Credit Agreement, dated as of January 25, 2022, by and between Iteris, Inc. and Capital One, National Association, as agent

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-10.1 2 tm224312d1_ex10-1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1

Exhibit 10.1

 

Execution Version

 

 

 

 

 

$20,000,000 REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of January 25, 2022

 

by and among

 

ITERIS, INC.,

as Borrower,

 

THE OTHER PERSONS PARTY HERETO

DESIGNATED FROM TIME TO TIME AS CREDIT PARTIES,

 

CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
for itself, as Lender and Swing Lender and as Agent,

 

THE OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO
as Lenders,

 

and

 

CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Sole Lead Arranger and Bookrunner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS1

 

1.1Defined Terms 1
1.2Other Interpretive Provisions 36
1.3Accounting Terms and Principles 38
1.4Payments 38
1.5Letters of Credit 38

 

ARTICLE II THE CREDITS39

 

2.1Amounts and Terms of Commitments 39
2.2Evidence of Loans; Notes 46
 2.3Interest 46
2.4Loan Accounts; Register 46
2.5Procedure for Revolving Credit Borrowing 48
2.6Conversion and Continuation Elections 48
2.7Optional Prepayments and Reductions in Revolving Loan Commitments 49
2.8Mandatory Prepayments of Loans and Commitment Reductions 49
2.9Fees 50
2.10Payments by the Borrower 51
2.11Payments by the Lenders to Agent; Settlement 52

 

ARTICLE III CONDITIONS PRECEDENT57

 

3.1Conditions of Initial Loans 57
3.2Conditions to All Borrowings 58

 

ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES59

 

4.1Corporate Existence and Power 59
4.2Corporate Authorization; No Contravention 59
4.3Governmental Authorization 59
4.4Binding Effect 60
4.5Litigation 60
4.6No Default 60
4.7ERISA Compliance 60
4.8Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations 61
4.9Ownership of Property; Liens 61
4.10Taxes 61
4.11Financial Condition 62
4.12Environmental Matters 62
4.13Regulated Entities 63
4.14Solvency 63
4.15Labor Relations 63
4.16Intellectual Property 63
4.17Brokers’ Fees; Transaction Fees 63
4.18Ventures, Subsidiaries and Affiliates; Outstanding Stock 63
4.19Jurisdiction of Organization; Chief Executive Office 64
4.20Deposit Accounts and Other Accounts 64
4.21Full Disclosure; Beneficial Ownership 64
4.22Foreign Assets Control Regulations; Anti-Money Laundering; Anti-Corruption Practices 64
4.23Regulatory Matters 65
4.24Indebtedness 66

 

 

 

ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS66

 

5.1Financial Statements 66
5.2Certificates; Other Information 67
5.3Notices 68
5.4Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. 70
5.5Maintenance of Property 70
5.6Insurance 70
5.7Payment of Tax and Certain Secured Obligations 71
5.8Compliance with Laws 71
5.9Inspection of Property and Books and Records 71
5.10Use of Proceeds 71
5.11Cash Management Systems 71
5.12Landlord Agreements 72
5.13Further Assurances 72
5.14Environmental Matters 73
5.15Regulatory Matters 73
5.16Post-Closing Matters 74

 

ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS74

 

6.1Limitation on Liens 74
6.2Disposition of Assets 76
6.3Consolidations and Mergers 77
6.4Loans and Investments 77
6.5Limitation on Indebtedness 80
6.6Transactions with Affiliates 81
6.7Compliance with ERISA 82
6.8Restricted Payments 82
6.9Change in Business 83
6.10Change in Structure 83
6.11Changes in Accounting, Name and Jurisdiction of Organization 83
6.12Limitation on Payments of Certain Indebtedness 83
6.13Amendments to Subordinated Indebtedness 84
6.14No Negative Pledges 84
6.15OFAC; USA Patriot Act; Anti-Corruption Laws 85
6.16Sale-Leasebacks 85
6.17Hazardous Materials 85

 

ARTICLE VII FINANCIAL COVENANTS85

 

7.1Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio 85
7.2Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio 85

 

ii 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT86

 

8.1Event of Default 86
8.2Remedies 88
8.3Rights Not Exclusive 88
8.4Cash Collateral for Letters of Credit 88

 

ARTICLE IX AGENT89

 

9.1Appointment and Duties 89
9.2Binding Effect 90
9.3Use of Discretion 90
9.4Delegation of Rights and Duties 91
9.5Reliance and Liability 91
9.6Agent Individually 93
9.7Lender Credit Decision 93
9.8Expenses; Indemnities; Withholding 93
9.9Resignation of Agent or L/C Issuer 94
9.10Release of Collateral or Guarantors 95
9.11Additional Secured Parties 95
9.12Additional Titles 96
9.13Credit Bid 96
9.14Certain ERISA Matters 97

 

ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS98

 

10.1Amendments and Waivers 98
10.2Notices 101
10.3Electronic Transmissions 101
10.4No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies 102
10.5Costs and Expenses 103
10.6Indemnity 103
10.7Marshaling; Payments Set Aside 104
10.8Successors and Assigns 104
10.9Binding Effect; Assignments and Participations 105
10.10Non-Public Information; Confidentiality 110
10.11Set-off; Sharing of Payments 112
10.12Counterparts; Facsimile Signature 113
10.13Severability; Captions; Independence of Provisions 113
10.14Interpretation 113
10.15No Third Parties Benefited 113
10.16Governing Law and Jurisdiction 114
10.17Waiver of Jury Trial 114
10.18Entire Agreement; Release; Survival 115
10.19USA Patriot Act 115
10.20Replacement of Lender 116
10.21Joint and Several 116
10.22Creditor-Debtor Relationship; No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility 117
10.23Keepwell 117
10.24Secured Swap Providers and Secured Cash Management Banks 117
10.25Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions 118
10.26Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs 118

 

iii 

 

 

ARTICLE XI TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY119

 

11.1Taxes 119
11.2Illegality 122
11.3Increased Costs and Reduction of Return 122
11.4Funding Losses 123
11.5Inability to Determine Rates 124
11.6Effect of Benchmark Transition 124
11.7Certificates of Lenders 125

 

Schedule 1

 

Schedule 5.16

 

iv 

 

 

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 1 Certain Loan Terms
Schedule 4.5 Litigation
Schedule 4.7 ERISA
Schedule 4.9 Real Estate
Schedule 4.15 Labor Relations
Schedule 4.18 Ventures, Subsidiaries and Affiliates; Outstanding Stock
Schedule 4.19 Jurisdiction of Organization; Chief Executive Office
Schedule 4.20 Deposit Accounts and Other Accounts
Schedule 4.23 Government Contracts
Schedule 5.16 Post-Closing Matters
Schedule 6.1 Liens
Schedule 6.4 Investments
Schedule 6.5 Indebtedness

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit 1.1(a) Form of Assignment
Exhibit 1.1(b) Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit 1.1(c) Form of Note
Exhibit 2.1(c) Form of L/C Request
Exhibit 2.1(d) Form of Swing Loan Request
Exhibit 2.6 Form of Notice of Conversion/Continuation
Exhibit 3.1 Closing Checklist
Exhibit 5.2(b) Form of Compliance Certificate

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (including all exhibits and schedules hereto, as the same may be amended, modified and/or restated from time to time, this “Agreement”) is entered into as of January 25, 2022, by and among Iteris, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”) and the other Persons party hereto that are designated as a “Credit Party”, Capital One, National Association, a national banking association (in its individual capacity, “Capital One”) as Agent for the several financial institutions from time to time party to this Agreement (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually each a “Lender”) and for itself as a Lender (including as Swing Lender) and such Lenders.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested, and the Lenders have agreed to make available to the Borrower, a revolving credit facility (including a letter of credit subfacility) and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement for the uses of proceeds described in Section 5.10;

 

WHEREAS, the Credit Parties desire to secure all of their Obligations under the Loan Documents by granting to Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in and lien upon substantially all of their Property;

 

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

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1           Defined Terms. The following terms have the following meanings:

 

Accordion Effective Date” means the date on which any Revolving Increase is requested to become effective, which, unless otherwise agreed by Agent, shall be within the period commencing on the date that is ten Business Days after receipt of the related Revolving Increase Request and ending on the date which is 60 days after the date of the related Revolving Increase Request.

 

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 any business or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the Stock of any Person or otherwise causing any Person to become a Subsidiary of the Borrower, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person.

 

Acquisition Consideration” as defined in the definition of Permitted Acquisition.

 

Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.

 

Affected Lender” as defined in Section 10.20.

 

Affected SPV/Participant” as defined in Section 10.20.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person; provided, however, that no Secured Party shall be an Affiliate of any Credit Party or of any Subsidiary of any Credit Party solely by reason of the provisions of the Loan Documents. For purposes of this definition, “control” means the possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Without limitation, any director, executive officer or beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Stock (either directly or through ownership of Stock Equivalents) of a Person shall for the purposes of this Agreement, be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Person.

 

 

 

Agent” means Capital One, National Association, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder, and any successor administrative agent.

 

Aggregate Excess Funding Amount” as defined in Section 2.11(e)(iv).

 

Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment” means the combined Revolving Loan Commitments of the Lenders, which shall initially be in the amount of $20,000,000, as such amount may be adjusted as permitted by this Agreement.

 

Agreement” as defined in the preamble hereto.

 

Anti-Corruption Laws” as defined in Section 4.22(c).

 

Anti-Money Laundering Laws” as defined in Section 4.22(b).

 

Applicable Margin” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person (other than a natural Person) that (a) (i) is or will be engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business or (ii) temporarily warehouses loans for any Lender or any Person described in clause (i) above and (b) is advised or managed by (i) such Lender, (ii) any Affiliate of such Lender or (iii) any Person (other than an individual) or any Affiliate of any Person (other than an individual) that administers or manages such Lender.

 

Assignment” means an assignment agreement entered into by a Lender, as assignor, and any Person, as assignee, substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.1(a) or any other form approved by Agent.

 

Attorney Costs” means and includes all reasonable and documented (in summary form) out-of-pocket fees, expenses and disbursements of (a) one external counsel, (b) to the extent reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction, (c) regulatory counsel if reasonably required and (d) solely in the event of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel (and, if necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction and one regulatory counsel) to each group (which may be a single Person) of similarly situated affected Persons.

 

Availability” means, as of any date of determination, the amount by which (a) the Maximum Revolving Loan Balance exceeds (b) the aggregate outstanding principal balance of Revolving Loans.

 

Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period pursuant to this Agreement or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, in each case, as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to Section 11.6(d).

 

 

 

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

 

Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation, rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

 

Bankruptcy Code” means the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978.

 

Base Rate” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

Base Rate Margin” as defined in the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

Benchmark” means, initially, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 11.6(a). Any reference to “Benchmark” shall include, as applicable, the published component used in the calculation thereof.

 

Benchmark Replacement” means with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the sum of: (i) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (A) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (B) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities and (ii) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; provided that, if such Benchmark Replacement as so determined would be less than the Floor, such Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Available Tenor, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities.

 

 

 

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of Section 11.5 and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

 

Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earlier to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

 

(1)           in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

 

(2)           in the case of clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) or the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be no longer representative; provided, that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (3) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

 

Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

 

(1)           a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

 

(2)           a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

 

 

 

(3)           a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are no longer representative.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

 

Benchmark Transition Start Date” means in the case of a Benchmark Transition Event, the earlier of (i) the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and (ii) if such Benchmark Transition Event is a public statement or publication of information of a prospective event, the 90th day prior to the expected date of such event as of such public statement or publication of information (or if the expected date of such prospective event is fewer than 90 days after such statement or publication, the date of such statement or publication).

 

Benchmark Unavailability Period” means the period (if any) (a) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 11.6 and (b) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 11.6.

 

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

 

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

 

Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

 

Bona Fide Debt Fund” means any bona fide debt fund, investment vehicle, regulated banking entity or non-regulated lending entity that is primarily engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans or bonds and/or similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business.

 

Borrower” as defined in the preamble hereto.

 

Borrower Materials” as defined in Section 10.10(a)(i).

 

Borrowing” means a borrowing hereunder consisting of Loans made to or for the benefit of the Borrower on the same day by the Lenders pursuant to Article II.

 

Business Day” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

 

 

Capital Adequacy Regulation” means any guideline, request or directive of any central bank or other Governmental Authority, or any other law, rule or regulation, whether or not having the force of law, in each case, regarding capital adequacy or liquidity of any Lender or of any corporation controlling a Lender, including pursuant to regulations issued from time to time by the Federal Reserve Board for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, special, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D).

 

Capital Lease” means, with respect to any Person, any lease of, or other arrangement conveying the right to use, any Property by such Person as lessee that has been or should be accounted for as a capital lease on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” means, at any time, with respect to any Capital Lease, any lease entered into as part of any sale leaseback transaction of any Person or any synthetic lease, the amount of all obligations of such Person that is (or that would be, if such synthetic lease or other lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease) capitalized on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital One” as defined in the preamble hereto.

 

Cash Equivalents” means (a) any readily-marketable securities (i) issued by, or directly, unconditionally and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States federal government or (ii) issued by any agency of the United States federal government the obligations of which are fully backed by the full faith and credit of the United States federal government, (b) any readily-marketable direct obligations issued by any other agency of the United States federal government, any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof, in each case having a rating of at least “A-1” from S&P or at least “P-1” from Moody’s, (c) any commercial paper rated at least “A-1” by S&P or “P-1” by Moody’s and issued by any Person organized under the laws of any state of the United States, (d) any Dollar-denominated time deposit, insured certificate of deposit, overnight bank deposit or bankers’ acceptance issued or accepted by (i) any Lender or (ii) any commercial bank that is (A) organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) “adequately capitalized” (as defined in the regulations of its primary federal banking regulators) and (C) has Tier 1 capital (as defined in such regulations) in excess of $250,000,000 and (e) shares of any United States money market fund that (i) has substantially all of its assets invested continuously in the types of investments referred to in clause (a), (b), (c) or (d) above with maturities as set forth in the proviso below, (ii) has net assets in excess of $500,000,000 and (iii) has obtained from either S&P or Moody’s the highest rating obtainable for money market funds in the United States; provided, however, that the maturities of all obligations specified in any of clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d) above shall not exceed 365 days.

 

Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement to provide one or more of the following types of services or facilities: (a) Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions, (b) cash management services, including controlled disbursement services, treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, stored value card, electronic funds transfer services, and (c) foreign exchange facilities or other cash management arrangements in the ordinary course of business. For the avoidance of doubt, Cash Management Agreements do not include Rate Contracts.

 

Change of Control” means (a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or shall at any time become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more on a fully diluted basis of the voting interests in the Borrower’s Stock, or (b) except pursuant to a transaction permitted by this Agreement, the Borrower shall at any time cease to own, directly or indirectly, one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding Stock of any of its Subsidiaries.

 

 

 

Closing Date” means January 25, 2022.

 

Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Collateral” means all Property and interests in Property and proceeds thereof now owned or hereafter acquired by any Credit Party, and any other Person who has granted a Lien to Agent, in or upon which a Lien is granted, purported to be granted, or now or hereafter exists in favor of any Lender or Agent for the benefit of Agent, Lenders and other Secured Parties, under any Loan Document; provided, that the Collateral shall not be required to include any Excluded Property (as defined in the Guaranty and Security Agreement).

 

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Guaranty and Security Agreement, any Mortgages, each Control Agreement and all other security agreements, guaranties and other similar agreements, and all amendments, restatements, modifications or supplements thereof or thereto, by or between any one or more of any Credit Party, any of their respective Subsidiaries or any other Person pledging or granting a lien on Collateral or guarantying the payment and performance of the Obligations, and any Lender or Agent for the benefit of Agent, the Lenders and other Secured Parties now or hereafter delivered to the Lenders or Agent pursuant to or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and all financing statements (or comparable documents now or hereafter filed in accordance with the UCC or comparable law) against any such Person as debtor in favor of any Lender or Agent for the benefit of Agent, the Lenders and the other Secured Parties, as secured party, as any of the foregoing may be amended, restated and/or modified from time to time.

 

Commitment” means, for each Lender, the sum of its Revolving Loan Commitment.

 

Commitment Percentage” means, as to any Lender, the percentage equivalent of such Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment divided by the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment; provided that following acceleration of the Loans, such term means, as to any Lender, the percentage equivalent of the principal amount of the Loans held by such Lender, divided by the aggregate principal amount of the Loans held by all Lenders.

 

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

 

Competitor” means any Person that is an operating company directly and primarily engaged in substantially similar business operations as the Credit Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

 

Compliance Certificate” as defined in Section 5.2(b).

 

Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profit Taxes.

 

Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” means, for any period,

 

(1)           Consolidated EBITDA, plus

 

(2)           with respect to Targets which are Subsidiaries and owned by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for which Agent has received financial statements pursuant to Section 5.1(b) for less than four (4) Fiscal Quarters, Pro Forma Target EBITDA (which may be a negative number) allocated to each period prior to the acquisition thereof included in the trailing four (4) Fiscal Quarter period for which Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is being calculated, minus

 

 

 

(3)           with respect to any Disposition consummated within the period in question, Consolidated EBITDA (which may be a negative number) attributable to the Subsidiary, profit centers, or other asset which is the subject of such Disposition from the beginning of such period until the date of consummation of such Disposition.

 

Consolidated Cash Flow” means, for any period, (1) Consolidated EBITDA, minus (2) Consolidated Unfinanced Cash Capital Expenditures.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, net income (or loss) for the applicable period of measurement of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (together with the other Persons whose income or loss is taken into account in as provided below in determining Consolidated EBITDA) on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP, without duplication of any item described under clause (a) or (b) below (and the term “duplication” shall include any cash reimbursement for any loss or expense or other item for which an add-back is provided below), in each case to the extent taken into account in the calculation of net income (or loss) for such period:

 

(a)           Less:

 

(1)           the income (or plus the loss) of any Person which is not a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in cash or Cash Equivalents by such Person and the payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Person was not at the time subject to the consent of a third party or prohibited by operation of the terms of its charter or of any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Person,

 

(2)           the income (or plus the loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or that Person’s assets are acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries,

 

(3)           the proceeds of any insurance (other than business interruption insurance),

 

(4)           gains (or plus losses) from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of Property not in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and related tax effects in accordance with GAAP,

 

(5)           income tax refunds received, in excess of income tax liabilities,

 

(6)           income (or plus the loss) from the early extinguishment of Indebtedness, net of related tax effects,

 

(7)           any non-cash unrealized hedging gains and non-cash unrealized foreign exchange gains resulting from the impact of foreign currency changes,

 

(8)           any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring income or gains,

 

(9)           non-cash gains or income (excluding any non-cash gains or income representing the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period and was not added back to Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period),

 

(10)         the amount by which Consolidated Rental Expense in such period is greater than rental expense calculated in accordance with GAAP for such period,

 

 

 

(11)         any non-cash gain associated with Contingent Acquisition Consideration in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment,

 

(12)         any non-cash impairment gains resulting from goodwill and other intangibles (without duplication of the deduction or exclusion in clause (a)(9) above (excluding any non-cash gains or income representing the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period and was not added back to Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period)),

 

(b)           Plus without duplication to the extent deducted in the calculation of net income (or loss):

 

(1)           depreciation and amortization (including amortization of intangible assets, including goodwill impairment, unfavorable or favorable lease assets, deferred financing costs and software),

 

(2)           Consolidated Net Interest Expense,

 

(3)           all Taxes on or measured by income (excluding income tax refunds),

 

(4)           [reserved],

 

(5)           all non-cash losses or reasonable and documented expenses (or minus non-cash income or gain), including non-cash adjustments resulting from the application of purchase accounting, non-cash expenses arising from grants of stock appreciation rights, stock options or restricted stock, non-cash impairment of good will and other long term intangible assets, unrealized non-cash losses (or minus unrealized non-cash gains) under Rate Contracts, unrealized non-cash losses (or minus unrealized non-cash gains) in such period due solely to fluctuations in currency values, but excluding any non-cash loss or expense (a) that is an accrual of a reserve for a cash expenditure or payment to be made, or anticipated to be made, in a future period or (b) relating to a write-down, write off or reserve with respect to accounts receivable or Inventory,

 

(6)           fees and reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation, execution and delivery on the Closing Date of the Loan Documents,

 

(7)           fees and reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with any amendments or waivers to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents to the extent such fees and expenses have been disclosed to Agent,

 

(8)           all non-cash charges, expenses, items and losses (excluding (x) any such non-cash charge, expense, item or loss to the extent that it represents an accrual or reserve for potential cash expenses in any future period that will occur prior to the Latest Maturity Date and (y) without duplication of any other add-back, any such non-cash charge, expense, item or loss resulting from the write-downs of accounts receivable or inventory), including, without limitation (A) non-cash items for any management equity plan, supplemental executive retirement plan or stock option plan or other type of compensatory plan for the benefit of officers, directors or employees, (B) non-cash restructuring charges or non-cash reserves in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment consummated after the Closing Date, (C) all non-cash losses from Dispositions, (D) non-cash losses with respect to Rate Contracts, (E) non-cash charges attributable to any post-employment benefits offered to former employees, (F) non-cash asset impairments, (G) non-cash accrual and non-cash distributions, (H) the non-cash effects of purchase accounting or similar adjustments required or permitted by GAAP or change in accounting principles during such period to the extent included in net income including the effect of harmonizing accounting policies and principles of targets and their subsidiaries and (I) any non-cash expense relating to the vesting of warrants or any other equity instrument granted to non-employees,

 

 

 

(9)           all fees and expenses relating to, or incurred in connection with (i) Acquisitions and Investment permitted hereunder, (ii) recapitalizations, or issuances or repurchases or the payment of, or amendments, waivers, consents or modifications or refinancings of, any Indebtedness or proposed issuance of Stock, (iii) any transaction fees, costs or expenses paid or payable to Agent, agents, arrangers, lenders, investors, holders or secured parties under the Loan Documents or any other Indebtedness permitted under the Loan Documents, including fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation, execution and delivery on the Closing Date of the Loan Documents or (iv) a proposed Disposition not in the ordinary course of business and permitted under the Credit Agreement; provided that the aggregate amount of the foregoing fees and expenses incurred in connection with transactions not consummated shall not exceed $750,000 in the aggregate for such period,

 

(10)         any costs, charges, expenses, accruals or reserves incurred or accrued during such period relating to out-of-pocket legal, expert and consulting fees and expenses and all other liabilities (including all damages, fines, judgments, penalties and indemnification and settlement payments) paid in connection with actual or threatened claims, demands, actions, suits, proceedings, inquiries or investigations, in each case, to the extent such amounts are reimbursed by insurance or other third parties during such period,

 

(11)         extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring charges, expenses or losses, including, without limitation, (A) severance costs, (B) expenses (including legal expenses) associated with recruitment of senior management (including one time bonuses in connection therewith), (C) expenses related to the vesting of employee benefits in connection with employee departures, (D) retention or stay bonus expenses paid to employees, (E) costs and expenses associated with relocation of people, hardware, records and data, (F) branding or rebranding costs (including costs associated with changing signage, collateral, clothing, websites and related items), (G) consulting expenses, (H) costs, fees and expenses related to office, warehouse, distribution center and facility openings (including any start-up costs), closures, consolidations and relocations, (I) costs related to the implementation of new or amended laws, (J) costs, fees and expenses related to participation in market studies and surveys, (K) litigation and settlement costs and expenses, (L) natural disaster losses not covered by insurance, (M) one-time fees, costs, accruals, payments, expenses or charges of up-front amounts (but not ongoing payments) relating to information technology and/or back-office technology purchases, including the purchase of and/or subscription to enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and/or niche financial solution(s) to unify accounting applications into a single platform, support multinational accounting and reporting requirements, and comply with the application of current and future Accounting Standards Codification, in each case, whether or not consummated, (N) costs associated with the evaluation, adoption and implementation of new accounting policies or principles required to be adopted in accordance with GAAP, including the effects of harmonizing accounting policies and principles of Targets and their Subsidiaries and (O) the one-time effects of new accounting policy and adoption; provided that, the aggregate amount added pursuant to this clause (b)(11), together with any amounts added back pursuant to clause (b)(12), clause (b)(13) and clause (b)(30) below and Pro Forma Acquisition Adjustments, shall not exceed an amount equal to 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (calculated before giving effect to such addbacks),

 

(12)         restructuring costs, integration costs, business optimization expenses or costs, transition services costs (including one-time set up costs and costs related to transition service agreements) and expenses (including work force reductions and the salary, bonus, benefits and other expenses of interim management (including travel and relocation expenses)), costs relating to the undertaking of cost saving initiatives, operating expense reductions and other cost synergies and similar initiatives, retention, recruiting, relocation and signing bonuses and expenses, stock option and other equity-based compensation expenses, severance costs, transaction fees and expenses, including, without limitation, any one time expense relating to enhanced accounting function or other transaction costs; provided that, the aggregate amount added pursuant to this clause (b)(12), together with any amounts added back pursuant to clause (b)(11) above and clause (b)(13) and clause (b)(30) below and Pro Forma Acquisition Adjustments, shall not exceed an amount equal to 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (calculated before giving effect to such addbacks),

 

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(13)           “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and cost synergies that result from (or that are expected in good faith to result from) Acquisitions, Dispositions and recapitalizations, operating improvements or changes, restructurings, cost savings and similar initiatives, plans or other actions taken, committed to be taken or planned or expected to be taken; provided, that a Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall have provided a reasonably detailed statement or schedule of such adjustments and shall have certified to Agent and the Lenders that (x) such cost savings, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and synergies are reasonably identifiable, factually supportable and reasonably attributable to the actions specified and reasonably anticipated to result from such actions, (y) such actions have been taken within 12 months of the date of determination, and (z) the aggregate amount of cost savings, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and synergies added pursuant to this clause (b)(13), together with any amounts added back pursuant to clause (b)(11) and clause (b)(12) above and clause (b)(30) below, shall not exceed an amount equal to 15.0% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (calculated before giving effect to such addbacks) in the aggregate for any trailing twelve month period,

 

(14)           proceeds of business interruption insurance actually received in cash with respect to an underlying loss during such period,

 

(15)           charges, losses or expenses to the extent paid for, indemnified or insured or reimbursed by a third party during such period,

 

(16)           unrealized noncash net losses in an amount equal to the fair market value of Rate Contracts, unrealized non-cash hedging losses and unrealized foreign exchange losses resulting from the impact of foreign currency changes,

 

(18)           pro forma adjustments consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X (excluding management synergies),

 

(19)           in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other permitted Investment, all adjustments that are set forth in a quality of earnings report or table prepared by a third party accountant and acceptable to Agent,

 

(21)           all letter of credit fees payable hereunder,

 

(22)           (i) all non-cash costs, charges, expenses, accruals, reserves or losses incurred pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan, share-based incentive compensation plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or other type of incentive plan, agreement or arrangement (including any compensation or bonus plan), pension plan, any stock subscription or stockholders agreement or any distributor equity plan or agreement, including any charges arising from the grant of stock appreciation or similar rights, (ii) any non-cash executive equity compensation costs, charges, expenses, accruals, reserves or losses, and (iii) any non-cash charges, costs, expenses, accruals, reserves or losses in connection with any rollover acceleration or payout of Stock held by management,

 

(23)           the amount by which Consolidated Rental Expense in such period is less than rental expense calculated in accordance with GAAP for such period,

 

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(24)           any non-cash impairment losses or increase in expenses resulting from goodwill and other intangibles (without duplication of the exclusion of items under clause (y) in the add-back in clause (b)(8) above), and

 

(25)           Contingent Acquisition Consideration and retention payments, to the extent expensed in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment for such period.

 

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means for any period, the ratio of:

 

(1)             Consolidated Cash Flow for such period, less for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries all Taxes on or measured by income (excluding income tax refunds) paid or payable in cash with respect to such period, to

 

(2)             Consolidated Fixed Charges for such period.

 

Consolidated Fixed Charges” means for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, for such period, the sum of:

 

(1)             Consolidated Net Interest Expense paid or required to be paid in cash during such period, and

 

(2)             Scheduled principal payments of Indebtedness (excluding letters of credit to the extent cash collateralized and intercompany indebtedness) paid or required to be paid in cash during such period, but excluding any voluntary or mandatory prepayments (other than scheduled principal amortization payments) and, for the avoidance of doubt, excluding Contingent Acquisition Consideration and earn-out or similar obligations.

 

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of measurement, all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date of measurement (other than Indebtedness of the type described in clauses (e), (h), (i), (k), (l) and (m) of the definition of Indebtedness and guarantees of the foregoing types of Indebtedness).

 

Consolidated Rental Expense” means, without duplication, for any period, all fixed and contingent rental expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (net of rental income receivable) paid in cash during such period under operating leases for real or personal property, except for the impact of landlord construction allowance amortization; provided that, with respect to any non-wholly owned Subsidiaries, such Subsidiaries’ contribution to Consolidated Rental Expense shall be proportional to the Borrower’s ownership interest (directly or indirectly) in such non-wholly owned Subsidiary.

 

Consolidated Net Interest Expense” means for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period:

 

(1)             Gross interest expense, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations and capitalized interest) in connection with Indebtedness for such period, in each case, to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP (including all commissions, discounts, fees and other charges in connection with letters of credit and similar instruments and net amounts paid or payable and/or received or receivable under permitted Rate Contracts in respect of interest rates) for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, less

 

(2)             Interest income for such period.

 

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Consolidated Senior Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (x) Consolidated Total Net Indebtedness as of such date of determination, less all Subordinated Indebtedness as of such date of determination to (y) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the four Fiscal Quarter period most recently ended on or immediately prior to such date of determination for which financial statements have been delivered under Section 5.1.

 

Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, at any date, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the sum of (i) all Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of date of measurement, plus (ii) L/C Reimbursement Obligations as of date of measurement then due and payable, plus (iii) Contingent Acquisition Consideration (valued in accordance with GAAP).

 

Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (x) Consolidated Total Net Indebtedness as of such date of determination to (y) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the four Fiscal Quarter period most recently ended on or immediately prior to such date of determination for which financial statements have been delivered under Section 5.1.

 

Consolidated Total Net Indebtedness” means, at any date, Consolidated Total Indebtedness net of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of up to $10,000,000, with respect to which (from and after the date by which the Borrower must deliver executed Control Agreements in accordance with Section 5.11) Agent has a first priority perfected Lien perfected by Control Agreements.

 

Consolidated Unfinanced Cash Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, all expenditures for the period of measurement that should be capitalized under GAAP, excluding (to the extent otherwise included), any such expenditures financed with (1) Net Proceeds from Dispositions, (2) cash proceeds from Stock issuances or capital contributions, (3) Net Proceeds from any Event of Loss to the extent such proceeds are actually applied to replace, repair or reconstruct the damaged Property or Property affected by the condemnation or taking in connection with such Event of Loss, (4) cash proceeds of indemnity payments or third party reimbursements received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (5) Capital Leases or other Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries other than drawings under the Revolving Loan Commitment, Swingline Commitment or any other revolving credit facility or (6) the trade-in amount of existing equipment solely to the extent that the gross amount of the purchase price of equipment acquired substantially contemporaneously therewith is reduced by such trade-in amount; Consolidated Unfinanced Cash Capital Expenditures shall also exclude that portion of the purchase price of a Target in a Permitted Acquisition or other Acquisition permitted hereunder that constitutes a capital expenditure under GAAP.

 

Contingent Acquisition Consideration” means any earnout obligation or similar deferred or contingent obligation of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries incurred or created in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment, excluding escrow arrangements and working capital and other similar purchase price adjustments.

 

Contractual Obligations” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security (whether in the nature of Stock, or otherwise) issued by such Person or of any agreement, undertaking, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other instrument, document or agreement (other than a Loan Document) to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its Property is bound or to which any of its Property is subject.

 

Control Agreement” means, with respect to any deposit account, securities account, commodity account, securities entitlement or commodity contract, an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, among Agent, the financial institution or other Person at which such account is maintained or with which such entitlement or contract is carried, and the Credit Party maintaining such account or owning such entitlement or contract, effective to grant “control” (within the meaning of Articles 8 and 9 under the applicable UCC) over such account, entitlement or contract to Agent (and, if applicable, such holder or representative).

 

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Conversion Date” means any date on which the Borrower converts a Base Rate Loan to a SOFR Loan or a SOFR Loan to a Base Rate Loan.

 

Copyrights” means all rights, title and interests (and all related IP Ancillary Rights) arising under any Requirement of Law in or relating to copyrights and all mask work, database and design rights, whether or not registered or published, all registrations and recordations thereof and all applications in connection therewith.

 

Credit Parties” means the Borrower and each other Person that (i) executes a guaranty of the Obligations and (ii) grants a Lien on all or substantially all of its assets to secure payment of the Obligations.

 

Default” means any event or circumstance that, with the passing of time or the giving of notice or both, would (if not cured or otherwise remedied during such time) become an Event of Default.

 

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that:

 

(a)             has failed to (i) fund any payments required to be made by it under the Loan Documents within two (2) Business Days after any such payment is due (excluding expense and similar reimbursements that are subject to good faith disputes) unless such Lender notifies Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied or (ii) pay to Agent, any L/C Issuer, any Swing Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Loans) within two (2) Business Days of the date when due,

 

(b)             has given written notice (and Agent has not received a revocation in writing), to the Borrower, Agent, any Lender, or any L/C Issuer or has otherwise publicly announced (and Agent has not received notice of a public retraction) that such Lender believes it will fail to fund payments or purchases of participations required to be funded by it under the Loan Documents or one or more other syndicated credit facilities (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), or

 

(c)             has, or any Person that directly or indirectly controls such Lender has, (i) become subject to a voluntary or involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Code or any similar bankruptcy laws, (ii) had a custodian, conservator, receiver or similar official appointed for it or any substantial part of such Person’s assets, (iii) made a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, been liquidated, or otherwise been adjudicated as, or determined by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Person or its assets to be, insolvent or bankrupt, or (iv) become the subject of a Bail-In Action, and for this clause (c), Agent has determined that such Lender is reasonably likely to fail to fund any payments required to be made by it under the Loan Documents. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall have the same meaning as in the second sentence of the definition of Affiliate.

 

Default Rate” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

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Disposition” means (a) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of Property and (b) the sale or transfer by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower of any Stock issued by any Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Disqualified Institutions” means any Person that is (a) designated by the Borrower, by written notice delivered to Agent on or prior to the date hereof, as a (i) disqualified institution or (ii) Competitor or (b) clearly identifiable, solely on the basis of such Person’s name, as an Affiliate of any Person referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above; provided, however, Disqualified Institutions shall (A) exclude any Person that the Borrower has designated as no longer being a Disqualified Institution by written notice delivered to Agent (including via e-mail, with receipt confirmed by Agent) from time to time and (B) include (I) any Person that is added as a Competitor and (II) any Person that is clearly identifiable, solely on the basis of such Person’s name, as an Affiliate of any Person referred to in clause (B)(I), pursuant to a written supplement to the list of Competitors that are Disqualified Institutions, that is delivered by the Borrower after the date hereof to Agent. Such supplement shall become effective two (2) Business Days after the date that such written supplement is delivered to Agent, but which shall not apply retroactively to disqualify any Persons that have previously acquired an assignment or participation interest in the Loans and/or Commitments as permitted herein. In no event shall a Bona Fide Debt Fund be a Disqualified Institution unless such Bona Fide Debt Fund is identified under clause (a)(i) above.

 

Disqualified Stock” means any Stock which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Stock into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition, (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is one hundred-eighty (180) days following the Latest Maturity Date (excluding any provisions requiring redemption upon a “change of control” or similar event or asset sale or similar event; provided that such “change of control” or similar event or asset sale or similar event results in the occurrence of the Facility Termination Date), (b) is convertible into or exchangeable for (i) debt securities or (ii) any Stock referred to in (a) above, in each case, at any time on or prior to the date that is one hundred-eighty (180) days following the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Stock was issued, or (c) is entitled to receive scheduled dividends or distributions in cash prior to the date that is one hundred-eighty (180) days following the Latest Maturity Date; provided that if such Stock is issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because they may be required to be repurchased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

 

Division” means, in reference to any Person which is an entity, the division of such Person into two (2) or more separate Persons with the dividing Person either continuing or terminating its existence as part of the division including as contemplated under Section 18-217 of the Delaware Limited Liability Act for limited liability companies formed under Delaware law or any analogous action taken pursuant to any applicable Law with respect to any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity. The word “Divide”, when capitalized shall have correlative meaning.

 

Dollars”, “dollars” and “$” each mean lawful money of the United States.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary incorporated, organized or otherwise formed under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

DQ List” as defined in Section 10.9(g)(ii).

 

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

 

15 

 

 

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

Electronic Transmission” means each document, instruction, authorization, file, information and any other communication transmitted, posted or otherwise made or communicated by e-mail or E-Fax, or otherwise to or from an E-System.

 

Employee Benefit Plan” means any employee benefit plan as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA (whether governed by the laws of the United States or otherwise) to which any Credit Party incurs or otherwise has any Liabilities.

 

Environmental Assessment” means an environmental site assessment that meets the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s All Appropriate Inquiries Rule as codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (“C.F.R.”) at 40 C.F.R. Part 312.

 

Environmental Laws” means all applicable Requirements of Law and Permits imposing liability or standards of conduct for or relating to the regulation and protection of human health, safety, and the workplace (in each case, to the extent relating to exposure of any Person to Hazardous Materials), the environment and natural resources, including environmental public notification requirements and environmental transfer of ownership, notification or approval statutes.

