CREDITAGREEMENT dated as of August 31, 2007 among MYR GROUP INC. The Lenders Party Hereto FIFTH THIRD BANK as Documentation Agent CITIBANK, N.A. as Syndication Agent and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC. and CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers

EX-10.1 5 a2182112zex-10_1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1

Exhibit 10.1

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

August 31, 2007

 

among

 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

The Lenders Party Hereto

 

FIFTH THIRD BANK
as Documentation Agent

 

CITIBANK, N.A.
as Syndication Agent

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Administrative Agent

 


 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

and

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

 

 

 

 

 

Definitions

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms

 

1

SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings

 

22

SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally

 

22

SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP

 

22

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

 

 

 

 

 

The Credits

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.01. Commitments

 

23

SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings

 

23

SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings

 

24

SECTION 2.04. Increase of Commitments

 

24

SECTION 2.05. Swingline Loans

 

25

SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit. (a) General

 

27

SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings

 

31

SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections

 

31

SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments

 

33

SECTION 2.10. Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt

 

33

SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans

 

35

SECTION 2.12. Fees

 

36

SECTION 2.13. Interest

 

37

SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest

 

37

SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs

 

38

SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments

 

39

SECTION 2.17. Taxes

 

40

SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs

 

41

SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

 

43

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

 

 

 

 

 

Representations and Warranties

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers

 

44

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability

 

44

SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

 

44

SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change

 

44

SECTION 3.05. Properties

 

45

 

i



 

 

SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters

 

45

SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements

 

45

SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status

 

45

SECTION 3.09. Taxes

 

46

SECTION 3.10. ERISA

 

46

SECTION 3.11. Disclosure

 

46

SECTION 3.12. Solvency

 

46

SECTION 3.13. Insurance

 

46

SECTION 3.14. Capitalization and Subsidiaries

 

47

SECTION 3.15. Security Interest in Collateral

 

47

SECTION 3.16. Labor Disputes

 

47

SECTION 3.17. No Default

 

47

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

 

 

 

 

 

Conditions

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4.01. Effective Date

 

47

SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event

 

49

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

 

 

 

 

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information

 

50

SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events

 

51

SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business

 

51

SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations

 

52

SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties

 

52

SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights

 

52

SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws

 

52

SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds

 

52

SECTION 5.09. Insurance

 

52

SECTION 5.10. Casualty and Condemnation

 

53

SECTION 5.11. Subsidiary Guarantors; Pledges; Additional Collateral; Further Assurances

 

53

SECTION 5.12. Swap Agreements

 

54

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

 

 

 

 

Negative Covenants

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness

 

54

SECTION 6.02. Liens

 

56

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes

 

57

SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions

 

57

SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales

 

58

 

ii



 

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

59

SECTION 6.07. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness

 

59

SECTION 6.08. Transactions with Affiliates

 

60

SECTION 6.09. Restrictive Agreements

 

60

SECTION 6.10. Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness and Amendments to Unaffiliated Subordinated

 

 

Indebtedness Documents

 

61

SECTION 6.11. Capital Expenditures

 

62

SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants.

 

62

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

 

 

 

 

Events of Default

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

 

 

 

 

The Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.01. Notices

 

68

SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments

 

70

SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

 

71

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns

 

73

SECTION 9.05. Survival

 

76

SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

 

76

SECTION 9.07. Severability

 

76

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff

 

76

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

 

77

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

 

77

SECTION 9.11. Headings

 

78

SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality

 

78

SECTION 9.13. Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law

 

78

SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act

 

79

SECTION 9.15. Disclosure

 

79

SECTION 9.16. Appointment for Perfection

 

79

 

iii



 

SCHEDULES:

 

Commitment Schedule
Schedule 1.01 — Affiliated Subordinated Debt
Schedule 2.06 — Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed Matters
Schedule 3.14 — Capitalization and Subsidiaries
Schedule 3.15 — Financing Statements
Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens
Schedule 6.04 — Existing Investments

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B — List of Closing Documents
Exhibit C — Form of Commitment and Acceptance
Exhibit D — Form of Compliance Certificate

 

iv



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of August 31, 2007 (as it may be amended or modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among MYR GROUP INC., the Lenders party hereto, FIFTH THIRD BANK, as Documentation Agent, CITIBANK, N.A., as Syndication Agent and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent.

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders establish in its favor (i) a revolving credit facility in the aggregate principal amount of U.S. $75,000,000 (as such amount may increase or decrease in accordance with the terms hereof), pursuant to which revolving and swingline loans would be made to, and letters of credit would be issued for the account of, the Borrower and (ii) a term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of U.S. $50,000,000, pursuant to which a term loan would be made to the Borrower; and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders are willing to make such credit and loan facilities available to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions and requirements hereinafter set forth;

 

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

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

SECTION 1.01.  Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

 

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

 

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

 

Affiliated Subordinated Debt” means any unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary provided by an Affiliate (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), the terms and conditions of which are set forth, and payment of which

 



 

is subordinated to the payment of the Secured Obligations, in each case as provided in Schedule 1.01.

