDER PARTY”) FREE AND HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL ACTIONS, CAUSES OF ACTION, SUITS, LOSSES, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING ATTORNEY COSTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES”), INCURRED BY THE LENDER PARTIES OR ANY OF THEM AS A RESULT OF, OR ARISING OUT OF, OR RELATING TO (A) ANY TENDER OFFER, MERGER, PURCHASE OF CAPITAL SECURITIES, PURCHASE OF ASSETS (INCLUDING THE RELATED TRANSACTIONS) OR OTHER SIMILAR TRANSACTION FINANCED OR PROPOSED TO BE FINANCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, WITH THE PROCEEDS OF ANY OF THE LOANS, (B) THE USE, HANDLING, RELEASE, EMISSION, DISCHARGE, TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE, TREATMENT OR DISPOSAL OF ANY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE AT ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR LEASED BY ANY LOAN PARTY, (C) ANY VIOLATION OF ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS WITH RESPECT TO CONDITIONS AT ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR LEASED BY ANY LOAN PARTY OR THE OPERATIONS CONDUCTED THEREON, (D) THE INVESTIGATION, CLEANUP OR REMEDIATION OF OFFSITE LOCATIONS AT WHICH ANY LOAN PARTY OR THEIR RESPECTIVE PREDECESSORS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY DISPOSED OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES OR (E) THE EXECUTION, DELIVERY, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT BY ANY OF THE LENDER PARTIES, EXCEPT FOR ANY SUCH INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES ARISING ON ACCOUNT OF THE APPLICABLE LENDER PARTY’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE, BAD FAITH OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT AS DETERMINED BY A FINAL, NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION.  IF AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE FOREGOING UNDERTAKING MAY BE UNENFORCEABLE FOR ANY REASON, THE BORROWERS HEREBY AGREE TO MAKE THE MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION TO THE PAYMENT AND SATISFACTION OF EACH OF THE INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES WHICH IS PERMISSIBLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.  ALL OBLIGATIONS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION 16.17 SHALL SURVIVE REPAYMENT OF THE LOANS, CANCELLATION OF THE NOTES, EXPIRATION OR TERMINATION OF THE LETTERS OF CREDIT, ANY FORECLOSURE UNDER, OR ANY MODIFICATION, RELEASE OR DISCHARGE OF, ANY OR ALL OF THE COLLATERAL DOCUMENTS AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.

 

16.18                     Nonliability of Lenders.  The relationship between the Borrowers on the one hand and the Lenders and the Administrative Agent on the other hand shall be solely that of borrower and lender.  Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to any Loan Party arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between the Loan Parties, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor.  Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender undertakes any responsibility to any Loan Party to review or inform any Loan Party of any matter in connection with any phase of any Loan Party’s business or operations.  The Borrowers agree, on behalf of themselves and each other Loan Party, that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have liability to any Loan Party (whether sounding in tort, contract or otherwise) for losses suffered by any Loan Party in connection with, arising out of, or in any way related to the transactions contemplated and the relationship established by the Loan Documents, or any act, omission or event occurring in connection therewith, unless it is determined in a final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that such losses resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the party from which recovery is sought.  NO LENDER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE BY OTHERS OF ANY INFORMATION OR OTHER MATERIALS OBTAINED THROUGH INTRALINKS OR OTHER SIMILAR INFORMATION TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, NOR SHALL ANY LENDER PARTY HAVE ANY LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO, AND EACH BORROWER ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY, HEREBY WAIVES, RELEASES AND AGREES NOT TO SUE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ARISING OUT OF ITS ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTION

 

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HEREWITH OR THEREWITH (WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE CLOSING DATE).  Each Borrower acknowledges that it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party.  No joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Loan Parties and the Lenders

 

16.19                     FORUM SELECTION AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION.  ANY LITIGATION BASED HEREON, OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, SHALL BE BROUGHT AND MAINTAINED EXCLUSIVELY IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS; PROVIDED THAT NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED OR OPERATE TO PRECLUDE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT FROM BRINGING SUIT OR TAKING OTHER LEGAL ACTION IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.  EACH BORROWER HEREBY EXPRESSLY AND IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANY SUCH LITIGATION AS SET FORTH ABOVE.  EACH BORROWER FURTHER IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS BY REGISTERED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, OR BY PERSONAL SERVICE WITHIN OR WITHOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.  EACH BORROWER HEREBY EXPRESSLY AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUCH LITIGATION BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT REFERRED TO ABOVE AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH LITIGATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.

 

16.20                     WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH OF THE BORROWERS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING TO ENFORCE OR DEFEND ANY RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, ANY NOTE, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND ANY AMENDMENT, INSTRUMENT, DOCUMENT OR AGREEMENT DELIVERED OR WHICH MAY IN THE FUTURE BE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH OR ARISING FROM ANY LENDING RELATIONSHIP EXISTING IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE FOREGOING, AND AGREES THAT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE TRIED BEFORE A COURT AND NOT BEFORE A JURY.

 

[signature pages follow]

 

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The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their duly authorized officers as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

  /s/   Elizabeth M. Braham

 

Title:

Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANKRUPTCY SERVICES LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

  /s/   Elizabeth M. Braham

 

Title:

Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POORMAN-DOUGLAS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

By:

  /s/   Elizabeth M. Braham

 

Title:

Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, as Issuing Lender and as a Lender

 

 

 

 

By:

  /s/   Keith Cable

 

Title:

Assistant Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent and as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

  /s/   Vijaya Kulkarni

 

Title:

Assistant Vice President

 

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ANNEX A

LENDERS AND PRO RATA SHARES

 

Lender

 

Revolving
Commitment
Amount

 

Pro Rata
Share*/

 

Term A Loan
Commitment

 

Pro
Rata
Share*/

 

Term B Loan
Commitment

 

Pro Rata
Share*/

 

LaSalle Bank National Association

 

$

12,500,000

 

50

%

$

22,500,000

 

50

%

$

30,000,000

 

100

%

KeyBank National Association

 

$

12,500,000

 

50

%

$

22,500,000

 

50

%

$

0

 

0

%

TOTALS

 

$

25,000,000

 

100

%

$

45,000,000

 

100

%

$

30,000,000

 

100

%

 

 


*/                                     Carry out to nine decimal places.

 

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ANNEX B

 

ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES

 

EPIQ SYSTEMS, INC., BANKRUPTCY SERVICES LLC, POORMAN-DOUGLAS CORPORATION

 

c/o EPIQ Systems, Inc.

501 Kansas Avenue

Kansas City, Kansas 66104

Attention: Elizabeth Braham

Telephone: (913) 621-9983

Facsimile: (913) 621-7281

 

LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, Issuing Lender and a Lender

 

Notices of Borrowing, Conversion, Continuation and Letter of Credit Issuance

 

135 South LaSalle Street

Chicago, Illinois 60603

Attention: Keith J. Cable

Telephone: (312) 904-7621

Facsimile:  (312) 904-6242

 

All Other Notices

 

135 South LaSalle Street

Chicago, Illinois 60603

Attention: Keith J. Cable

Telephone: (312) 904-7621

Facsimile:  (312) 904-6242

 

 

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent and a Lender

 

127 Public Square

6th Floor

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Attention: Vijaya Kulkarni

Telephone: 216 ###-###-####

Facsimile: 216 ###-###-####

 

74