 

Environmental Liabilities” means all Liabilities (including costs of removal and remedial actions, natural resource damages and costs and expenses of investigation and feasibility studies, including the cost of environmental consultants and Attorney Costs) that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party as a result of, or related to, any claim, suit, action, investigation, proceeding or demand by any Person, whether based in contract, tort, implied or express warranty, strict liability, criminal or civil statute or common law or otherwise, arising under any Environmental Law relating to or resulting from the ownership, lease, sublease or other operation or occupation of property by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, whether on, prior or after the date hereof.

 

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

 

ERISA Affiliate” means, collectively, any Credit Party, any Subsidiary of a Credit Party, and any Person under common control or treated as a single employer with, any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party, within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code, and solely with respect to Section 412 of the Code (and other provisions of the Code significantly related thereto (e.g., Sections 430 through 436 of the Code)), under Section 414(m) or (o) of the Code.

 

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ERISA Event” means any of the following: (a) a reportable event described in Section 4043(b) or (c) of ERISA (or, unless the 30-day notice requirement has been duly waived under the applicable regulations) with respect to a Title IV Plan; (b) the withdrawal of any ERISA Affiliate from a Title IV Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (c) the complete or partial withdrawal of any ERISA Affiliate from any Multiemployer Plan; (d) with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the filing of a notice of insolvency or termination, or treatment of a plan amendment as termination, under Section 4041A of ERISA; (e) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Title IV Plan, or treatment of a plan amendment as termination, under Section 4041 of ERISA; (f) the institution of proceedings to terminate a Title IV Plan or Multiemployer Plan by the PBGC; (g) the failure to make any required contribution to any Title IV Plan or Multiemployer Plan when due; (h) the imposition of a Lien under Section 412 or 430(k) of the Code or Section 303 or 4068 of ERISA on any property (or rights to property, whether real or personal) of any ERISA Affiliate; (i) the failure of a Benefit Plan or any trust thereunder intended to qualify for tax exempt status under Section 401 or 501 of the Code or other Requirements of Law to qualify thereunder; (j) a Title IV plan is in “at risk” status within the meaning of Code Section 430(i); (k) a Multiemployer Plan is in “endangered status” or “critical status” within the meaning of Section 432(b) of the Code; and (l) any other event or condition that constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Title IV Plan or Multiemployer Plan or for the imposition of any liability upon any ERISA Affiliate under Title IV of ERISA other than for contributions to Title IV Plans and Multiemployer Plans in the ordinary course and PBGC premiums due but not delinquent.

 

Erroneous Payment” as defined in Section 2.11(d)(iii)(A).

 

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

 

Event of Default” as defined in Section 8.1.

 

Event of Loss” means, with respect to any Property, any of the following: (a) any loss, destruction or damage of such Property; or (b)  any condemnation, seizure or taking, by exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, of such Property, or confiscation of such Property or the requisition of the use of such Property.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Excluded Accounts” as defined in Section 5.11.

 

Excluded Domestic Holdco” means a Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of Stock of one or more Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries that has not guaranteed or pledged any of its assets to secure, or with respect to which there shall not have been pledged two-thirds or more of the voting Stock to secure, any Indebtedness (other than the Loans) of a Credit Party or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower which is a United States person within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

Excluded Domestic Subsidiary” means (i) during the time period set forth in paragraph 2 of Schedule 5.16 (including any extensions thereof), each Liquidating Corporation and (ii) any Domestic Subsidiary that is (a) a direct or indirect Subsidiary of an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary or (b) an Excluded Domestic Holdco.

 

Excluded Foreign Subsidiary” means a Foreign Subsidiary which is (a) a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in the Code) that has not guaranteed or pledged any of its assets to secure, or with respect to which there shall not have been pledged two-thirds or more of the voting Stock to secure, any Indebtedness (other than the Loans) of a Credit Party or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower which is a United States person within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code, or (b) a Foreign Subsidiary owned by a Foreign Subsidiary described in clause (a).

 

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Excluded Rate Contract Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any guarantee of any Swap Obligations under a Secured Rate Contract if, and only to the extent that and for so long as, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation under a Secured Rate Contract (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act at the time the guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation under a Secured Rate Contract. If a Swap Obligation under a Secured Rate Contract arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation under a Secured Rate Contract that is attributable to swaps for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

Excluded Subsidiary” means each (a) Excluded Domestic Subsidiary , (b) Excluded Foreign Subsidiary, (c) Subsidiary that is prohibited by applicable Requirements of Law or by any Contractual Obligation existing on the Closing Date (or the date of Acquisition of such Subsidiary, as applicable) from guaranteeing the Obligations, pledging substantially all of its assets or having its Stock pledged or which would require governmental or regulatory consent, approval, license or authorization to provide a guarantee, pledge substantially all of its assets or have its Stock pledged unless the same shall have been received (it being understood that there shall be no obligation to obtain such consent), (i) pursuant to agreements that were not entered into in contemplation of incurring senior credit facilities and (ii) to the extent such prohibition is not terminated or rendered unenforceable or otherwise deemed ineffective by the UCC or any other applicable Law, (d) not-for-profit Subsidiaries, (e) joint ventures, (f) captive insurance companies, (g) passive Subsidiaries with de minimis assets formed to consummate a Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment under Section 6.4 so long as such Subsidiary is merged out of existence pursuant to such Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment within thirty (30) days of its formation (or such later date as Agent may agree in writing) and until then, conducts no business and holds no assets, and (h) entity where the cost and/or burden of granting a guarantee outweighs the benefit to the Lenders or with respect to which a pledge therein would result in material adverse tax consequences, in each case, as determined in good faith by Borrower and Agent.

 

Excluded Tax” means with respect to any Secured Party: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (including branch profit Taxes) and franchise Taxes imposed in lieu of net income Taxes, in each case (i) imposed on any Secured Party as a result of being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes; (b) withholding Taxes to the extent that the obligation to withhold amounts existed on the date that such Person became a Secured Party under this Agreement in the capacity under which such Person makes a claim under Section 11.1(b) or designates a new Lending Office, except in each case to the extent such Person is a direct or indirect assignee (other than pursuant to Section 10.20) of any other Secured Party that was entitled, at the time the assignment to such Person became effective, to receive additional amounts under Section 11.1(b); (c) Taxes that are directly attributable to the failure (other than as a result of a change in any Requirement of Law) by any Secured Party to deliver the documentation required to be delivered pursuant to Section 11.1(g); and (d) any United States federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

E-Fax” means any system used to receive or transmit faxes electronically.

 

E-Signature” means the process of attaching to or logically associating with an Electronic Transmission an electronic symbol, encryption, digital signature or process (including the name or an abbreviation of the name of the party transmitting the Electronic Transmission) with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such Electronic Transmission.

 

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E-System” means any electronic system approved by Agent, including Syndtrak®, Intralinks® and ClearPar® and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by Agent, any of its Related Persons or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

 

Facility Termination Date” means the date on which (a) the Revolving Loan Commitments have terminated, (b) all Loans, all L/C Reimbursement Obligations and all other Obligations (excluding contingent obligations as to which no claims has been asserted), Secured Rate Contract Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations unless Agent has theretofore been notified in writing by the holder thereof that such Secured Rate Contract Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations are then due and payable) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash and (c) there shall have been deposited cash collateral with respect to all contingent Obligations (or, as an alternative to cash collateral, in the case of any Letter of Credit Obligation, Agent shall have received a back-up letter of credit, or if so agreed in writing by the applicable L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit Obligation shall have been rolled into a new credit facility and shall no longer be deemed to be issued hereunder) in amounts and on terms and conditions and with parties satisfactory to Agent and each Indemnitee or L/C Issuer that is, or may be, owed such Obligations (excluding contingent Obligations (other than L/C Reimbursement Obligations) as to which no claim has been asserted, Secured Rate Contract Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations).

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471, 1472, 1473 and 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), current or future United States Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder and published guidance with respect thereto, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any applicable intergovernmental agreements with respect thereto, and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules, or practices adopted pursuant to such intergovernmental agreements.

 

FCPA” as defined in Section 4.22(c).

 

Federal Flood Insurance” means federally backed Flood Insurance available under the National Flood Insurance Program to owners of real property improvements located in Special Flood Hazard Areas in a community participating in the National Flood Insurance Program.

 

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum 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, as determined by Agent in a commercially reasonable manner, but in no event less than 0.0% per annum.

 

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or any entity succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

Fee Letter” as defined in Section 2.9(a).

 

FEMA” means the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that administers the National Flood Insurance Program.

 

Final Availability Date” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

FIRREA” means the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989.

 

First Grid Calculation Date” as defined in the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

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Fiscal Quarter” means any of the quarterly accounting periods of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year.

 

Fiscal Year” means any of the annual accounting periods of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on March 31 of each year.

 

Flood Insurance” means, for any Real Estate (including any personal property Collateral located on such Real Estate) located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, Federal Flood Insurance or private insurance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, in either case, that (a) meets the requirements of FEMA and any other applicable federal agencies, (b) includes a deductible not to exceed $50,000 and (c) has a coverage amount equal to the lesser of (i) the insurable value of the buildings and any personal property Collateral located on the Real Estate as determined by Agent or (ii) the maximum policy limits set under the National Flood Insurance Program.

 

Flood Insurance Requirements” means, with respect to any Mortgages, Agent shall have received: (i) evidence as to whether the applicable Real Estate is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area pursuant to a standard flood hazard determination form ordered and received by Agent, and (ii) if such Real Estate is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, (A) evidence as to whether the community in which such Real Estate is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, (B) the applicable Credit Party’s written acknowledgment of receipt of written notification from Agent as to the fact that such Real Estate is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area and as to whether the community in which such Real Estate is located is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program and (C) copies of the applicable Credit Party’s application for a flood insurance policy plus proof of premium payment, a declaration page confirming that flood insurance has been issued, or such other evidence of flood insurance satisfactory to Agent and naming Agent as sole lender payee on behalf of the Secured Parties.

 

Floor” means 0% per annum.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, a Subsidiary of such Person, which Subsidiary is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time, set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, in the statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies with similar functions and comparable stature and authority within the accounting profession) that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination. Subject to Section 1.3, all references to “GAAP” shall be to GAAP applied consistently with the principles used in the preparation of the financial statements described in Section 5.1(a).

 

Government Contract” means any (i) contract entered into between any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries and the government of the United States of America, or any department, agency, public corporation, or other instrumentality or agent thereof or any state government or any department, agency or instrumentality or agent thereof providing for the sale of products or services to a Governmental Authority or (ii) subcontract entered into between any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries and a prime contractor who is providing products or services to a Governmental Authority, which subcontract relates to the products or services being provided to the Governmental Authority by such prime contractor.

 

Governmental Authority” means any nation, sovereign or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority or instrumentality thereof and any entity or authority thereof exercising executive, legislative, taxing, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including any central bank, stock exchange, regulatory body, arbitrator, public sector entity, supra-national entity (including the European Union and the European Central Bank) and any self-regulatory organization (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners).

 

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Guarantor” means any Person that has guaranteed any Obligations.

 

Guaranty and Security Agreement” means that certain Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated as of even date herewith, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent and the Borrower, made by the Credit Parties in favor of Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

Hazardous Material” means any substance, material or waste that is classified, regulated or otherwise characterized under any Environmental Law as hazardous, toxic, a contaminant or a pollutant or by other words of similar meaning or regulatory effect due to its dangerous or deleterious properties or characteristics, including petroleum or any fraction thereof, asbestos, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radioactive substances.

 

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication: (a) all indebtedness for borrowed money; (b) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of Property or services and Contingent Acquisition Consideration (other than (i) accrued expenses, or (ii) trade payables, accounts payable, accrued operating expenses or progress payments, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business (and not in connection with the borrowing of money)); (c) the face amount of all letters of credit issued for the account of such Person (or for which such Person is liable) (but excluding any undrawn letters of credit to the extent secured by any cash collateral) and without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder and all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments issued by such Person (or for which such Person is liable); (d) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of Property, assets or businesses; (e) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to Property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such Property); (f) all Capital Lease Obligations; (g) the principal balance outstanding under any synthetic lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off balance sheet financing product (for the avoidance of doubt, lease payments under any operating lease shall not constitute Indebtedness); (h) all obligations of such Person, whether or not contingent, to repurchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire for value or otherwise make any payment in respect of any of its Disqualified Stock, valued at, in the case of redeemable preferred Stock, the greater of the voluntary liquidation preference and the involuntary liquidation preference of such Stock plus accrued and unpaid dividends; (i) all Indebtedness referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien upon or in Property (including accounts and contracts rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness and (j) all Guaranty obligations in respect of Indebtedness described of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (a) through (i) above; (k) all direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person under any Rate Contracts; (l) all direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person to make take-or-pay or similar payments if required regardless of nonperformance by any other party or parties to an agreement; or (m) all direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person for the obligations of another Person through any agreement to purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such obligation or any Property constituting security therefor, to provide funds for the payment or discharge of such obligation or to maintain the solvency, financial condition or any balance sheet item or level of income of another Person. The amount of any Indebtedness under the foregoing clauses (j) through (m) shall be equal to the amount of the obligation so guarantied or otherwise supported or, if not a fixed and determined amount, the maximum amount so guarantied or supported.

 

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Indemnified Matter” as defined in Section 10.6.

 

Indemnified Tax” means (a) any Tax imposed with respect to any Loan Document or any payment thereunder other than an Excluded Tax and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.

 

Indemnitee” as defined in Section 10.6.

 

Insolvency Proceeding” means (a) any case, action or proceeding before any court or other Governmental Authority relating to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, receivership, dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors, or (b) any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, composition, marshaling of assets for creditors, or other, similar arrangement in respect of its creditors generally or any substantial portion of its creditors; in each case in clauses (a) and (b) above, undertaken under U.S. federal, state or foreign law, including the Bankruptcy Code.

 

Intellectual Property” means all rights, title and interests in or relating to (a) intellectual property arising under any Requirement of Law, including all Copyrights, Patents, Software, Trademarks, Internet Domain Names, Trade Secrets, (b) all IP Ancillary Rights relating thereto and (c) IP Licenses.

 

Interest Accrual Method” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Interest Payment Date” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Interest Period” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Internet Domain Name” means all right, title and interest (and all related IP Ancillary Rights) arising under any Requirement of Law in or relating to internet domain names.

 

Inventory” means all “inventory” (as such term is defined in the UCC) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

Investment” as defined in Section 6.4.

 

IP Ancillary Rights” means, with respect to any Intellectual Property (of the type described in clauses (a) and (c) of the definition of Intellectual Property), as applicable, all foreign counterparts to, and all divisionals, reversions, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues, reexaminations, renewals and extensions of, such Intellectual Property and all income, royalties, proceeds and Liabilities at any time due or payable or asserted under or with respect to any of the foregoing or otherwise with respect to such Intellectual Property, including all rights to sue or recover at law or in equity for any past, present or future infringement, misappropriation, dilution, violation or other impairment thereof, and, in each case, all rights to obtain any other IP Ancillary Right.

 

IP License” means all Contractual Obligations (and all related IP Ancillary Rights), whether written or oral, granting any right, title and interest in or relating to any Intellectual Property of the type described in clause (a) of the definition of Intellectual Property.

 

IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service of the United States and any successor thereto.

 

Issue” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, to issue, extend the expiration date of, renew (including by failure to object to any automatic renewal on the last day such objection is permitted), increase the face amount of, or reduce or eliminate any scheduled decrease in the face amount of, such Letter of Credit, or to cause any Person to do any of the foregoing. The terms “Issued”, “Issuing” and “Issuance” have correlative meanings.

 

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Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

 

L/C Issuer” means any Lender or an Affiliate thereof or a bank or other legally authorized Person, in each case, reasonably acceptable to Agent, in such Person’s capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

L/C Reimbursement Agreement” as defined in Section 2.1(c)(i)(C).

 

L/C Reimbursement Date” as defined in Section 2.1(c)(v).

 

L/C Reimbursement Obligation” means, for any Letter of Credit, the obligation of the Borrower to the L/C Issuer thereof or to Agent, as and when matured, to pay all amounts drawn under such Letter of Credit.

 

L/C Request” as defined in Section 2.1(c)(ii).

 

L/C Sublimit” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Lead Arranger” means Capital One, National Association.

 

Lender” as defined in the preamble hereto.

 

Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender specified as its “Lending Office” beneath its name on the applicable signature page hereto, or such other office or offices of such Lender as it may from time to time notify the Borrower and Agent.

 

Letter of Credit” means documentary or standby letters of credit Issued for the account of the Borrower by L/C Issuers, and bankers’ acceptances issued by the Borrower in connection therewith, for which Agent and Lenders have incurred Letter of Credit Obligations.

 

Letter of Credit Fee” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Letter of Credit Obligations” means all outstanding obligations incurred by Agent and Lenders at the request of the Borrower, whether direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, due or not due, in connection with the Issuance of Letters of Credit by L/C Issuers or the purchase of a participation as set forth in Section 2.1(c) with respect to any Letter of Credit. The amount of such Letter of Credit Obligations shall equal the maximum amount that may be payable by Agent and Lenders thereupon or pursuant thereto.

 

Liabilities” means all claims, actions, suits, judgments, damages, losses, liability, obligations, responsibilities, fines, penalties, sanctions, costs, fees, attorney’s fees, Taxes, commissions, charges, disbursements and expenses (including those incurred upon any appeal or in connection with the preparation for and/or response to any subpoena or request for document production relating thereto), in each case of any kind or nature (including interest accrued thereon or as a result thereto and fees, charges and disbursements of financial, legal and other advisors and consultants), whether joint or several, whether or not indirect, contingent, consequential, actual, punitive, treble or otherwise.

 

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Lien” means any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, charge, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, easement, lien (statutory or otherwise), security interest or other security arrangement and any other preference, priority or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever, including any conditional sale contract or other title retention agreement, the interest of a lessor under a Capital Lease and any synthetic or other financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing.

 

Liquidating Corporations” means, collectively, Albeck Gerken, Inc., a Delaware corporation and ClearAg, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

Loan” means any loan made or deemed made by any Lender hereunder.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Fee Letter, the Collateral Documents, all agreements entered into with respect to the Letters of Credit, the Master Agreement for Standby Letters of Credit, the Master Agreement for Documentary Letters of Credit, and all documents delivered to Agent and/or any Lender in connection with any of the foregoing (excluding any Secured Rate Contract or any Secured Cash Management Agreement).

 

Margin Stock” means “margin stock” as such term is defined in Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

 

Master Agreement for Documentary Letters of Credit” means that certain Master Agreement for Documentary Letters of Credit, dated as of the Closing Date between the Borrower on behalf of all Credit Parties and Capital One, as an L/C Issuer.

 

Master Agreement for Standby Letters of Credit” means that certain Master Agreement for Standby Letters of Credit, dated as of the Closing Date between the Borrower on behalf of all Credit Parties and Capital One, as an L/C Issuer.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means an effect that results in or causes, or could reasonably be expected to result in or cause, a material adverse change in any of (a) the condition (financial or otherwise), business, performance, operations, liabilities or Property of the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) the ability of any Credit Party, any Subsidiary of any Credit Party or any other Person (other than Agent or Lenders) to perform its obligations under any Loan Document; or (c) the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the rights and remedies of Agent, the Lenders and the Secured Parties under the Loan Documents .

 

Material Environmental Liabilities” means Environmental Liabilities exceeding $750,000 in the aggregate.

 

Material Government Contract” means a Government Contract (a) that represents at least 20% or more of the total consolidated revenues of the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries for any fiscal year, or (b) as to which the breach, nonperformance, cancellation or failure to renew by any party thereto, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Material Indebtedness” means (i) any Subordinated Indebtedness and (ii) any other Indebtedness (other than the Obligations but including Secured Rate Contract Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations) of any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of $750,000 or more.

 

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Maximum Lawful Rate” as defined in Section 2.3(d).

 

Maximum Revolving Loan Balance” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

MNPI” as defined in Section 10.10(a).

 

Minimum Revolving Credit Borrowing Amount” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Minimum Revolving Loan Commitment Reduction Amount” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Mortgage” means any deed of trust, leasehold deed of trust, mortgage, leasehold mortgage, deed to secure debt, leasehold deed to secure debt or other document creating a Lien on Real Estate or any interest in Real Estate made by any Credit Party in favor of, or for the benefit of, Agent (or a nominee or sub-agent therefor) for the benefit of the Secured Parties (or any one or more of them), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and the Borrower.

 

Multiemployer Plan” means any multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, subject to Title IV of ERISA to which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party incurs or otherwise has any obligation or Liabilities, including on account of an ERISA Affiliate.

 

National Flood Insurance Program” means the program created by the U.S. Congress pursuant to the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as revised by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, that, among other things, mandates the purchase of flood insurance to cover real property improvements and contents located in Special Flood Hazard Areas in participating communities and may provide protection to property owners through a federal insurance program.

 

Net Issuance Proceeds” means, in respect of any issuance of Stock or incurrence of Indebtedness, cash proceeds (including cash proceeds as and when received in respect of non-cash proceeds received or receivable in connection with such issuance), net of all Taxes paid or payable, fees, underwriting discounts, commissions, and reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses paid or incurred, in each case, in connection therewith in favor of any Person not an Affiliate of the Borrower.

 

Net Proceeds” means proceeds in cash, checks or other cash equivalent financial instruments (including Cash Equivalents) as and when received by the Person making a Disposition, as well as insurance proceeds and condemnation and similar awards received on account of an Event of Loss, net of: (a) in the event of a Disposition (i) the out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses paid or payable as a result of or relating to such Disposition (including brokers’ fees or commissions, discounts, legal, accounting and other professional fees and other transaction fees incurred in connection with such Disposition, excluding amounts payable to the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower), (ii) sales, use or other Taxes paid or payable as a result thereof, (iii) amounts required to be applied to pay principal, interest and prepayment premiums and penalties on Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) or any other obligation outstanding at the time of such asset sale secured by a Lien on the asset which is the subject of such Disposition and prior to the Lien securing the Obligations, and (iv) appropriate amounts established as a reserve required by GAAP by Borrower in its good faith judgment against any liabilities associated with such Disposition, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities related to environmental matters, and (v) any escrow or reserve for any indemnification payments (fixed or contingent) attributable to seller’s indemnities and representations and warranties to purchaser in respect of the applicable Disposition undertaken by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or other liabilities in connection with such Disposition (provided that upon release of any such escrow or reserve, the amount released shall be considered Net Proceeds) and (b) in the event of an Event of Loss, (i) all money actually applied to repair or reconstruct the damaged Property or Property affected by the condemnation or taking, (ii) all of the costs, fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the collection of such proceeds, award or other payments (including sales, use, withholding or other Taxes of any kind whatsoever paid in connection therewith), and (iii) any amounts retained by or paid to parties having superior rights to such proceeds, awards or other payments.

 

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Non-U.S. Lender Party” means each of Agent, each Lender, each L/C Issuer, each SPV and each participant, in each case that is not a United States person as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

Note” means any Revolving Note or Swingline Note and “Notes” means all such Notes.

 

Notice of Borrowing” means a notice given by the Borrower to Agent pursuant to Section 2.5, in substantially the form of Exhibit 1.1(b) hereto.

 

Notice of Conversion/Continuation” as defined in Section 2.6(a).

 

Obligations” means all Loans, and other Indebtedness, advances, debts, liabilities, obligations, L/C Reimbursement Obligations, covenants and duties owing by any Credit Party to any Lender, Agent, any L/C Issuer, any Secured Swap Provider, any Secured Cash Management Bank or any Person required to be indemnified, that arises under any Loan Document, Secured Rate Contract or Secured Cash Management Agreement, or letter of credit reimbursement or similar agreement, whether or not for the payment of money, whether arising by reason of an extension of credit, loan, guaranty, indemnification or in any other manner, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assignment), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and however acquired (whether or not accruing after the filing of any case under the Bankruptcy Code and whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest, fees and charges is allowed or allowable in any such proceeding); provided, that Obligations of any Guarantor shall not include any Excluded Rate Contract Obligations solely of such Guarantor.

 

OFAC” as defined in Section 4.22(a).

 

Organization Documents” means, (a) for any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation, the bylaws, any certificate of determination or instrument relating to the rights of preferred shareholders of such corporation, and any shareholder rights agreement, (b) for any partnership, the partnership agreement and, if applicable, certificate of limited partnership, (c) for any limited liability company, the operating agreement and articles or certificate of formation or (d) for any other entity, any other document setting forth the manner of election or duties of the officers, directors, managers or other similar persons, or the designation, amount or relative rights, limitations and preference of the Stock of such entity.

 

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

 

Other Taxes” as defined in Section 11.1(c).

 

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Outstanding Amount” means, as applicable, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans and Swing Loans on any date after giving effect to any Borrowings, prepayments or repayments thereof occurring on such date, and with respect to any Letter of Credit Obligations, the aggregate outstanding amount of such Letter of Credit Obligations on any date after giving effect to any Letter of Credit Issuance or other changes in the aggregate amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations occurring on such date.

 

Participant Register” as defined in Section 10.9(f).

 

Participating Lender” as defined in Section 10.20.

 

Patents” means all rights, title and interests (and all related IP Ancillary Rights) arising under any Requirement of Law in or relating to letters patent and applications therefor.

 

Payment Notice” as defined in Section 2.11(d)(iii)(B).

 

Payment Recipient” as defined in Section 2.11(d)(iii)(A).

 

PBGC” means the United States Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.

 

Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Term SOFR”.

 

Permits” means, with respect to any Person, any permit, approval, authorization, license, registration, certificate, concession, grant, franchise, variance or permission from, and any other Contractual Obligations with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law and applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its Property or to which such Person or any of its Property is subject.

 

Permitted Acquisition” means (x) any Acquisition that has been consented to in writing by the Required Lenders and (y) any other Acquisition by a Credit Party of all of the Stock of a Target or all or substantially all of the assets of a Target, in each case, to the extent that each of the following conditions shall have been satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 10.1):

 

(a)           the Borrower shall have delivered to Agent:

 

(i)           at least two (2) Business Days prior to the consummation thereof (or such shorter period as Agent may agree in writing), (x) to the extent available or (y) with respect to an Acquisition in which the Acquisition Consideration (as defined in clause (d) below) is greater than $30,000,000, in each case, (A) notice of such Acquisition setting forth in reasonable detail the terms and conditions of such Acquisition, (B) pro forma financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries after giving effect to the consummation of such Acquisition and the incurrence or assumption of any Indebtedness in connection therewith and (C) audited financial statements or a review (which may be in the form of a quality of earnings report) by a nationally recognized accounting firm;

 

(ii)           on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the consummation of such Acquisition calculated as of the last day of the most recent Fiscal Quarter preceding the date on which the Acquisition is consummated for which financial statements have been delivered (x) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio does not exceed the maximum Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 7.1 as of the last day of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been delivered (or were required to have been delivered) under Section 5.1 and (y) the Consolidated Senior Leverage Ratio does not exceed 2.50:1.00;

 

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(iii)           as soon as available, executed counterparts of the respective material acquisition documents, and to the extent required in the acquisition documents, all required consents and approvals pursuant to which such Acquisition is to be consummated; and

 

(iv)           if required by Agent, Environmental Assessments and other environmental audits or investigations in each case satisfactory to Agent;

 

(b)           such Acquisition shall not be hostile and have been approved by the board of directors (or other similar body) of the Target;

 

(c)           no Default or Event of Default shall exist at the time of the consummation of such Acquisition;

 

(d)           the total consideration paid or payable (including all transaction costs, Indebtedness incurred, assumed and/or reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries after giving effect to such Acquisition and the maximum amount of all deferred payments, including Contingent Acquisition Consideration) (such amounts, collectively, the “Acquisition Consideration”) for (i) all Acquisitions (including Acquisitions described in clause (ii) below) consummated during the term of this Agreement shall not exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate for all such Acquisitions and (ii) for all Acquisitions of the Stock of a Target not organized under the laws of any State, or of a Target substantially all of the Property of which is not located in States, in the United States or the District of Columbia or of Property which is not located within the United States consummated during the term of this Agreement shall not exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate for all such Acquisitions; provided each of the foregoing limits may be increased by (x) the Net Issuance Proceeds of a contemporaneous stock issuance (excluding Disqualified Stock) by the Borrower used to finance all or a portion of such Acquisition, (y) Subordinated Indebtedness of a Credit Party incurred or assumed in connection with such Acquisition, and (z) the amount of any Contingent Acquisition Consideration; provided that the aggregate Acquisition Consideration funded from sources described in clauses (y) and (z) of the preceding proviso shall not exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate for all such Acquisitions during the term of this Agreement;

 

(e)           earnings before income taxes, depreciation and amortization of the Target of such Acquisition or the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period for which financial statements of such Target are delivered to the Credit Parties (“Target EBITDA”) shall be at least $0; provided that the Borrower may consummate one Acquisition with Target EBITDA of less than $0 prior to January 25, 2024 so long as the negative Target EBITDA from such Acquisition does not reduce the Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated without giving effect to such Acquisition by more than 15%;

 

(f)           any Contingent Acquisition Consideration incurred in connection with such Permitted Acquisition shall be subordinated to the Obligations on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Agent; and

 

(g)           Credit Parties shall have taken, or caused to be taken, as of the date such Target becomes a Subsidiary of a Credit Party, each of the actions set forth in Section 6.12.

 

Permitted Liens” as defined in Section 6.1.

 

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Permitted Refinancing” means Indebtedness constituting a refinancing, replacement, renewal, restatement, redemption or extension or exchange of Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.5(b) and 6.5(c) that:

 

(a)           has an aggregate outstanding principal amount not greater than the aggregate principal amount of the Indebtedness being refinanced, replaced, renewed, restated, redeemed or extended, except by an amount equal to the unpaid accrued interest (not duplicative of the amount of capitalized interest paid-in-kind) and premium thereon, defeasance costs and other reasonable amounts paid and fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith;

 

(b)           has a weighted average life to maturity (measured as of the date of such refinancing or extension) and maturity no shorter than that of the Indebtedness being refinanced, replaced, renewed, restated, redeemed or extended or exchanged;

 

(c)           is not entered into as part of a sale leaseback transaction;

 

(d)           is not secured by a Lien on any assets other than the collateral securing the Indebtedness being refinanced, replaced, renewed, restated, redeemed or extended or exchanged;

 

(e)           such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Person other than Persons who guarantee the Indebtedness being refinanced or extended and the borrower of such Indebtedness is not changed or expanded;

 

(f)           if the Indebtedness being refinanced, replaced, renewed, restated, redeemed, or extended or exchanged is (i) payment subordinated to the Obligations, the Indebtedness constituting a refinancing, replacement, renewal, restatement, redemption or extension or exchange of such Indebtedness shall be payment subordinated to the Obligations at least to the same extent and in the same manner as such Indebtedness and/or (ii) lien subordinated to the Obligations, the Indebtedness constituting a refinancing, replacement, renewal, restatement, redemption or extension or exchange of such Indebtedness shall either (x) be lien subordinated at least to the same extent and in the same manner as such Indebtedness or (y) be unsecured; and

 

(g)           is otherwise on terms no less favorable to the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, than those of the Indebtedness being refinanced, replaced, renewed, restated, redeemed or extended or exchanged.

 

Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust and a public benefit corporation), joint stock company, estate, association, firm, enterprise, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated association, joint venture and any other entity or Governmental Authority.

 

Pricing Grid” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Private Side Information” as defined in Section 10.10(a)(iii).

 

Pro Forma Acquisition Adjustments” as defined in the definition of Pro Forma Target EBITDA.

 

Pro Forma Target EBITDA” means, with respect to any Target, EBITDA of such Target (calculated in a manner consistent with the definition of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA) for the most recent four (4) Fiscal Quarter period preceding the acquisition thereof, adjusted by verifiable expense reductions, including reductions in excess owner compensation, if any, calculated on month by month basis, to the extent such adjustments (collectively, “Pro Forma Acquisition Adjustments”) (a) are expected to be realized within twelve (12) months following the acquisition of such Target, (b) are certified as such in a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower describing such reductions in reasonable detail, and (c) do not exceed in the aggregate for all Permitted Acquisitions 10% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA in any four consecutive Fiscal Quarter periods (calculated prior to such giving effect to such adjustments), in each case calculated by the Borrower.

 

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Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, and whether tangible or intangible.

 

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

 

Public Lender” as defined in Section 10.10(a)(i).

 

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation under a Secured Rate Contract, each Credit Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant guarantee or grant of the relevant security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation under a Secured Rate Contract or such other person as constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Rate Contracts” means swap agreements (as such term is defined in Section 101 of the Bankruptcy Code) designed to provide protection against fluctuations in interest or currency exchange rates and commodity prices and any other agreements or arrangements designed to provide such protection.

 

Real Estate” means any real property owned, leased, subleased or otherwise operated or occupied by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party.

 

Register” as defined in Section 2.4(b).

 

Related Persons” means, with respect to any Person, each Affiliate of such Person and each director, officer, employee, agent, trustee, representative, attorney, accountant and each insurance, environmental, legal, financial and other advisor (including those retained in connection with the satisfaction or attempted satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III) and other consultants and agents of or to such Person or any of its Affiliates.

 

Releases” means any release, threatened release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, escape, injection, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, dumping, leaching or migration of Hazardous Material into or through the environment.

 

Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.

 

Replacement Lender” as defined in Section 10.20.

 

Required Lenders” means at any time (a) Lenders then holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment then in effect, or (b) if the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitments have terminated, Lenders then holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Loans (other than Swing Loans) then outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations, amounts of participations in Swing Loans and the principal amount of unparticipated portions of Swing Loans; provided that if at any time there are two (2) or more unaffiliated Lenders, then Required Lenders shall further require the consent of at least two (2) of such unaffiliated Lenders. Such portion of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment (or Revolving Loans, as applicable) held or deemed held by a Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders at any time.

 

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Required Revolving Lenders” means at any time (a) Lenders then holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitments then in effect, or (b) if the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitments have terminated, Lenders then holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the aggregate outstanding amount of Revolving Loans, outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations, amounts of participations in Swing Loans and the principal amount of unparticipated portions of Swing Loans; provided that if at any time there are two (2) or more unaffiliated Lenders, then Required Revolving Lenders shall further require the consent of at least two (2) of such unaffiliated Lenders. Such portion of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment (or Revolving Loans, as applicable) and the sum of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Revolving Loans then outstanding, as applicable, held or deemed held by a Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Revolving Lenders at any time.

 

Requirement of Law” means, with respect to any Person, the common law and any federal, state, local, foreign, multinational or international laws, statutes, codes, treaties, standards, rules and regulations, guidelines, ordinances, orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees (including administrative or judicial precedents or authorities) and the interpretation or administration thereof by, and other determinations, directives, requirements or requests of, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law and that are applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its Property or to which such Person or any of its Property is subject.

 

Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

 

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, the president, the general counsel, the chief operating officer, or the chief regulatory officer of the Borrower, or any other officer having substantially the same authority and responsibility; or, with respect to compliance with financial covenants or delivery of financial information, the chief financial officer or the treasurer of the Borrower, as applicable, or any other officer having substantially the same authority and responsibility.

 

Restricted Debt Payments” as defined in Section 6.12.

 

Restricted Payments” as defined in Section 6.8.

 

Revolving Increase” as defined in Section 2.1(e)(i).

 

Revolving Increase Joinder Agreement” as defined in Section 2.1(e)(iv).

 

Revolving Increase Request” as defined in Section 2.1(e)(i).

 

Revolving Lender” means each Lender with a Revolving Loan Commitment (or if the Revolving Loan Commitments have terminated, who hold Revolving Loans or participations in Swing Loans or Letter of Credit Obligations).

 

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made or deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 2.1(b), Section 2.1(c)(vi)(B) or Section 2.1(d)(iii)(B).

 

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Revolving Loan Commitment” means, with respect to each Revolving Lender, the commitment of such Revolving Lender to make Revolving Loans and acquire interests in Letter of Credit Obligations and Swing Loans, which initial commitments are set forth on Schedule 1 hereto opposite such Lender’s name under the heading “Revolving Loan Commitments”, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to this Agreement and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Revolving Lender pursuant to an Assignment or (ii) an amendment or joinder agreement with respect to a Revolving Increase.

 

Revolving Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to a Lender in substantially the form of Exhibit 1.1(c) hereto, evidencing Indebtedness of the Borrower under the Revolving Loan Commitment of such Lender.

 

Revolving Termination Date” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

“Sale” as defined in Section 10.9(b).

 

Sanctioned Country” as defined in Section 4.22(a).

 

Sanctions” as defined in Section 4.22(a).

 

SDN List” as defined in Section 4.22(a).

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.

 

Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement between any Credit Party and a Secured Cash Management Bank, in effect on the Closing Date or entered into thereafter, to the extent that (x) Capital One, National Association or any of its Affiliates is the Secured Cash Management Bank or (y) the Borrower and such Secured Cash Management Bank have notified Agent in writing of the intent to include the obligations of such Credit Party arising under such Cash Management Agreement as Secured Cash Management Obligations, and such Secured Cash Management Bank shall have acknowledged and agreed to the terms contained herein applicable to Secured Cash Management Obligations, including the provisions of Sections 2.10, 9.13 and 10.24.