 

Aggregate Credit Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate Credit Exposure of all the Lenders.

 

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1%.  Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

 

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, (a) with respect to Revolving Loans, LC Exposure or Swingline Loans, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and the denominator of which is the aggregate Revolving Commitment of all Revolving Lenders (if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon such Lender’s share of the aggregate Revolving Exposures at that time) and (b) with respect to the Term Loans, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and the denominator of which is the aggregate outstanding amount of the Term Loans of all Term Lenders.

 

Applicable Pledge Percentage” means 100%, but 65% in the case of a pledge of Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary to the extent a 100% pledge would cause a Deemed Dividend Problem or Financial Assistance Problem.

 

 “Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurodollar Spread” or “Commitment Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Borrower’s Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date, provided that until the delivery to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to Section 5.01, of the Borrower’s consolidated financial information for the Borrower’s first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category 1:

 

Leverage Ratio

 

Eurodollar
Spread

 

ABR
Spread

 

Commitment
Fee Rate

 

Category 1 < 1.5 to 1.0

 

1.00

%

0

%

0.20

%

Category 2 > 1.5 to 1.0 but < 2.0 to 1.0

 

1.25

%

0

%

0.25

%

Category 3 > 2.0 to 1.0 but < 2.5 to 1.0

 

1.50

%

0

%

0.30

%

Category 4 > 2.5 to 1.0

 

1.75

%

0.25

%

0.375

%

 

2



 

 

For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the Applicable Rate shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower based upon the Borrower’s annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 and (b) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including five (5) Business Days after the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change, provided that the Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 4 at the option of the Administrative Agent or at the request of the Required Lenders if the Borrower fails to deliver the annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01, during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until five (5) Business Days after such consolidated financial statements are delivered.

 

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Available Revolving Commitment” means, at any time, the Revolving Commitment then in effect minus the Revolving Exposure of all Revolving Lenders at such time.

 

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.

 

Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party by any Lender or any of its Affiliates: (a) commercial credit cards, (b) stored value cards and (c) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).

 

Banking Services Obligations” of the Loan Parties means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking Services.

 

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

 

Bonding Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to any Person to secure or assure the performance of any bid, contract, lease or statutory obligation, or otherwise constituting a bid, performance, return-of-money, surety, appeal or payment bond, contract or like undertaking, in each case, entered into by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business.

 

Borrower” means MYR Group Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

3



 

Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, advanced, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, (b) a Term Loan made on the same date and, in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect and (c) a Swingline Loan.

 

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditure or commitment to expend money for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset which would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person as of the date of determination, means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Change in Control” means that (a) prior to the consummation by the Borrower of a Qualifying Equity Offering (i) one or more Persons (other than any natural person) organized for the primary purpose of acquiring and disposing of interests in assets and properties of various types and otherwise making debt and equity investments in other Persons and who are administered or managed (whether as general partner, by contract, by appointment or designation under such Person’s constitutive documents, or otherwise), directly or indirectly, by ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC (all Persons from time to time so administered or managed, collectively with ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC, the “ArcLight Group”) shall collectively cease to own, directly or indirectly, greater than 50% of the Borrower and (ii) ArcLight Group shall cease to have Control of the Borrower; and (b) on and after the consummation by the Borrower of a Qualifying Equity Offering, (i) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) other than any one or more members of the ArcLight Group, of Equity Interests representing more than 25% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower (calculated on a fully diluted basis taking into account all options or other rights to acquire voting common Equity Interests of the Borrower then outstanding, regardless of whether such options or other rights are then currently exercisable); or (ii) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (A) nominated by the board of directors

 

4



 

of the Borrower or by any member of the ArcLight Group nor (B) appointed by directors so nominated.

 

Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.

 

Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, Term Loans or Swingline Loans.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Collateral” means any and all property owned by any Loan Party, now existing or hereafter acquired, that may at any time be or become subject to a security interest or Lien in favor of Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Holders of Secured Obligations, to secure the Secured Obligations; provided, however, that Collateral shall not include Excluded Assets.

 

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement and all other agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection with this Agreement that are intended to create or evidence Liens on the Collateral for the purpose of securing the Secured Obligations, including all other security agreements, pledge agreements, loan agreements, notes, guarantees, subordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, fee letters, notices, leases, financing statements and all other written matter whether heretofore, now, or hereafter executed by the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the sum of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and Term Loan Commitment.  The initial amount of each  Lender’s Commitment is set forth on the Commitment Schedule, or in the Assignment and Assumption or in the Commitment and Acceptance, as applicable, pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.  The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $125,000,000.

 

Commitment Schedule” means the Schedule attached hereto identified as such.