 

Secured Cash Management Bank” means a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (or a Person who was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time of execution and delivery of a Cash Management Agreement) who has entered into a Cash Management Agreement with a Credit Party.

 

Secured Cash Management Obligation” means, as to any Person, all obligations, whether absolute or contingent and however and whenever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), of a Credit Party arising under any Secured Cash Management Agreement.

 

Secured Party” means Agent, each Lender, each L/C Issuer, each other Indemnitee and each other holder of any Obligation of a Credit Party (including each Secured Swap Provider and each Secured Cash Management Bank).

 

Secured Rate Contract” means any Rate Contract between a Credit Party and a Secured Swap Provider, in effect on the Closing Date or entered into thereafter, to the extent that (x) Capital One, National Association or any of its Affiliates is the Secured Swap Provider or (y) the Borrower and such Secured Swap Provider have notified Agent in writing of the intent to include the obligations of such Credit Party arising under such Rate Contract as Secured Rate Contract Obligations, and such Secured Swap Provider shall have acknowledged and agreed to the terms contained herein applicable to Secured Rate Contract Obligations, including the provisions of Sections 2.10, 9.13 and 10.24.

 

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Secured Rate Contract Obligations” means as to any Person, all obligations, whether absolute or contingent and however and whenever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), of a Credit Party arising under any Secured Rate Contract.

 

Secured Swap Provider” means a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (or a Person who was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time of execution and delivery of a Rate Contract) who has entered into a Rate Contract with a Credit Party.

 

Settlement Date” as defined in Section 2.11(b).

 

SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.

 

SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

 

SOFR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on Term SOFR.

 

SOFR Margin” as defined in the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

Software” means (a) all computer programs, including source code and object code versions, (b) all data, databases and compilations of data, whether machine readable or otherwise, and (c) all documentation, training materials and configurations related to any of the foregoing.

 

Solvent” means, with respect to any Person as of any date of determination, that, as of such date, (a) the value of the assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries (both at fair value and present fair salable value), taken as a whole (determined on a going concern basis), is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including subordinated, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole , (b) such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are able to pay all liabilities (including subordinated, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) of such Persons as such liabilities mature and (c) such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, do not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which they are engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted following the Closing Date. In computing the amount of contingent or unliquidated liabilities at any time, such liabilities shall be computed at the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

Special Flood Hazard Area” means an area that FEMA has designated as an area subject to special flood hazards, the current standard for which is at least a one percent (1.0%) chance of a flood equal to or exceeding the base flood elevation (a 100-year flood) in any given year, as per the applicable flood maps.

 

Specified Event of Default” means an Event of Default under Section  8.1(a), Section 8.1(c) as a result of a failure to perform or comply with any covenant contained in Section 5.1, Section 5.2(b), Section 5.3(a) or Article VII, Section 8.1(f) or Section 8.1(g).

 

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SPV” means any special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in a writing by any Lender to Agent.

 

Stock” means (a) all shares of capital stock (whether denominated as common stock or preferred stock), equity interests, beneficial, partnership or membership interests, joint venture interests, participations or other ownership or profit interests in or equivalents (regardless of how designated) of or in a Person (other than an individual), whether voting or non-voting; and (b) all securities convertible into or exchangeable for any other Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to purchase, subscribe for or otherwise acquire any other Stock, whether or not presently convertible, exchangeable or exercisable (other than Indebtedness which is convertible into Stock, which shall be treated as Indebtedness unless and until as so converted).

 

Subordinated Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party which is subordinated to the Obligations as to right and time of payment and as to other rights and remedies thereunder and having such subordination and other terms as are, in each case, reasonably acceptable to Agent.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association or other entity, the management of which is, directly or indirectly, controlled by, or of which an aggregate of more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting Stock is, at the time, owned or controlled directly or indirectly by, such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless the context otherwise requires, Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of any Credit Party.

 

Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Swingline Commitment” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Swing Lender” means, each in its capacity as Swing Lender hereunder, Capital One or, upon the resignation of Capital One as Agent hereunder, any Lender (or Affiliate or Approved Fund of any Lender) that agrees, with the approval of Agent (or, if there is no such successor Agent, the Required Lenders) and the Borrower, to act as the Swing Lender hereunder.

 

Swing Loan” as defined in Section 2.1(d)(i).

 

Swingline Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the Swing Lender, in substantially the form of Exhibit 1.1(c) hereto, evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrower to the Swing Lender resulting from the Swing Loans made to the Borrower by the Swing Lender.

 

Swingline Request” as defined in Section 2.1(d)(ii).

 

Target” means any other Person or business unit or asset group of any other Person acquired or proposed to be acquired in an Acquisition.

 

Tax Affiliate” means, (a) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (b) each other Credit Party and (c) any Affiliate of the Borrower with which the Borrower files or is eligible to file consolidated, combined or unitary Tax Returns.

 

Tax Return” as defined in Section 4.10.

 

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Taxes” as defined in Section 11.1(a).

 

Term SOFR” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

Term SOFR Administrator” means the CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of the Term SOFR Reference Rate selected by the Agent in its reasonable discretion).

 

Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the rate per annum determined by the Agent as the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.

 

Title IV Plan” means a pension plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, other than a Multiemployer Plan, to which any ERISA Affiliate incurs or otherwise has any obligation or Liabilities (including any contingent or secondary Liabilities).

 

Trade Date” as defined in Section 10.9(g).

 

Trade Secrets” means all right, title and interest (and all related IP Ancillary Rights) arising under any Requirement of Law in or relating to trade secrets.

 

Trademark” means all rights, title and interests (and all related IP Ancillary Rights) arising under any Requirement of Law in or relating to trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, service marks, logos and other source or business identifiers and, in each case, all goodwill associated therewith, all registrations and recordations thereof and all applications in connection therewith.

 

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction and, if the applicable jurisdiction shall not have any Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York.

 

UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

 

UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

 

Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

 

Unfunded Benefit Liabilities” of any Title IV Plan means the excess of a Title IV Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA over the current value of such Title IV Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Title IV Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

 

United States” and “U.S.” each means the United States of America.

 

Unused Commitment Fee” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

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U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (i) a Saturday, (ii) a Sunday or (iii) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.

 

U.S. Lender Party” means each of Agent, each Lender, each L/C Issuer, each SPV and each participant, in each case that is a United States person as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

USA Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, P.L. 107-56.

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness; provided that for purposes of determining the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Indebtedness that is being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended, the effects of any amortization or prepayments made on such Indebtedness prior to the date of the applicable extension shall be disregarded.

 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of such Person, all of the Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares required by law and shares of Stock of Foreign Subsidiaries issued to foreign nationals as required by applicable law, in each case, to the extent less than or equal to 1% of all Stock) are owned by such Person, either directly or through one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

 

1.2           Other Interpretive Provisions.

 

(a)           Defined Terms. Unless otherwise specified herein or therein, all terms defined in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto. The meanings of defined terms shall be equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms. Terms (including uncapitalized terms) not otherwise defined herein and that are defined in the UCC shall have the meanings therein described.

 

(b)           The Agreement. The words “hereof”, “herein”, “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall refer to this Agreement or such other Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement or such other Loan Document; and subsection, section, schedule and exhibit references are to this Agreement or such other Loan Documents unless otherwise specified.

 

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(c)           Certain Common Terms. The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, indentures, notices and other writings, however evidenced. The term “including” is not limiting and means “including without limitation.”

 

(d)           Performance; Time. Whenever any performance obligation hereunder or under any other Loan Document (other than a payment obligation) shall be stated to be due or required to be satisfied on a day other than a Business Day, such performance shall be made or satisfied on the next succeeding Business Day. For the avoidance of doubt, the initial payments of interest and fees relating to the Obligations under the Loan Documents (other than amounts due on the Closing Date) shall be due and payable on the last day of the first month or quarter, as applicable, following the entry of the Obligations onto the operations systems of Agent, but in no event later than the last day of the second month or quarter, as applicable, following the Closing Date. 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.” All references to the time of day shall be a reference to New York time. If any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document refers to any action taken or to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be interpreted to encompass any and all means, direct or indirect, of taking, or not taking, such action.

 

(e)           Contracts. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in any other Loan Document, references to agreements and other contractual instruments, including this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments thereto, restatements (including amendments and restatements) and substitutions thereof and other modifications and supplements thereto which are in effect from time to time, but only to the extent such amendments, restatements, substitutions and other modifications are not prohibited by the terms of any Loan Document.

 

(f)            Laws. References to any statute or regulation may be made by using either the common or public name thereof or a specific cite reference and, except as otherwise provided with respect to FATCA, are to be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions related thereto or consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting the statute or regulation.

 

(g)           Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any Division: (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Stock at such time.

 

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1.3           Accounting Terms and Principles.

 

(a)           All accounting determinations required to be made pursuant hereto shall, unless expressly otherwise provided herein, be made in accordance with GAAP. No change in the accounting principles or in the application thereof, in each case, used in the preparation of any financial statement hereafter adopted by the Borrower shall be given effect for purposes of measuring compliance with any provision of Article VI or VII, calculating the Applicable Margin or otherwise determining any relevant ratios and baskets which govern whether any action is permitted hereunder unless the Borrower, Agent and the Required Lenders agree to modify such provisions to reflect such changes in GAAP or changes in the application thereof and, unless such provisions are modified, all financial statements, Compliance Certificates and similar documents provided hereunder shall be provided together with a reconciliation between the calculations and amounts set forth therein before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP or such change in the application thereof. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to (i) any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other Liabilities of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party at “fair value”, (ii) any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof and (iii) the effects of Accounting Standards Codification 842 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) on capital lease and debt obligations. A breach of a financial covenant contained in Article VII shall be deemed to have occurred as of the last day of any specified measurement period, regardless of when the financial statements reflecting such breach are delivered to Agent.

 

(b)           For purposes of determining pro forma compliance with any financial covenant as of any date prior to the first date on which such financial covenant is to be tested hereunder, the level of any such financial covenant shall be deemed to be the covenant level for such first test date.

 

(c)           If the availability of Indebtedness under this Agreement, or other incurrence of Indebtedness in compliance with this Agreement, is subject to a maximum leverage ratio, then, solely for the purposes of determining such availability or compliance, the cash proceeds of such Indebtedness, shall not be included in the calculation, if applicable, of cash or cash equivalents included in the determination of such leverage ratio (but any actual pay down of Indebtedness shall be given pro forma credit).

 

1.4           Payments. Agent may set up standards and procedures to determine or redetermine the equivalent in Dollars of any amount expressed in any currency other than Dollars and otherwise may, but shall not be obligated to, rely on any determination made by any Credit Party or any L/C Issuer. Any such determination or redetermination by Agent shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. No determination or redetermination by any Secured Party or any Credit Party and no other currency conversion shall change or release any obligation of any Credit Party or of any Secured Party (other than Agent and its Related Persons) under any Loan Document, each of which agrees to pay separately for any shortfall remaining after any conversion and payment of the amount as converted. Agent may round up or down and may set up appropriate mechanisms to round up or down, any amount hereunder to nearest higher or lower amounts and may determine reasonable de minimis payment thresholds.

 

1.5           Letters of Credit. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the amount of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time after giving effect to any automatic reductions to such stated amount pursuant to the terms of the applicable Letter of Credit after the occurrence of any applicable condition (including the expiration of any applicable period).

 

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ARTICLE II

 

THE CREDITS

 

2.1           Amounts and Terms of Commitments.

 

(a)           [Reserved].

 

(b)           The Revolving Credit. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in reliance upon the representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained herein, each Revolving Lender severally and not jointly agrees to make Loans to the Borrower (each such Loan, a “Revolving Loan”) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date through the Final Availability Date, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding such Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment, which Revolving Loan Commitments, as of the Closing Date, are set forth on Schedule 1 opposite such Lender’s name under the heading “Revolving Loan Commitments”; provided, however, that, after giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans shall not exceed the Maximum Revolving Loan Balance. Subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, amounts borrowed under this Section 2.1(b) may be repaid and reborrowed from time to time. The “Maximum Revolving Loan Balance” from time to time will be the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment then in effect, less the sum of (I) the aggregate amount of Letter of Credit Obligations plus (II) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swing Loans. If at any time the then outstanding principal balance of Revolving Loans exceeds the Maximum Revolving Loan Balance, then the Borrower shall immediately prepay outstanding Revolving Loans in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.

 

(c)           Letters of Credit.

 

(i)             Conditions. On the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, the Borrower may request that one or more L/C Issuers Issue, in accordance with such L/C Issuers’ usual and customary business practices, and for the account of any Credit Party, Letters of Credit (denominated in Dollars) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date through the earlier of (x) seven (7) days prior to the date specified in clause (a) of the definition of Revolving Termination Date and (y) the date on which the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment shall terminate in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that no L/C Issuer shall Issue any Letter of Credit upon the occurrence of any of the following or, if after giving effect to such Issuance:

 

(A)           (i) Availability would be less than zero, or (ii) the Letter of Credit Obligations for all Letters of Credit would exceed the L/C Sublimit;

 

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(B)           the expiration date of such Letter of Credit (i) is not a Business Day, (ii) is more than one year after the date of Issuance thereof or (iii) is later than seven (7) days prior to the date specified in clause (a) of the definition of Revolving Termination Date; provided, however, that any Letter of Credit with a term not exceeding one year may provide for its renewal for additional periods not exceeding one year as long as (x) the Borrower and such L/C Issuer have the option to prevent such renewal before the expiration of such term or any such period and (y) neither such L/C Issuer nor the Borrower shall permit any such renewal to extend such expiration date beyond the date set forth in clause (iii) above; provided further that notwithstanding the foregoing, Agent and the L/C Issuer, in their respective sole discretion, may agree to extend such Letter of Credit beyond the date set forth in clause (iii) above upon the Borrower either (A) delivering to Agent for the benefit of the L/C Issuer cash equal to 105% (or such greater percentage as the L/C Issuer may require in the case of any Letter of Credit with an expiration date later than one year after the date of providing such cash collateral) of the sum of (1) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (2) the aggregate principal amount of all L/C Reimbursement Obligations outstanding at such time with respect to such Letter of Credit that have matured, in each instance, on and as of the date of such extension for deposit in a cash collateral account which cash collateral account will be held as a pledged cash collateral account and applied to reimbursement of all drafts submitted under such outstanding Letter of Credit or (B) delivering to the L/C Issuer on the date of such extension one or more letters of credit for the benefit of the L/C Issuer, issued by a bank reasonably acceptable to the L/C Issuer in its sole discretion, each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the L/C Issuer in its sole discretion) and in an amount equal to the sum of (1) and (2) above; or

 

(C)           (i) any fee due in connection with, and on or prior to, such Issuance has not been paid, (ii) such Letter of Credit is requested to be Issued in a form that is not acceptable to such L/C Issuer or (iii) such L/C Issuer shall not have received, each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to it and duly executed by the Borrower on behalf of the Credit Parties, the documents that such L/C Issuer generally uses in the ordinary course of business for the Issuance of letters of credit of the type of such Letter of Credit (collectively, the “L/C Reimbursement Agreement”).

 

For each Issuance, the applicable L/C Issuer may, but shall not be required to, determine that, or take notice whether, the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.2 have been satisfied or waived in connection with the Issuance of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that no Letters of Credit shall be Issued during the period starting on the first Business Day after the receipt by such L/C Issuer of notice from Agent or the Required Revolving Lenders that any condition precedent contained in Section 3.2 is not satisfied and ending on the date all such conditions are satisfied or duly waived.

 

Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no L/C Issuer shall be obligated to Issue any Letter of Credit unless (w) the Defaulting Lender has been replaced in accordance with Section 10.9 or 10.20, (x) the Letter of Credit Obligations of such Defaulting Lender have been cash collateralized, (y) the Revolving Loan Commitments of the other Lenders have been increased by an amount sufficient to satisfy Agent that all future Letter of Credit Obligations will be covered by all Revolving Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders, or (z) the Letter of Credit Obligations of such Defaulting Lender have been reallocated to other Revolving Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.11(e)(ii).

 

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(ii)           Notice of Issuance. The Borrower shall give the relevant L/C Issuer and Agent a notice of any requested Issuance of any Letter of Credit, which shall be effective only if received by such L/C Issuer and Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day prior to the date of such requested Issuance. Such notice shall be made in a writing or Electronic Transmission substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.1(c) duly completed or in any other written form acceptable to such L/C Issuer (an “L/C Request”).

 

(iii)           Reporting Obligations of L/C Issuers. Each L/C Issuer agrees to provide Agent, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, each of the following on the following dates: (A) (i) on or prior to any Issuance of any Letter of Credit by such L/C Issuer, (ii) immediately after any drawing under any such Letter of Credit or (iii) immediately after any payment (or failure to pay when due) by the Borrower of any related L/C Reimbursement Obligation, notice thereof, which shall contain a reasonably detailed description of such Issuance, drawing or payment and Agent shall provide copies of such notices to each Revolving Lender reasonably promptly after receipt thereof; (B) upon the request of Agent (or any Revolving Lender through Agent), copies of any Letter of Credit Issued by such L/C Issuer and any related L/C Reimbursement Agreement and such other documents and information as may reasonably be requested by Agent; and (C) on the first Business Day of each calendar week, a schedule of the Letters of Credit Issued by such L/C Issuer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, setting forth the Letter of Credit Obligations for such Letters of Credit outstanding on the last Business Day of the previous calendar week.

 

(iv)           Acquisition of Participations. Upon any Issuance of a Letter of Credit in accordance with the terms of this Agreement resulting in any increase in the Letter of Credit Obligations, each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to have acquired, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Letter of Credit and the related Letter of Credit Obligations in an amount equal to its Commitment Percentage of such Letter of Credit Obligations.

 

(v)           Reimbursement Obligations of the Borrower. The Borrower agrees to pay to the L/C Issuer of any Letter of Credit, or to Agent for the benefit of such L/C Issuer, each L/C Reimbursement Obligation owing with respect to such Letter of Credit no later than the first Business Day after the Borrower receives notice from such L/C Issuer or from Agent that payment has been made under such Letter of Credit or that such L/C Reimbursement Obligation is otherwise due (the “L/C Reimbursement Date”) with interest thereon computed as set forth in clause (A) below. In the event that any L/C Reimbursement Obligation is not repaid by the Borrower as provided in this clause (v) (or any such payment by the Borrower is rescinded or set aside for any reason), such L/C Issuer shall promptly notify Agent of such failure (and, upon receipt of such notice, Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender) and, irrespective of whether such notice is given, such L/C Reimbursement Obligation shall be payable by the Borrower on demand with interest thereon computed (A) from the date on which such L/C Reimbursement Obligation arose to the L/C Reimbursement Date, at the interest rate applicable during such period to Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans and (B) thereafter until payment in full, at the interest rate specified in Section 2.3(c) to past due Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans (regardless of whether or not an election is made under such Section).

 

(vi)          Reimbursement Obligations of the Revolving Lenders.

 

(A)           Upon receipt of the notice described in clause (v) above from Agent, each Revolving Lender shall pay to Agent for the account of such L/C Issuer its Commitment Percentage of such Letter of Credit Obligations (as such amount may be increased pursuant to Section 2.11(e)(ii)).

 

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(B)           By making any payment described in clause (A) above (other than during the continuation of an Event of Default under Section 8.1(f) or 8.1(g)), such Lender shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan to the Borrower, which, upon receipt thereof by Agent for the benefit of such L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall be deemed to have used in whole to repay such L/C Reimbursement Obligation. Any such payment that is not deemed a Revolving Loan shall be deemed a funding by such Lender of its participation in the applicable Letter of Credit and the Letter of Credit Obligation in respect of the related L/C Reimbursement Obligations. Such participation shall not otherwise be required to be funded. Following receipt by any L/C Issuer of any payment from any Lender pursuant to this clause (vi) with respect to any portion of any L/C Reimbursement Obligation, such L/C Issuer shall promptly pay to Agent, for the benefit of such Lender, all amounts received by such L/C Issuer (or to the extent such amounts shall have been received by Agent for the benefit of such L/C Issuer, Agent shall promptly pay to such Lender all amounts received by Agent for the benefit of such L/C Issuer) with respect to such portion.

 

(vii)         Obligations Absolute. The obligations of the Borrower and the Revolving Lenders pursuant to clauses (iv), (v) and (vi) above shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement irrespective of (A) (i) the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision in any Letter of Credit, any document transferring or purporting to transfer a Letter of Credit, any Loan Document (including the sufficiency of any such instrument), or any modification to any provision of any of the foregoing, (ii) any document presented under a Letter of Credit being forged, fraudulent, invalid, insufficient or inaccurate in any respect or failing to comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (iii) any loss or delay, including in the transmission of any document, (B) the existence of any setoff, claim, abatement, recoupment, defense or other right that any Person (including any Credit Party) may have against the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other Person, whether in connection with any Loan Document or any other Contractual Obligation or transaction, or the existence of any other withholding, abatement or reduction, (C) in the case of the obligations of any Revolving Lender, (i) the failure of any condition precedent set forth in Section 3.2 to be satisfied (each of which conditions precedent the Revolving Lenders hereby irrevocably waive) or (ii) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of any Credit Party and (D) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind of L/C Issuer, Agent, any Lender or any other Person or any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this clause (vii), constitute a legal or equitable discharge of any obligation of the Borrower or any Revolving Lender hereunder. No provision hereof shall be deemed to waive or limit the Borrower’s right to seek repayment of any payment of any L/C Reimbursement Obligations from the L/C Issuer under the terms of the applicable L/C Reimbursement Agreement or applicable law.

 

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(d)           Swing Loans.

 

(i)             Availability. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in reliance upon the representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained herein, the Swing Lender shall make Loans (each a “Swing Loan”) available to the Borrower under the Revolving Loan Commitments from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date through the Final Availability Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed its Swingline Commitment; provided, however, that the Swing Lender may not make any Swing Loan (x) to the extent that after giving effect to such Swing Loan, the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans would exceed the Maximum Revolving Loan Balance (y) to the extent that after giving effect to such Swing Loan, the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans and Swing Loans held by the Swing Lender (and if the Swing Lender is not also a Revolving Lender, by each of its Affiliates that is a Revolving Lender) would exceed the Revolving Loan Commitment of such Swing Lender (and such Affiliates, if any) and (z) during the period commencing on the first Business Day after it receives notice from Agent or the Required Revolving Lenders that one or more of the conditions precedent contained in Section 3.2 are not satisfied and ending when such conditions are satisfied or duly waived. In connection with the making of any Swing Loan, the Swing Lender may but shall not be required to determine that, or take notice whether, the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.2 have been satisfied or waived. Each Swing Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan and must be repaid as provided herein, but in any event must be repaid in full on the Revolving Termination Date. Within the limits set forth in the first sentence of this clause (i), amounts of Swing Loans repaid may be reborrowed under this clause (i).

 

(ii)            Borrowing Procedures. In order to request a Swing Loan, the Borrower shall give to Agent a notice to be received not later than 2:00 p.m.  on the day of the proposed Borrowing, which shall be made in a writing or in an Electronic Transmission substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.1(d) or in a writing in any other form acceptable to Agent duly completed (a “Swingline Request”). In addition, if any Notice of Borrowing of Revolving Loans requests a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, the Swing Lender may, notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, make a Swing Loan to the Borrower in an aggregate amount not to exceed such proposed Borrowing, and the aggregate amount of the corresponding proposed Borrowing shall be reduced accordingly by the principal amount of such Swing Loan. Agent shall promptly notify the Swing Lender of the details of the requested Swing Loan. Upon receipt of such notice and subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Swing Lender may make a Swing Loan available to the Borrower by making the proceeds thereof available to Agent and, in turn, Agent shall make such proceeds available to the Borrower on the date set forth in the relevant Swingline Request or Notice of Borrowing.

 

(iii)           Refinancing Swing Loans.

 

(A)           The Swing Lender may at any time (and shall no less frequently than once each week) forward a demand to Agent (which Agent shall, upon receipt, forward to each Revolving Lender) that each Revolving Lender pay to Agent, for the account of the Swing Lender, such Revolving Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the outstanding Swing Loans (as such amount may be increased pursuant to Section 2.11(e)(ii)).

 

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(B)           Each Revolving Lender shall pay the amount owing by it to Agent for the account of the Swing Lender on the Business Day following receipt of the notice or demand therefor. Payments received by Agent after 1:00 p.m.  may, in Agent’s discretion, be deemed to be received on the next Business Day. Upon receipt by Agent of such payment (other than during the continuation of any Event of Default under Section 8.1(f) or 8.1(g)), such Revolving Lender shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan to the Borrower, which, upon receipt of such payment by the Swing Lender from Agent, the Borrower shall be deemed to have used in whole to refinance such Swing Loan. In addition, regardless of whether any such demand is made, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default under Section 8.1(f) or 8.1(g), each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to have acquired, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in each Swing Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of such Swing Loan. If any payment made by any Revolving Lender as a result of any such demand is not deemed a Revolving Loan, such payment shall be deemed a funding by such Lender of such participation. Such participation shall not be otherwise required to be funded. Upon receipt by the Swing Lender of any payment from any Revolving Lender pursuant to this clause (iii) with respect to any portion of any Swing Loan, the Swing Lender shall promptly pay over to such Revolving Lender all payments of principal (to the extent received after such payment by such Lender) and interest (to the extent accrued with respect to periods after such payment) on account of such Swing Loan received by the Swing Lender with respect to such portion.

 

(iv)          Obligation to Fund Absolute. Each Revolving Lender’s obligations pursuant to clause (iii) above shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever, including (A) the existence of any setoff, claim, abatement, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender, any Affiliate thereof or any other Person may have against the Swing Lender, Agent, any other Lender or L/C Issuer or any other Person, (B) the failure of any condition precedent set forth in Section 3.2 to be satisfied or the failure of the Borrower to deliver a Notice of Borrowing (each of which requirements the Revolving Lenders hereby irrevocably waive) and (C) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of any Credit Party.

 

(e)           Accordion.

 

(i)             Requests. The Borrower may request, by written notice to Agent (each, an “Revolving Increase Request”), increases in the Revolving Loan Commitments (each, a “Revolving Increase”) in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20,000,000. Such notice shall set forth (A) the amount of the Revolving Increase being requested and (B) the requested Accordion Effective Date.

 

(ii)            Conditions. No Revolving Increase shall become effective under this Section 2.1(e) unless, after giving effect to such Revolving Increase, any Loans to be made thereunder (and assuming that the entire amount of the Revolving Commitments and such Revolving Increase is funded, but without netting the use of such proceeds), and the application of the proceeds therefrom on the effective date thereof:

 

(A)           no Default or Event of Default shall exist;

 

(B)           the representation or warranty by any Credit Party contained herein or in any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if such representation or warranty contains any materiality qualifier, including references to “material,” “Material Adverse Effect” or dollar threshold) (unless such representation or warranty is expressly made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if such representation or warranty contains any materiality qualifier, including references to “material,” “Material Adverse Effect” or dollar thresholds) as of such earlier date);

 

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(C)           no commitment of any Lender shall be increased without the consent of such Lender, and any Person providing a Revolving Increase that is not a Lender shall satisfy the requirements under Section 10.9(b) of a permitted assignee of the Revolving Loan Commitments;

 

(D)           as of the last day of the most recent Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.1, (x) the Consolidated Senior Leverage Ratio recomputed on a pro forma basis shall not exceed 2.50:1.00 and (y) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio recomputed on a pro forma basis shall not exceed the maximum Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 7.1 as of the last day of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been delivered (or were required to have been delivered) under Section 5.1;

 

(E)           such Revolving Increase shall constitute “Senior Indebtedness” with respect to all Subordinated Indebtedness; and

 

(F)           Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying as to the foregoing.

 

(iii)           Terms. Any Revolving Increase shall be on the same terms (as amended from time to time) (including interest rate margins, any interest rate floors, original issue discount and upfront fees (based on the lesser of a four-year average life to maturity or the remaining life to maturity), but excluding reasonable and customary arrangement, structuring and underwriting fees with respect to such Revolving Increase) as, and pursuant to documentation applicable to, the initial Revolving Loans.

 

(iv)          Required Amendments. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon the effectiveness of any Revolving Increase, this Agreement shall be amended to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence of such Revolving Increase, and any joinder agreement or amendment (each an “Revolving Increase Joinder Agreement”) may without the consent of the other Lenders effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of Agent and Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.1(e). For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 2.1(e) shall supersede any provisions in Section 10.1. From and after each Accordion Effective Date, the increased Revolving Loan Commitments established pursuant to this Section 2.1(e) shall constitute Revolving Loan Commitments under, and shall be entitled to all the benefits afforded by, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall, without limiting the foregoing, benefit equally and ratably from the guarantees and security interests created by the applicable Collateral Documents. The Credit Parties shall take any actions reasonably required by Agent to ensure and/or demonstrate that the Liens and security interests granted by the applicable Collateral Documents continue to be perfected under the UCC or otherwise after giving effect to the establishment of any such increased Revolving Loan Commitments, including compliance with Section 5.13(c). Any conversion of SOFR Loans to Base Rate Loans required by the preceding sentence shall be subject to Section 11.4. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that Agent may, in consultation with the Borrower, take any and all action as may be reasonably necessary to ensure that, upon the effectiveness of each Revolving Increase, (i) Revolving Loans made under such Revolving Increase are included in each Borrowing of outstanding Revolving Loans on a pro rata basis and (ii) the Lender providing each Revolving Increase shares ratably in the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans, Swing Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations.

 

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2.2           Evidence of Loans; Notes. The Revolving Loans and Swing Loans made by each Revolving Lender and the Swing Lender, respectively, are evidenced by this Agreement and, if requested by such Lender, a Note payable to such Lender in an amount equal to such Lender’s Revolving Loan Commitment or Swingline Commitment.

 

2.3           Interest.

 

(a)           Subject to Sections 2.3(c) and 2.3(d), each Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the date when made, and all interest which is not paid when due shall bear interest, at a rate per annum equal to Term SOFR for the Interest Period therefor or the Base Rate, as the case may be, plus the Applicable Margin; provided Swing Loans may not be SOFR Loans. Each determination of an interest rate by Agent shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error. All computations of fees and interest shall be made based on the Interest Accrual Method.

 

(b)           Interest on each Loan shall be paid in arrears on each Interest Payment Date. Interest shall also be paid on the Revolving Loans on the Revolving Termination Date.

 

(c)           At the election of Agent or the Required Lenders while any Specified Event of Default exists (or automatically while any Event of Default under Section 8.1(a), 8.1(f) or 8.1(g) exists), the Borrower shall pay interest (after as well as before entry of judgment thereon to the extent permitted by law) on the Loans and past due interest thereon, if any, from and after the date of occurrence of such Specified Event of Default, at the Default Rate. All such interest shall be payable in cash on demand of Agent or the Required Lenders.

 

(d)           Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of the Borrower hereunder shall be subject to the limitation that payments of interest shall not be required, for any period for which interest is computed hereunder, to the extent (but only to the extent) that contracting for or receiving such payment by the respective Lender would be contrary to the provisions of any law applicable to such Lender limiting the highest rate of interest which may be lawfully contracted for, charged or received by such Lender, and in such event the Borrower shall pay such Lender interest at the highest rate permitted by applicable law (“Maximum Lawful Rate”); provided, however, that if at any time thereafter the rate of interest payable hereunder is less than the Maximum Lawful Rate, the Borrower shall continue to pay interest hereunder at the Maximum Lawful Rate until such time as the total interest received by Agent, on behalf of Lenders, is equal to the total interest that would have been received had the interest payable hereunder been (but for the operation of this paragraph) the interest rate payable since the Closing Date as otherwise provided in this Agreement.

 

2.4           Loan Accounts; Register.

 

(a)           Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, shall record on its books and records the amount of each Loan made, the interest rate applicable, all payments of principal and interest thereon and the principal balance thereof from time to time outstanding. Agent shall deliver to the Borrower on a monthly basis a loan statement setting forth such record for the immediately preceding calendar month. Such record shall, absent manifest error, be conclusive evidence of the amount of the Loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so, or any failure to deliver such loan statement shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder (and under any Note) to pay any amount owing with respect to the Loans or provide the basis for any claim against Agent.

 

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(b)           Agent, acting as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower solely for tax purposes and solely with respect to the actions described in this Section 2.4(b), shall establish and maintain at its address referred to in Section 10.2 (or at such other address as Agent may notify the Borrower) (A) a record of ownership (the “Register”) in which Agent agrees to register by book entry the interests (including any rights to receive payment hereunder) of Agent, each Lender and each L/C Issuer in the Revolving Loans, Swing Loans, L/C Reimbursement Obligations and Letter of Credit Obligations, each of their obligations under this Agreement to participate in each Loan, Letter of Credit, Letter of Credit Obligations and L/C Reimbursement Obligations, and any assignment of any such interest, obligation or right and (B) accounts in the Register in accordance with its usual practice in which it shall record (1) the names and addresses of the Lenders and the L/C Issuers (and each change thereto pursuant to Sections 10.9 and 10.20), (2) the Commitments of each Lender, (3) the amount of each Loan and each funding of any participation described in clause (A) above, and for SOFR Loans, the Interest Period applicable thereto, (4) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or paid, (5) the amount of the L/C Reimbursement Obligations due and payable or paid in respect of Letters of Credit and (6) any other payment received by Agent from the Borrower or other Credit Party and its application to the Obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Loans (including any Notes evidencing such Loans and, in the case of Revolving Loans, the corresponding obligations to participate in Letter of Credit Obligations and Swing Loans) and the L/C Reimbursement Obligations are registered obligations, the right, title and interest of the Lenders and the L/C Issuers and their assignees in and to such Loans or L/C Reimbursement Obligations, as the case may be, shall be transferable only upon notation of such transfer in the Register and no assignment thereof shall be effective until recorded therein. This Section 2.4 and Section 10.9 shall be construed so that the Loans and L/C Reimbursement Obligations are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code.

 

(d)           The Credit Parties, Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, for all purposes of this Agreement. Information contained in the Register with respect to any Lender or any L/C Issuer shall be available for access by the Borrower, Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer during normal business hours and from time to time upon at least one Business Day’s prior notice. No Lender or L/C Issuer shall, in such capacity, have access to or be otherwise permitted to review any information in the Register other than information with respect to such Lender or L/C Issuer unless otherwise agreed by the Agent.

 

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2.5           Procedure for Revolving Credit Borrowing.

 

(a)           Each Borrowing of a Revolving Loan shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable (subject to Section 11.5) written notice delivered to Agent substantially in the form of a Notice of Borrowing or in a writing in any other form acceptable to Agent, which notice must be received by Agent prior to 2:00 p.m.  (i) on the date which is three (3) Business Days prior to the requested Borrowing date (or such later date as Agent may agree in writing) in the case of each SOFR Loan, and (ii) on the date which is one (1) Business Day prior to the requested Borrowing date of each Base Rate Loan (or such later date as Agent may agree in writing); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing such notice may state that such Borrowing is conditioned upon the effectiveness of the closing of a transaction, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied and such Borrowing shall not occur. Such Notice of Borrowing shall specify:

 

(i)           the amount of the Borrowing (which shall not be less than the Minimum Revolving Credit Borrowing Amount);

 

(ii)           the requested Borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(iii)          whether the Borrowing is to be comprised of SOFR Loans or Base Rate Loans; and

 

(iv)          if the Borrowing is to be SOFR Loans, the Interest Period applicable to such Loans.

 

(b)           Upon receipt of a Notice of Borrowing, Agent will promptly notify each Revolving Lender of such Notice of Borrowing and of the amount of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the Borrowing.

 

(c)           Unless Agent is otherwise directed in writing by the Borrower, the proceeds of each requested Borrowing after the Closing Date will be made available to the Borrower by Agent by wire transfer of such amount to the Borrower pursuant to the wire transfer instructions specified on Schedule 1.

 

2.6           Conversion and Continuation Elections.

 

(a)           The Borrower shall have the option to (i) request that any Revolving Loan be made as a SOFR Loan, (ii) convert at any time all or any part of outstanding Loans (other than Swing Loans) from Base Rate Loans to SOFR Loans, (iii) convert any SOFR Loan to a Base Rate Loan, subject to Section 11.4 if such conversion is made other than on the Interest Payment Date therefor, or (iv) continue all or any portion of any Loan as a SOFR Loan or Base Rate Loan. Any such election must be made by Borrower by 2:00 p.m.  on the third Business Day prior to (1) the date of any proposed SOFR Loan, (2) the applicable Interest Period with respect to any SOFR Loans to be continued as such, or (3) the date on which the Borrower wish to convert any Base Rate Loan to a SOFR Loan. If no election is received with respect to a SOFR Loan by 2:00 p.m. on the third Business Day prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date with respect thereto, that SOFR Loan shall be continued as a SOFR Loan bearing interest at a rate upon Term SOFR for an Interest Period of one month. The Borrower must make such election by notice to Agent in writing, including by Electronic Transmission. In the case of any conversion or continuation, such election must be made pursuant to a written notice (a “Notice of Conversion/Continuation”) substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.6 or in a writing in any other form acceptable to Agent. No Loan shall be made, converted into or continued as a SOFR Loan, if (x) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and Agent or Required Lenders have determined not to make or continue any Loan as a SOFR Loan as a result thereof or (y) Agent is or Required Lenders are stayed by the Bankruptcy Code from making such determination.

 

(b)           Upon receipt of a Notice of Conversion/Continuation, Agent will promptly notify each Lender thereof. In addition, Agent will, with reasonable promptness, notify the Borrower and the Lenders of each determination of Term SOFR for the Interest Period applicable thereto; provided that any failure to do so shall not relieve the Borrower of any liability hereunder or provide the basis for any claim against Agent. All conversions and continuations shall be made pro rata according to the respective outstanding principal amounts of the Loans held by each Lender with respect to which the notice was given.

 

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(c)           Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement, after giving effect to any Borrowing, or to any continuation or conversion of any Loans, there shall not be more than seven (7) different Interest Periods in effect.

 

2.7           Optional Prepayments and Reductions in Revolving Loan Commitments.

 

(a)           Optional Prepayments Generally. The Borrower may at any time upon at least two (2) Business Days’ (or such shorter period as is acceptable to Agent) prior written notice to Agent, prepay the Loans in whole or in part in an amount greater than or equal to $100,000 (other than Revolving Loans and Swing Loans for which prior written notice is not required and for which no minimum shall apply), in each instance, without penalty or premium except as provided in Section 11.4. Optional partial prepayments of Revolving Loans shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.10(a).

 

(b)           Reductions in Revolving Loan Commitments. Borrower may at any time upon at least two (2) Business Days’ (or such shorter period as is acceptable to Agent) prior written notice to Agent permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment without premium or penalty except as provided in Section 11.4; provided that (i) such reductions shall be in an amount greater than or equal to the Minimum Revolving Loan Commitment Reduction Amount, and (ii) after giving effect to such reduction, Outstanding Amounts shall not exceed the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loan Commitments. All reductions of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment shall be allocated pro rata among all Lenders with a Revolving Loan Commitment. A permanent reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment shall not require a corresponding pro rata reduction in the L/C Sublimit or the Swingline Commitment; provided that the L/C Sublimit and/or the Swingline Commitment, as applicable, shall be permanently reduced by the amount thereof in excess of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment.

 

(c)           Notices. Notice of prepayment or commitment reduction pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above shall not thereafter be revocable by the Borrower (unless such notice expressly conditions such prepayment upon consummation of a transaction which is contemplated to result in prepayment of the Loans, in which event such notice may be revocable or conditioned upon such consummation) and Agent will promptly notify each Lender thereof and of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of such prepayment or reduction. The payment amount specified in a notice of prepayment or reduction shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Together with each prepayment under this Section 2.7, the Borrower shall pay any amounts required pursuant to Section 11.4.

 

2.8           Mandatory Prepayments of Loans and Commitment Reductions.

 

(a)           [Reserved].

 

(b)           Revolving Loan. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders in full on the date specified in clause (a) of the definition of “Revolving Termination Date” the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans and Swing Loans outstanding on the Revolving Termination Date.

 

(c)           Overadvance. If at any time after the Closing Date, if the Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans plus outstanding Swing Loans plus outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations shall exceed the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment (the “Revolver Excess Amount”), the Borrower shall immediately prepay any outstanding Swing Loans, then the Revolving Loans and (after all Revolving Loans have been repaid) cash collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations in an amount sufficient to eliminate the Revolver Excess Amount.

 

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(d)           Application of Prepayments. Subject to Section 2.10, prepayments made pursuant to Section 2.8(c), first, shall be applied ratably to the Letter of Credit Issuances and the Swing Loans, and second, shall be applied ratably to the outstanding Revolving Loans (without a corresponding permanent reduction in the Revolving Loan Commitment), and third, to cash collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit that has been cash collateralized, the funds held as cash collateral shall be applied (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Credit Party or any Defaulting Lender that has provided cash collateral) to reimburse the L/C Issuer or the Lenders, as applicable. Any such prepayments shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitment Percentage.

 

(e)           No Implied Consent. Provisions contained in this Section 2.8 for the application of proceeds of certain transactions shall not be deemed to constitute consent of the Lenders to transactions that are not otherwise permitted by the terms hereof or the other Loan Documents.

 

2.9           Fees.

 

(a)           Fees. The Borrower shall pay to Agent, for Agent’s own account or as otherwise provided therein, fees in the amounts and at the times set forth in a letter agreement between the Borrower and Agent dated of even date herewith (as amended, modified and/or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Fee Letter”).

 

(b)           Unused Commitment Fee. The Borrower shall pay to Agent the Unused Commitment Fee as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

(c)           Letter of Credit Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay to Agent for the ratable benefit of the Revolving Lenders, as compensation to such Lenders for Letter of Credit Obligations incurred hereunder, (i) without duplication of costs and expenses otherwise payable to Agent or Lenders hereunder or fees otherwise paid by the Borrower, all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by Agent or any Lender on account of such Letter of Credit Obligations, and (ii) for each calendar quarter during which any Letter of Credit Obligation shall remain outstanding, the Letter of Credit Fee set forth on Schedule 1 hereto. In addition, the Borrower shall pay to Agent, any L/C Issuer or any prospective L/C Issuer, as appropriate, on demand, such L/C Issuer’s or prospective L/C Issuer’s customary fees at then prevailing rates (which, in any event, shall include a fronting fee, payable to each L/C Issuer for its own account, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount available to be drawn under any Letters of Credit Issued and shall be payable on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter and on the date on which all L/C Reimbursement Obligations have been discharged), without duplication of fees otherwise payable hereunder (including all per annum fees), charges and expenses of such L/C Issuer or prospective L/C Issuer in respect of the application for, and the Issuance, negotiation, acceptance, amendment, transfer and payment of, each Letter of Credit or otherwise payable pursuant to the application and related documentation under which such Letter of Credit is Issued.

 

(d)           All fees payable pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.10(a).

 

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2.10           Payments by the Borrower.

 

(a)           All payments (including prepayments) to be made by each Credit Party on account of principal, interest, fees and other amounts required hereunder shall be made without set-off, recoupment, counterclaim or deduction of any kind, shall, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, be made to Agent and for the ratable account of the Persons holding the applicable Obligations at the address for payment provided by the Agent from time to time in relation to Agent (or such other address, including wire instructions, as Agent may from time to time specify in accordance with Section 10.2), including payments utilizing the ACH system, and shall be made in Dollars and by wire transfer or ACH transfer in immediately available funds (which shall be the exclusive means of payment hereunder), no later than 1:00 p.m.  on the date due. Any payment which is received by Agent later than 1:00 p.m.  may in Agent’s discretion be deemed to have been received on the immediately succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. The Borrower and each other Credit Party hereby irrevocably waives the right to direct the application during the continuance of an Event of Default of any and all payments in respect of any Obligation and any proceeds of Collateral. The Borrower hereby authorizes Agent and each Lender to make a Revolving Loan (which shall be a Base Rate Loan and which may be a Swing Loan) to pay (i) interest, principal (including Swing Loans), L/C Reimbursement Obligations, fees payable under the Fee Letter, Unused Commitment Fees and Letter of Credit Fees, in each instance, on the date due, or (ii) after five (5) days’ prior notice to the Borrower, other fees, costs or expenses payable by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries hereunder or under the other Loan Documents.

 

(b)           Subject to the provisions set forth in the definitions of “Interest Payment Date” and “Interest Period” herein, if any payment hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, and if applicable, payment, of interest or fees, as the case may be, on such immediately preceding Business Day.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no prepayment of a SOFR Loan hereunder shall be made on any day that is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, and if any prepayment to be made by the Borrower shall fall due on a day that is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, payment shall be made on the immediately preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding any contrary provision set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, (i) during the continuance of an Event of Default, Agent may, and shall upon the direction of Required Lenders apply any and all payments received by Agent in respect of any Obligation in accordance with clauses first through sixth below; and (ii) all payments made by Credit Parties to Agent after any or all of the Obligations under the Loan Documents have been accelerated (so long as such acceleration has not been rescinded) or have otherwise matured, including proceeds of Collateral, shall be applied as follows:

 

first, to payment of costs, expenses and indemnities, including Attorney Costs, of Agent payable or reimbursable by the Credit Parties under the Loan Documents;

 

second, to payment of Attorney Costs of Lenders payable or reimbursable by the Credit Parties under this Agreement;

 

third, to payment of all accrued unpaid interest on the Obligations and fees owed to Agent, Lenders and L/C Issuers (whether or not accruing after the filing of any case under the Bankruptcy Code with respect to any Obligations and whether or not a claim for such post-filing or post-petition interest, fees, and charges is allowed or allowable in any such proceeding);

 

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fourth, to payment of principal of the Obligations (including L/C Reimbursement Obligations) then due and payable, the Secured Rate Contract Obligations then due and payable, the Secured Cash Management Obligations then due and payable, and cash collateralization of unmatured L/C Reimbursement Obligations to the extent not then due and payable;

 

fifth, to payment of any other amounts owing constituting Obligations; and

 

sixth, any remainder shall be for the account of and paid to whoever may be lawfully entitled thereto.

 

In carrying out the foregoing, (i) amounts received shall be applied to each category in the numerical order provided until exhausted prior to the application to the immediately succeeding category, (ii) each of the Lenders or other Persons entitled to payment shall receive an amount equal to its pro rata share of amounts available to be applied pursuant to clauses third, fourth and fifth above and (iii) no payments by a Guarantor and no proceeds of Collateral of a Guarantor shall be applied to Obligations, the guaranty of which by such Guarantor would constitute an Excluded Rate Contract Obligation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Secured Rate Contract Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations with parties that are not Affiliates of Agent shall be excluded from the application described above unless at least three Business Days prior to any distribution, Agent has received written notice from the applicable Secured Swap Provider or Secured Cash Management Bank of the amount of Secured Rate Contract Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations then due and payable, together with such supporting documentation as Agent may request.

 

2.11           Payments by the Lenders to Agent; Settlement.

 

(a)           Agent may, on behalf of Lenders, disburse funds to the Borrower for Loans requested. Each Lender shall reimburse Agent on demand for all funds disbursed on its behalf by Agent, or if Agent so requests, each Lender will remit to Agent its Commitment Percentage of any Loan before Agent disburses same to the Borrower. If Agent elects to require that each Lender make funds available to Agent prior to disbursement by Agent to the Borrower, Agent shall advise each Lender by telephone or fax of the amount of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the Loan requested by the Borrower no later than the Business Day prior to the scheduled Borrowing date applicable thereto, and each such Lender shall pay Agent such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of such requested Loan, in same day funds, by wire transfer to Agent’s account, as designated in writing by the Agent to Borrower from time to time, no later than 1:00 p.m. on such scheduled Borrowing date. Nothing in this Section 2.11(a) or elsewhere in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, including the remaining provisions of Section 2.11, shall be deemed to require Agent to advance funds on behalf of any Lender or to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitments hereunder or to prejudice any rights that Agent any Lender or the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

(b)           At least once each calendar week or more frequently at Agent’s election (each, a “Settlement Date”), Agent shall advise each Lender by telephone or fax of the amount of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of principal, interest and Fees paid for the benefit of Lenders with respect to each applicable Loan. Agent shall pay to each Lender such Lender’s Commitment Percentage (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.1(c)(vi) and Section 2.11(e)(iv)) of principal, interest and fees paid by the Borrower since the previous Settlement Date for the benefit of such Lender on the Loans held by it; payments shall be made by wire transfer to such Lender) not later than 2:00 p.m. on the next Business Day following each Settlement Date.

 

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(c)           Availability of Lender’s Commitment Percentage. Agent may assume that each Revolving Lender will make its Commitment Percentage of each Revolving Loan available to Agent on each Borrowing date. If such Commitment Percentage is not, in fact, paid to Agent by such Revolving Lender when due, Agent will be entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Revolving Lender without setoff, counterclaim or deduction of any kind. If any Revolving Lender fails to pay the amount of its Commitment Percentage forthwith upon Agent’s demand, Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Borrower shall immediately repay such amount to Agent. Nothing in this Section 2.11(c) or elsewhere in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall be deemed to require Agent to advance funds on behalf of any Revolving Lender or to relieve any Revolving Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitments hereunder or to prejudice any rights that the Borrower may have against any Revolving Lender as a result of any default by such Revolving Lender hereunder. Without limiting the provisions of Section 2.11(b), to the extent that Agent advances funds to the Borrower on behalf of any Revolving Lender and is not reimbursed therefor on the same Business Day as such advance is made, Agent shall be entitled to retain for its account all interest accrued on such advance from the date such advance was made until reimbursed by the applicable Revolving Lender.

 

(d)           Return of Payments.

 

(i)           If Agent pays an amount to a Lender under this Agreement in the belief or expectation that a related payment has been or will be received by Agent from the Borrower and such related payment is not received by Agent, then Agent will be entitled to recover such amount from such Lender on demand without setoff, counterclaim, defense, or deduction of any kind.

 

(ii)           If Agent determines at any time that any amount received by Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document must be returned to any Credit Party or paid to any other Person pursuant to any insolvency law or otherwise, then, notwithstanding any other term or condition of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, Agent will not be required to distribute any portion thereof to any Lender. In addition, each Lender will repay to Agent on demand any portion of such amount that Agent has distributed to such Lender, together with interest at such rate, if any, as Agent is required to pay to the Borrower or such other Person, without setoff, counterclaim or deduction of any kind, and Agent will be entitled to set-off against future distributions to such Lender any such amounts (with interest) that are not repaid on demand.

 

(iii)           (A) If the Agent notifies a Lender, L/C Issuer, or other Secured Party, or any Person who has received funds on behalf of a Lender, L/C Issuer, or other Secured Party (any such Lender, L/C Issuer Bank, other Secured Party or other recipient, a “Payment Recipient”), that the Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Payment Recipient from the Agent or any of its Affiliates were erroneously transmitted to, or otherwise erroneously or mistakenly received by, such Payment Recipient (whether or not known to such Lender, L/C Issuer, other Secured Party or other Payment Recipient on its behalf) (any such funds, whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise, individually and collectively, an “Erroneous Payment”) and demands the return of such Erroneous Payment (or a portion thereof), such Erroneous Payment shall at all times remain the property of the Agent and held in trust for the benefit of the Agent, and such Lender, L/C Issuer, or other Secured Party shall (or, with respect to any Payment Recipient who received such funds on its behalf, shall cause such Payment Recipient to) promptly, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days thereafter, return to the Agent the amount of any such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made, in same day funds (in the currency so received), together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Payment Recipient to the date such amount is repaid to the Agent in same day funds at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect. A notice of the Agent to any Payment Recipient under this Section 2.11(d)(iii) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

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(B)           Without limiting immediately preceding Section 2.11(d)(iii)(A), each Payment Recipient hereby further agrees that if it receives a payment, prepayment or repayment (whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise) from the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment (a “Payment Notice”), (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, or (z) that such Payment Recipient otherwise becomes aware was transmitted, or received, in error or by mistake (in whole or in part) in each case, then (1) in the case of immediately preceding clauses (x) or (y), an error shall be presumed to have been made (absent written confirmation from the Agent to the contrary) or (2) an error has been made (in the case of immediately preceding clause (z)), in each case, with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment.

 

(C)           Each Lender, L/C Issuer and Secured Party hereby authorizes the Agent to set off, net and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender, L/C Issuer or Secured Party under any Loan Document, or otherwise payable or distributable by the Agent to such Lender, L/C Issuer or Secured Party from any source, against any amount due to the Agent under Section 2.11(d)(iii)(A) above or under the indemnification provisions of this Agreement.

 

(D)           The Borrower and each other Credit Party hereby agree that (x) in the event an Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) is not recovered from any Payment Recipient that has received such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Agent shall be contractually subrogated (irrespective of whether the Agent may be equitably subrogated) to all the rights of such Lender, L/C Issuer, or other Secured Party under the Loan Documents with respect to such amount, (y) an Erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by the Borrower or any other Credit Party, except, in each case, to the extent such Erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such Erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Agent from the Borrower or any other Credit Party for the purpose of making such Erroneous Payment, and (z) to the extent that an Erroneous Payment was in any way or at any time credited as a payment or satisfaction of any of the Obligations, the Obligations or part thereof that were so credited, and all rights of the applicable Lender, L/C Issuer, other Secured Party or Agent, as the case may be, shall be reinstated and continue in full force and effect as if such payment or satisfaction had never been received; provided, however, the amount of such Erroneous Payment that is comprised of funds received by the Agent from the Borrower or any other Credit Party for the purpose of making such Erroneous Payment shall be credited as a payment or satisfaction of the Obligations and the Obligations or part thereof that were so credited shall not be reinstated.

 

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(E)           To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, no Payment Recipient shall assert any right or claim to an Erroneous Payment, and hereby waives, and is deemed to waive, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Agent for the return of any Erroneous Payment received, including without limitation waiver of any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine.

 

(F)           Each party’s obligations, agreements and waivers under this Section 2.11(d)(iii) shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, L/C Issuer, or other Secured Party, the termination of any Commitment or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations (or any portion thereof) under any Loan Document.

 

(e)           Defaulting Lenders.

 

(i)           Responsibility. The failure of any Defaulting Lender to make any Revolving Loan, or to fund any purchase of any participation to be made or funded by it (including with respect to any Letter of Credit or Swing Loan), or to make any payment required by it under any Loan Document on the date specified therefor shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations to make such loan, fund the purchase of any such participation, or make any other such required payment on such date, and neither Agent nor, other than as expressly set forth herein, any other Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any Defaulting Lender to make a loan, fund the purchase of a participation or make any other required payment under any Loan Document.

 

(ii)           Reallocation. If any Revolving Lender is a Defaulting Lender, all or a portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Obligations (unless such Lender is the L/C Issuer that Issued such Letter of Credit) and reimbursement obligations with respect to Swing Loans shall, at Agent’s election at any time or upon any L/C Issuer’s or Swing Lender’s, as applicable, written request delivered to Agent (whether before or after the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default), be reallocated to and assumed by the Revolving Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders pro rata in accordance with their Commitment Percentages of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment (calculated as if the Defaulting Lender’s Commitment Percentage was reduced to zero and each other Revolving Lender’s (other than any other Defaulting Lender’s) Commitment Percentage had been increased proportionately), provided that no Revolving Lender shall be reallocated any such amounts or be required to fund any amounts that would cause the sum of its outstanding Revolving Loans, outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations, amounts of its participations in Swing Loans and its pro rata share of unparticipated amounts in Swing Loans to exceed its Revolving Loan Commitment. Subject to Section 10.25, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

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(iii)           Voting Rights. Notwithstanding anything set forth herein to the contrary, including Section 10.1, a Defaulting Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender who holds no unfunded Commitment) shall not have any voting or consent rights under or with respect to any Loan Document or constitute a “Lender” or a “Revolving Lender” (or be, or have its Loans and Commitments, included in the determination of “Required Lenders”, “Required Revolving Lenders” or “Lenders directly affected” pursuant to Section 10.1) for any voting or consent rights under or with respect to any Loan Document, provided that (A)  the Commitment of a Defaulting Lender may not be increased, extended or reinstated, (B) the principal of a Defaulting Lender’s Loans may not be reduced or forgiven, and (C) the interest rate applicable to Obligations under the Loan Documents owing to a Defaulting Lender may not be reduced in such a manner that by its terms affects such Defaulting Lender more adversely than other Lenders, in each case, without the consent of such Defaulting Lender. Moreover, for the purposes of determining Required Lenders and Required Revolving Lenders, the Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations, and Commitments held by Defaulting Lenders shall be excluded from the total Loans and Commitments outstanding.

 

(iv)           Borrower Payments to a Defaulting Lender. Agent shall be authorized to use all payments received by Agent for the benefit of any Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Agreement to pay in full the Aggregate Excess Funding Amount to the appropriate Secured Parties. Agent shall be entitled to hold as cash collateral in a non-interest bearing account up to an amount equal to such Defaulting Lender’s pro rata share, without giving effect to any reallocation pursuant to Section 2.11(e)(ii), of all Letter of Credit Obligations until the Facility Termination Date. Upon any such unfunded obligations owing by a Defaulting Lender becoming due and payable, Agent shall be authorized to use such cash collateral to make such payment on behalf of such Defaulting Lender. With respect to such Defaulting Lender’s failure to fund Revolving Loans or purchase participations in Letters of Credit or Letter of Credit Obligations, any amounts applied by Agent to satisfy such funding shortfalls shall be deemed to constitute a Revolving Loan or amount of the participation required to be funded and, if necessary to effectuate the foregoing, the other Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have sold, and such Defaulting Lender shall be deemed to have purchased, Revolving Loans or Letter of Credit participation interests from the other Revolving Lenders until such time as the aggregate amount of the Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Letter of Credit Obligations are held by the Revolving Lenders in accordance with their Commitment Percentages of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment. Any amounts owing by a Defaulting Lender to Agent which are not paid when due shall accrue interest at the interest rate applicable during such period to Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans. In the event that Agent is holding cash collateral of a Defaulting Lender that cures pursuant to clause (v) below or ceases to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to the definition of Defaulting Lender, Agent shall return the unused portion of such cash collateral to such Lender. The “Aggregate Excess Funding Amount” of a Defaulting Lender shall be the aggregate amount of (A) all unpaid obligations owing by such Lender to Agent, L/C Issuers, Swing Lender, and other Lenders under the Loan Documents, including such Lender’s pro rata share of all Revolving Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and Swing Loans, plus, without duplication, (B) all amounts of such Defaulting Lender’s Letter of Credit Obligations and reimbursement obligations with respect to Swing Loans reallocated to other Lenders pursuant to Section 2.11(e)(ii).

 

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(v)           Cure. A Lender may cure its status as a Defaulting Lender under clause (a) of the definition of Defaulting Lender if such Lender fully pays to Agent, on behalf of the applicable Secured Parties, the Aggregate Excess Funding Amount, plus all interest due thereon. Any such cure shall not relieve any Lender from liability for breaching its contractual obligations hereunder and shall not constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

(vi)           Fees. A Lender that is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (a) of the definition of Defaulting Lender shall not earn and shall not be entitled to receive, and the Borrower shall not be required to pay, such Lender’s portion of the Unused Commitment Fee during the time such Lender is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (a) thereof. In the event that any reallocation of Letter of Credit Obligations occurs pursuant to Section 2.11(e)(ii), during the period of time that such reallocation remains in effect, the Letter of Credit Fee payable with respect to such reallocated portion shall be payable to (A) all Revolving Lenders based on their pro rata share of such reallocation or (B) to the L/C Issuer for any remaining portion not reallocated to any other Revolving Lenders. So long as a Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Letter of Credit Fee payable with respect to any Letter of Credit Obligation of such Defaulting Lender that has not been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.11(e)(ii) shall be payable to the L/C Issuer.

 

(f)           Procedures. Agent is hereby authorized by each Credit Party and each other Secured Party to establish procedures (and to amend such procedures from time to time) to facilitate administration and servicing of the Loans and other matters incidental thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Agent is hereby authorized to establish procedures to make available or deliver, or to accept, notices, documents and similar items on, by posting to or submitting and/or completion, on E-Systems.

 

(g)           Cashless Settlement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all or a portion of its Loans or Commitments in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, Agent and such Lender.

 

ARTICLE III

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

3.1           Conditions of Initial Loans. The obligation of each Lender to make its initial Loans and of each L/C Issuer to Issue, or cause to be Issued, the initial Letters of Credit hereunder on the Closing Date is subject to satisfaction (or prior written waiver pursuant to Section 10.1) of the following conditions in a manner satisfactory to Agent, except to the extent expressly permitted to be delivered after the Closing Date by a date required in Section 5.16:

 

(a)           Loan Documents. Agent shall have received on or before the Closing Date this Agreement duly executed by Agent, all Lenders named on the signature pages hereto, and the Borrower and all of its Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) as Borrower and Guarantors, together with all other agreements, documents, instruments and other items set forth on the closing checklist attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1, including (i) all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations and (ii) the Flood Insurance Requirements in the case of any Mortgages to be delivered on the Closing Date each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent;

 

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(b)           Evidence of Insurance. Agent shall have received a certificate from Borrower’s insurance broker or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to it that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to Section 5.6 is in full force and effect, together with endorsements naming the Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, as additional insured and loss payee thereunder to the extent required under Section 5.6.

 

(c)           Consolidated EBITDA. The Borrower shall have delivered evidence to the satisfaction of Agent demonstrating that Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for four (4) Fiscal Quarter period ended September 30, 2021 shall be not less than $8,600,000;

 

(d)           No Litigation. There shall not exist any order, injunction or decree of any Governmental Authority restraining or prohibiting the funding of the Loans hereunder;

 

(e)           Fees and Expenses. The Agent and Lenders shall have received payment for all fees and reasonable and documented (in summary form) out-of-pocket expenses (to the extent Borrower receives a reasonably detailed invoice at least two (2) Business Days (or such shorter period as agreed to by Borrower) prior to the Closing Date) required to be paid on the Closing Date pursuant to any Loan Document or the Fee Letter;

 

(f)            KYC Information. At least five days prior to the Closing Date, the Borrower that qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation shall deliver a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower; and

 

(g)           Other Conditions. All conditions set forth in Section 3.2 have been satisfied.

 

For the purpose of determining satisfaction with the conditions specified in this Section 3.1, each Lender that has signed and delivered this Agreement shall be deemed to have accepted, and to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required under this Section 3.1 unless Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

3.2           Conditions to All Borrowings . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no Lender or L/C Issuer shall be obligated to fund any Loan or incur any Letter of Credit Obligation if, as of the date thereof:

 

(a)           any representation or warranty by any Credit Party contained herein or in any other Loan Document is untrue or incorrect in any material respect (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) as of such date, except to the extent that such representation or warranty expressly relates to an earlier date (in which event such representations and warranties were untrue or incorrect in any material respect (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) as of such earlier date), and Agent or Required Revolving Lenders have determined not to make such Loan or incur such Letter of Credit Obligation as a result of the fact that such representation or warranty is untrue or incorrect in any material respect (without duplication of any materiality qualifiers contained therein); or

 

(b)           any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would reasonably be expected to result after giving effect to any Loan (or the incurrence of any Letter of Credit Obligation), and Agent or Required Revolving Lenders shall have determined not to make such Loan or incur such Letter of Credit Obligation as a result of that Default or Event of Default; or

 

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(c)           after giving effect to any Revolving Loan (or the incurrence of any Letter of Credit Obligations), the aggregate outstanding amount of the Revolving Loans would exceed the Maximum Revolving Loan Balance.

 

The request and acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of any Loan or the incurrence of any Letter of Credit Obligations shall be deemed to constitute, as of the date thereof, (i) a representation and warranty by the Borrower that (x) each representation and warranty by any Credit Party contained herein or in any other Loan Document is true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) as of such date, except to the extent that such representation or warranty expressly relates to an earlier date (in which event such representations and warranties were true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein) as of such earlier date) and (y) the conditions in this Section 3.2 (without regard to any determination or agreement made or to be made by Agent or Required Revolving Lenders) have been satisfied and (ii) a reaffirmation by each Credit Party of the granting and continuance of Agent’s Liens, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties, pursuant to the Collateral Documents.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Credit Parties, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to Agent and each Lender that the following are true, correct and complete:

 

4.1           Corporate Existence and Power. Each Credit Party and each of their respective Subsidiaries: (a) is a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, as applicable; (b) has the power and authority and all governmental licenses, authorizations, Permits, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party; (c) is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable, and licensed and in good standing, under the laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of Property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; and (d) is in compliance with all Requirements of Law; except, in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), clause (c) or clause (d), to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

4.2           Corporate Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by the Credit Parties of this Agreement and by each Credit Party of any other Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of that Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any material breach or contravention of, or result in the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens and Liens in favor of Agent created under the Loan Documents) under, any document evidencing any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority to which such Person or its Property is subject, or (c) violate any material Requirement of Law in any material respect.

 

4.3           Governmental Authorization. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Credit Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document except (a) for recordings and filings in connection with the Liens granted to Agent under the Collateral Documents and (b) those obtained or made on or prior to the Closing Date.

 

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4.4           Binding Effect. This Agreement and each other Loan Document to which any Credit Party is a party constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each such Person which is a party thereto, enforceable against such Person in accordance with their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (a) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (b)  equitable principles relating to enforceability (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (c) implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing and (d) any equivalent foreign laws, rules and regulations as they relate to pledges of Stock in or in Indebtedness owed by Foreign Subsidiaries.

 

4.5           Litigation. Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 4.5, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending, or to the knowledge of each Credit Party, threatened (in writing), at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, against any Credit Party, any Subsidiary of any Credit Party or any of their respective Properties which:

 

(a)           purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby; or

 

(b)           would reasonably be expected to result in monetary judgment(s) or relief, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $750,000; or

 

(c)           seek an injunction or other equitable relief which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

No injunction, writ, temporary restraining order or any order of any nature has been issued by any court or other Governmental Authority purporting to enjoin or restrain the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or directing that the transactions provided for herein or therein not be consummated as herein or therein provided. As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party is the subject of a material audit or, to each Credit Party’s knowledge, any material review or investigation by any Governmental Authority (excluding the IRS and other taxing authorities) concerning the violation or possible violation of any Requirement of Law.

 

4.6           No Default. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the incurring of any Obligations by any Credit Party or the grant or perfection of Agent’s Liens on the Collateral. As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party and no Subsidiary of any Credit Party is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation in any respect which, individually or together with all such defaults, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

4.7           ERISA Compliance.

 

(a)           Schedule 4.7 sets forth, as of the Closing Date, a complete and correct list of, and that separately identifies, (a) all Title IV Plans and (b) all Multiemployer Plans. Except for those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Benefit Plan, and each trust thereunder, intended to qualify for tax exempt status under Section 401 or 501 of the Code or other Requirements of Law so qualifies, (ii) each Employee Benefit Plan is in compliance with applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Requirements of Law, and (iii) there are no existing or pending (or to the knowledge of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party, threatened) claims (other than routine claims for benefits in the normal course), sanctions, actions, lawsuits or other proceedings or investigation involving any Employee Benefit Plan to which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party incurs or otherwise has or could reasonably be expected to have an obligation or any Liability. As of the most recent valuation date of any Title IV Plan, any amount of Unfunded Benefit Liabilities, individually or in aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and as of the most recent valuation date for each Multiemployer Plan for which actuarial report is available, the potential liability of the Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates for a complete withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan (within the meaning of Section 4203 of ERISA), when aggregate with such potential liability for complete withdrawal from all Multiemployer Plans, based on information available pursuant to Section 101(1) of ERISA, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As of the Closing Date, no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur which could result in material obligations to any Credit Party.

 

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(b)           All contribution required to be made with respect to a Non-U.S. Plan have been timely made. Neither any Credit Party nor any of their Subsidiaries has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination of, or withdrawal under each Non-U.S. Plan. The present value of the accrued benefit liabilities (whether or not vested) under each Non-U.S. Plan, determined as of the end of the Credit Party’s most recently ended fiscal year on a the reasonable actuarial assumptions, did not exceed the current value of the assets of such Non-U.S. Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities.

 

4.8           Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations. The proceeds of the Loans are intended to be and shall be used solely for the purposes set forth in and permitted by Section 5.10. No Credit Party and no Subsidiary of any Credit Party is engaged in the business of purchasing or selling Margin Stock or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock. As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party and no Subsidiary of any Credit Party owns any Margin Stock.

 

4.9           Ownership of Property; Liens. As of the Closing Date, the Real Estate listed in Schedule 4.9 constitutes all of the Real Estate of each Credit Party and each of their respective Subsidiaries, and none of such Real Estate is owned in fee simple. Each of the Credit Parties and each of their respective Subsidiaries has good record title or valid leasehold interests in all Real Estate and personal property and valid leasehold interests in all leased personal property, except for Permitted Liens and defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties and assets for their intended purposes in each instance, necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of their respective businesses. None of the Property of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party is subject to any Liens other than Permitted Liens.

 

4.10           Taxes. All federal and all material state, local and foreign income and franchise and other material Tax returns, reports and statements (collectively, the “Tax Returns”) required to be filed by any Tax Affiliate have been filed with the appropriate Governmental Authorities, all such Tax Returns are true and correct in all material respects, and all Taxes reflected therein or otherwise due and payable have been paid prior to the date on which any Liability may be added thereto for non-payment thereof except for those contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves are maintained on the books of the appropriate Tax Affiliate in accordance with GAAP. As of the Closing Date, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, no Tax Return of any Credit Party, its respective Subsidiaries or any Tax Affiliate is under audit or examination by any Governmental Authority and no notice of any audit or examination or any assertion of any claim for Taxes has been given or made by any Governmental Authority.

 

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4.11           Financial Condition.

 

(a)           Each of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated March 31, 2021, and the related audited consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the Fiscal Year ended on that date and (ii) the unaudited interim consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated September 30, 2021 and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the six fiscal months then ended:

 

(x)           were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the respective periods covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, subject to, in the case of the unaudited interim financial statements, normal year-end adjustments and the lack of footnote disclosures; and

 

(y)           present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and results of operations for the periods covered thereby.

 

(b)           The pro forma unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated September 30, 2021 delivered on the Closing Date was prepared by the Borrower giving pro forma effect to the funding of the Loans, was based on the unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated September 30, 2021, and was prepared in accordance with GAAP, with only such adjustments thereto as would be required in a manner consistent with GAAP.

 

(c)           Since March 31, 2021, there has been no Material Adverse Effect or any event or circumstance which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)          All financial performance projections delivered to Agent, including the financial performance projections delivered on or prior to the Closing Date, represent the Borrower’s good faith estimate of future financial performance and are based on assumptions believed by the Borrower at the time so delivered to be fair and reasonable in light of current market conditions, it being acknowledged and agreed by Agent and Lenders that projections are not a guarantee of financial performance, are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond Borrower’s control, no assurance can be given that any particular financial projections will be realized, and projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by such projections may differ from the projected results and such differences may be material.

 

4.12           Environmental Matters. Except where any failures to comply would not reasonably be expected to result in, either individually or in the aggregate, Material Environmental Liabilities to the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries, each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party (a) are and, to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, have been in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, including obtaining and maintaining all Permits required by any applicable Environmental Law, (b) is not party to, and no Real Estate currently (or to the knowledge of any Credit Party previously) owned, leased, subleased, operated or otherwise occupied by or for any such Person is subject to or the subject of, any Contractual Obligation or any pending or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened, order, action, investigation, suit, proceeding, audit, Lien, claim, demand, dispute or notice of violation or of potential liability or similar notice relating in any manner to any Environmental Law, (c) has not caused or suffered to occur a Release of Hazardous Materials at, to or from any Real Estate, (d) does not currently (or to the knowledge of any Credit Party, previously) own, lease, sublease, operate or otherwise occupy Real Estate that is contaminated by any Hazardous Materials and (e) is not, and has not been, engaged in, and has not permitted any current or former tenant to engage in, operations in violation of any Environmental Law and knows of no facts, circumstances or conditions reasonably constituting notice of a violation of any Environmental Law, including receipt of any information request or notice of potential responsibility under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or similar Environmental Laws.

 

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4.13           Regulated Entities. None of any Credit Party, any Person controlling any Credit Party, or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, is (a) an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) subject to regulation under the Federal Power Act, the Interstate Commerce Act, any state public utilities code, or any other federal or state statute, rule or regulation limiting its ability to incur Indebtedness, pledge its assets or perform its obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

4.14           Solvency. Both before and after giving effect to (a) the Loans made and Letters of Credit Issued on or prior to the date this representation and warranty is made or remade, (b) the disbursement of the proceeds of such Loans to or as directed by the Borrower and (c) the payment and accrual of all transaction costs in connection with the foregoing, the Credit Parties taken as a whole are Solvent.

 

4.15           Labor Relations. There are no strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns or lockouts existing, pending (or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened in writing) against or involving any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, except for those that would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.15, as of the Closing Date, (a) there is no collective bargaining or similar agreement with any union, labor organization, works council or similar representative covering any employee of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, (b) no petition for certification or election of any such representative is existing or pending with respect to any employee of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party and (c) to the knowledge of any Credit Party, no such representative has sought certification or recognition with respect to any employee of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party.

 

4.16           Intellectual Property. Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party owns, or is licensed or otherwise has the right to use, all Intellectual Property necessary to conduct its business as currently conducted except for such Intellectual Property the failure of which to own or license or otherwise have the right to use would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of each Credit Party, (a) the conduct and operations of the businesses of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party does not infringe, misappropriate, dilute or violate any Intellectual Property owned by any other Person and (b) no other Person has contested any right, title or interest of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party in, or relating to, any Intellectual Property, other than, in each case, as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

4.17           Brokers’ Fees; Transaction Fees. Except for fees payable to Agent and Lenders, none of the Credit Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has any obligation to any Person in respect of any finder’s, broker’s or investment banker’s fee in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

4.18           Ventures, Subsidiaries and Affiliates; Outstanding Stock. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.18, as of the Closing Date, no Credit Party and no Subsidiary of any Credit Party (a) has any Subsidiaries, or (b) is engaged in any joint venture or partnership with any other Person. All issued and outstanding Stock of each of the Credit Parties and each of their respective Subsidiaries are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable, and free and clear of all Liens other than, with respect to the Stock of the Borrower and Subsidiaries of the Borrower, those in favor of Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties and Permitted Liens. All such securities were issued in compliance with, or under valid exemption from, all applicable state and federal laws concerning the issuance of securities. As of the Closing Date, all of the issued and outstanding Stock of each Credit Party (other than the Borrower) and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party is owned by each of the Persons and in the amounts set forth in Schedule 4.18. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.18, there are no pre-emptive or other outstanding rights to purchase, options, warrants or similar rights or agreements pursuant to which any Credit Party may be required to issue, sell, repurchase or redeem any of its Stock or any Stock of its Subsidiaries. Set forth in Schedule 4.18 is a true and complete organizational chart of the Borrower and all of its Subsidiaries, which the Credit Parties shall update upon notice to Agent promptly following the completion of any Permitted Acquisition or other Investment and promptly following the incorporation, organization or formation of any Subsidiary.