 

Consolidated Availability” means, at any time, (i) Eligible Cash plus (ii) the maximum aggregate amount of Loans and Letters of Credit that are available to be made or issued, respectively, hereunder in accordance with the terms hereof and without causing a Default under Section 6.12 minus (iii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans and all LC Exposure.

 

5



 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any extraordinary non-cash charges for such period and (v) any other non-cash charges for such period (but excluding any non-cash charge in respect of an item that was included in Net Income in a prior period and any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of inventory), minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Net Income, (i) any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(v) taken in a prior period and (ii) any extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income for such period, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such date.

 

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

 

 “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) such Lender’s Revolving Exposure at such time, plus (b) an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of its Term Loans outstanding at such time.

 

Deemed Dividend Problem” means, with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, such Foreign Subsidiary’s accumulated and undistributed earnings and profits being deemed to be repatriated to the Borrower or the applicable parent Domestic Subsidiary for U.S. federal income tax purposes and the effect of such repatriation causing materially adverse tax consequences to the Borrower or such parent Domestic Subsidiary, in each case as determined by the Borrower in its commercially reasonable judgment acting in good faith and in consultation with its legal and tax advisors.

 

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

 

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

 

Documentation Agent” means Fifth Third Bank, in its capacity as documentation agent for the credit facility evidenced by this Agreement.

 

6



 

dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or in the District of Columbia.

 

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

 

Eligible Cash” means, at any time, the aggregate of all cash on hand and Permitted Investments of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, in each case subject to no Liens other than Permitted Encumbrances (excluding Bonding Obligations) or Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent.

 

Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.

 

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

 

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under

 

7



 

Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

 

Excluded Assets” means any property (x) subject to any “certificate of title” (as defined in the UCC), (y) subject to any lease or other right-of-use agreement or constituting a leasehold or similar interest or (z) constituting any real property or interest therein or any “fixtures” (as defined in the UCC) related thereto.

 

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the designation of a new lending office (or to the assignment by such Foreign Lender’s assignor), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17(a), or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e).

 

Existing Letters of Credit” is defined in Section 2.06.

 

Extended Letter of Credit” is defined in Section 2.06(c).

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received

 

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by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.

 

Financial Assistance Problem” means, with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, the inability of such Foreign Subsidiary to become a Subsidiary Guarantor or to permit its Equity Interests from being pledged pursuant to a pledge agreement on account of legal or financial limitations imposed by the jurisdiction of organization of such Foreign Subsidiary or other relevant jurisdictions having authority over such Foreign Subsidiary, in each case as determined by the Borrower in its commercially reasonable judgment acting in good faith and in consultation with its legal and tax advisors.

 

Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.

 

First Tier Foreign Subsidiary” means each Foreign Subsidiary with respect to which any one or more of the Borrower and its Domestic Subsidiaries directly owns or controls more than 50% of such Foreign Subsidiary’s issued and outstanding Equity Interests.

 

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located.  For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary which is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

Funding Account” means the deposit account of the Borrower to which the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrower to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such

 

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Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

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

 

Holders of Secured Obligations” means the holders of the Secured Obligations from time to time and includes (i) each Lender and the Issuing Bank in respect of its Loans and LC Exposure respectively, (ii) the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders in respect of all other present and future obligations and liabilities of the Borrower and each other Loan Party of every type and description arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (iii) each Lender and Affiliate of such Lender in respect of Swap Agreements and Banking Services entered into with such Person by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, (iv) each indemnified party under Section 9.03 in respect of the obligations and liabilities of the Borrower to such Person hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and (v) their respective successors and (in the case of a Lender, permitted) transferees and assigns.

 

Hostile Acquisition” means (a) the acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such Equity Interests which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by the board of directors (or any other applicable governing body) of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation and (b) any such acquisition as to which such approval has been withdrawn.

 

Immaterial Subsidiary” means each of the following Subsidiaries so long as each such Subsidiary is an inactive entity with no assets or liabilities (other than arising from or relating to past inactivity or nonuse of such Person or otherwise associated with the dissolution of such Person):  Col-El-Co., a Delaware corporation, Cybertol, Inc., a New York corporation, Lemco Construction, Inc., a Delaware corporation, MFR, Inc., a Delaware corporation and Long Electric Company, a Michigan corporation.

 

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease

 

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Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (k) the Net Mark-to-Market Exposure of such Person under each Swap Agreement to the extent entered into for investment or speculative purposes and (l) obligations under any liquidated earn-out.  The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

 

Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated July 2007 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.

 

Interest Coverage Ratio” means, for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period to (b) Interest Expense for such period.

 

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.

 

Interest Expense” means, with reference to any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), calculated on a consolidated basis for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period in accordance with GAAP.

 

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and the Maturity Date, and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid and the Maturity Date.

 

Interest Period” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, in each case as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business

 

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Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i).  The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(j).