 

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4.19         Jurisdiction of Organization; Chief Executive Office. Schedule 4.19 lists each Credit Party’s jurisdiction of organization, legal name and organizational identification number, if any, and the location of such Credit Party’s chief executive office or sole place of business, in each case as of the date hereof, and such Schedule 4.19 also lists all jurisdictions of organization and legal names of such Credit Party for the five years preceding the Closing Date.

 

4.20         Deposit Accounts and Other Accounts. Schedule 4.20 lists all banks and other financial institutions securities intermediary or commodity intermediary at which any Credit Party maintains deposit, securities, commodities or similar accounts as of the Closing Date, and such Schedule correctly identifies the name, address and any other relevant contact information reasonably requested by Agent with respect to each depository or intermediary, the name in which the account is held, a description of the purpose of the account, and the complete account number therefor.

 

4.21         Full Disclosure; Beneficial Ownership. (a) None of the statements contained in each exhibit, report, statement or certificate furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries in connection with the Loan Documents (including the offering and disclosure materials, if any, delivered by or on behalf of any Credit Party to Agent or the Lenders prior to the Closing Date, but excluding any financial performance projections), when taken as a whole, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not materially misleading as of the time when made or delivered.

 

(b)          As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.

 

4.22         Foreign Assets Control Regulations; Anti-Money Laundering; Anti-Corruption Practices.

 

(a)           Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party is in compliance in all material respects with all U.S. economic sanctions laws, Executive Orders and implementing regulations (“Sanctions”) as administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and the U.S. State Department. No Credit Party and no Subsidiary of a Credit Party (i) is a Person on the list of the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (the “SDN List”), (ii) is a person who is otherwise the target of U.S. economic sanctions laws such that a U.S. person cannot deal or otherwise engage in business transactions with such person, (iii) is a Person organized or resident in a country or territory subject to comprehensive Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Country”), or (iv) is owned or controlled by (including by virtue of such Person being a director or owning voting shares or interests), or acts, directly or indirectly, for or on behalf of, any Person on the SDN List or a government of a Sanctioned Country such that the entry into, or performance under, this Agreement or any other Loan Document would be prohibited by U.S. law.

 

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(b)           Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party is in compliance in all material respects with all laws related to terrorism or money laundering (“Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) including: (i) all applicable requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (31 U.S.C. 5311 et. seq., (the Bank Secrecy Act)), as amended by Title III of the USA Patriot Act, (ii) the Trading with the Enemy Act, (iii) Executive Order No. 13224 on Terrorist Financing, effective September 24, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 49079), any other enabling legislation, executive order or regulations issued pursuant or relating thereto and (iv) other applicable federal or state laws relating to “know your customer” or anti-money laundering rules and regulations. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or Governmental Authority with respect to compliance with such Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or threatened to the knowledge of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party.

 

(c)           Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of each Credit Party is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable anti-corruption laws, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (“FCPA”) and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 (“Anti-Corruption Laws”). None of the Credit Party or any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Credit Party, any director, officer, agent, employee, or other person acting on behalf of the Credit Party or any Subsidiary, has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation of applicable Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

(d)           The Credit Party and each Subsidiary has instituted and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Credit Parties, their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

4.23         Regulatory Matters.

 

(a)           No Credit Party is currently, or has ever been, debarred or suspended from (or has received a notice that it is under investigation with respect to a possible debarment or suspension from) bidding on or entering into any Government Contract with or for any Governmental Authority. To the knowledge of the Borrower and each other Credit Party’s, no event has occurred and no condition exists that could reasonably be expected to result in the debarment or suspension of any Credit Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries from any Government Contract.

 

(b)           No Material Government Contract is subject to any pending termination for default (nor has any Credit Party received any notice of any pending or potential termination for default of any Material Government Contract). No Credit Party is the target of any action or proceeding by a Governmental Authority in connection with any Government Contract involving allegations of fraud, dishonesty, malfeasance, misappropriation of funds or any other criminal activity. No Credit Party is the subject of any cure notice or show cause notice which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           All assignments of claims with respect to any Government Contract and notices of such assignments forwarded to or filed with any Person (including any Governmental Authority) pursuant to 48 C.F.R. Sections 32.802(e) and 32.805(b) on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been fully released in accordance with 48 C.F.R. Section 32.805(e). There are no other assignments of claims with respect to or Liens (other than Permitted Liens) on Government Contracts other than in favor of a Governmental Authority in respect of set-off rights as provided in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations).

 

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(d)           Except with respect to contracts for which a Governmental Authority has determined that a prohibition on assignment of claims is in such Government Authority’s interest, each of the Credit Parties has the right to assign to the Agent all payments due or to become due under each of such Person’s Government Contracts, and there exists no uncancelled prior assignment of payments under any of such Credit Party’s Government Contracts.

 

(e)           Each Government Contract existing on the Closing Date, pursuant to which any Credit Party is likely to receive an amount in excess of (i) $2,000,000 over the course of any fiscal year or (ii) $2,000,000 over the remaining term thereof if such term is less than twelve months, is listed on Schedule 4.23.

 

(f)           As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party nor any Subsidiary is a party to any administrative agreement (as defined in 48 C.F.R. Section 9.406-3(f) and 9.407-3(e)) with any Governmental Authority.

 

(g)           No Government Contract to which a Credit Party or any Subsidiary is a party pursuant to which such Credit Party or such Subsidiary is likely to receive an amount in excess of, in the aggregate with all such Government Contracts (i) $10,000,000 over the course of any Fiscal Year or (ii) $10,000,000 over the remaining term thereof, prohibits the grant of a security interest therein by such Credit Party or such Subsidiary.

 

4.24         Indebtedness. As of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the consummation of the payment of all costs and expenses in connection with the Loan Documents, no Credit Party and no Subsidiary of any Credit Party has any Material Indebtedness other than the Obligations except as described on Schedule 6.5.

 

ARTICLE V

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Each Credit Party covenants and agrees that until the Facility Termination Date:

 

5.1           Financial Statements. Each Credit Party shall maintain, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, a system of accounting established and administered in accordance with sound business practices to permit the preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP (provided that unaudited interim financial statements shall not be required to have footnote disclosures and are subject to normal year-end adjustments). The Borrower shall deliver to Agent (and Agent shall thereafter deliver to the Lenders) by Electronic Transmission and in detail reasonably satisfactory to Agent:

 

(a)           as soon as available, but not later than ninety (90) days after the end of each Fiscal Year, a copy of the audited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Year and the related consolidated and consolidating statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, and accompanied by the report of any “Big Four” or other nationally-recognized independent certified public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to Agent (which shall be deemed to include Deloitte) which report shall (i) contain an unqualified opinion, stating that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial position for the periods indicated in conformity with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with prior years and (ii) not include any explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt as to going concern status (other than (A) in connection with the impending maturity of the Loans, solely in the case of the audit delivered with respect to the Fiscal Year immediately prior to the Fiscal Year during which the maturity and/or termination of such Loans is scheduled to occur or (B) any potential inability to satisfy any financial covenant set forth in Section 7 on a future date or in a future period);

 

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(b)           as soon as available, but not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three Fiscal Quarters of each Fiscal Year (commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2022), a copy of the unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and the related consolidated and consolidating statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter and for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, all certified on behalf of the Borrower by an appropriate Responsible Officer of the Borrower as being complete and correct and fairly presenting, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP, the financial position and the results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, subject to normal year-end adjustments and absence of footnote disclosures.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 5.1 (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (a) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the internet at the website address listed in Schedule 1; or (b) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an internet, the SEC’s website or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender has access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Agent).

 

5.2           Certificates; Other Information. The Borrower shall furnish to Agent (and Agent shall thereafter make available to each Lender) by Electronic Transmission:

 

(a)           together with each delivery of annual financial statements pursuant to Sections 5.1(a) and quarterly financial statements pursuant to Section 5.1(b) (commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2022), (i) a management discussion and analysis report, in reasonable detail, signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, describing the financial condition and results of operation of the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries for the Fiscal Quarter and the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended (or for the Fiscal Year then ended in the case of annual financial statements) and (ii) (A) commencing with the delivery of quarterly financial statements for the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2022, a report setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding periods of the previous Fiscal Year (but subject to qualifications for purchase accounting impact, pro forma and/or normalizing adjustments and similar adjustments) and (B) commencing with the delivery of annual financial statements for the Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2022, the corresponding figures from the most recent projections for the current Fiscal Year delivered pursuant to Section 5.2(d) and discussing the reasons for any significant variations;

 

(b)           concurrently with the delivery of the annual and quarterly financial statements referred to in Sections 5.1(a) and 5.1(b) above, commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2022, a fully and properly completed certificate in the form of Exhibit 5.2(b) (a “Compliance Certificate”), certified on behalf of the Borrower by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as of the last day of each Fiscal Quarter;

 

(c)           as soon as available and in any event no later than thirty (30) days after the last day of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, projections of the Credit Parties (and their Subsidiaries) consolidated and consolidating financial performance, balance sheets, statements of income and cash flows for the forthcoming Fiscal Year on a month by month basis;

 

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(d)           from time to time, if Agent determines that obtaining appraisals is necessary in order for Agent or any Lender to comply with applicable laws or regulations (including any appraisals required to comply with FIRREA), and at any time if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Agent may, or may require the Borrower to, in either case at the Borrower’s expense, obtain appraisals in form and substance and from appraisers reasonably satisfactory to Agent stating the then current fair market value of all or any portion of the personal property of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party and the fair market value or such other value as determined by Agent (for example, replacement cost for purposes of Flood Insurance) of any Real Estate of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party;

 

(e)           promptly following any request therefor, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act or other applicable anti-money laundering laws; and

 

(f)            promptly, such additional business, financial, corporate affairs, perfection certificates and other information as Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

 

Notwithstanding any to the contrary contained in this Agreement, to the extent any such documents, reports (including any management discussion and analysis report), information, projections or other deliverables required by this Section 5.2 and any other provision of this Agreement, are included in materials filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and if so filed, shall be deemed to have been delivered hereunder on the date (a) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the internet at the website address listed in Schedule 1; or (b) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an internet, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website or intranet website, if any, to which Agent has access.

 

5.3           Notices. The Borrower shall notify promptly Agent (and Agent shall thereafter notify each Lender) of each of the following (and, except as otherwise set forth below, in no event later than five (5) Business Days after a Responsible Officer becomes aware thereof):

 

(a)           the occurrence or existence of any Default or Event of Default;

 

(b)           any breach or non-performance of, or any default under, (x) any agreement or document governing Material Indebtedness or (y) any Material Government Contract, or any violation of, or non-compliance with, any Requirement of Law that in the case of this clause (y) would reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, and in the case of clauses (x) and (y) including a description of such breach, non-performance, default, violation or non-compliance and the steps, if any, such Person has taken, is taking or proposes to take in respect thereof;

 

(c)           any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension which may exist at any time between any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party and any Governmental Authority which would reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(d)           the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Credit Party, any Subsidiary of any Credit Party or any of their respective property (i) which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) in which the relief sought is an injunction or other stay of the performance of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or the receipt of any subpoena from, or notice of an investigation by, any Governmental Authority;

 

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(e)           (i) the receipt by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party of any notice of violation of or potential liability or similar notice under any Environmental Laws, (ii)(A) unpermitted Releases, (B) the existence of any condition that could reasonably be expected to result in Environmental Liabilities or violations of any Environmental Law or (C) the commencement of, or any material change to, any action, investigation, suit, proceeding, audit, claim, demand, dispute alleging Environmental Liabilities or a violation of any Environmental Laws which in the case of clauses (A), (B) and (C) above, in the aggregate for all such clauses, would reasonably be expected to result in Material Environmental Liabilities, (iii) the receipt by any Credit Party of notification that any Property of any Credit Party is subject to any Lien in favor of any Governmental Authority securing, in whole or in part, Material Environmental Liabilities and (iv) any proposed acquisition or lease of Real Estate, if such acquisition or lease would have a reasonable likelihood of resulting in Material Environmental Liabilities or the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries;

 

(f)            in each case, promptly, and in any event within ten (10) days after any Responsible Officer knows or has reason to know (i) of any notice of any reportable event under Section 4043 of ERISA or intent to terminate any Title IV Plan and a copy of such notice, (ii) of a request for a minimum funding waiver under Section 412 of the Code has been filed with respect to any Benefit Plan or Multiemployer Plan, a notice describing such waiver request and any action that any ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto, together with a copy of any notice filed with the PBGC or the IRS pertaining thereto, (iii) an ERISA Event will or has occurred that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability to a Credit Party or a Subsidiary of a Credit Party, a notice describing such ERISA Event, and any action that any ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto, together with a copy of any notices received from or filed with the PBGC, IRS, Multiemployer Plan or other Benefit Plan pertaining thereto, or (iv) receipt by a Credit Party or an ERISA Affiliate of a demand letter from the PBGC assessing liability to a Credit Party or an ERISA Affiliate;

 

(g)           in each of the following cases, a certificate of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the events and the action propose to be taken and a copy of any correspondence from any governmental agency, (i) the aggregate present value of the Unfunded Benefit Liabilities under all Title IV Plans has, in any year, increased to an amount in excess of $500,000, (ii) any ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Multiemployer Plan which presents a material risk of a partial or complete withdrawal (as described in Section 4203 or 4205 of ERISA) by a Credit Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates from such Multiemployer Plan and such withdrawal liability payments in any year in excess of $500,000, (iii) any Credit Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates is in “default” (as defined in Section 4219(c)(5) of ERISA) with respect to payments to a Multiemployer Plan, (iv) the potential withdrawal liability (as determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of any Credit Party or any of their respective ERISAS Affiliates with respect to all Multiemployer Plans has in any year increased to an amount in excess of $500,000, or (v) there is an action brought against any Credit Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates under Section 502 of ERISA with respect to the failure to comply with Section 515 of ERISA;

 

(h)           any Material Adverse Effect subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements delivered to Agent and Lenders pursuant to this Agreement;

 

(i)            any material changes in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party;

 

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(j)            promptly after any Credit Party’s or any of its Subsidiary’s receipt thereof, (i) a copy of any default or termination notice with respect to any Material Government Contract if such notice relates to any default or breach which could reasonably be expected to, if uncured within any express grace period therein provided, result in the termination of a Material Government Contract, (ii) with respect to any other Government Contract a copy of any default or termination notice if such notice is based on a finding of fraud, criminal activity, deception or willful misconduct and (iii) with respect to any Government Contract, a copy of any notice of debarment or suspension from contracting with any Governmental Authority; and

 

(k)           any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in such certification.

 

Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be an Electronic Transmission accompanied by a statement by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein, and stating what action the Borrower or other Person proposes to take with respect thereto and at what time. Each notice under Section 5.3(a) shall describe with particularity any and all clauses or provisions of this Agreement or other Loan Document that have been breached or violated.

 

5.4           Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. Each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to:

 

(a)           preserve and maintain in full force and effect its organizational existence and good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation, as applicable, except as permitted by Section 6.3; and

 

(b)           preserve and maintain its rights (charter and statutory), privileges, franchises and Permits necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, in each case, except as permitted by Sections 6.2 and 6.3 and except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.5           Maintenance of Property. Each Credit Party shall, except as otherwise permitted by this Agreement, maintain, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, and preserve all its Property which is necessary to the normal conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and damage by casualty excepted and shall make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.6           Insurance. The Credit Parties shall, and shall cause each of their Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance with respect to their assets, properties and business, against such hazards and liabilities, of such types and in such amounts, as is customarily maintained by companies in the same or similar businesses similarly situated operating in the same or similar locations, including Flood Insurance. Each such policy of insurance shall (i) in the case of each liability policy, name Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy contain a loss payable clause or endorsement that names Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, as the loss payee thereunder and, in each case, to the extent available, provide for at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Agent of any modification or cancellation of such policy (or ten (10) days’ prior written notice in the case of the failure to pay any premiums thereunder). A true and complete listing of such insurance, including issuers, coverages and deductibles, shall be provided to Agent promptly following Agent’s reasonable request. Notwithstanding the requirements above, Flood Insurance shall not be required for (x) Real Estate not located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, (y) Real Estate located in a Special Flood Hazard Area in a community that does not participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, or (z) Real Estate not required to be subject to a Mortgage pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

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5.7           Payment of Tax and Certain Secured Obligations. Each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay, discharge and perform as the same shall become due and payable or required to be performed (a) all material Tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its Property, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently prosecuted which stay the enforcement of any Lien and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Person and (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its Property unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently prosecuted which stay the imposition or enforcement of any Lien and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Person.

 

5.8           Compliance with Laws. Each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all Requirements of Law of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it or its business, except where the failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Each Credit Party shall maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote compliance by the Credit Parties, their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

5.9           Inspection of Property and Books and Records. Each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, with respect to each owned, leased, or controlled property, during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance written notice (unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, in which event no notice shall be required and Agent shall have access at any and all times during the continuance thereof): (a) provide access to such property to Agent and any of its Related Persons; and (b) permit Agent and any of its Related Persons to conduct field examinations, appraise, inspect, and make extracts and copies (or take originals if reasonably necessary) from all of such Credit Party’s books and records, and evaluate and conduct appraisals and evaluations in any manner and through any medium that Agent reasonably considers advisable, in each instance, at the Credit Parties’ expense; provided that (x) the Credit Parties shall only be obligated to reimburse Agent for the expenses of one such appraisal, evaluation and inspection per calendar year or more frequently if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, there shall be no more than one such visit and inspection per calendar year. Any Lender may accompany Agent or its Related Persons in connection with any inspection at such Lender’s expense.

 

5.10         Use of Proceeds. The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Loans solely for working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes not in contravention of any Requirement of Law and not in violation of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Permitted Acquisitions, and permitted Investments and Capital Expenditures). No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, use any Loan proceeds, directly or indirectly, to purchase or carry Margin Stock or repay or otherwise refinance Indebtedness of any Credit Party or others incurred to purchase or carry Margin Stock.

 

5.11         Cash Management Systems. Each Credit Party shall enter into, and cause each depository, securities intermediary or commodities intermediary to enter into, Control Agreements with respect to each deposit, securities, commodity or similar account maintained by such Person (other than (a) any payroll account so long as such payroll account is a zero balance account or is funded no earlier than the Business Day immediately prior to the date of any payroll disbursements and in an amount not exceeding the same, (b) petty cash accounts, amounts on deposit in which do not exceed $250,000 in the aggregate at any one time and (c) withholding tax and fiduciary accounts (such excluded accounts, “Excluded Accounts”)) as of and after the Closing Date; provided, it is agreed and understood that (A) the Credit Parties shall have until the date that is 180 days following the Closing Date and 90 days following the closing date of such Permitted Acquisition, as applicable (or such later date as may be agreed to by Agent in its sole discretion) to comply with the provisions of this Section 5.11 with regard to accounts (other than Excluded Accounts) of the Credit Parties existing on the Closing Date or acquired in connection with such Permitted Acquisition, as applicable and (B) during the periods described in clause (A), the absence of a Control Agreement as to cash or Cash Equivalents in the applicable accounts referred to therein shall not (in and of itself) prevent the cash or Cash Equivalents therein from being netted in the calculation of Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio or the Consolidated Senior Leverage Ratio. No later than 180 days after the Closing Date, the Credit Parties shall establish their primary depository and treasury management relationships with Capital One or one or more of its Affiliates and will maintain such depository and treasury management relationships at all times.

 

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5.12         Landlord Agreements. Each Credit Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a landlord agreement or mortgagee waivers, as applicable, from the lessor of each leased property or mortgagee of any owned property with respect to (to the extent leased) the Borrower’s headquarters and each location where material books and records are located, which agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to Agent.

 

5.13         Further Assurances.

 

(a)           Each Credit Party shall ensure that all written information, exhibits and reports furnished to Agent or the Lenders, when taken as a whole, do not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and do not and will not omit to state any material fact or any fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not materially misleading in light of the circumstances in which made, and will promptly disclose to Agent and the Lenders and correct any defect or error that may be discovered therein or in any Loan Document or in the execution, acknowledgement or recordation thereof.

 

(b)           Promptly upon request by Agent, the Credit Parties shall (and, subject to the limitations set forth herein and in the Collateral Documents, shall cause each of their Subsidiaries to) take such additional actions and execute such documents as Agent may reasonably require from time to time in order (i) to carry out more effectively the purposes of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) to subject to the Liens created by any of the Collateral Documents any of the Properties, rights or interests covered by any of the Collateral Documents, (iii) to perfect and maintain the validity, effectiveness and (to the extent required hereby) priority of any of the Collateral Documents and the Liens intended to be created thereby, and (iv) to better assure, grant, preserve, protect and confirm to the Secured Parties the rights granted or now or hereafter intended to be granted to the Secured Parties under any Loan Document. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and except as otherwise approved in writing by Required Lenders, the Credit Parties shall cause each of their Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) promptly (and, in any event, within thirty (30) days (or such longer period as Agent may agree in writing in its sole discretion)) after formation or acquisition thereof, to guaranty the Obligations and to cause each such Subsidiary to grant to Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in, subject to the limitations set forth herein and in the Collateral Documents, all of such Subsidiary’s Property to secure such guaranty. Furthermore, the Borrower shall notify promptly Agent of the issuance by or to any Credit Party of any Stock and, except as otherwise approved in writing by Required Lenders, each Credit Party shall pledge, and shall cause each of its Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Domestic Subsidiaries) and Foreign Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries) to pledge, all of the Stock of each of its Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Domestic Subsidiaries) and Foreign Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries) and sixty-five percent (65%) (or such greater percentage as would not reasonably be expected to result in any material adverse tax consequences to any Credit Party) of the outstanding voting Stock and one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding non-voting Stock of each Excluded Foreign Subsidiary directly owned by a Credit Party and each Excluded Domestic Subsidiary directly owned by a Credit Party (and no Stock of an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary or Excluded Domestic Holdco not directly owned by a Credit Party), in each instance, to Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, to secure the Obligations, promptly (and, in any event, within thirty (30) days (or such longer period as Agent may agree in writing in its sole discretion)) after formation or acquisition of such Subsidiary. The Credit Parties shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Agent, appropriate resolutions, secretary certificates, certified Organization Documents and, if requested by Agent, legal opinions relating to the matters described in this Section 5.13 (which opinions shall be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent and, to the extent applicable, substantially similar to the opinions delivered on the Closing Date), in each instance with respect to each Credit Party formed or acquired, and each Credit Party or Person (other than a Credit Party) whose Stock is being pledged, after the Closing Date. In connection with each pledge of Stock, the Credit Parties shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Agent, irrevocable proxies and stock powers and/or assignments, as applicable, duly executed in blank, in form substantially similar to those delivered on the Closing Date. In the event any Credit Party acquires fee title to any Real Estate with a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000, within ninety (90) days after (or such later date as may be agreed by Agent in its sole discretion) such acquisition, such Person shall execute and/or deliver, or cause to be executed and/or delivered, to Agent, (w) an appraisal complying with FIRREA, (x) a fully executed Mortgage, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent together with an A.L.T.A. lender’s title insurance policy issued by a title insurer reasonably satisfactory to Agent, in form and substance and in an amount reasonably satisfactory to Agent insuring that the Mortgage is a valid and enforceable first priority Lien on the respective property, free and clear of all defects, encumbrances and Liens other than Permitted Liens, and (y) then current A.L.T.A. surveys, certified to Agent by a licensed surveyor sufficient to allow the issuer of the lender’s title insurance policy to issue such policy without a survey exception. In the event any Credit Party acquires any Real Estate required to be subject to a Mortgage pursuant to the foregoing sentence, at Agent’s request, the Credit Parties shall cause to be delivered to Agent, simultaneously with or within forty-five (45) days (or such longer period as Agent may agree in its sole discretion) after such acquisition, Environmental Assessments prepared by a qualified firm reasonably acceptable to Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent. In addition to the obligations set forth in Section 5.6(a), the Credit Parties shall, in connection with the grant to Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties of any Mortgage with respect to any Real Estate, and prior to or concurrently with such grant, provide all documents and information required by, and otherwise comply with, the Flood Insurance Requirements as they apply to the applicable Real Estate. In addition, within sixty (60) days (or such longer period as Agent may agree in writing in its sole discretion) after written notice from Agent to the Credit Parties that any Real Estate (that is or is required to be subject to a Mortgage) is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the Credit Parties shall satisfy (to the extent theretofore not previously satisfied) the Flood Insurance Requirements as to the applicable Real Estate. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, cooperate with Agent in connection with compliance with laws governing the National Flood Insurance Program, including by providing any information reasonably required by Agent in order to confirm compliance with such laws. Notwithstanding anything contrary in this Section 5.11 or any other Loan Document, no Excluded Subsidiary shall be required to (i) either provide a guaranty of the Obligations or become a party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document as a Credit Party or a Guarantor or (ii) grant a security interest in any of its assets as Collateral for the payment and performance of the Obligations.

 

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(c)           Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent reasonably necessary to maintain the continuing priority of the Lien of any existing Mortgages as security for the Obligations in connection with the incurrence of an Revolving Increase, as determined by Agent in its reasonable discretion, the applicable Credit Party to any Mortgages shall within ninety (90) days of such increase (or such later date as agreed by Agent in its sole discretion) (i) enter into and deliver to Agent, at the direction and in the reasonable discretion of Agent, a mortgage modification or new Mortgage in proper form for recording in the relevant jurisdiction and in a form reasonably satisfactory to Agent (and to the extent applicable, substantially similar to the form of the Mortgage on the applicable Real Estate theretofore held by Agent), (ii) cause to be delivered to Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties an endorsement to the title insurance policy, date down(s) or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to Agent insuring that the priority of the Lien of the Mortgages as security for the Obligations has not changed and confirming and/or insuring that since the issuance of the title insurance policy there has been no change in the condition of title and there are no intervening liens or encumbrances which may then or thereafter take priority over the Lien of the Mortgages (other than those expressly permitted by Section 6.1(c)) and (iii) deliver, at the request of Agent, to Agent and/or all other relevant third parties, all other items reasonably necessary to maintain the continuing priority (to the extent required by this Agreement) of the Lien of the Mortgages as security for the Obligations.

 

(d)           Without limitation of (and subject to) any provision in any subordination agreement, if any lender with respect to any Subordinated Indebtedness receives any additional guaranty in connection with, or after the date of, the incurrence thereof, without limitation of any Event of Default that may arise as a result thereof, the Credit Parties shall, concurrently therewith, cause the same to be granted to Agent, for its own benefit and the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

(e)           Without limiting the foregoing, the Credit Parties shall cause the Borrower to be the named insured under any representation and warranty insurance obtained in connection with any Permitted Acquisition and such insurance policy shall be collaterally assigned to Agent in a manner reasonably satisfactory to Agent.

 

(f)            Without limiting the foregoing, in the event that any Credit Party Divides itself into two or more Persons, any Persons formed as a result of such Division, unless otherwise consented to by the Agent, shall be required to comply with the requirements and obligations set forth in this Section 5.13 and the other future assurances obligations set forth in in the Loan Documents and become the Borrower or Guarantor as required by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.

 

5.14         Environmental Matters. Each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with, and maintain its Real Estate, whether owned, leased, subleased or otherwise operated or occupied, in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws or that is required by orders and directives of any Governmental Authority except where the failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Environmental Liability.

 

5.15         Regulatory Matters.

 

(a)           To the extent reasonably required by the Agent, the Credit Parties will execute all documents necessary to comply with the Federal Assignment of Claims Act and comparable state law with respect to the accounts arising from any Material Government Contract and such other Government Contracts within sixty (60) days (or such extended period of time as agreed to by the Agent) after such request such documents with respect to such Government Contract.

 

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(b)           If a Credit Party is debarred or suspended from bidding on or entering into any Government Contract with or for any Governmental Authority or enters into an administrative agreement (as defined in 48 C.F.R. Section 9.406-3(f) and 9.407-3(e)) with any Governmental Authority, the Credit Parties shall promptly (i) deliver or otherwise provide to the Credit Parties all relevant information with respect to such debarment, suspension or administrative agreement to the extent permitted by applicable law, rules and regulations, (ii) provide to the Credit Parties an updated list of all Government Contracts of the Credit Parties that includes the date of renewal of each such Government Contract and the remaining term thereof, (iii) provide access to the Credit Parties to senior management of the Credit Parties and regulatory counsel to the Credit Parties that is engaged with respect to such debarment, suspension or administrative agreement and (iv) provide such other information with respect to such debarment, suspension or administrative agreement as the Agent may reasonably request, to the extent permitted by applicable law, rules and regulations.

 

5.16         Post-Closing Matters. Each Credit Party shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, as applicable, satisfy the requirements set forth on Schedule 5.16 on or before the respective date specified for each such requirement or such later date as is agreed to by Agent in its sole discretion.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Each Credit Party covenants and agrees that until the Facility Termination Date:

 

6.1           Limitation on Liens. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon or with respect to any part of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following (“Permitted Liens”):

 

(a)           any Lien existing on the Property of a Credit Party or a Subsidiary of a Credit Party on the Closing Date and set forth in Schedule 6.1 securing Indebtedness outstanding on such date and permitted by Section 6.5(b), including replacement Liens on the Property currently subject to such Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.5(b), and after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien;

 

(b)           any Lien created under any Loan Document;

 

(c)           Liens for Taxes (i) which are not more than thirty (30) days past due or remain payable without penalty, or (ii) the non-payment of which is permitted by Section 5.7;

 

(d)           carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, landlords’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not delinquent for more than ninety (90) days or remain payable without penalty or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently prosecuted, which proceedings have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the Property subject thereto and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained;

 

(e)           Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA) consisting of pledges or deposits required in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeals bonds, bids, leases, governmental contract, trade contracts, performance and return of money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money or other Consolidated Funded Indebtedness) or to secure liability to insurance carriers;

 

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(f)            Liens consisting of judgment or judicial attachment liens (other than for payment of Taxes), provided that the enforcement of such Liens is effectively stayed and the existence of such judgment does not constitute an Event of Default under Section 8.1(h).

 

(g)           easements, rights-of-way, zoning and other restrictions, minor defects or other irregularities in title, and other similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business which, either individually or in the aggregate, do not in any case materially detract from the value of the Property subject thereto or interfere in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the businesses of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party;

 

(h)           Liens on any Property acquired, constructed, improved or held by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party securing Indebtedness incurred or assumed for the purpose of financing (or refinancing) all or any part of the cost of acquiring, constructing, or improving such Property and permitted under Section 6.5(c); provided that (i) such Lien attaches solely to the Property so acquired, constructed, improved or held in such transaction and the proceeds thereof and (ii) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of the cost of such Property;

 

(i)            Liens securing Capital Lease Obligations permitted under Section 6.5(c);

 

(j)            any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(k)           Liens arising from the filing of precautionary uniform commercial code financing statements with respect to any lease not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(l)            (i) non-exclusive licenses and sublicenses granted by a Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party (including, for the avoidance of doubt, non-exclusive IP Licenses) in the ordinary course of business and not materially interfering with the business of the Credit Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, and (ii) leases and subleases (by a Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party as lessor or sublessor) to third parties in the ordinary course of business not interfering with the business of the Credit Parties or any of their Subsidiaries;

 

(m)          Liens in favor of collecting banks arising by operation of law under Section 4-210 of the UCC or, with respect to collecting banks located in the State of New York, under Section 4-208 of the UCC;

 

(n)           customary Liens (including the right of set-off) in favor of a bank or other depository institution arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits (and not securing Indebtedness for borrowed money);

 

(o)           Liens arising out of consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p)           Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law which secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(q)           Liens on Property acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition (or a similar Investment permitted by Section 6.4), or on Property of a Subsidiary of the Borrower in existence at the time such Subsidiary is acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition (or a similar Investment permitted by Section 6.4); provided that (i) any Indebtedness that is secured by such Liens is permitted to exist under Section 6.5(g), and (ii) such Liens are not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation or anticipation of, such Permitted Acquisition or such other Investment and do not attach to any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(r)            Liens on unearned insurance premiums securing the financing thereof to the extent permitted under Section 6.5(i);

 

(s)           Liens solely on cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement for a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment that would be permitted hereunder;

 

(t)            other Liens securing obligations otherwise permitted hereunder (including Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.5(f)) not exceeding $750,000;

 

(u)           Liens on equity interests in joint ventures which are not Subsidiaries arising solely under the Organization Documents for such joint ventures to secure buy/sell arrangements that would be permitted hereunder;

 

(v)           Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(w)          Liens that are replacements of Liens permitted under this Section 6.1 to the extent that the original Indebtedness is permitted under Section 6.5 and so long as the replacement Liens only encumber those assets that secured the original Indebtedness (excluding the amount of any premiums or penalties and accrued and unpaid interest thereon) and if such original Indebtedness has been modified or replaced, the resulting Indebtedness constitutes a Permitted Refinancing thereof; and

 

(x)           Liens on cash in an aggregate amount not to exceed $200,000, for up to 180 days after the Closing Date, securing cash management arrangements, employee credit card programs and purchasing card programs.

 

6.2           Disposition of Assets. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly Dispose of (whether in one or a series of transactions) any Property (including the Stock of any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, whether in a public or private offering or otherwise, and accounts and notes receivable, with or without recourse), except:

 

(a)           Dispositions of Inventory, goods or services or of worn-out obsolete, damaged or surplus equipment, all in the ordinary course of business;

 

(b)           Dispositions not otherwise permitted hereunder which are made for fair market value; provided, that (i) at the time of any Disposition, no Event of Default shall exist or shall result from such Disposition, (ii)  not less than 75% of the aggregate sales price from such disposition shall be paid in cash, (iii) the aggregate fair market value of all assets so sold by the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries, together, shall not exceed in any Fiscal Year $750,000 and (iv) after giving effect to such Disposition, the Credit Parties are in compliance on a pro forma basis with the covenants set forth in Article VII recomputed for the most recent Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been delivered (or are required to have been delivered) under Section 5.1;

 

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(c)           (i) Dispositions of cash and Cash Equivalents for purposes not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement and (ii) conversions of Cash Equivalents into cash or other Cash Equivalents;

 

(d)           Liens permitted under Section 6.1, to the extent such Lien constitutes a Disposition;

 

(e)           Investments permitted under Section 6.4, to the extent such Investment constitutes a Disposition;

 

(f)            the sale or issuance of (i) the Stock in the Borrower or a Subsidiary to any Credit Party or (ii) the Stock of a Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party to another Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party;

 

(g)           the Disposition or transfer of Property (i) by a Credit Party to a Credit Party or (ii) by a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party to (A) a Credit Party for no more than fair market value or (B) any other Subsidiary;

 

(h)           any Foreign Subsidiary may issue Stock to qualified directors where required by or to satisfy any applicable Requirement of Law, including any Requirement of Law with respect to ownership of Stock in Foreign Subsidiaries;

 

(i)            Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to, customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

 

(j)            transactions permitted by Section 6.3;

 

(k)           Dispositions of accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business (including any discount and/or forgiveness thereof) or, in the case of accounts receivable in default, in connection with the collection or compromise thereof, and in any event, not involving any securitization or factoring thereof;

 

(l)            (i) any termination of any lease in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any expiration of any option agreement in respect of real or personal property and (iii) any surrender or waiver of contractual rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contractual rights or litigation claims (including in tort) in the ordinary course of business;

 

(m)          Dispositions of property subject to foreclosure, casualty, eminent domain or condemnation proceedings (including in lieu thereof or any similar proceeding);

 

(n)           Dispositions of non-core assets acquired in connection with any Permitted Acquisition, which, within 180 days of the date of such acquisition (or such longer period as agreed to by Agent), are designated in writing to Agent as being held for sale or disposition and not for the continued operations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses;

 

(o)           any trade-in of equipment in contemporaneous exchange for other equipment in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(p)           the expiration of patents or copyrights in accordance with their statutory terms; and

 

(q)           the unwinding or terminating of Rate Contracts or transactions contemplated by Rate Contracts, in each case, which are not prohibited hereunder.

 

Any reference in this Section 6.2 or in Section 6.3 to a combination, merger, consolidation, Disposition, dissolution, liquidation or transfer shall be deemed to apply to a Division (or the unwinding of such a Division) as if it were a combination, merger, consolidation, Disposition, dissolution, transfer or similar term, as applicable, to or with a separate Person.

 

6.3           Consolidations and Mergers. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, merge with, consolidate with or into, dissolve or liquidate into or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except Permitted Acquisitions and except upon not less than five (5) Business Days prior written notice to Agent (or such shorter period as Agent may agree in writing in its sole discretion), (a) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge with, consolidate with or into, dissolve or liquidate into a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower which is a Domestic Subsidiary, provided that the Borrower or such Wholly-Owned Subsidiary which is a Domestic Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving entity and all actions reasonably required by Agent, including actions required to maintain perfected Liens on the Stock of the surviving entity and other Collateral in favor of Agent, shall have been completed; provided, if a Credit Party is a constituent entity in such merger, dissolution or liquidation, a Credit Party must be the continuing or surviving entity, (b) any Foreign Subsidiary may merge with or dissolve or liquidate into another Foreign Subsidiary provided if a Foreign Subsidiary which is not an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary is a constituent entity in such merger, dissolution or liquidation, a Foreign Subsidiary which is not an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving entity and (c) any other Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than another Borrower) may liquidate, dissolve or wind down, or transfer all or substantially all of its assets to a Credit Party if (i) the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution or winding down or transfer of assets is in the best interests of the Borrower and it is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders and (ii) to the extent such Subsidiary is a Guarantor, any assets or business not otherwise Disposed of in accordance with Section 6.2 or, in the case of any such business, discontinued, shall be transferred to, or otherwise owned or conducted by, a Credit Party after giving effect to such liquidation or dissolution or winding down.

 

6.4           Loans and Investments. No Credit Party shall and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to (i) purchase or acquire any Stock, or any obligations or other securities of, or any interest in, any Person, including the establishment or creation of a Subsidiary, or (ii) make any Acquisitions, or (iii) make, purchase or acquire any advance, loan, extension of credit (other than trade payables in the ordinary course of business) or capital contribution to or any other investment in, any Person including the Borrower, any Affiliate of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower (the items described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) are referred to as “Investments”), except for:

 

(a)           Investments in cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(b)           Investments consisting of (i) extensions of credit or capital contributions by the Borrower in then existing Credit Parties, (ii) extensions of credit or capital contributions by any Credit Party to or in any other then existing Credit Party, (iii) extensions of credit or capital contributions by the Borrower or any other Credit Party to or in any then existing Subsidiaries of the Borrower which are not Credit Parties not to exceed $750,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding for all such extensions of credit and capital contributions; provided, if the Investments described in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) are evidenced by notes issued in favor of a Credit Party, such notes shall be pledged to Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and have such terms as Agent may reasonably require and (iv) extensions of credit or capital contributions by a Subsidiary of the Borrower which is not a Credit Party to or in another then existing Subsidiary of the Borrower which is not a Credit Party;

 

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(c)           loans and advances to directors, officers and employees in the ordinary course of business not to exceed $500,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding;

 

(d)           Investments received as the non-cash portion of consideration received in connection with transactions permitted pursuant to Section 6.2(b);

 

(e)           Investments acquired in connection with the settlement of delinquent Accounts in the ordinary course of business or in connection with the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization or similar proceeding of account debtors, suppliers or customers;

 

(f)           Investments consisting of non-cash loans made by the Borrower to officers, directors and employees of a Credit Party or any of their Subsidiaries which are used by such Persons to purchase simultaneously Stock of the Borrower;

 

(g)           (i) Investments existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 6.4 and (ii) Investments consisting of any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension of any Investment described in clause (g)(i) above; provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this clause (g)(ii) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the Closing Date;

 

(h)           Subsidiaries of the Borrower may be established or created so long as the Credit Parties and such Subsidiary comply with the provisions of Section 5.13 to the extent applicable;

 

(i)            Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(j)            other Investments not to exceed $750,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding; provided that before and immediately after giving effect to such Investment, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(k)           to the extent constituting Investments, deposits and advances permitted to be made pursuant to Section 6.1;

 

(l)            Rate Contracts to the extent permitted under Section 6.5;

 

(m)          Investments in negotiable instruments deposited or to be deposited for collection in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n)           advances made (i) in the form of a prepayment of expenses or (ii) in connection with purchases of goods, inventory, materials, equipment or other property or services in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(o)           Investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or consolidates or merges with a Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other permitted Investment) so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such consolidation or merger.

 

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6.5           Limitation on Indebtedness. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume, permit to exist, or otherwise become or remain directly or indirectly liable with respect to, any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)           the Obligations;

 

(b)           Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and set forth in Schedule 6.5, including, in each case, Permitted Refinancings thereof;

 

(c)           Indebtedness consisting of Capital Lease Obligations or secured by Liens permitted by Section 6.1(h) or Section 6.1(i) and Permitted Refinancings thereof in an aggregate amount not to exceed $600,000 at any time outstanding,

 

(d)           unsecured intercompany Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.4(b);

 

(e)           [reserved];

 

(f)           Indebtedness of a Subsidiary of the Borrower acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition (or a similar Investment permitted by Section 6.4) or Indebtedness of a Target assumed at the time of a Permitted Acquisition of or such other Investment in such Target) in each instance, other than revolving credit facilities or commitments therefor; provided that (i) such Indebtedness was not incurred in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Permitted Acquisition or other Investment and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness permitted by this Section 6.5(g) shall not at any time outstanding exceed $1,500,000;

 

(g)           unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries consisting of Contingent Acquisition Consideration; provided that (i) the maximum aggregate amount payable with respect to all such Contingent Acquisition Consideration does not exceed $6,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding (assuming the remaining maximum performance standards related thereto are satisfied, except to the extent all or any portion thereof becomes a fixed, matured or earned amount, in which case such amount shall be deemed the actual amount of such Contingent Acquisition Consideration) and (ii) with respect to any Contingent Acquisition Consideration agreed to after the Closing Date, such Contingent Acquisition Consideration is subordinated to the Obligations on terms and conditions satisfactory to Agent;

 

(h)           Indebtedness consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i)            endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business;

 

(j)            Rate Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business for bona fide hedging purposes and not for speculation;

 

(k)           Indebtedness arising under indemnity agreements to title insurers to cause such title insurers to issue to Agent title insurance policies;

 

(l)            Indebtedness arising with respect to customary indemnification obligations, purchase price adjustments and other similar obligations in favor of (i) sellers in connection with Acquisitions or similar Investments permitted hereunder and (ii) purchasers in connection with Dispositions permitted under Section 6.2(b);

 

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(m)          Indebtedness arising under guaranties made in the ordinary course of business of obligations of any Credit Party which obligations are otherwise permitted hereunder; provided that if such obligation is subordinated to the Obligations, such guaranty shall be subordinated to the same extent;

 

(n)           Indebtedness which may be deemed to exist pursuant to any guaranties, performance, surety, statutory, appeal, completion guarantees, export or import indemnities, bids, performance or surety bonds, customs and revenue bonds or similar instruments, workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation and bankers acceptances issued for the account of any Credit Party or Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(o)           Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes issued by the Borrower to any stockholder of the Borrower or any current or former director, officer, employee, member of management, manager or consultant of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (or their respective immediate family members, heirs, estates, spouses, ex-spouses or successors, as the case may be) to finance the purchase or redemption of Stock permitted by Section 6.8(b);

 

(p)           Indebtedness in respect of (i) netting services or overdraft protection in connection with deposit accounts or securities accounts in the ordinary course of business; provided any such overdrafts are extinguished within fifteen (15) Business Days after incurrence thereof and (ii) for the period ending 180 days after the Closing Date, cash management services, employee credit card programs and purchasing card programs in the ordinary course of business, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $200,000;

 

(q)           unsecured Indebtedness in respect of obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of goods or services or progress payments in connection with goods and services so long as such obligations are incurred in connection with open accounts extended by suppliers on customary trade terms (which require that all such payments be made within sixty (60) days after the incurrence of the related obligations) in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money or any Rate Contracts; and

 

(r)            other unsecured Indebtedness not to exceed $750,000 in the aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding.

 

6.6           Transactions with Affiliates. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (w) enter into any transaction with any Affiliate or any director (or similar official) of any of the foregoing, (x) pay any management, consulting or similar fees to any of the foregoing, (y) pay or reimburse any of the foregoing for any costs, expenses and similar items or (z) pay any indemnification payments to the Borrower), except:

 

(a)           transactions set forth on Schedule 6.6;

 

(b)           transactions among Credit Parties;

 

(c)           transactions expressly permitted by Sections 6.4(g), 6.4(j) and 6.8 of this Agreement;

 

(d)           transactions upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to such Credit Party or such Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of Borrower or such Subsidiary;

 

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(e)           payment of independent directors’ (or equivalent) fees and reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending Board meetings and indemnification payments to such directors or officers to the extent required by reasonable and customary indemnification provisions of the applicable organizational documents or requirements of applicable law; and

 

(f)            customary director, officer and employee compensation (including bonuses) and other benefits (including retirement, health, stock option and other benefit plans) and indemnification arrangements and severance agreements, in each case approved by the Board of the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary of the Borrower and any subscription agreement or similar agreement pertaining to the repurchase of Stock pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with employees, officers or directors otherwise permitted herein.

 

6.7           Compliance with ERISA. No ERISA Affiliate shall cause or suffer to exist (a) any event that could result in the imposition of a Lien on any asset of a Credit Party or a Subsidiary of a Credit Party with respect to any Title IV Plan or Multiemployer Plan or (b) any other ERISA Event, that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.8           Restricted Payments. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (i) declare or make any dividend payment or other distribution of assets, properties, cash, rights, obligations or securities on account of any Stock or (ii) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for value any Stock now or hereafter outstanding (the items described in clauses (i) and (ii) above are referred to as “Restricted Payments”); except that:

 

(a)           any Subsidiary of the Borrower may declare and pay dividends and distributions to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, provided that any Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary shall pay such dividends and distributions on a ratable basis to all shareholders;

 

(b)           the Borrower may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in its Stock;

 

(c)           the Borrower may redeem or repurchase from current or former directors, officers, employees, members of management, managers, advisors or consultants (or their heirs, estates, spouses, ex-spouses or successors, as the case may be) (or to pay Taxes of such Persons that are required to be withheld and paid by the Borrower as a result of the repurchase of Stock or deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of Stock options)of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (or their respective immediate family members) Stock (and/or make payments on promissory notes issued by the Borrower pursuant to Section 6.5(o)); provided, with respect to this clause (c), all of the following conditions are satisfied: (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately arise as a result of such Restricted Payment; and (ii) the aggregate Restricted Payments permitted under this paragraph (c) in any Fiscal Year of the Borrower shall not exceed $2,000,000; and

 

(d)           non-cash repurchases of Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of Stock options if the Stock represents a portion of the exercise price thereof;

 

(e)           cashless exercises of options and warrants;

 

(f)            to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, the Credit Parties may make working capital adjustment payments, purchase price adjustment payments, indemnity and similar obligation payments pursuant to any applicable acquisition agreement entered into in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other Acquisition that is an Investment permitted under Section 6.4;

 

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(g)           Restricted Payments in cash to purchase or redeem fractional shares of the Stock of the Borrower for deminimus amounts;

 

(h)           any Subsidiary of the Borrower may make distributions and pay dividends to its parent company (and, in the case of any non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, pro rata to its parent companies based on their relative ownership interests in the class of equity receiving such distribution or dividend); and

 

(i)            any Restricted Payment consisting of the cashless exchange of Stock for any other Stock (in each case, so long as such exchanged Stock does not constitute Disqualified Stock).

 

6.9           Change in Business. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in any line of business other than those lines of business carried on by it on the Closing Date and any business reasonably related, similar, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto or reasonable extensions, developments or expansions of such businesses or lines of business.

 

6.10         Change in Structure. Except as expressly permitted under Section 6.3, no Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, amend any of its Organization Documents in any respect materially adverse to Agent or Lenders.

 

6.11         Changes in Accounting, Name and Jurisdiction of Organization. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (i) make any significant change in accounting treatment or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP, (ii) change the Fiscal Year or method for determining Fiscal Quarters of any Credit Party or of any consolidated Subsidiary of any Credit Party, (iii) change its name as it appears in official filings in its jurisdiction of organization or (iv) change its jurisdiction of organization or formation, in the case of clauses (iii) and (iv), without at least ten (10) days’ prior written notice to Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by Agent in its sole discretion).

 

6.12         Limitation on Payments of Certain Indebtedness. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any payment or prepayment of principal of, premium, if any, interest, fees, redemption, exchange, purchase, retirement, defeasance, sinking fund or similar payment with respect to any Subordinated Indebtedness (the foregoing items are referred to as “Restricted Debt Payments”), except that:

 

(a)           the Credit Parties may pay as and when due and payable, non-accelerated payments of Contingent Acquisition Consideration and non-accelerated mandatory payments in respect of Subordinated Indebtedness, in each case solely to the extent permitted under the subordination terms with respect thereto; provided that (1) such payments are financed solely with Net Issuance Proceeds of Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower or (2) all of the following conditions are satisfied:

 

(i)             no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result of such Restricted Debt Payment; and

 

(ii)            after giving effect to such Restricted Debt Payment, on a pro forma basis as of the last day of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been delivered (or are required to have been delivered) pursuant to Section 5.1, the Credit Parties are in compliance with the covenants set forth in Article VII hereof; and

 

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(b)           make payments of intercompany Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.5; provided that if an Event of Default is continuing, only payments owing to Credit Parties shall be made thereunder; provided, further that any payments under this clause (b) not paid due to the existence of an Event of Default shall be deferred and may be paid when no Event of Default exists or would immediately arise as a result of such payment.

 

6.13         Amendments to Subordinated Indebtedness. (a)     No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly to, change or amend the terms of any (i) Subordinated Indebtedness except to the extent permitted by any applicable subordination agreement or subordination terms or (ii) any other Subordinated Indebtedness not subject to a subordination agreement or other applicable subordination terms if the effect of such change or amendment is to: (A) increase the interest rate on such Indebtedness; (B) shorten the dates upon which payments of principal or interest are due on such Indebtedness; (C) add or change in a manner adverse to the Credit Parties any event of default or add or make more restrictive any covenant with respect to such Indebtedness; (D) change in a manner adverse to the Credit Parties the prepayment provisions of such Indebtedness; (E) change the subordination provisions thereof (or the subordination terms of any guaranty thereof); or (F) change or amend any other term if such change or amendment would materially increase the obligations of the Credit Parties or confer additional material rights on the holder of such Indebtedness in a manner adverse to the Credit Parties, Agent or Lenders.

 

6.14         No Negative Pledges. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual restriction or encumbrance of any kind on the ability of any Credit Party or Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distribution on any of such Credit Party’s or Subsidiary’s Stock or to pay fees, including management fees, or make other payments and distributions to the Borrower or any other Credit Party, in each case except (i) customary provisions in joint venture agreements, limited liability operating agreements, partnership agreements, stockholders agreements, other organizational documents and other similar agreements for Subsidiaries that are not Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower not entered into in contemplation of any senior financing and (ii) stock sale agreements, joint venture agreements, sale/leaseback agreements, purchase agreements, or acquisition agreements (including by way of merger, acquisition or consolidation) entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary solely to the extent pending the consummation of the underlying transactions that would be otherwise permitted hereunder. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, assume or become subject to any Contractual Obligation prohibiting or otherwise restricting the existence of any Lien upon any of its assets in favor of Agent, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except (i) in connection with any document or instrument governing Liens permitted pursuant to Sections 6.1(h) and 6.1(i) provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject to such permitted Liens), (ii) customary provisions in leases and subleases restricting the subletting or assignment of the leased property thereunder; (iii) customary provisions in agreements, licenses or sublicenses entered into in the ordinary course of business restricting assignment or transfer of (including the granting of any Lien upon) such agreement, license or sublicense; (iv) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any (x) agreement relating to the sale of any assets or Stock of any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries pending the consummation of such sale, provided that (A) such restrictions and conditions apply only to the property to be sold, (B) such agreement does not prohibit or restrict Liens in favor of the Agent and (C) such sale is permitted under Section 6.4; (v) any agreement in effect at the time any Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of a Credit Party, so long as such agreement was not entered into in connection with or in contemplation of such person becoming a Subsidiary of a Credit Party and does not extend to any Collateral; (vi) customary restrictions on cash deposits or other deposits imposed by customers or suppliers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business and (vii) customary restrictions on pledges and transfers pertaining to the Stock issued by Persons which are not Subsidiaries contained in the applicable joint venture agreement or other organizational document to the extent not entered into in contemplation of any senior financing.

 

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6.15         OFAC; USA Patriot Act; Anti-Corruption Laws. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to fail to comply with the laws, regulations and executive orders referred to in Section 4.22. No Credit Party or Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Credit Party, any director, officer, agent, employee, or other person acting on behalf of the Credit Party or any Subsidiary, will request or use the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit, directly or, knowingly, indirectly, (A) for any payments to any Person, including any government official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, or otherwise take any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Person on the SDN List or a government of a Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, business or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States or in a European Union member state, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto. Furthermore, the Credit Parties will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the transaction, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, Affiliate, joint venture partner or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person participating in the transaction of any Sanctions.

 

6.16         Sale-Leasebacks. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in a sale leaseback, synthetic lease or similar transaction involving any of its assets.

 

6.17         Hazardous Materials. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Subsidiaries to, cause or suffer to exist any Release of any Hazardous Material at, to or from any Real Estate that would form the basis of Environmental Liabilities or violate Environmental Laws, other than such Environmental Liabilities or violations of Environmental Laws that would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in Material Environmental Liabilities.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

FINANCIAL COVENANTS

 

Each Credit Party covenants and agrees that until the Facility Termination Date:

 

7.1           Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio. The Credit Parties shall not suffer or permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter, commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2022, to be greater than 3.00:1.00.

 

7.2           Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Credit Parties shall not suffer or permit the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the four Fiscal Quarter period ending on the last day of any Fiscal Quarter, commencing with the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2022, to be less than 1.25:1.00.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

8.1           Event of Default. The occurrence and continuance of any of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

 

(a)           Non-Payment. Any Credit Party fails (i) to pay when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, including after maturity of the Loans, or to pay any L/C Reimbursement Obligation or (ii) to pay within three (3) Business Days after the same shall become due, interest on any Loan, any fee or any other amount payable hereunder or pursuant to any other Loan Document; or

 

(b)           Representation or Warranty. Any representation, warranty or certification by or on behalf of any Credit Party made or deemed made herein, in any other Loan Document, or which is contained in any certificate, document or financial or other statement by any such Person, or their respective Responsible Officers, furnished at any time under this Agreement, or in or under any other Loan Document, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect (without duplication of other materiality qualifiers contained therein) on or as of the date made or deemed made; or

 

(c)           Specific Defaults. Any Credit Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of (i) Section 5.3(a), 5.10, 5.16 or Article VI or Article VII hereof, (ii) Section 5.6 and such failure continues unremedied for a period of fifteen (15) Business Days after the occurrence of such failure, or (iii) Section 5.1, 5.2(a), 5.2(b) or 5.2(d) and such failure continues unremedied for a period of five (5) business days after the occurrence of such failure; or

 

(d)           Other Defaults. Any Credit Party fails to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier to occur of (i) the date upon which a Responsible Officer of any Credit Party becomes aware of such default or (ii) the date upon which written notice thereof is given to the Borrower by Agent or Required Lenders; or

 

(e)           Cross-Default. Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party (i) fails to make any payment in respect of any Material Indebtedness when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) and such failure continues after the applicable grace or notice period, if any, specified in the document relating thereto on the date of such failure; or (ii) fails to perform or observe any other condition or covenant, or any other event shall occur or condition exist, under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Material Indebtedness, if the effect of such failure, event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Material Indebtedness or beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Material Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause such Indebtedness to be declared to be due and payable (or otherwise required immediately to be prepaid, redeemed, purchased or defeased) prior to its stated maturity (without regard to any subordination terms with respect thereto) or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; provided that, this clause (e) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness and such Indebtedness is so paid; or

 

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(f)            Insolvency; Voluntary Proceedings. The Borrower, individually, ceases or fails, or the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, cease or fail, to be Solvent, or any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party: (i) generally fails to pay, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts as they become due, subject to applicable grace periods, if any, whether at stated maturity or otherwise; (ii) except as expressly permitted under Section 6.3, voluntarily ceases to conduct its business in the ordinary course; (iii) commences any Insolvency Proceeding with respect to itself; or (iv) takes any action to effectuate or authorize any of the foregoing; or

 

(g)           Involuntary Proceedings. (i) Any involuntary Insolvency Proceeding is commenced or filed against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, or any writ, judgment, warrant of attachment, execution or similar process, is issued or levied against a substantial part of any such Person’s Properties, and any such proceeding or petition shall not be dismissed, or such writ, judgment, warrant of attachment, execution or similar process shall not be released, vacated or fully bonded within sixty (60) days after commencement, filing or levy; (ii) any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party admits the material allegations of a petition against it in any Insolvency Proceeding, or an order for relief (or similar order under non-U.S. law) is ordered in any Insolvency Proceeding; or (iii) any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party acquiesces in the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, mortgagee in possession (or agent therefor), or other similar Person for itself or a substantial portion of its Property or business; or

 

(h)           Monetary Judgments. One or more judgments, non-interlocutory orders, decrees or arbitration awards shall be entered against any one or more of the Credit Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries involving in the aggregate a liability of $750,000 or more (excluding amounts covered by insurance to the extent the relevant independent third-party insurer has not denied coverage therefor), and the same shall remain unsatisfied, unvacated and unstayed pending appeal for a period of sixty (60) days after the entry thereof; or

 

(i)            Non-Monetary Judgments. One or more non-monetary judgments, orders or decrees shall be rendered against any one or more of the Credit Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries which has or would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and there shall be any period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or

 

(j)            Collateral. Any material provision of any Loan Document shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on or enforceable against any Credit Party or any Credit Party shall so state in writing or bring an action to limit its obligations or liabilities thereunder; or any Collateral Document shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms thereof) cease to create a valid security interest in the Collateral (to the extent that such perfection or priority is required hereby) purported to be covered thereby or such security interest shall for any reason cease to be a perfected and first priority security interest subject only to Permitted Liens and other than with respect to property the aggregate fair market value of which does not exceed $100,000 at any time, in each case, except where such failure to be so valid, binding, perfected or priority is the result of the action or inaction of Agent, Lenders or any other Secured Party that was not caused by an act or omission by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries); or

 

(k)           Ownership. A Change of Control shall occur; or

 

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(l)            ERISA. One or more ERISA Events shall have occurred which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

 

(m)          Government Contracts. (1) any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries shall be debarred or suspended from contracting with any Governmental Authority, (2) a notice of debarment or suspension shall have been issued to or received by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries, (3)  any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is indicted, convicted of, or has a civil judgment rendered against them for: commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a Government Contract; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes relating to the submission of offers; or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, tax evasion, violating Federal criminal tax laws, or receiving stolen property, or (4) the actual termination of a Government Contract (or any other contract material to any Credit Party) due to alleged fraud, deception or willful misconduct.

 

8.2           Remedies. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, Agent may, and shall at the request of the Required Lenders:

 

(a)           declare all or any portion of any one or more of the Commitments of each Lender to make Loans or of the L/C Issuer to Issue Letters of Credit to be suspended or terminated, whereupon all or such portion of such Commitments shall forthwith be suspended or terminated;

 

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

 

(c)           exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable law;

 

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any event specified in Section 8.1(f) or 8.1(g) above (in the case of clause (i) of Section 8.1(g) upon the expiration of the sixty (60) day period mentioned therein), the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to Issue Letters of Credit shall automatically terminate and the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable without further act of Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

8.3           Rights Not Exclusive. The rights provided for in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any other rights, powers, privileges or remedies provided by law or in equity, or under any other instrument, document or agreement now existing or hereafter arising.

 

8.4           Cash Collateral for Letters of Credit. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, this Agreement (or the Revolving Loan Commitment) shall be terminated for any reason or if otherwise required by the terms hereof, Agent may, and upon request of Required Revolving Lenders, shall, demand (which demand shall be deemed to have been delivered automatically upon any acceleration of the Loans and other obligations hereunder pursuant to Section 8.2), and the Borrower shall thereupon deliver to Agent, to be held for the benefit of the L/C Issuer, Agent and the Lenders entitled thereto, an amount of cash equal to 105% (or such greater percentage as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require in the case of any Letter of Credit with an expiration date later than one year after the date of providing such cash collateral) of the amount of Letter of Credit Obligations as additional collateral security for Obligations in respect of any outstanding Letter of Credit. Agent may at any time apply any or all of such cash and cash collateral to the payment of any or all of the Credit Parties’ Obligations in respect of any Letters of Credit. Pending such application, Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) invest the same in an interest bearing account in Agent’s name, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer, Agent and the Lenders entitled thereto, under which deposits are available for immediate withdrawal, at such bank or financial institution as the L/C Issuer and Agent may, in their discretion, select.

 

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ARTICLE IX

 

AGENT

 

9.1           Appointment and Duties.

 

(a)           Appointment of Agent. Each Secured Party hereby appoints Capital One (together with any successor Agent appointed pursuant to Section 9.9) as Agent hereunder and authorizes Agent to (i) execute and deliver the Loan Documents and accept delivery thereof on its behalf from any Credit Party, (ii) take such other actions on its behalf and to exercise all rights, powers and remedies and perform the duties as are expressly delegated to Agent under such Loan Documents and (iii) exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Each Secured Party consents to and authorizes Agent’s execution and delivery of any intercreditor or subordination agreements from time to time as contemplated by the terms hereof on behalf of such Secured Party and agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof.

 

(b)           Duties as Collateral and Disbursing Agent. Without limiting the generality of clause (a) above, Agent shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority (to the exclusion of the Secured Parties), and is hereby authorized, to (i) act as the disbursing and collecting agent for the Lenders and the L/C Issuers with respect to all payments and collections arising in connection with the Loan Documents (including in any proceeding described in Sections 8.1(f) or 8.1(g) or any other bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding), and each Person making any payment in connection with any Loan Document to any Secured Party is hereby authorized to make such payment to Agent, (ii) file and prove claims and file other documents necessary or desirable to allow the claims of the Secured Parties with respect to any Obligation in any proceeding described in Section 8.1(f) or 8.1(g) or any other bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding (but not to vote, consent or otherwise act on behalf of such Person), (iii) act as collateral agent for each Secured Party for purposes of the perfection of all Liens created by such agreements and all other purposes stated therein, (iv) manage, supervise and otherwise deal with the Collateral, (v) take such other action as is necessary or desirable to maintain the perfection and priority of the Liens created or purported to be created by the Loan Documents, (vi) except as may be otherwise specified in any Loan Document, exercise all remedies given to Agent and the other Secured Parties with respect to the Credit Parties and/or the Collateral, whether under the Loan Documents, applicable Requirements of Law or otherwise and (vii) execute any amendment, consent or waiver under the Loan Documents on behalf of any Lender that has consented in writing to such amendment, consent or waiver; provided, however, that Agent hereby appoints, authorizes and directs each Secured Party to act as collateral sub-agent for Agent, the Secured Parties for purposes of the perfection of all Liens with respect to the Collateral, including any deposit account maintained by a Credit Party with, and cash and Cash Equivalents held by, such Secured Party, and may further authorize and direct the Secured Parties to take further actions as collateral sub-agents for purposes of enforcing such Liens or otherwise to transfer the Collateral subject thereto to Agent, and each Secured Party hereby agrees to take such further actions to the extent, and only to the extent, so authorized and directed.

 

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(c)           Limited Duties. Under the Loan Documents, Agent (i) is acting solely on behalf of the Secured Parties (except to the limited extent provided in Section 2.4(b) with respect to the Register), with duties that are entirely administrative in nature, notwithstanding the use of the defined term “Agent”, the terms “agent”, “Agent” and “collateral agent” and similar terms in any Loan Document to refer to Agent, which terms are used for title purposes only, (ii) is not assuming and shall not have any actual or implied obligations, functions, responsibilities, duties, under any Loan Document other than as expressly set forth therein or any role as agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Secured Party or any other Person, and each Secured Party, by accepting the benefits of the Loan Documents, hereby waives and agrees not to assert any claim against Agent based on the roles, duties and legal relationships expressly disclaimed in clauses (i) and (ii) above.

 

9.2           Binding Effect. Each Secured Party, by accepting the benefits of the Loan Documents, agrees that (i) any action taken (or omitted to be taken) by Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if expressly required hereby, a greater proportion of the Lenders) in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Documents, (ii) any action taken (or omitted to be taken) by Agent in reliance upon the instructions of Required Lenders (or, where so required, such greater proportion) and (iii) the exercise by Agent or the Required Lenders (or, where so required, such greater proportion) of the powers set forth herein or therein, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be authorized and binding upon all of the Secured Parties.

 

9.3           Use of Discretion.

 

(a)           No Action without Instructions. Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take, or to omit to take, any action, including with respect to enforcement or collection, except any action it is required to take or omit to take (i) under any Loan Document or (ii) pursuant to instructions from the Required Lenders (or, where expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, the Required Revolving Lenders or a greater proportion of the Lenders).

 

(b)           Right Not to Follow Certain Instructions. Notwithstanding clause (a) above, Agent shall not be required to take, or to omit to take, any action (i) unless, upon demand, Agent receives an indemnification satisfactory to it from the Lenders (or, to the extent applicable and acceptable to Agent, any other Person) against all Liabilities that, by reason of such action or omission, may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against Agent or any Related Person thereof or (ii) that is, in the opinion of Agent or its counsel, contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Requirement of Law.

 

(c)           Exclusive Right to Enforce Rights and Remedies. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Credit Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, Agent in accordance with the Loan Documents for the benefit of all the Secured Parties; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit (i) Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (ii) each of the L/C Issuer and the Swing Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (iii) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.11 and this Section 9.3 or (iv) any Secured Party from filing proofs of claim (and thereafter appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Credit Party under any bankruptcy or other debtor relief law), but in the case of this clause (iv) if, and solely if, Agent has not filed such proof of claim or other instrument of similar character in respect of the Obligations under the Loan Documents within five (5) days before the expiration of the time to file the same.

 

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9.4           Delegation of Rights and Duties. Agent may, upon any term or condition it specifies, delegate or exercise any of its rights, powers and remedies under, and delegate or perform any of its duties or any other action with respect to, any Loan Document by or through any trustee, co-agent, employee, attorney-in-fact and any other Person (including any Secured Party). Any such Person shall benefit from this Article IX to the extent provided by Agent.

 

9.5           Reliance and Liability. Agent may, without incurring any liability hereunder, (i) treat the payee of any Note as its holder until such Note has been assigned in accordance with Section 10.9, (ii) rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 2.4, (iii) consult with any of its Related Persons and, whether or not selected by it, any other advisors, accountants and other experts (including advisors to, and accountants and experts engaged by, any Credit Party) and (iv) rely and act upon any document and information (including those transmitted by Electronic Transmission) and any telephone message or conversation, in each case believed by it to be genuine and transmitted, signed or otherwise authenticated by the appropriate parties.

 

(a)           None of Agent and its Related Persons shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of them under or in connection with any Loan Document, and each Secured Party, the Borrower and each other Credit Party hereby waive and shall not assert (and the Borrower shall cause each other Credit Party to waive and agree not to assert) any right, claim or cause of action based thereon, except to the extent of liabilities resulting primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Agent or, as the case may be, such Related Person (each as determined in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction) in connection with the duties expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the foregoing, Agent and its Related Persons:

 

(i)             shall not be responsible or otherwise incur liability for any action or omission taken in reliance upon the instructions of the Required Lenders or for the actions or omissions, gross negligence or willful misconduct of any of its Related Persons selected with reasonable care (other than employees, officers and directors of Agent, when acting on behalf of Agent);

 

(ii)            shall not be responsible to any Secured Party or other Person for the due execution, legality, validity, enforceability, effectiveness, genuineness, sufficiency or value of, or the attachment, perfection or priority of any Lien created or purported to be created under or in connection with, any Loan Document;

 

(iii)           makes no warranty or representation, and shall not be responsible, to any Secured Party or other Person for any statement, document, information, covenant, agreement, representation or warranty made or furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Related Person of any Credit Party in connection with any Loan Document or any transaction contemplated therein or any other document, certificate, report, statement or information with respect to any Credit Party, whether or not provided to, or transmitted or (except for documents expressly required under any Loan Document to be transmitted to the Lenders) omitted to be transmitted by Agent, including as to completeness, accuracy, scope or adequacy thereof, or for the scope, nature or results of any due diligence performed by Agent in connection with the Loan Documents;

 

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(iv)           shall not have any duty to ascertain or to inquire as to the performance or observance of any provision of any Loan Document, whether any condition set forth in any Loan Document is satisfied or waived, as to the financial condition of any Credit Party or as to the existence or continuation or possible occurrence or continuation of any Default or Event of Default and shall not be deemed to have notice or knowledge of such occurrence or continuation unless it has received a notice from the Borrower or any Secured Party describing such Default or Event of Default clearly labeled “notice of default” (in which case Agent shall promptly give notice of such receipt to all Lenders);

 

(v)            shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions hereof relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Agent shall not (x) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (y) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution;

 

(vi)           shall not be responsible to any Secured Party, the Borrower, any Credit Party or any other Person, or have any liability for, any incorrect or inaccurate determination of Term SOFR or the Base Rate for any purpose under any Loan Document; and

 

(vii)           do not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to (a) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR or Term SOFR, or any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, or any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. The Agent and its affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Term SOFR, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

 

and, for each of the items set forth in clauses (i) through (vii) above, each Secured Party and the Borrower hereby waives and agrees not to assert (and the Borrower shall cause each other Credit Party to waive and agree not to assert) any right, claim or cause of action it might have against Agent based thereon.

 

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9.6           Agent Individually. Agent and its Affiliates may make loans and other extensions of credit to, acquire Stock of, engage in any kind of business with, any Credit Party or Affiliate thereof as though it were not acting as Agent and may receive separate fees and other payments therefor. To the extent Agent or any of its Affiliates makes any Loan or otherwise becomes a Lender hereunder, it shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and shall be subject to the same obligations and liabilities as any other Lender and the terms “Lender”, “Revolving Lender”, “Required Lender”, “Required Revolving Lender” and any similar terms shall, except where otherwise expressly provided in any Loan Document, include Agent or such Affiliate, as the case may be, in its individual capacity as Lender, Revolving Lender, one of the Required Lenders or one of the Required Revolving Lenders, respectively.

 

9.7           Lender Credit Decision. Each Secured Party acknowledges that it shall, independently and without reliance upon Agent, any other Secured Party or any of their Related Persons or upon any document (including any offering and disclosure materials in connection with the syndication of the Loans) solely or in part because such document was transmitted by Agent or any of its Related Persons, conduct its own independent investigation of the financial condition and affairs of each Credit Party and make and continue to make its own credit decisions in connection with entering into, and taking or not taking any action under, any Loan Document or with respect to any transaction contemplated in any Loan Document, in each case based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate. Except for documents expressly required by any Loan Document to be transmitted by Agent to the Lenders or L/C Issuers, Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Secured Party with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, Property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any Credit Party or any Affiliate of any Credit Party that may come in to the possession of Agent or any of its Related Persons.

 

9.8           Expenses; Indemnities; Withholding.

 

(a)           Each Lender agrees to reimburse Agent and each of its Related Persons (to the extent not reimbursed by any Credit Party) promptly upon demand, severally and ratably, for any costs and expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of financial, legal and other advisors and Other Taxes paid in the name of, or on behalf of, any Credit Party) that may be incurred by Agent or any of its Related Persons in connection with the preparation, syndication, execution, delivery, administration, modification, consent, waiver or enforcement of, or the taking of any other action (whether through negotiations, through any work-out, bankruptcy, restructuring or other legal or other proceeding (including preparation for and/or response to any subpoena or request for document production relating thereto) or otherwise) in respect of, or legal advice with respect to, its rights or responsibilities under, any Loan Document.

 

(b)           Each Lender further agrees to indemnify Agent, each L/C Issuer and each of their respective Related Persons (to the extent not reimbursed by any Credit Party), severally and ratably, from and against Liabilities (including, to the extent not indemnified pursuant to Section 9.8(c), Taxes, interests and penalties imposed for not properly withholding or backup withholding on payments made to or for the account of any Lender) that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against Agent, any L/C Issuer or any of their respective Related Persons in any matter relating to or arising out of, in connection with or as a result of any Loan Document, any Letter of Credit or any other act, event or transaction related, contemplated in or attendant to any such document, or, in each case, any action taken or omitted to be taken by Agent, any L/C Issuer or any of their respective Related Persons under or with respect to any of the foregoing; provided, that with respect to any indemnification owed to any L/C Issuer or any of its Related Persons in connection with any Letter of Credit, only Revolving Lenders shall be required to indemnify, such indemnification to be made severally and ratably based on such Revolving Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Loan Commitment (determined as of the time the applicable indemnification is sought by such L/C Issuer or Related Person from the Revolving Lenders); provided, further, that no Lender shall be liable to Agent or any of its Related Persons to the extent such liability has resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Agent or, as the case may be, such Related Person, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final non-appealable judgment or order.

 

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(c)           To the extent required by any Requirement of Law, Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender under a Loan Document an amount equal to any applicable withholding Tax (including withholding Taxes imposed under Chapters 3 and 4 of Subtitle A of the Code). If the IRS or any other Governmental Authority asserts a claim that Agent did not properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender (because the appropriate certification form was not delivered, was not properly executed, or fails to establish an exemption from, or reduction of, withholding Tax with respect to a particular type of payment, or because such Lender failed to notify Agent or any other Person of a change in circumstances which rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding Tax ineffective, failed to maintain a Participant Register or for any other reason), or Agent reasonably determines that it was required to withhold Taxes from a prior payment but failed to do so, such Lender shall promptly indemnify Agent fully for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by Agent as Tax or otherwise, including penalties and interest, and together with all expenses incurred by Agent, including legal expenses, allocated internal costs and out-of-pocket expenses. Agent may offset against any payment to any Lender under a Loan Document, any applicable withholding Tax that was required to be withheld from any prior payment to such Lender but which was not so withheld, as well as any other amounts for which Agent is entitled to indemnification from such Lender under this Section 9.8(c).