 

LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed to the Issuing Bank by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time.  The LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

 

Lenders” means the Persons listed on the Commitment Schedule and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.

 

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to such date).

 

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Reuters BBA Libor Rates Page 3750 (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period.  In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal

 

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London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any promissory notes issued pursuant to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit applications, the Collateral Documents, the Subsidiary Guaranty, and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates identified in Section 4.01 executed and delivered to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lenders and including all other pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, notices, letter of credit agreements and all other written matter whether heretofore, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby.  Any reference in the Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to the Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.

 

Loan Parties” means the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

Loans” means the loans and advances made by the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement, including Swingline Loans.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the rights of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

 

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans, any Letters of Credit and any Affiliated Subordinated Debt), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $7,500,000.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “obligations” of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Material Subsidiary” (a) as of the Effective Date, Harlan Electric Company, The L. E. Myers Co., Hawkeye Construction, Inc., Sturgeon Electric Company, Inc., and Great Southwestern Construction, Inc. and (b) after the Effective Date, each Subsidiary (i) which, as of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower, for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters

 

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then ended, for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, contributed greater than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated EBITDA for such period or (ii) which contributed greater than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets as of such date.

 

Maturity Date” means August 31, 2012 or any earlier date on which the Revolving Commitments are reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof in accordance with Article VII.

 

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

 

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

 

Net Mark-to-Market Exposure” of a Person means, as of any date of determination, the excess (if any) of all unrealized losses over all unrealized profits of such Person arising from Swap Agreements.  “Unrealized losses” means the fair market value of the cost to such Person of replacing such Swap Agreements as of the date of determination (assuming the Swap Agreements were to be terminated as of that date), and “unrealized profits” means the fair market value of the gain to such Person of replacing such Swap Agreement as of the date of determination (assuming such Swap Agreement were to be terminated as of that date).

 

Net Proceeds” means, with respect to any event, (a) the cash proceeds actually received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of such event including (i) any cash received in respect of any non-cash proceeds (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment receivable or otherwise, but excluding any interest payments), but only as and when received, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance proceeds (net of any deduction) and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, net of (b) the sum of (i) all reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable) to third parties (other than Borrower and its Subsidiaries) in connection with such event, (ii) in the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or a casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of all payments required to be made as a result of such event to repay Indebtedness

 

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(other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event and (iii) the amount of all taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable) and the amount of any reserves established to fund contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in each case during the year that such event occurred or the next succeeding year and that are directly attributable to such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Financial Officer).

 

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(d).

 

Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of the Loan Parties to the Lenders or to any Lender, the Administrative Agent, the  Issuing Bank or any indemnified party arising under the Loan Documents, in each case whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether all such obligations arise or accrue before or after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or receivership proceedings, including, without limitation, interest and fees accruing pre-petition or post-petition and costs, expenses, and attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees, whenever incurred (and whether or not such claims, interest, costs, expenses or fees are allowed or allowable in any such proceeding).

 

Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.

 

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise but excluding in any event a Hostile Acquisition) or series of related acquisitions by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of all or substantially all the assets of, or more than fifty percent (50%) of the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line of business of a Person if, at the time of and immediately after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto, (b) such Person or division or line of business is engaged in the same or a similar line of business as the Borrower and the Subsidiaries or business reasonably related thereto, (c) all actions required to be taken with respect to such acquired or newly formed Subsidiary under Section 5.11 shall have been taken, (d) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent after giving effect to such acquisition (without giving effect to any cost savings), with the covenants contained in Section 6.12 recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, as if such acquisition (and any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, with any new Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in accordance with its terms) had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such compliance and the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer

 

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of the Borrower to such effect, together with all relevant financial information, statements and projections requested by the Administrative Agent, (e) in the case of an acquisition or merger involving the Borrower or a Subsidiary, the Borrower or such Subsidiary is the surviving entity of such merger and/or consolidation and (f) Consolidated Availability is not less than $10,000,000.

 

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a)           Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not more than 60 days past due or which can thereafter be paid without penalty or which are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(b)           carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other similar Liens imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 60 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(c)           Liens and deposits arising in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws and regulations;

 

(d)           Liens and deposits in connection with Bonding Obligations;

 

(e)           judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII; and

 

(f)            easements, zoning restrictions and other governmental restrictions on use, rights of way, permits, conditions, servitudes, exceptions, covenants, restrictions and all other encumbrances on or in respect of real property or any interest therein that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

 

(g)           Liens securing the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any leases, right-of-use or similar agreement (but only with respect to the property so leased or used) that do not constitute Capital Lease Obligations;

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.

 

Permitted Investments” means:

 

(a)           direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

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(b)           investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

 

(c)           investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(d)           fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and

 

(e)           money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

 

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

 

Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

Pledge Subsidiary” means each Domestic Subsidiary (other than Parkway on the Lake, Inc., a Michigan corporation and each Immaterial Subsidiary) and First Tier Foreign Subsidiary which is, in each case, a direct Subsidiary of the Borrower or a direct Subsidiary of a Material Subsidiary.