 

9.9           Resignation of Agent or L/C Issuer.

 

(a)           Agent may resign at any time by delivering not less than fifteen (15) days’ prior written notice of such resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower, effective on the date set forth in such notice or, if no such date is set forth therein, upon the date such notice shall be effective in accordance with the terms of this Section 9.9. If Agent delivers any such notice, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Agent (which shall not be a Disqualified Institution). If, after 30 days after the date of the retiring Agent’s notice of resignation, no successor Agent has been appointed by the Required Lenders that has accepted such appointment, then the retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent from among the Lenders. Each appointment under this clause (a) (other than an appointment by Agent) shall be subject to the prior consent of the Borrower, which may not be unreasonably withheld but shall not be required during the continuance of an Event of Default specified in Sections 8.1(a), 8.1(f) or 8.1(g).

 

(b)           Effective immediately upon its resignation, (i) the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under the Loan Documents, (ii) the Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of Agent until a successor Agent shall have accepted a valid appointment hereunder, (iii) the retiring Agent and its Related Persons shall no longer have the benefit of any provision of any Loan Document other than with respect to any actions taken or omitted to be taken while such retiring Agent was, or because such retiring or removed Agent had been, validly acting as Agent under the Loan Documents and (iv) subject to its rights under Section 9.3, the retiring Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Agent its rights as Agent under the Loan Documents. Effective immediately upon its acceptance of a valid appointment as Agent, a successor Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Agent under the Loan Documents.

 

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(c)           Any L/C Issuer may resign at any time by delivering notice of such resignation to Agent, effective on the date set forth in such notice or, if no such date is set forth therein, on the date such notice shall be effective. Upon such resignation, the L/C Issuer shall remain an L/C Issuer and shall retain its rights and obligations in its capacity as such (other than any obligation to Issue Letters of Credit but including the right to receive fees or to have Lenders participate in any L/C Reimbursement Obligation thereof) with respect to Letters of Credit Issued by such L/C Issuer on or prior to the date of such resignation and shall otherwise be discharged from all other duties and obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

9.10         Release of Collateral or Guarantors. Each Secured Party hereby consents to the release and hereby directs Agent to release (or, in the case of clause (b)(ii) below, release or subordinate) the following:

 

(a)           any Subsidiary of the Borrower from its guaranty of any Obligation if all of the Stock of such Subsidiary owned by any Credit Party is sold or transferred in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents (including pursuant to a waiver or consent), to the extent that, after giving effect to such transaction, such Subsidiary would not be required to guaranty any Obligations pursuant to Section 5.13; and

 

(b)           any Lien held by Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties against (i) any Collateral that is sold, transferred, conveyed or otherwise disposed of by a Credit Party in a transaction permitted by the Loan Documents (including pursuant to a valid waiver or consent), to the extent all Liens required to be granted in such Collateral pursuant to Section 5.13 after giving effect to such transaction have been granted, (ii) any Property subject to a Lien permitted hereunder in reliance upon Section 6.1(h) or 6.1(i) and (iii) all of the Collateral and all Credit Parties, upon (A) the occurrence of the Facility Termination Date and (B) to the extent requested by Agent, receipt by Agent and the Secured Parties of liability releases from the Credit Parties each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent.

 

Each Secured Party hereby directs Agent, and Agent hereby agrees, upon receipt of reasonable advance notice from the Borrower, to execute and deliver or file such documents and to perform other actions reasonably necessary at the Borrower’s expense to release the guaranties and Liens when and as directed in this Section 9.10.

 

9.11         Additional Secured Parties. The benefit of the provisions of the Loan Documents directly relating to the Collateral or any Lien granted thereunder shall extend to and be available to any Secured Party that is not a Lender or L/C Issuer party hereto as long as, by accepting such benefits, such Secured Party agrees, as among Agent and all other Secured Parties, that such Secured Party is bound by (and, if requested by Agent, shall confirm such agreement in a writing in form and substance acceptable to Agent) Section 2.10, this Article IX, Section 10.3, Section 10.9, Section 10.10, Section 10.11, Section 10.15, Section 10.16, Section 10.17, Section 10.20, Section 10.23 and Section 11.1 (and, solely with respect to L/C Issuers, Section 2.1(c)), all terms and provisions contained herein applicable to Secured Swap Providers or Secured Cash Management Banks, as applicable, and the decisions and actions of Agent and the Required Lenders (or, where expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, a greater proportion of the Lenders or other parties hereto as required herein) to the same extent a Lender is bound; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) such Secured Party shall be bound by Section 9.8 only to the extent of Liabilities, costs and expenses with respect to or otherwise relating to the Collateral held for the benefit of such Secured Party, in which case the obligations of such Secured Party thereunder shall not be limited by any concept of pro rata share or similar concept, (b) each of Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers party hereto shall be entitled to act at its sole discretion, without regard to the interest of such Secured Party, regardless of whether any Obligation to such Secured Party thereafter remains outstanding, is deprived of the benefit of the Collateral, becomes unsecured or is otherwise affected or put in jeopardy thereby, and without any duty or liability to such Secured Party or any such Obligation and (c) except as otherwise set forth herein, such Secured Party shall not have any right to be notified of, consent to, direct, require or be heard with respect to, any action taken or omitted in respect of the Collateral or under any Loan Document.

 

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9.12         Additional Titles. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, the Lead Arranger shall not have any duties or responsibilities, nor shall the Lead Arranger have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, 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 Lead Arranger.

 

9.13         Credit Bid. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably authorizes (and by entering into a Secured Rate Contract or Secured Cash Management Agreement, each Secured Swap Provider or Secured Cash Management Bank, as the case may be, hereby authorizes and shall be deemed to authorize) Agent, on behalf of all Secured Parties to take any of the following actions upon the instruction of the Required Lenders:

 

(a)           consent to the Disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral free and clear of the Liens securing the Obligations in connection with any Disposition pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including Section 363 thereof;

 

(b)           credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations, or purchase all or any portion of the Collateral (in each case, either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles), in connection with any Disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including under Section 363 thereof;

 

(c)           credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations, or purchase all or any portion of the Collateral (in each case, either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles), in connection with any Disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral pursuant to the applicable provisions of the UCC, including pursuant to Sections 9-610 or 9-620 of the UCC;

 

(d)           credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations, or purchase all or any portion of the Collateral (in each case, either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles), in connection with any foreclosure or other Disposition conducted in accordance with applicable law following the occurrence of an Event of Default, including by power of sale, judicial action or otherwise; and/or

 

(e)           estimate the amount of any contingent or unliquidated Obligations of such Lender or other Secured Party;

 

it being understood that no Lender shall be required to fund any amount (other than by means of offset) in connection with any purchase of all or any portion of the Collateral by Agent pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c) or (d) without its prior written consent.

 

Each Secured Party agrees that Agent is under no obligation to credit bid any part of the Obligations or to purchase or retain or acquire any portion of the Collateral; provided that, in connection with any credit bid or purchase described under clauses (b), (c) or (d) of the preceding paragraph, the Obligations owed to all of the Secured Parties (other than with respect to contingent or unliquidated liabilities as set forth in the next succeeding paragraph) may be, and shall be, credit bid by Agent on a ratable basis.

 

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With respect to each contingent or unliquidated claim that is an Obligation, Agent is hereby authorized, but is not required, to estimate the amount thereof for purposes of any credit bid or purchase described in the second preceding paragraph so long as the estimation of the amount or liquidation of such claim would not unduly delay the ability of Agent to credit bid the Obligations or purchase the Collateral in the relevant Disposition. In the event that Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, elects not to estimate any such contingent or unliquidated claim or any such claim cannot be estimated without unduly delaying the ability of Agent to consummate any credit bid or purchase in accordance with the second preceding paragraph, then any contingent or unliquidated claims not so estimated shall be disregarded, shall not be credit bid, and shall not be entitled to any interest in the portion or the entirety of the Collateral purchased by means of such credit bid.

 

Each Secured Party whose Obligations are credit bid under clauses (b), (c) or (d) of the third preceding paragraph shall be entitled to receive interests in the Collateral or any other asset acquired in connection with such credit bid (or in the Stock of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such acquisition) on a ratable basis in accordance with the percentage obtained by dividing (x) the amount of the Obligations of such Secured Party that were credit bid in such credit bid or other Disposition, by (y) the aggregate amount of all Obligations that were credit bid in such credit bid or other Disposition.

 

9.14         Certain ERISA Matters.

 

(a)           Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

 

(i)             such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, or participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement;

 

(ii)           the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement;

 

(iii)           (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement; or

 

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(iv)          such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

 

In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that the Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

 

ARTICLE X

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

10.1         Amendments and Waivers.

 

(a)           Amendments Generally. Subject to the provisions of Section 10.1(e) and (f) hereof, no amendment or waiver of, or supplement or other modification (which shall include any direction to Agent pursuant) to, any Loan Document (other than the Fee Letter, any Control Agreement, any Mortgage, or any letter of credit reimbursement or similar agreement or any landlord, bailee or mortgagee agreement) or any provision thereof, and no consent with respect to any departure by any Credit Party from any such Loan Documents, shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders (or by Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders), and the Borrower and then such waiver shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such waiver, amendment, supplement (including any additional Loan Document) or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by all the Lenders directly and adversely affected thereby (or by Agent with the consent of all the Lenders directly and adversely affected thereby), in addition to the Required Lenders (or by Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and the Borrower, do any of the following:

 

(i)             increase or extend the Commitment of such Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.2(a));

 

(ii)            postpone or delay any date fixed for, or reduce or waive, any scheduled installment of principal or any payment of interest, fees or other amounts (other than principal) due to the Lenders (or any of them) or L/C Issuer hereunder or under any other Loan Document;

 

(iii)           reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein (it being agreed that waiver of the default interest margin shall only require the consent of Required Lenders) or the amount of interest payable in cash specified herein on any Loan, or of any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, including L/C Reimbursement Obligations;

 

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(iv)          (A) change or have the effect of changing the priority or pro rata treatment of any payments (including voluntary and mandatory prepayments), Liens, proceeds of Collateral or reductions in Commitments (including as a result in whole or in part of allowing the issuance or incurrence, pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise, of new loans or other Indebtedness having any priority over any of the Obligations in respect of payments, Liens, Collateral or proceeds of Collateral, in exchange for any Obligations or otherwise), or (B) advance the date fixed for, or increase, any scheduled installment of principal due to any of the Lenders under any Loan Document;

 

(v)           change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans which shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder;

 

(vi)          amend this Section 10.1 (other than Section 10.1(c)) or, subject to the terms of this Agreement, the definition of Required Lenders, the definition of Required Revolving Lenders or any provision providing for consent or other action by all Lenders; or

 

(vii)         discharge any Credit Party from its respective payment Obligations under the Loan Documents, or release all or substantially all of the Collateral, except as otherwise may be provided in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents;

 

it being agreed that (X) all Lenders shall be deemed to be directly and adversely affected by an amendment, waiver or supplement described in the preceding clauses (iv)(B), (v), (vi) or (vii) and (Y) notwithstanding the preceding clause (X), only those Lenders that have not been provided a reasonable opportunity, as determined in the good faith judgment of Agent, to receive the most-favorable treatment under or in connection with the applicable amendment, waiver or supplement described in the preceding clause (iv) (other than the right to receive customary administrative agency, arranging, underwriting and other similar fees) that is provided to any other Person, including the opportunity to participate on a pro rata basis on the same terms in any new loans or other Indebtedness permitted to be issued as a result of such amendment, waiver or supplement, shall be deemed to be directly and adversely affected by such amendment, waiver or supplement.

 

(b)           Agent, Swing Lender and L/C Issuer. No amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by Agent, the Swing Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in addition to the Required Lenders or all Lenders directly affected thereby, as the case may be (or by Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders or all the Lenders directly affected thereby, as the case may be), affect the rights or duties of Agent, the Swing Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document. No amendment, modification or waiver of this Agreement or any Loan Document altering the ratable treatment of Secured Rate Contract Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations resulting in such Secured Rate Contract Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations being junior in right of payment to principal on the Loans or resulting in such Secured Rate Contract Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations becoming unsecured (other than releases of Liens applicable to all Lenders permitted in accordance with the terms hereof), in each case in a manner adverse to any Secured Swap Provider or any Secured Cash Management Bank, shall be effective without the written consent of such Secured Swap Provider or such Secured Cash Management Bank, as the case may be.

 

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(c)           Required Revolving Lenders. No amendment or waiver shall, unless signed by Required Revolving Lenders (or by Agent with the consent of the Required Revolving Lenders) in addition to the Required Lenders (or by Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and the Borrower: (i) amend or waive compliance with the conditions precedent to the obligations of Lenders to make any Revolving Loan (or of any L/C Issuer to Issue any Letter of Credit) in Section 3.2; or (ii) waive any Default or Event of Default for the purpose of satisfying the conditions precedent to the obligations of Lenders to make any Revolving Loan (or of any L/C Issuer to Issue any Letter of Credit) in Section 3.2. No amendment shall: (x) amend or waive this Section 10.1(c) or the definitions of the terms used in this Section 10.1(c) insofar as the definitions affect the substance of this Section 10.1(c); (y) change the definition of the term Required Revolving Lenders; or (z) change the percentage of Lenders which shall be required for Revolving Lenders to take any action hereunder, in each case, without the consent of all Revolving Lenders. Any such amendment, consent to departure or waiver without the written consent of Borrower (if required) and the Required Revolving Lenders shall be void ab initio, it being understood no consent of any other Lender shall be required under this clause (c).

 

(d)           Additional Credit Facilities. This Agreement may be amended with the written consent of Agent, the Borrower and the Required Lenders to (i) add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Revolving Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (ii) include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders.

 

(e)           Schedules; Corrections; Liens; Increased Commitments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10.1, (i) the Borrower may amend Schedules 4.19 and 4.20 upon notice to Agent, (ii) Agent may amend Schedules 2.1(a) and 2.1(b) to reflect any Revolving Increase and Sales entered into pursuant to Section 10.9, (iii) Agent and the Borrower may amend or modify this Agreement and any other Loan Document to (1) cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency therein, (2) grant a new Lien for the benefit of the Secured Parties, extend an existing Lien over additional Property for the benefit of the Secured Parties or join additional Persons as Credit Parties, and (3) effectuate a Revolving Increase to this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.1(e) and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Revolving Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Revolving Lenders and Required Lenders; and (iv) in connection with an amendment in which any Revolving Loan Commitment (or outstandings thereunder) is refinanced with a replacement Revolving Loan Commitment (or outstandings thereunder), as applicable, bearing (or is modified in such a manner such that the resulting Revolving Loan Commitments (or outstandings thereunder) bear) a lower all-in yield and other customary amendments related thereto (a “Permitted Repricing Amendment”), only the consent of each of the Lenders holding the Revolving Loan Commitments (or outstandings thereunder) subject to such permitted repricing transaction that will continue as a Lender in respect of the modified Revolving Loan Commitments (or outstandings thereunder) shall be required for such Permitted Repricing Amendment.

 

(f)            Certain other Loan Documents. The Fee Letter, any Control Agreement, any Mortgage, any letter of credit reimbursement or similar agreement or any landlord, bailee or mortgagee agreement may be amended as provided therein and if not provided therein, by each of the parties thereto.

 

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10.2           Notices.

 

(a)           Addresses. All notices and other communications required or expressly authorized to be made by this Agreement shall be given in writing (including by e-mail confirmed in writing by the Agent), unless otherwise expressly specified herein, and (i) addressed to the applicable address set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, (ii) posted to Syndtrak® (to the extent such system is available and set up by or at the direction of Agent prior to posting) in an appropriate location by uploading such notice, demand, request, direction or other communication to www.syndtrak.com or using such other means of posting to Syndtrak® as may be available and reasonably acceptable to Agent prior to such posting, (iii) posted to any other E-System approved by or set up by or at the direction of Agent or (iv) addressed to such other address as shall be notified in writing (A) in the case of the Borrower, Agent and the Swing Lender, to the other parties hereto and (B) in the case of all other parties, to the Borrower and Agent. Transmissions made by electronic mail or E-Fax to Agent shall be effective only (x) for notices where such transmission is specifically authorized by this Agreement, (y) if such transmission is delivered in compliance with procedures of Agent applicable at the time and previously communicated to the Borrower, and (z) if receipt of such transmission is acknowledged by Agent.

 

(b)           Effectiveness.

 

(i)            All communications described in clause (a) above and all other notices, demands, requests and other communications made in connection with this Agreement shall be effective and be deemed to have been received (i) if delivered by hand, upon personal delivery, (ii) if delivered by overnight courier service, one (1) Business Day after delivery to such courier service, (iii) if delivered by mail, three (3) Business Days after deposit in the mail, (iv) if delivered by facsimile (other than to post to an E-System pursuant to clause (a)(ii) or (a)(iii) above), upon sender’s receipt of confirmation of proper transmission and (v) if delivered by posting to any E-System, on the later of the Business Day of such posting and the Business Day access to such posting is given to the recipient thereof in accordance with the standard procedures applicable to such E-System; provided, however, that no communications to Agent pursuant to Article I shall be effective until received by Agent.

 

(ii)           The posting, completion and/or submission by any Credit Party of any communication pursuant to an E-System shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Credit Parties that any representation, warranty, certification or other similar statement required by the Loan Documents to be provided, given or made by a Credit Party in connection with any such communication is true, correct and complete except as expressly noted in such communication or E-System.

 

(c)           Each Lender shall notify Agent in writing of any changes in the address to which notices to such Lender should be directed, of addresses of its Lending Office, of payment instructions in respect of all payments to be made to it hereunder and of such other administrative information as Agent shall reasonably request.

 

10.3         Electronic Transmissions.

 

(a)           Authorization. Subject to the provisions of Section 10.2(a), each of Agent, Lenders, each Credit Party and each of their Related Persons, is authorized (but not required) to transmit, post or otherwise make or communicate, in its sole discretion, Electronic Transmissions in connection with any Loan Document and the transactions contemplated therein. Each Credit Party and each Secured Party hereto acknowledges and agrees that the use of Electronic Transmissions is not necessarily secure and that there are risks associated with such use, including risks of interception, disclosure and abuse and each indicates it assumes and accepts such risks by hereby authorizing the transmission of Electronic Transmissions.

 

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(b)           Signatures. Subject to the provisions of Section 10.2(a), (i)(A) no posting to any E-System shall be denied legal effect merely because it is made electronically, (B) each E-Signature on any such posting shall be deemed sufficient to satisfy any requirement for a “signature” or a “written” agreement or consent and (C) each such posting shall be deemed sufficient to satisfy any requirement for a “writing”, in each case including pursuant to any Loan Document, any applicable provision of any UCC, the federal Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act and any substantive or procedural Requirement of Law governing such subject matter, (ii) each such posting that is not readily capable of bearing either a signature or a reproduction of a signature may be signed, and shall be deemed signed, by attaching to, or logically associating with such posting, an E-Signature, upon which Agent, each other Secured Party and each Credit Party may rely and assume the authenticity thereof, (iii) each such posting containing a signature, a reproduction of a signature or an E-Signature shall, for all intents and purposes, have the same effect and weight as a signed paper original and (iv) each party hereto or beneficiary hereto agrees not to contest the validity or enforceability of any posting on any E-System or E-Signature on any such posting under the provisions of any applicable Requirement of Law requiring certain documents to be in writing or signed; provided, however, that nothing herein shall limit such party’s or beneficiary’s right to contest whether any posting to any E-System or E-Signature has been altered after transmission.

 

(c)           Separate Agreements. All uses of an E-System shall be governed by and subject to, in addition to Section 10.2 and this Section 10.3, the separate terms, conditions and privacy policy posted or referenced in such E-System (or such terms, conditions and privacy policy as may be updated from time to time, including on such E-System) and related Contractual Obligations executed by Agent and Credit Parties in connection with the use of such E-System.

 

(d)           LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. ALL E-SYSTEMS AND ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS SHALL BE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. NONE OF AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY OF THEIR RELATED PERSONS WARRANTS THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY E-SYSTEMS OR ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION AND DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS THEREIN. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS MADE BY AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY OF THEIR RELATED PERSONS IN CONNECTION WITH ANY E-SYSTEMS OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS. Each of the Borrower, the other Credit Parties executing this Agreement and the Secured Parties agrees that Agent has no responsibility for maintaining or providing any equipment, software, services or any testing required in connection with any Electronic Transmission or otherwise required for any E-System.

 

10.4         No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of 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. No course of dealing between any Credit Party, any Affiliate of any Credit Party, Agent or any Lender shall be effective to amend, modify or discharge any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.

 

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10.5         Costs and Expenses. Any action taken by any Credit Party under or with respect to any Loan Document, even if required under any Loan Document or at the request of Agent or Required Lenders, shall be at the expense of such Credit Party, and neither Agent nor any other Secured Party shall be required under any Loan Document to reimburse any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of any Credit Party therefor except as expressly provided therein. In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay or reimburse upon written demand (a) Agent for all reasonable and documented (in summary form) out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by it or any of its Related Persons, in connection with the investigation, development, preparation, negotiation, syndication, execution, interpretation or administration of, any modification of any term of or termination of, any Loan Document, any commitment or proposal letter therefor, any other document prepared in connection therewith or the consummation and administration of any transaction contemplated therein, in each case including Attorney Costs of Agent, the cost of Environmental Assessments, environmental audits or other environmental investigations (e.g., monitoring), syndication, distribution, Collateral audits and appraisals, background checks and similar expenses, to the extent permitted hereunder, (b) Agent for all reasonable and documented (in summary form) out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by it or any of its Related Persons in connection with internal audit reviews, field examinations and Collateral examinations (which shall be reimbursed, in addition to the out-of-pocket costs and expenses of such examiners, at the per diem rate per individual charged by Agent for its examiners), (c) each of Agent, its Related Persons, and L/C Issuer for all reasonable and documented (in summary form) out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with (i) the creation, perfection and maintenance of the perfection of Agent’s Liens upon the Collateral, including Lien search, filing and recording fees, (ii) any refinancing or restructuring of the credit arrangements provided hereunder in the nature of a “work-out” in any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding or otherwise and whether or not consummated, (iii) the enforcement or preservation of any right or remedy under any Loan Document, any Obligation, with respect to the Collateral or any other related right or remedy or any attempt to inspect, verify, protect, insure, collect, sell, liquidate or otherwise dispose of any Collateral or (iv) the commencement, defense, conduct of, intervention in, or the taking of any other action (including preparation for and/or response to any subpoena or request for document production relating thereto) with respect to, any proceeding (including any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) related to any Credit Party, any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, Loan Document or Obligation, including Attorney Costs, (d) the cost of purchasing insurance that the Credit Parties fail to obtain as required by the Loan Documents and (e) fees and disbursements of Attorney Costs of one law firm on behalf of all Lenders (other than Agent) incurred in connection with any of the matters referred to in clause (c) above.

 

10.6         Indemnity.

 

(a)           Each Credit Party agrees to indemnify, hold harmless and defend Agent, each Lender, each L/C Issuer and each of their respective Related Persons (each such Person being an “Indemnitee”) from and against all Liabilities (including Attorney Costs, brokerage commissions, fees and other compensation) that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee (whether brought by a Credit Party, an Affiliate of a Credit Party or any other Person) in any matter relating to or arising out of, in connection with or as a result of (i) any Loan Document, any Obligation (or the repayment thereof), any Letter of Credit, the use or intended use of the proceeds of any Loan or the use of any Letter of Credit or any securities filing of, or with respect to, any Credit Party, (ii) any commitment letter, proposal letter or term sheet with any Person or any Contractual Obligation, arrangement or understanding with any broker, finder or consultant, in each case entered into by or on behalf of any Target, any Credit Party or any Affiliate of any of them in connection with any of the foregoing and any Contractual Obligation entered into in connection with any E-Systems or other Electronic Transmissions, (iii) any actual or prospective investigation, litigation or other proceeding, whether or not brought by any such Indemnitee or any of its Related Persons, any holders of securities or creditors (and including Attorney Costs in any case), whether or not any such Indemnitee, Related Person, holder or creditor is a party thereto, and whether or not based on any securities or commercial law or regulation or any other Requirement of Law or theory thereof, including common law, equity, contract, tort or otherwise or (iv) any other act, event or transaction related, contemplated in or attendant to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Indemnified Matters”); provided, however, that no Credit Party shall have any liability under this Section 10.6 to any Indemnitee with respect to any Indemnified Matter, and no Indemnitee shall have any liability with respect to any Indemnified Matter other than (to the extent otherwise liable), (a) to the extent such liability has resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final non-appealable judgment or order or (b) such Indemnitee is in material breach of its duties hereafter. Furthermore, each Credit Party executing this Agreement waives and agrees not to assert against any Indemnitee, and shall cause each other Credit Party to waive and not assert against any Indemnitee, any right of contribution with respect to any Liabilities that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any Related Person. This Section 10.6(a) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent Liabilities arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

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(b)           Without limiting the foregoing, “Indemnified Matters” includes all Environmental Liabilities imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee, including those arising from, or otherwise involving, any Property of any Credit Party or any Related Person of any Credit Party or any actual, alleged or prospective damage to Property or natural resources or harm or injury alleged to have resulted from any Release of Hazardous Materials on, upon or into such Property or natural resource or any Property on or contiguous to any Real Estate of any Credit Party or any Related Person of any Credit Party, whether or not, with respect to any such Environmental Liabilities, any Indemnitee is a mortgagee pursuant to any leasehold mortgage, a mortgagee in possession, the successor-in-interest to any Credit Party or any Related Person of any Credit Party or the owner, lessee or operator of any Property of any Related Person through any foreclosure action, in each case except to the extent such Environmental Liabilities (i) are incurred solely following foreclosure by Agent or following Agent or any Lender having become the successor-in-interest to any Credit Party or any Related Person of any Credit Party and (ii) are attributable solely to acts of such Indemnitee.

 

10.7         Marshaling; Payments Set Aside. No Secured Party shall be under any obligation to marshal any Property in favor of any Credit Party or any other Person or against or in payment of any Obligation. To the extent that any Secured Party receives a payment from the Borrower, from any other Credit Party, from the proceeds of the Collateral, from the exercise of its rights of setoff, any enforcement action or otherwise, and such payment is subsequently, in whole or in part, invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, then to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied, and all Liens, rights and remedies therefor, shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not occurred.

 

10.8         Successors and Assigns. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided that any assignment by any Lender shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.9, and provided further that the Borrower may not assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of Agent and each Lender.

 

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10.9         Binding Effect; Assignments and Participations.

 

(a)           Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower, the other Credit Parties signatory hereto and Agent and when Agent shall have been notified by each Lender that such Lender has executed it. Thereafter, it shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of, but only to the benefit of, the Borrower, the other Credit Parties hereto (in each case except for Article VIII), Agent, each Lender and each L/C Issuer receiving the benefits of the Loan Documents and, to the extent provided in Section 9.11, each other Secured Party and, in each case, their respective successors and permitted assigns. Except as expressly provided in any Loan Document (including in Section 9.9), none of the Borrower, any other Credit Party, any L/C Issuer or Agent shall have the right to assign any rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein.

 

(b)           Right to Assign. Each Lender may sell, transfer, negotiate or assign (a “Sale”) all or a portion of its rights and obligations hereunder (including all or a portion of its Commitments and its rights and obligations with respect to Loans and Letters of Credit) to:

 

(i)            any existing Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender);

 

(ii)           any Affiliate or Approved Fund of any existing Lender (other than a natural Person or a Defaulting Lender);

 

(iii)          any other Person (other than a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) who is an “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933) acceptable (which acceptances shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to (x) Agent, (y) as long as no Specified Event of Default is continuing, the Borrower, and (z) in the case of any Sale of a Revolving Loan, Letter of Credit or Revolving Loan Commitment, each L/C Issuer that is a Lender; provided that the acceptances of L/C Issuer and the Borrower shall be deemed to have been given unless an objection is delivered to Agent within five (5) Business Days after notice of a proposed Sale is delivered to the L/C Issuer and the Borrower, as applicable. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary:

 

(A)          such Sales must be ratable among the obligations owing to and owed by such Lender with respect to the Revolving Loans;

 

(B)           for each Loan, the aggregate outstanding principal amount (determined as of the effective date of the applicable Assignment) of the Loans, Commitments and Letter of Credit Obligations subject to any such Sale shall be in a minimum amount of $1,000,000, unless such Sale is made to an existing Lender or an Affiliate or Approved Fund of any existing Lender, is of the assignor’s (together with its Affiliates and Approved Funds) entire interest in such facility or is made with the prior consent of the Borrower (to the extent the Borrower’s consent is otherwise required) and Agent;

 

(C)           interest accrued, other than any interest that is payable-in-kind, prior to and through the date of any such Sale may not be assigned;

 

(D)           such Sales by Lenders who are Defaulting Lenders due to clause (a) of the definition of Defaulting Lender shall be subject to Agent’s prior written consent in all instances, unless in connection with such sale, such Defaulting Lender cures, or causes the cure of, its Defaulting Lender status as contemplated in Section 2.11(e)(v); and

 

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(E)           assignments and participations to Disqualified Institutions shall be subject to the terms and conditions in Section 10.9(g).

 

Agent’s refusal to accept a Sale to a Credit Party, a Subsidiary of a Credit Party or a Person that would be a Defaulting Lender, or the imposition of conditions or limitations (including limitations on voting) upon Sales to such Persons, shall not be deemed to be unreasonable. In the event of any purported assignment or transfer by a Lender of its rights or obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Affiliate of the Borrower (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) that does not comply with the terms hereof, the Borrower shall, within ten (10) Business Days cause the applicable Affiliate to contribute such Loans to the common equity of the Borrower (which such Loans and all rights and obligations as a Lender related thereto, immediately and automatically, without any further action on the part of the Borrower, any Lender, Agent or any other Person, upon such contribution shall, for all purposes under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and otherwise, be deemed to be irrevocably prepaid, terminated, extinguished, cancelled and of no further force and effect and the Borrower shall neither obtain nor have any rights as a Lender hereunder or under the other Loan Documents by virtue of such assignment). Any Loan acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof shall immediately upon such acquisition be deemed to be irrevocably prepaid, terminated, extinguished, cancelled and of no further force and effect. Any purported assignment or transfer by a Lender of its rights or obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Person not Affiliated with the Borrower that does not comply with the terms hereof shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation of such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 10.9(f) (subject to Section 10.9(g) in the case of a purported transfer to a Disqualified Institution), provided that such treatment shall not relieve any assigning Lender from any Liabilities arising as a consequence of its breach of this Agreement.

 

(c)           Procedure. The parties to each Sale made in reliance on clause (b) above (other than those described in clause (e) or (f) below) shall execute and deliver to Agent an Assignment via an electronic settlement system designated by Agent (or, if previously agreed with Agent, via a manual execution and delivery of the Assignment) evidencing such Sale, together with any existing Note subject to such Sale (or any affidavit of loss therefor acceptable to Agent), any Tax forms required to be delivered pursuant to Section 11.1 and payment of an assignment fee in the amount of $3,500 to Agent, unless waived or reduced by Agent; provided that (i) if a Sale by a Lender is made to an Affiliate or an Approved Fund of such assigning Lender, then no assignment fee shall be due in connection with such Sale, and (ii) if a Sale by a Lender is made to an assignee that is not an Affiliate or Approved Fund of such assignor Lender, and concurrently to one or more Affiliates or Approved Funds of such assignee, then only one assignment fee of $3,500 shall be due in connection with such Sale (unless waived or reduced by Agent). Upon receipt of all the foregoing, and conditioned upon such receipt and, if such Assignment is made in accordance with clause (iv) of Section 10.9(b), upon Agent (and, if applicable, the Borrower and L/C Issuer) consenting to such Assignment, from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment, Agent shall record or cause to be recorded in the Register the information contained in such Assignment.

 

(d)           Effectiveness. Subject to the recording of an Assignment by Agent in the Register pursuant to Section 2.4(b), (i) the assignee thereunder shall become a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations under the Loan Documents have been assigned to such assignee pursuant to such Assignment, shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender, (ii) any applicable Note shall be transferred to such assignee through such entry and (iii) the assignor thereunder shall, to the extent that rights and obligations under this Agreement have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment, relinquish its rights (except for those surviving the termination of the Commitments and the payment in full of the Obligations) and be released from its obligations under the Loan Documents, other than those relating to events or circumstances occurring prior to such assignment (and, in the case of an Assignment covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under the Loan Documents, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto).

 

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(e)           Grant of Security Interests. In addition to the other rights provided in this Section 10.9, each Lender may grant a security interest in, or otherwise assign as collateral, directly or indirectly, any of its rights under this Agreement, the Notes and all of the other Loan Documents, whether now owned or hereafter acquired (including rights to payments of principal or interest on the Loans), to (A) any federal reserve bank (pursuant to Regulation A of the Federal Reserve Board), without notice to Agent or (B) any holder of, or trustee for the benefit of the holders of, such Lender’s Indebtedness or equity securities, by notice to Agent; provided, however, that no such holder or trustee, whether because of such grant or assignment or any foreclosure thereon (unless such foreclosure is made through an assignment in accordance with clause (b) above), shall be entitled to any rights of such Lender hereunder and no such Lender shall be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder.

 

(f)           Participants and SPVs. In addition to the other rights provided in this Section 10.9, each Lender may, (x) with notice to Agent, grant to an SPV the option to make all or any part of any Loan that such Lender would otherwise be required to make hereunder (and the exercise of such option by such SPV and the making of Loans pursuant thereto shall satisfy the obligation of such Lender to make such Loans hereunder) and such SPV may assign to such Lender the right to receive payment with respect to any Obligation and (y) without notice to or consent from Agent or the Borrower, sell participations to one or more Persons (other than a natural Person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person, or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under the Loan Documents (including all its rights and obligations with respect to the Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit); provided, however, that, whether as a result of any term of any Loan Document or of such grant or participation, (i) no such SPV or participant shall have a commitment, or be deemed to have made an offer to commit, to make Loans hereunder, and, except as provided in the applicable option agreement, none shall be liable for any obligation of such Lender hereunder, (ii) such Lender’s rights and obligations, and the rights and obligations of the Credit Parties and the Secured Parties towards such Lender, under any Loan Document shall remain unchanged and each other party hereto shall continue to deal solely with such Lender, which shall remain the holder of the Obligations in the Register, except that (A) each such participant and SPV shall be entitled to the benefit of Article XI, but, with respect to Section 11.1, only to the extent such participant or SPV delivers the Tax forms such Lender is required to collect pursuant to Section 11.1(g) and then only to the extent of any amount to which such Lender would be entitled in the absence of any such grant or participation except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater amount results from any change in, or in the interpretation of, any Requirement of Law that occurs after the date such grant or participation is made (and in consideration of the foregoing, each such Participant and SPV shall be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to be bound by the provisions of Section 10.20) and (B) each such SPV may receive other payments that would otherwise be made to such Lender with respect to Loans funded by such SPV to the extent provided in the applicable option agreement and set forth in a notice provided to Agent by such SPV and such Lender, provided, however, that in no case (including pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above) shall an SPV or participant have the right to enforce any of the terms of any Loan Document, and (iii) the consent of such SPV or participant shall not be required (either directly, as a restraint on such Lender’s ability to consent hereunder or otherwise) for any amendments, waivers or consents with respect to any Loan Document or to exercise or refrain from exercising any powers or rights such Lender may have under or in respect of the Loan Documents (including the right to enforce or direct enforcement of the Obligations), except for those described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 10.1(a) with respect to amounts, or dates fixed for payment of amounts, to which such participant or SPV would otherwise be entitled and, in the case of participants, except for those described in clause (vii) of Section 10.1(a). No party hereto shall institute (and the Borrower shall cause each other Credit Party not to institute) against any SPV grantee of an option pursuant to this clause (f) any bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation or similar proceeding, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper of such SPV; provided, however, that each Lender having designated an SPV as such agrees to indemnify each Indemnitee against any Liability that may be incurred by, or asserted against, such Indemnitee as a result of failing to institute such proceeding (including a failure to be reimbursed by such SPV for any such Liability). The agreement in the preceding sentence shall survive the termination of the Commitments and the payment in full of the Obligations. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any participant or any information relating to a participant's interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person other than Agent except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, Agent shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

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(g)           Disqualified Institutions.

 

(i)           No assignment or participation shall be made to any Person that was a Disqualified Institution as of the date (the “Trade Date”) on which the assigning or transferring Lender entered into a binding agreement to sell and assign, or grant a participation in, all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, as applicable, to such Person unless Agent and the Borrower (unless a Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in which case no consent from the Borrower is required) have consented in writing in their sole and absolute discretion to such assignment or participation, in which case such Person will not be considered a Disqualified Institution for the purpose of such assignment or participation. For the avoidance of doubt, (x) no assignment or participation shall be retroactively invalidated pursuant to this Section 10.9(g) if the Trade Date therefor occurred prior to the assignee’s or participant’s becoming a Disqualified Institution (including as a result of the delivery of a notice pursuant to, and/or the expiration of the notice period referred to in, the definition of “Disqualified Institution”), and (y) the execution by the Borrower or Agent of an Assignment with respect to such an assignment will not by itself result in such assignee no longer being considered a Disqualified Institution.

 

(ii)           Agent and each assignor of a Loan or seller of a participation hereunder shall be entitled to rely conclusively on a representation of the assignee Lender or Participant in the relevant Assignment or participation agreement, as applicable, that such assignee or purchaser is not a Disqualified Institution. The Agent shall have the right, and the Borrower hereby expressly authorizes Agent, to (A) post the list of Disqualified Institutions provided by the Borrower and any updates thereto from time to time (collectively, the “DQ List”) on an E-System, including that portion of such E-System that is designated for “public side” Lenders and/or (B) provide the DQ List to each Lender requesting the same. Any assignment to a Disqualified Institution or grant or sale of participation to a Disqualified Institution in violation of this Section 10.9(g) shall not be void, but the other provisions of this Section 10.9(g) shall apply.

 

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(iii)           If any assignment or participation is made to any Disqualified Institution without the consents required by this Section 10.9(g) and/or Section 10.9(b), the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to the applicable Disqualified Institution and Agent, (1) terminate the Revolving Loan Commitment of such Disqualified Institution and pay or cause to be paid all Obligations of the Borrower owing to such Disqualified Institution in connection with such Revolving Loan Commitment and/or (2) require such Disqualified Institution to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions and conditions contained in this Section 10.9), all of its interest, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to one or more assignees at the lesser of (x) the principal amount thereof and (y) the amount that such Disqualified Institution paid to acquire such interests, rights and obligations of such Loans, in each case plus accrued interest, accrued fees and all other amounts (other than principal amounts) payable to it hereunder. Any Loan so purchased by the Borrower under this Section 10.9(g) shall upon such purchase be deemed to be irrevocably prepaid, terminated, extinguished, cancelled and of no further force and effect.

 

(iv)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Disqualified Institutions (1) will not have the right to (x) receive information, reports or other materials provided to Agent or Lenders by the Borrower, Agent or any other Lender, (y) attend or participate (including by telephone) in meetings attended by any of the Lenders and/or Agent, or (z) access any electronic site established for the Lenders or confidential communications from counsel to or financial advisors of Agent or the Lenders and (2) (x) for purposes of any consent to any amendment, waiver or modification of, or any action under, and for the purpose of any direction to Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, each Disqualified Institution will be deemed to have consented in the same proportion as the Lenders that are not Disqualified Institutions consented to such matter, and (y) for purposes of voting on any plan of reorganization pursuant to Section 1126 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar plan, each Disqualified Institution party hereto hereby agrees (1) not to vote on such plan, (2) if such Disqualified Institution does vote on such plan notwithstanding the restriction in the immediately foregoing clause (1), such vote will be deemed not to be in good faith and shall be “designated” pursuant to Section 1126(e) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision in any other similar federal, state or foreign law affecting creditor’s rights), and such vote shall not be counted in determining whether the applicable class has accepted or rejected such plan in accordance with Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision in any other similar federal, state or foreign law affecting creditor’s rights) and (3) not to contest any request by any party for a determination by the Bankruptcy Court (or other applicable court of competent jurisdiction) effectuating the foregoing clause (2).

 

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(h)           Waiver. No Disqualified Institution shall (i) be entitled to bring actions against Agent, in its role as such, (ii) receive advice of counsel or other advisors to Agent or any other Lenders or (iii) challenge the attorney client privilege of Agent or any Lender and their respective counsel.

 

10.10       Non-Public Information; Confidentiality.

 

(a)           Non-Public Information.

 

(i)             Distribution of Materials to Lenders and L/C Issuers. The Credit Parties acknowledge and agree that (A) the Loan Documents and all reports, notices, communications and other information or materials provided or delivered by, or on behalf of, the Credit Parties hereunder (collectively, the “Borrower Materials”) may be disseminated by, or on behalf of, Agent, and made available, to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers by posting such Borrower Materials on an E-System; and (B) certain of the Lenders (each a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information (“MNPI”) with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Credit Parties authorize Agent to download copies of their logos from its website and post copies thereof on an E-System.

 

(ii)            Material Non-Public Information. The Credit Parties hereby agree that if either they, any parent company or any Subsidiary of the Credit Parties has publicly traded equity or debt securities in the United States, they shall (and shall cause such parent company or Subsidiary, as the case may be, to) (A) identify in writing, and (B) to the extent reasonably practicable, clearly and conspicuously mark such Borrower Materials that contain only information that is publicly available or that is not material for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws as “PUBLIC”. The Credit Parties agree that by identifying such Borrower Materials as “PUBLIC” or publicly filing such Borrower Materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission, then Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers shall be entitled to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any MNPI for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws. The Credit Parties further represent, warrant, acknowledge and agree that the following documents and materials shall be deemed to be PUBLIC, whether or not so marked, and do not contain any MNPI: (I) the Loan Documents, including the schedules and exhibits attached thereto, and (II) administrative materials of a customary nature prepared by the Credit Parties or Agent (including, Notices of Borrowing, Notices of Conversion/Continuation, L/C Requests, Swingline Requests and any similar requests or notices posted on or through an E-System). Before distribution of Borrower Materials, the Credit Parties agree to execute and deliver to Agent a letter authorizing distribution of the evaluation materials to prospective Lenders and their employees willing to receive MNPI, and a separate letter authorizing distribution of evaluation materials that do not contain MNPI and represent that no MNPI is contained therein. The Credit Parties acknowledge and agree that the list of Disqualified Institutions does not constitute MNPI and may be posted to all Lenders by Agent (including any updates thereto).

 

(iii)           Each of Agent, each Lender and each L/C Issuer acknowledges and agrees that it may receive MNPI hereunder concerning the Credit Parties and their Affiliates and agrees to use such information in compliance with all relevant policies, procedures and applicable Requirements of Laws (including United States federal and state securities laws and regulations). Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

 

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(b)           Confidential Information. Each of Agent, each Lender and each L/C Issuer agrees to use all reasonable efforts to maintain, in accordance with its customary practices, the confidentiality of information obtained by it pursuant to any Loan Document, except that such information may be disclosed (i) with the Borrower’s consent, (ii) to Related Persons of such Lender, L/C Issuer or Agent, as the case may be, or to any Person that any L/C Issuer causes to Issue Letters of Credit hereunder, that are advised of the confidential nature of such information and are instructed to keep such information confidential in accordance with the terms hereof, (iii) to the extent such information presently is or hereafter becomes (A) publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.10 or (B) available to or in the possession of such Lender, L/C Issuer or Agent or any of their Related Persons, as the case may be, from a source (other than any Credit Party) not known by them to be subject to disclosure restrictions, (iv) to the extent disclosure is required by applicable Requirements of Law or other legal process or requested or demanded by any Governmental Authority or any other regulatory or self-regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Person or its Affiliates (in which case, Agent or such Lender or L/C Issuer agrees, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation or regulatory policy or directive (except with respect to any audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority), to inform Borrower promptly thereof prior to disclosure), (v) to the extent necessary or customary for inclusion in league table measurements, (vi) (A) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization, any examiner or any nationally recognized rating agency or (B) otherwise to the extent consisting of general portfolio information that does not identify Credit Parties, (vii) to current or prospective assignees, SPVs (including the investors or prospective investors therein) or participants, financing sources, direct or contractual counterparties to any Secured Rate Contracts or Secured Cash Management Agreements, or direct or contractual counterparties (including insurers and reinsurers) to any other transactions under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder and to their respective Related Persons, in each case to the extent such assignees, investors, participants, financing sources, counterparties or Related Persons agree to be bound by provisions substantially similar to the provisions of this Section 10.10 (and such Person may disclose information to their respective Related Persons in accordance with clause (ii) above), (viii) to any other party hereto, and (ix) in connection with the exercise or enforcement of any right or remedy under any Loan Document, in connection with any litigation or other proceeding to which such Lender, L/C Issuer, Secured Swap Provider, Secured Cash Management Bank or Agent or any of their Related Persons is a party or bound, or to the extent necessary to respond to public statements or disclosures by Credit Parties or their Related Persons referring to a Lender, L/C Issuer, Secured Swap Provider, Secured Cash Management Bank or Agent or any of their Related Persons. In addition, Agent and the Lenders may disclose this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments and for purposes of general portfolio, benchmarking and market data analysis. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Section 10.10 and those of any other Contractual Obligation entered into with any Credit Party (whether or not a Loan Document), the terms of this Section 10.10 shall govern.

 

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(c)           Tombstones. Each Credit Party consents to the publication by Agent, Lead Arranger or any Lender of any press releases, tombstones, advertising or other promotional materials (including via any Electronic Transmission) relating to the financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement using such Credit Party’s name, product photographs, logo or trademark. Agent, Lead Arranger or such Lender shall first provide a draft of any such press release, tombstone, advertising or other promotional material to Borrower for review and approval (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed, conditioned or denied, and provided that Borrower shall be deemed to have approved unless an objection is delivered to Agent within five (5) Business Days after such draft is acknowledged as delivered to the Borrower) prior to the publication thereof.

 

(d)           Press Release and Related Matters. No Credit Party shall, and no Credit Party shall permit any of its Affiliates to, issue any press release or other public disclosure (other than any document filed with any Governmental Authority relating to a public offering of securities of any Credit Party or a public filing with the SEC required by law or regulation) using the name, logo or otherwise referring to Capital One or of any of its Affiliates, the Loan Documents or any transaction contemplated herein or therein to which Capital One or any of its Affiliates is party without the prior written consent of Capital One or such Affiliate except to the extent required to do so under applicable Requirements of Law and then, only after consulting with Capital One.

 

10.11       Set-off; Sharing of Payments.

 

(a)           Right of Setoff. Each of Agent, each Lender, each L/C Issuer and each Affiliate (including each branch office thereof) of any of them is hereby authorized, without notice or demand (each of which is hereby waived by each Credit Party), at any time and from time to time during the continuance of any Event of Default and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (whether general or special, time or demand, provisional or final but excluding any deposits in any payroll, trust, or tax withholding accounts) at any time held and other Indebtedness, claims or other obligations at any time owing by Agent, such Lender, such L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Credit Party against any Obligation of any Credit Party now or hereafter existing, whether or not any demand was made under any Loan Document with respect to such Obligation and even though such Obligation may be unmatured. No Lender or L/C Issuer shall exercise any such right of setoff without the prior consent of Agent or Required Lenders. Each of Agent, each Lender and each L/C Issuer agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and Agent after any such setoff and application made by such Lender or its Affiliates; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. The rights under this Section 10.11 are in addition to any other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, their Affiliates and the other Secured Parties, may have. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time that any of the Obligations shall be secured by real property located in California, no Lender shall exercise a right of setoff, lender’s lien or counterclaim or take any court or administrative action or institute any proceeding to enforce any provision of this agreement or any loan document unless it is taken with the consent of the Lenders required by Section 8.2 of this Agreement or approved in writing by Agent, if such setoff or action or proceeding would or might (pursuant to Sections 580a, 580b, 580d and 726 of the California Code of Civil Procedure or section 2924 of the California Civil Code, if applicable, or otherwise) affect or impair the validity, priority, or enforceability of the liens granted to Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents or the enforceability of the Obligations hereunder, and any attempted exercise by any Lender or any such right without obtaining such consent of the parties as required above, shall be null and void. This paragraph shall be solely for the benefit of each of the Secured Parties and Agent hereunder.

 

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(b)           Sharing of Payments, Etc. If any Lender, directly or through an Affiliate or branch office thereof, obtains any payment of any Obligation of any Credit Party (whether voluntary, involuntary or through the exercise of any right of setoff or the receipt of any Collateral or “proceeds” (as defined under the applicable UCC) of Collateral) (and other than pursuant to Section 10.9, Section 10.20, Article XI or any purchase option pursuant to any intercreditor agreement or any subordination agreement to which Agent is a party) and such payment exceeds the amount such Lender would have been entitled to receive if all payments had gone to, and been distributed by, Agent in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Documents, such Lender shall purchase for cash from other Lenders such participations in their Obligations as necessary for such Lender to share such excess payment with such Lenders to ensure such payment is applied as though it had been received by Agent and applied in accordance with this Agreement (or, if such application would then be at the discretion of the Borrower, applied to repay the Obligations in accordance herewith); provided, however, that (i) if such payment is rescinded or otherwise recovered from such Lender or L/C Issuer in whole or in part, such purchase shall be rescinded and the purchase price therefor shall be returned to such Lender or L/C Issuer without interest and (ii) such Lender shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, be able to exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of setoff) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the applicable Credit Party in the amount of such participation. If a Defaulting Lender receives any such payment as described in the previous sentence, such Lender shall turn over such payments to Agent in an amount that would satisfy the cash collateral requirements set forth in Section 2.11(e).

 

10.12       Counterparts; Facsimile Signature. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Signature pages may be detached from multiple separate counterparts and attached to a single counterpart. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission or Electronic Transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

10.13       Severability; Captions; Independence of Provisions. The illegality or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement or any instrument or agreement required hereunder shall not in any way affect or impair the legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement or any instrument or agreement required hereunder. The captions and headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement. The parties hereto acknowledge that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may use several different limitations, tests or measurements to regulate the same or similar matters, and that such limitations, tests and measurements are cumulative and must each be performed, except as expressly stated to the contrary in this Agreement.

 

10.14       Interpretation. This Agreement is the result of negotiations among and has been reviewed by counsel to Credit Parties, Agent, each Lender and other parties hereto, and is the product of all parties hereto. Accordingly, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be construed against the Lenders or Agent merely because of Agent’s or Lenders’ involvement in the preparation of such documents and agreements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each of the parties hereto has had the advice of counsel with respect to Sections 10.16 and 10.17.

 

10.15       No Third Parties Benefited. This Agreement is made and entered into for the sole protection and legal benefit of the Borrower, the Lenders, the L/C Issuers party hereto, Agent and, subject to the provisions of Section 9.11, each other Secured Party, and their permitted successors and assigns, and 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. Neither Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to any Person not a party to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.

 

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10.16       Governing Law and Jurisdiction.

 

(a)           Governing Law. The laws of the State of New York shall govern all matters arising out of, in connection with or relating to this Agreement, including its validity, interpretation, construction, performance and enforcement (including any claims sounding in contract or tort law arising out of the subject matter hereof and any determinations with respect to post-judgment interest).

 

(b)           Submission to Jurisdiction. Any legal action or proceeding with respect to any Loan Document shall be brought exclusively in the courts of the State of New York located in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, or of the United States of America sitting in the Southern District of New York and, by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Borrower and each other Credit Party executing this Agreement hereby accepts for itself and in respect of its Property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall limit the right of Agent to commence any proceeding in the federal or state courts of any other jurisdiction to the extent Agent determines that such action is necessary or appropriate to exercise its rights or remedies under the Loan Documents. The parties hereto (and, to the extent set forth in any other Loan Document, each other Credit Party) hereby irrevocably waive any objection, including any objection to the laying of venue or based on the grounds of forum non conveniens, that any of them may now or hereafter have to the bringing of any such action or proceeding in such jurisdictions.

 

(c)           Service of Process. Each Credit Party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of any and all legal process, summons, notices and other documents and other service of process of any kind and consents to such service in any suit, action or proceeding brought in the United States with respect to or otherwise arising out of or in connection with any Loan Document by any means permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, including by the mailing thereof (by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid) to the address of the Borrower specified herein (and shall be effective when such mailing shall be effective, as provided therein). Each Credit Party agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

 

(d)           Non-Exclusive Jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this Section 10.16 shall affect the right of Agent or any Lender to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable Requirements of Law or commence legal proceedings or otherwise proceed against any Credit Party in any other jurisdiction.

 

10.17       Waiver of Jury Trial. THE PARTIES HERETO, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH OR RELATING TO, THIS AGREEMENT, THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND ANY OTHER TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY. THIS WAIVER APPLIES TO ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE. EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO OTHER PARTY AND NO RELATED PERSON OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, AS APPLICABLE, BY THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

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10.18       Entire Agreement; Release; Survival.

 

(a)           THE LOAN DOCUMENTS EMBODY THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES AND SUPERSEDE ALL PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER THEREOF AND ANY PRIOR LETTER OF INTEREST, COMMITMENT LETTER, CONFIDENTIALITY AND SIMILAR AGREEMENTS INVOLVING ANY CREDIT PARTY AND ANY LENDER OR AGENT OR ANY L/C ISSUER OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES RELATING TO A FINANCING OF SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM, PURPOSE OR EFFECT OTHER THAN THE FEE LETTER. IN THE EVENT OF ANY CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL GOVERN (UNLESS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY STATED IN SUCH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS OR SUCH TERMS OF SUCH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, IN WHICH CASE SUCH TERMS SHALL GOVERN TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO COMPLY THEREWITH).

 

(b)           Execution of this Agreement by the Credit Parties constitutes a full, complete and irrevocable release of any and all claims which each Credit Party may have at law or in equity in respect of all prior discussions and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In no event shall any Indemnitee be liable on any theory of liability for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (including any loss of profits, business or anticipated savings). Each Credit Party signatory hereto hereby waives, releases and agrees (and shall cause each other Credit Party to waive, release and agree) not to sue upon any such claim for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, whether or not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in its favor.

 

(c)           (i) Any indemnification or other protection provided to any Indemnitee pursuant to this Section 10.18, Sections 10.5 (Costs and Expenses), and 10.6 (Indemnity), and Article IX (Agent) and Article XI (Taxes, Yield Protection and Illegality), and (ii) the provisions of Section 8.1 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, in each case, shall (x) survive the termination of the Commitments and the payment in full of all other Obligations and (y) with respect to clause (i) above, inure to the benefit of any Person that at any time held a right thereunder (as an Indemnitee or otherwise) and, thereafter, its successors and permitted assigns.

 

10.19       USA Patriot Act. Each Lender that is subject to the USA Patriot Act (and Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender)) hereby notifies the Credit Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Credit Party, which information includes the name and address of each Credit Party and other information that will allow such Lender or Agent to identify each Credit Party in accordance with the USA Patriot Act.

 

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10.20       Replacement of Lender. Within forty-five days after: (i) receipt by the Borrower of written notice and demand from (A) any Lender (an “Affected Lender”) for payment of additional costs as provided in Sections 11.1, 11.3 and/or 10.6 or that has become a Defaulting Lender or (B) any SPV or participant (an “Affected SPV/Participant”) for payment of additional costs as provided in Section 10.9(f), unless the option or participation of such Affected SPV/Participant shall have been terminated prior to the exercise by the Borrower of its rights hereunder; or (ii) any failure by any Lender (other than Agent or an Affiliate of Agent) to consent to a requested amendment, waiver or modification to any Loan Document in which Required Lenders have already consented to such amendment, waiver or modification but the consent of each Lender (or each Lender directly affected thereby, as applicable) is required with respect thereto, the Borrower may, at its option, notify (A) in the case of clause (i)(A) or (ii) above, Agent and such Affected Lender (or such non-consenting Lender) of the Borrower’s intention to obtain, at the Borrower’s expense, a replacement Lender (“Replacement Lender”) for such Affected Lender (or such non-consenting Lender), or (B) in the case of clause (i)(B) above, Agent, such Affected SPV/Participant, if known, and the applicable Lender (such Lender, a “Participating Lender”) that (1) granted to such Affected SPV/Participant the option to make all or any part of any Loan that such Participating Lender would otherwise be required to make hereunder or (2) sold to such Affected SPV/Participant a participation in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under the Loan Documents, of the Borrower’s intention to obtain, at the Borrower’s expense, a Replacement Lender for such Participating Lender, in each case, which Replacement Lender shall be reasonably satisfactory to Agent. In the event the Borrower obtain a Replacement Lender within forty-five (45) days following notice of its intention to do so, the Affected Lender (or such non-consenting Lender) or Participating Lender, as the case may be, shall sell and assign its Loans and Commitments to such Replacement Lender, at par, provided that the Borrower has reimbursed such Affected Lender or Affected SPV/Participant, as applicable, for its increased costs for which it is entitled to reimbursement under this Agreement through the date of such sale and assignment, and in the case of a Participating Lender being replaced by a Replacement Lender, (x) all right, title and interest in and to the Obligations and Commitments so assigned to the Replacement Lender shall be assigned free and clear of all Liens or other claims (including pursuant to the underlying option or participation granted or sold to the Affected SPV/Participant, but without affecting any rights, if any, of the Affected SPV/Participant to the proceeds constituting the purchase price thereof) of the Affected SPV/Participant, and (y) to the extent required by the underlying option or participation documentation, such Participating Lender shall apply all or a portion of the proceeds received by it as a result of such assignment, as applicable, to terminate in full the option or participation of such Affected SPV/Participant. In the event that a replaced Lender does not execute an Assignment pursuant to Section 10.9 within five (5) Business Days after receipt by such replaced Lender of notice of replacement pursuant to this Section 10.20 and presentation to such replaced Lender of an Assignment evidencing an assignment pursuant to this Section 10.20, the Borrower shall be entitled (but not obligated) to execute such an Assignment on behalf of such replaced Lender, and any such Assignment so executed by the Borrower, the Replacement Lender and Agent, shall be effective for purposes of this Section 10.20 and Section 10.9. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to a Lender that is a Defaulting Lender, Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, obtain a Replacement Lender and execute an Assignment on behalf of such Defaulting Lender at any time with three (3) Business Days’ prior notice to such Lender (unless notice is not practicable under the circumstances) and cause such Lender’s Loans and Commitments to be sold and assigned, in whole or in part, at par. Upon any such assignment and payment and compliance with the other provisions of Section 10.9, such replaced Lender shall no longer constitute a “Lender” for purposes hereof; provided, any rights of such replaced Lender to indemnification hereunder shall survive.

 

10.21       Joint and Several. The obligations of the Credit Parties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are joint and several. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, reference is hereby made to Article II of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, to which the obligations of Borrower and the other Credit Parties are subject.

 

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10.22       Creditor-Debtor Relationship; No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The relationship between Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer, on the one hand, and the Credit Parties, on the other hand, is solely that of creditor and debtor. No Secured Party has any fiduciary relationship or duty to any Credit Party arising out of or in connection with, and there is no agency, tenancy or joint venture relationship between the Secured Parties and the Credit Parties by virtue of, any Loan Document or any transaction contemplated therein. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower and each other Credit Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a) (i) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Agent and any Affiliate thereof, the Lead Arranger and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, each other Credit Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agent and, as applicable, its Affiliates (including the Lead Arranger) and the Lenders and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this Section, the “Lenders”), on the other hand, (ii) each of the Borrower and the other Credit Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (iii) the Borrower and each other Credit Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (b) (i) the Agent and its Affiliates (including the Lead Arranger) and each Lender each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (ii) neither the Agent, any of its Affiliates (including the Lead Arranger) nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (c) the Agent and its Affiliates (including the Lead Arranger) and the Lenders may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, the other Credit Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Agent, any of its Affiliates (including the Lead Arranger) nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and each other Credit Party hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Agent, any of its Affiliates (including the Lead Arranger) or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transactions contemplated hereby.

 

10.23       Keepwell. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Credit Party to honor all of its obligations under the Guaranty and Security Agreement in respect of Swap Obligations under any Secured Rate Contract (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 10.23 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 10.23, or otherwise under the Guaranty and Security Agreement, voidable under applicable Requirements of Law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 10.23 shall remain in full force and effect until the guarantees in respect of Swap Obligations under each Secured Rate Contract have been discharged, or otherwise released or terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 10.23 constitute, and this Section 10.23 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Credit Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

10.24       Secured Swap Providers and Secured Cash Management Banks. No Secured Swap Provider or Secured Cash Management Bank that obtains the benefits of the Guaranty and Security Agreement or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any other Loan Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article X to the contrary, the Agent shall not be required to verify the existence, amount or payment of any Secured Rate Contract Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations. Upon the request of Agent, each Secured Swap Provider and Secured Cash Management Bank will promptly provide Agent with such information and supporting documentation with respect to its Secured Rate Contract Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations as Agent shall request, including the amounts (contingent and/or due and payable) thereof.

 

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10.25       Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

(a)           the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

 

(b)           the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)            a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

(ii)           a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)          the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

 

10.26       Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Rate Contracts or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support” and each such QFC a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

 

(a)           In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

 

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(b)          As used in this Section 10.26, the following terms have the following meanings:

 

BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

 

Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i)            a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii)           a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

(iii)          a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § § 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1 as applicable.

 

QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

 

ARTICLE XI

 

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

11.1         Taxes.

 

(a)           Except as required by a Requirement of Law, each payment by any Credit Party under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax, penalties or other Liabilities) with respect thereto (collectively, “Taxes”).

 

(b)           If any Taxes shall be required by any Requirement of Law to be deducted from or in respect of any amount payable under any Loan Document to any Secured Party (i) if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, such amount payable shall be increased as necessary to ensure that, after all required deductions for Indemnified Taxes are made (including deductions applicable to any increases to any amount under this Section 11.1), such Secured Party receives the amount it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the relevant Credit Party shall make such deductions, (iii) the relevant Credit Party shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law and (iv) within 30 days after such payment is made, the relevant Credit Party shall deliver to Agent an original or certified copy of a receipt evidencing such payment or other evidence of payment reasonably satisfactory to Agent.

 

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(c)           In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay, and authorizes Agent to pay in its name, any stamp, documentary, excise or property Tax, charges or similar levies imposed by any applicable Requirement of Law or Governmental Authority and all Liabilities with respect thereto (including by reason of any delay in payment thereof), in each case arising from the execution, delivery or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document or any transaction contemplated therein (collectively, “Other Taxes”). The Swing Lender may, without any need for notice, demand or consent from the Borrower, by making funds available to Agent in the amount equal to any such payment, make a Swing Loan to the Borrower in such amount, the proceeds of which shall be used by Agent in whole to make such payment. Within 30 days after the date of any payment of Other Taxes by any Credit Party, the Borrower shall furnish to Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof or other evidence of payment reasonably satisfactory to Agent.

 

(d)           The Credit Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that neither Capital One nor any Affiliate of Capital One has provided any Tax advice to any Tax Affiliate in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(e)           Without duplication for any amounts paid in respect of Indemnified Taxes pursuant to this Section 11.1, Borrower shall reimburse and indemnify, within 30 days after receipt of demand therefor (with copy to Agent), each Secured Party for all Indemnified Taxes (including any Indemnified Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 11.1) paid or payable by such Secured Party and any Liabilities arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally asserted. A certificate of the Secured Party (or of Agent on behalf of such Secured Party) claiming any compensation under this clause (e), setting forth the amounts to be paid thereunder and delivered to the Borrower with copy to Agent, shall be conclusive, binding and final for all purposes, absent manifest error. In determining such amount, Agent and such Secured Party may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.

 

(f)           Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 11.1 shall use its reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policies and Requirements of Law) to change the jurisdiction of its Lending Office if such a change would reduce any such additional amounts (or any similar amount that may thereafter accrue) and would not, in the sole determination of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

 

(g)           (i)  Each Non-U.S. Lender Party that, at any of the following times, is entitled to an exemption from United States withholding Tax or, after a change in any Requirement of Law, is subject to such withholding Tax at a reduced rate under an applicable Tax treaty, shall (w) on or prior to the date such Non-U.S. Lender Party becomes a “Non-U.S. Lender Party” hereunder, (x) on or prior to the date on which any such form or certification expires or becomes obsolete, (y) after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered by it pursuant to this clause (i) and (z) from time to time if requested by the Borrower or Agent (or, in the case of a participant or SPV, the relevant Lender), provide Agent and the Borrower (or, in the case of a participant or SPV, the relevant Lender) with executed copies of each of the following, as applicable: (A) Forms W-8ECI (claiming exemption from U.S. withholding Tax because the income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business), W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (claiming exemption from, or a reduction of, U.S. withholding Tax) and/or W-8IMY (together with appropriate forms, certifications and supporting statements) or any successor forms, (B) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender Party claiming exemption under Sections 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code, Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (claiming exemption from U.S. withholding Tax) or any successor form and a certificate in form and substance acceptable to Agent that such Non-U.S. Lender Party is not (1) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (2) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code or (3) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code or (C) any other applicable document prescribed by the IRS certifying as to the entitlement of such Non-U.S. Lender Party to such exemption from United States withholding Tax or reduced rate with respect to all payments to be made to such Non-U.S. Lender Party under the Loan Documents. Unless the Borrower and Agent have received forms or other documents satisfactory to them indicating that payments under any Loan Document to or for a Non-U.S. Lender Party are not subject to United States withholding Tax or are subject to such Tax at a rate reduced by an applicable Tax treaty, the Credit Parties and Agent shall withhold amounts required to be withheld by applicable Requirements of Law from such payments at the applicable statutory rate.

 

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(ii)            Each U.S. Lender Party shall (A) on or prior to the date such U.S. Lender Party becomes a “U.S. Lender Party” hereunder, (B) on or prior to the date on which any such form or certification expires or becomes obsolete, (C) after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered by it pursuant to this clause (g) and (D) from time to time if requested by the Borrower or Agent (or, in the case of a participant or SPV, the relevant Lender), provide Agent and the Borrower (or, in the case of a participant or SPV, the relevant Lender) with executed copies of Form W-9 (certifying that such U.S. Lender Party is entitled to an exemption from U.S. backup withholding Tax) or any successor form.

 

(iii)           Each Lender having sold a participation in any of its Obligations or identified an SPV as such to Agent shall collect from such participant or SPV the documents described in this clause (g) and provide them to Agent and Borrower.

 

(iv)          If a payment made to a Non-U.S. Lender Party would be subject to United States federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Non-U.S. Lender Party fails to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA, such Non-U.S. Lender Party shall deliver to Agent and the Borrower any documentation under any Requirement of Law or reasonably requested by Agent or the Borrower sufficient for Agent or the Borrower to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Non-U.S. Lender has complied with its obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for the purposes of this clause (iv), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

(h)           If any Secured Party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 11.1 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to Section 11.1(b)), it shall pay to the relevant Credit Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 11.1 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such Secured Party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such Credit Party, upon the request of such Secured Party, shall repay to such Secured Party the amount paid over pursuant to this Section 11.1(h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such Secured Party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11.1(h), in no event shall the Secured Party be required to pay any amount to a Credit Party pursuant to this Section 11.1(h) the payment of which would place the Secured Party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the Secured Party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This Section 11.1(h) shall not be construed to require any Secured Party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the Credit Party or any other Person.

 

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11.2         Illegality. If after the date hereof any Lender shall determine that the introduction of any Requirement of Law, or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the interpretation or administration thereof, has made it unlawful, or that any central bank or other Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to make SOFR Loans, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through Agent, the obligation of that Lender to make SOFR Loans shall be suspended until such Lender shall have notified Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exists.

 

(a)           Subject to clause (c) below, if any Lender shall determine that it is unlawful to maintain any SOFR Loan, the Borrower shall prepay in full all SOFR Loans of such Lender then outstanding, together with interest accrued thereon, either on the Interest Payment Date therefor if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such SOFR Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such SOFR Loans, together with any amounts required to be paid in connection therewith pursuant to Section 11.4.

 

(b)           If the obligation of any Lender to make or maintain SOFR Loans has been terminated, the Borrower may elect, by giving notice to such Lender through Agent that all Loans which would otherwise be made by any such Lender as SOFR Loans shall be instead Base Rate Loans.

 

(c)           Before giving any notice to Agent pursuant to this Section 11.2, the affected Lender shall designate a different Lending Office with respect to its SOFR Loans if such designation will avoid the need for giving such notice or making such demand and will not, in the judgment of the Lender, be illegal or otherwise disadvantageous to the Lender.

 

11.3         Increased Costs and Reduction of Return.

 

(a)           If any Lender or L/C Issuer shall determine that, due to either (i) the introduction of, or any change in, or in the interpretation of, any Requirement of Law or (ii) the compliance with any guideline or request from any central bank or other Governmental Authority (whether or not having the force of law), in the case of either clause (i) or (ii) subsequent to the date hereof, (x) there shall be any increase in the cost to such Lender or L/C Issuer of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining any SOFR Loans or of Issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or (y) the Lender or L/C Issuer shall be subject to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto, then the Borrower shall be liable for, and shall from time to time, within thirty (30) days of demand therefor by such Lender or L/C Issuer (with a copy of such demand to Agent), pay to Agent for the account of such Lender or L/C Issuer, additional amounts as are sufficient to compensate such Lender or L/C Issuer for such increased costs or such Taxes; provided, that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate any Lender or L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 11.3(a) for any increased costs incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or L/C Issuer notifies the Borrower, in writing of the increased costs and of such Lender’s or L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation thereof; provided, further, that if the circumstance giving rise to such increased costs is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

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(b)           If any Lender or L/C Issuer shall have determined that:

 

(i)            the introduction of any Capital Adequacy Regulation;

 

(ii)           any change in any Capital Adequacy Regulation;

 

(iii)          any change in the interpretation or administration of any Capital Adequacy Regulation by any central bank or other Governmental Authority charged with the interpretation or administration thereof; or

 

(iv)          compliance by such Lender or L/C Issuer (or its Lending Office) or any entity controlling the Lender or L/C Issuer, with any Capital Adequacy Regulation;

 

affects the amount of capital required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or L/C Issuer or any entity controlling such Lender or L/C Issuer and (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such entities’ policies with respect to capital adequacy and such Lender’s or L/C Issuer’s desired return on capital) determines that the amount of such capital is increased as a consequence of its Commitment(s), loans, credits or obligations under this Agreement, then, within thirty (30) days of demand of such Lender or L/C Issuer (with a copy to Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender or L/C Issuer, from time to time as specified by such Lender or L/C Issuer, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or L/C Issuer (or the entity controlling the Lender or L/C Issuer) for such increase; provided, that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate any Lender or L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 11.3(b) for any amounts incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or L/C Issuer notifies the Borrower, in writing of the amounts and of such Lender’s or L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation thereof; provided, further, that if the event giving rise to such increase is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case in respect of this clause (ii) pursuant to Basel III, shall, in each case, be deemed to be a change in a Requirement of Law under Section 11.3(a) above and/or a change in Capital Adequacy Regulation under Section 11.3(b) above, as applicable, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

11.4         Funding Losses. The Borrower agrees to reimburse each Lender and to hold each Lender harmless from any loss or expense which such Lender may sustain or incur as a consequence of:

 

(a)           the failure of the Borrower to make any payment or mandatory prepayment of principal of any SOFR Loan (including payments made after any acceleration thereof);

 

(b)           the failure of the Borrower to borrow, continue or convert a Loan after the Borrower has given (or is deemed to have given) a Notice of Borrowing or a Notice of Conversion/Continuation;

 

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(c)           the failure of the Borrower to make any prepayment after the Borrower have given a notice in accordance with Section 2.7;

 

(d)           the prepayment (including pursuant to Section 2.8) of a SOFR Loan on a day other than the Interest Payment Date therefor; or

 

(e)           the conversion pursuant to Section 2.6 of any SOFR Loan to a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the Interest Payment Date therefor;

 

including any such loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain its SOFR Loans hereunder or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained; provided that, with respect to the expenses described in clauses (d) and (e) above, such Lender shall have notified Agent of any such expense within two (2) Business Days of the date on which such expense was incurred. Solely for purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 11.4 and under Section 11.3(a). A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) Business Days after receipt thereof.

 

11.5         Inability to Determine Rates. If Agent shall have determined in good faith that for any reason adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining Term SOFR with respect to a proposed SOFR Loan or that Term SOFR with respect to a proposed SOFR Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding or maintaining such Loan, Agent will forthwith give notice of such determination to the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain SOFR Loans hereunder shall be suspended until Agent revokes such notice in writing. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion/Continuation then submitted by it. If the Borrower does not revoke such notice, the Lenders shall make, convert or continue the Loans, as proposed by the Borrower, in the amount specified in the applicable notice submitted by the Borrower, but such Loans shall be made, converted or continued as Base Rate Loans.

 

11.6         Effect of Benchmark Transition.

 

(a)           Benchmark Replacement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement. Any such amendment with respect to a Benchmark Transition Event will become effective at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Agent has posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower so long as the Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. No replacement of a Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to this Section 11.6(a) will occur prior to the applicable Benchmark Transition Start Date.

 

(b)           Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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(c)           Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (i) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date and, if applicable, Benchmark Transition Start Date, (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (iii) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, (iv) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to Section 11.6(d) and (v) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 11.6, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 11.6.

 

(d)           Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

 

(e)           Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any request for a SOFR Loan of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of Base Rate based upon the then-current or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of Base Rate.

 

11.7         Certificates of Lenders. Any Lender claiming reimbursement or compensation pursuant to this Article XI shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to Agent) a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the amount payable to such Lender hereunder and such certificate shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower in the absence of manifest error.

 

[Signature Pages Follow.]

 

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

 

 BORROWER:
  
 ITERIS, INC.

 

By:/s/ Douglas L. Groves
Name:Douglas L. Groves
Title:Senior Vice President, CFO and Secretary

 

Signature Page to Iteris Credit Agreement 

 

 

 

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

 

 CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Agent, Swing Lender and as Lender

 

By:/s/ Tom Lawler
Name:Tom Lawler
Title:Its Duly Authorized Signatory

 

Signature Page to Iteris Credit Agreement