 

Prepayment Event means:

 

(a)           any sale, transfer or other disposition (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction) of any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, other than dispositions described in Section 6.05; provided, that any sale, transfer or other disposition associated with any event described in clause (b) below shall be subject to the terms and conditions of such clause (b); or

 

(b)           any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that results in the Borrower or such Subsidiary receiving Net Proceeds in respect of such property or asset equal to or greater than $5,000,000; or

 

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(c)           the issuance by the Borrower of any Equity Interests, or the receipt by the Borrower of any capital contribution; in either case pursuant to an initial public offering of the Borrower’s Equity Interests or other public offering of Equity Interests registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, or any offering pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any private placement of Equity Interests of the Borrower to other than an existing holder thereof, but only to the extent necessary to reduce, on a pro forma basis, the Leverage Ratio to less than or equal to 2.0 to 1.0; or

 

(d)           the incurrence by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Indebtedness (other than Loans), other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01 or permitted by the Required Lenders pursuant to Section 9.02.

 

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association as its prime rate at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

Projections” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(f).

 

Qualifying Equity Offering” means any initial public offering, or other public offering, registered pursuant to an effective registration statement (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or any substantially similar or successor form) in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, and including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) or any offering pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any private placement, in each case of voting common Equity Interests of the Borrower pursuant to which ArcLight Group ceases to have Control of the Borrower.

 

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.

 

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

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Credit Exposure and unused Commitments representing 662/3% or more of the sum of the total Credit Exposure and unused Commitments at such time.

 

Requirement of Law” means, as to any Person, the Certificate of Incorporation and By Laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

Restricted Payment” means (i) any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or (ii) any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any option, warrant or

 

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other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or (iii) any payment in respect of Affiliated Subordinated Debt.

 

Revolving Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.04 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.  The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments is $75,000,000.

 

Revolving Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum  at such time, without duplication, of (i) the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure, and (ii) an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Loans.

 

Revolving Lender” means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with a Revolving Commitment or, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.

 

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.

 

Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with all Swap Obligations and Banking Services Obligations owing to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates, in each case whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether all such obligations arise or accrue before or after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or receivership proceedings, including, without limitation, interest and fees accruing pre-petition or post-petition and costs, expenses, and attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees, whenever incurred (and whether or not such claims, interest, costs, expenses or fees are allowed or allowable in any such proceeding).

 

Security Agreement” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements thereto), dated as of the date hereof, between the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations, and any other pledge or security agreement entered into, after the date of this Agreement by any other Loan Party (as required by this Agreement or any other Loan Document), or any other Person, as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board).  Such

 

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reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D.  Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation.  The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

 

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any other Person (other than a natural person) the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other Person (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Material Subsidiary that becomes a party to a Subsidiary Guaranty (including pursuant to a joinder or supplement thereto).

 

Subsidiary Guaranty” means that certain Guaranty dated as of the Effective Date (including any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor, and any other guaranty agreements as are requested by the Administrative Agent and its counsel, in each case as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

Swap Obligations” of a Person means any and all obligations of such Person, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any and all Swap Agreements, and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction.

 

Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

 

Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.05.

 

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Syndication Agent” means Citibank, N.A., in its capacity as syndication agent for the credit facility evidenced by this Agreement.

 

Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

 

Term Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having a Term Loan Commitment.

 

Term Loan Commitment” means (a) as to any Term Lender, the aggregate commitment of such Term Lender to make Term Loans as set forth in the Commitment Schedule or in the most recent Assignment Agreement executed by such Term Lender or pursuant to Section 2.04 hereof and (b) as to all Term Lenders, the aggregate commitment of all Term Lenders to make Term Loans, which aggregate commitment shall be $50,000,000 on the date of this Agreement.  After advancing the Term Loan, each reference to a Term Lender’s Term Loan Commitment shall refer to that Term Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Term Loans.

 

Term Loans” means the term loans or incremental term loans extended by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(b) or Section 2.04 hereof.

 

Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the borrowing of Loans and other credit extensions, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or any other state the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests.

 

Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness” of the Borrower or any Subsidiary means any Indebtedness of such Person the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the Secured Obligations to the written satisfaction of, and the terms and conditions of which are otherwise satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent.

 

Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents” means any document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Subordinated Indebtedness or entered into in connection with any Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

Unliquidated Obligations” means, at any time, any Secured Obligations (or portion thereof) that are contingent in nature or unliquidated at such time, including any Secured Obligation that is: (i) an obligation to reimburse a bank for drawings not yet made under a letter of credit issued by it; (ii) any other obligation (including any guarantee) that is contingent in nature at such time; or (iii) an obligation to provide collateral to secure any of the foregoing types of obligations.

 

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Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

SECTION 1.02.  Classification of Loans and Borrowings.  For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”).  Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).

 

SECTION 1.03.  Terms Generally.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.  Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.04.  Accounting Terms; GAAP.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until  such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision  amended in accordance herewith.

 

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ARTICLE II

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01.  Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (a) each Revolving Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment or (ii) the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the sum of the total Revolving Commitments and (b) each Term Lender agrees to make a Term Loan to the Borrower on the Effective Date, in an amount equal to such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment by making immediately available funds available to the Administrative Agent’s designated account, not later than the time specified by the Administrative Agent.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.  Amounts prepaid or repaid in respect of Term Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

SECTION 2.02.  Loans and Borrowings.  (a) Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class.  Any  Swingline Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05.  The Term Loans shall amortize as set forth in Section 2.10.

 

(b)           Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing and Term Loan Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith, provided that all Revolving Borrowings made on the Effective Date must be made as ABR Borrowings but may be converted into Eurodollar Borrowings in accordance with Section 2.08.  Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.  Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(c)           At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000.  At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $50,000 and not less than $500,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Revolving Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e).  Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000 and not less than $50,000.  Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided, however, that there shall not at any time be more than a total of eight (8) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

 

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SECTION 2.03.  Requests for Borrowings.  To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request either in writing (delivered by hand or telecopy) in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower or by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing.  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)            the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

 

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

 

(iii)          whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

(iv)          in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period.”

 

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.04.  Increase of Commitments.  At any time, but not more than five (5) times during the term of this Agreement, the Borrower may request that the aggregate of the Commitments (the “Aggregate Commitment”) be increased by increasing the Revolving Commitments and/or obtaining incremental Term Loans hereunder; provided that (i) the Aggregate Commitment shall at no time exceed $175,000,000 and (ii) each such request shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000.  Any such incremental Term Loans (A) shall rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the Revolving Loans and all other Term Loans, (B) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date, (C) shall not have a weighted average life that is shorter than the then-remaining weighted average life of the initial Term Loans, and (D) shall be otherwise treated substantially the same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the other Term Loans (in each case, including with respect to pricing and mandatory and voluntary prepayments).  Each such request shall be made in a written notice given to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower not less than ten (10) Business Days prior to the proposed effective date of such increase, which notice (a “Commitment Increase Notice”) shall specify the amount of the proposed increase in the Aggregate Commitment, whether such

 

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increase is to be allocated to the Revolving Commitments and/or incremental Term Loans and the proposed effective date of such increase.  The Borrower may notify the Administrative Agent of any financial institution that shall have agreed to become a “Lender” party hereto (a “Proposed New Lender”) in connection with the Commitment Increase Notice and any Proposed New Lender shall be consented to by the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower, the Lenders and any Proposed New Lender on or before the Business Day immediately prior to the proposed effective date of the amount of each Lender’s and Proposed New Lender’s Revolving Commitment and/or incremental Term Loan commitment (collectively, the “Effective Commitment Amount”) and the amount of the Aggregate Commitment, which amount shall be effective on the following Business Day.  Any increase in the Aggregate Commitment shall be subject to the following conditions precedent: (A) as of the date of the Commitment Increase Notice and as of the proposed effective date of the increase in the Aggregate Commitment, all representations and warranties under Article III shall be true and correct in all material respects as though made on such date (except to the extent that any such representation or warranty relates solely to any earlier date, in which case it should have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date) and no event shall have occurred and then be continuing which constitutes a Default, (B) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Proposed New Lender or Lender that shall have agreed to provide a “Revolving Commitment” or incremental Term Loans in support of such increase in the Aggregate Commitment shall have executed and delivered a “Commitment and Acceptance” substantially in the form of Exhibit C, (C) counsel for the Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent supplemental opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (D) the Borrower and each Proposed New Lender shall otherwise have executed and delivered such other instruments and documents that the Administrative Agent shall have reasonably requested in connection with such increase and (E) the Administrative Agent shall have administered the reallocation of the Credit Exposures on the effective date of such increase ratably among the Lenders (including new Lenders) after giving effect to such increase.  The Borrower hereby agrees to compensate each Lender for all losses, expenses and liabilities incurred by such Lender in connection with the sale and assignment of any Eurodollar Loan hereunder on the terms and in the manner as set forth in Section 2.16 hereof. Upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent to any increase in the Aggregate Commitment, the Administrative Agent shall promptly advise the Borrower and each Lender of the effective date of such increase.  Upon the effective date of any increase in the Aggregate Commitment that is supported by a Proposed New Lender, such Proposed New Lender shall be a party to this Agreement as a Lender and shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender hereunder.  Nothing contained herein shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase its Revolving Commitment or provide incremental Term Loans at any time.

 

SECTION 2.05.  Swingline Loans.  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $15,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the total Revolving Commitments; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and

 

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reborrow Swingline Loans.  To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan.  The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower.  The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the Funding Account (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank, and in the case of repayment of another Loan or fees or expenses as provided by Section 2.18(c), by remittance to the Administrative Agent to be distributed to the Lenders) by 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(b)           The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on any Business Day require the Revolving Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding.  Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Revolving Lenders will participate.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Revolving Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.  Each Revolving Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender.  Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.

 

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(c)           Upon the making of a Swingline Loan (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default), each Revolving Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the Swingline Lender without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Swingline Loan in proportion to its Applicable Percentage of the Revolving Commitment.  The Swingline Lender may, at any time, require the Revolving Lenders to fund their participations.  From and after the date, if any, on which any Revolving Lender is required to fund its participation in any Swingline Loan purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Loan.

 

SECTION 2.06.  Letters of Credit. (a) General.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Issuing Bank agrees to issue, amend, extend and renew, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period, at the request of the Borrower, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, one or more Letters of Credit for the Borrower’s account having an amount available for draw that will not result in the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the sum of the total Revolving Commitments of all Lenders.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.  The letters of credit previously issued and identified on Schedule 2.06 (the “Existing Letters of Credit”) shall be deemed to be “Letters of Credit” issued on the Effective Date for all purposes of the Loan Documents.

 

(b)           Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.  If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.  A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, the total Revolving Exposures shall not exceed the total Revolving Commitments.

 

(c)           Expiration Date.  Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided that,

 

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upon the Borrower’s request, any such Letter of Credit which expires in the final year prior to the Maturity Date may have a later expiry date if cash collateralized or covered by standby letter(s) of credit in compliance with Section 2.06(j) below (each such Letter of Credit, an “Extended Letter of Credit”).

 

(d)           Participations.  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Revolving Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

(e)           Reimbursement.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrower may request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan.  If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders provided that such payment shall be payable by no later than 12:00 noon Chicago time), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing

 

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Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Revolving Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

 

(f)            Obligations Absolute.  The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.  Neither the Administrative Agent, the Revolving Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof.  The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank, the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.  In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

(g)           Disbursement Procedures.  The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit.  The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

 

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(h)           Interim Interest.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply.  Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

(i)            Replacement of the Issuing Bank.  The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Revolving Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank.  At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b).  From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require.  After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

(j)            Cover.  If (x) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required  Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph or (y) the Borrower requests the issuance of an Extended Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall either (A) cover by arranging for the issuance of one or more standby letters of credit issued by an issuer, and otherwise on terms and conditions, satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or (B) deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Revolving Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to 105% of the LC Exposure in respect of such Extended Letter of Credit (in the case of the foregoing clause (y)) or in the aggregate (in the case of the foregoing clause (x)) as of such date plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to provide such letter of credit cover or deposit such cover or cash collateral shall (1) be required by no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date in the case of an Extended Letter of Credit and (2) become effective immediately, and such cover or deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII.  Such cover and deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account

 

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and the Borrower hereby grants the Administrative Agent a security interest in the LC Collateral Account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of letter of credit cover or cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all such Defaults have been cured or waived.

 

SECTION 2.07.  Funding of Borrowings.  (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage; provided that, Term Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.01(b) and 2.02(b) and Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05.  The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available in immediately available funds to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to the Funding Account; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

 

(b)           Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans.  If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.  Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from any obligation to fund any Loans in accordance with the terms and conditions hereunder or to prejudice any rights which the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

SECTION 2.08.  Interest Elections.  (a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing,

 

31



 

shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request.  Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section.  The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.  This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

(b)           To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election.  Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.

 

(c)           Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)            the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

(ii)           the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(iii)          whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

(iv)          if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

 

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

 

(d)           Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

 

(e)           If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision

 

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hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

SECTION 2.09.  Termination and Reduction of Commitments.  (a) Unless previously terminated, (i) the Term Loan Commitments shall terminate at 4:00 p.m. Chicago time, on the Effective Date and (ii) all other Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

 

(b)           The Borrower may at any time terminate the Revolving Commitments upon (i) the payment in full of all outstanding Loans, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon and on any Letters of Credit, (ii) the cancellation and return of all outstanding Letters of Credit (or alternatively, with respect to each such Letter of Credit, the furnishing to the Administrative Agent of a cash deposit (or at the discretion of the Administrative Agent a back up standby letter of credit satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) equal to 105% of the LC Exposure as of such date), (iii) the payment in full of the accrued and unpaid fees, and (iv) the payment in full of all reimbursable expenses and other Obligations together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon.

 

(c)           The Borrower may at any time and from time to time reduce the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000.

 

(d)           The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof.  Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.  Any termination or reduction of the Revolving  Commitments shall be permanent.  Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.

 

SECTION 2.10.  Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt.  (a)The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date, and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least five Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Loan is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.  The Borrower shall repay Term Loans on each date set forth below (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 2.18(a)) in the

 

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aggregate principal amount set forth opposite such date (as adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 2.11(d)):

 

Date

 

Amount

 

September 30, 2008

 

$

625,000

 

December 31, 2008

 

$

625,000

 

March 31, 2009

 

$

625,000

 

June 30, 2009

 

$

625,000

 

September 30, 2009

 

$

1,250,000

 

December 31, 2009

 

$

1,250,000

 

March 31, 2010

 

$

1,250,000

 

June 30, 2010

 

$

1,250,000

 

September 30, 2010

 

$

1,250,000

 

December 31, 2010

 

$

1,250,000

 

March 31, 2011

 

$

1,250,000

 

June 30, 2011

 

$

1,250,000

 

September 30, 2011

 

$

1,250,000

 

December 31, 2011

 

$

1,250,000

 

March 31, 2012

 

$

1,250,000

 

 

To the extent not previously paid, all unpaid Term Loans shall be paid in full in cash by the Borrower on the Maturity Date.

 

(b)           Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

(c)           The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(d)           The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(e)           Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.  In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent.  Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times

 

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(including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).

 

SECTION 2.11.  Prepayment of Loans.  (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty (except for break funding payments in accordance with Section 2.16), subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (d) of this Section.

 

(b)           In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of any Prepayment Event, the Borrower shall, within five (5) Business Days following the date such Net Proceeds are received, prepay the Obligations as set forth in Section 2.11(d) below in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of such Net Proceeds, provided that, in the case of any event described in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of the term “Prepayment Event” that would otherwise require a prepayment to be made pursuant to this Section 2.11(b), if the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that the Borrower or its relevant Subsidiary intends to apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof specified in such certificate), within 90 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds, to acquire (or replace or rebuild) real property, equipment or other tangible assets (excluding inventory) to be used in the business of the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries, and certifying that no Default has occurred and is continuing, then no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this paragraph in respect of the Net Proceeds specified in such certificate; provided further that to the extent of any such Net Proceeds therefrom that have not been so applied by the end of such 90 day period, at which time a prepayment shall be required in an amount equal to such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied; provided, further that the Borrower shall not be permitted to make elections to use Net Proceeds to acquire (or replace or rebuild) real property, equipment or other tangible assets (excluding inventory) with respect to Net Proceeds in any fiscal year in an aggregate amount in excess of $7,500,000.

 

(c)           All amounts to be prepaid pursuant to Section 2.11(b) shall be applied to prepay the Term Loans.  Any prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.11(a) or 2.11(b) shall be applied, if so elected by the Borrower so long as no Event of Default is then continuing, ratably to remaining installments of principal of the Term Loans, and otherwise in inverse order of maturity of the Term Loans.

 

(d)           The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance

 

35



 

with Section 2.09.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02.  Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Revolving Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing, and each prepayment of a Term Loan Borrowing shall be applied in accordance with the terms hereof, and in each case, any such prepayments shall be accompanied by (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and (ii) break funding payments pursuant to Section 2.16.

 

SECTION 2.12.  Fees.  (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily amount of the Available Revolving Commitment of such Revolving Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments terminate.  Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September and December and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof.  All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  Swingline Loans shall not be included in Revolving Exposure in determining the Available Revolving Commitment for the purpose of calculating the commitment fee due hereunder.

 

(b)           The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which such Revolving Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of each March, June, September and December shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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(c)           The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)           All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders.  Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

 

SECTION 2.13.  Interest.  (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(b)           The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the  rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

 

(d)           Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

(e)           All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

SECTION 2.14.  Alternate Rate of Interest.  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

 

37



 

(a)           the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 

(b)           the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.15.  Increased Costs.  (a) If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)            impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank; or

 

(ii)           impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)           If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional

 

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amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)           A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section and describing in reasonable detail the basis of such compensation and method of calculation shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)           Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.16.  Break Funding Payments.  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09(d) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event.  In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.  A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts (and the computation of any such loss, cost or expense in reasonable detail) 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 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.17.  Taxes.  (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

(b)           In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

(c)           The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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

 

(e)           Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or as otherwise reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.

 

(f)            If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by

 

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the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

 

SECTION 2.18.  Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs.  (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set off or counterclaim.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at Chase Tower, Chicago, Illinois, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

 

(b)           Any proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent (i) constituting either (A) a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents shall be applied as specified by the Borrower, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or (B) a mandatory prepayment (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.11) and (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct, such funds shall be applied ratably first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements including amounts then due to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank from the Borrower (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Obligations), second, to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the Borrower (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Obligations), third, to pay interest then due and payable on the Loans ratably (with amounts being applied to the Term Loans to be applied to installments of the Term Loan in inverse order of maturity), fourth, to prepay principal on the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements ratably, fifth, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the aggregate undrawn face amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit and the aggregate amount of any unpaid LC Disbursements, to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations, sixth, to payment of any amounts owing with respect to Banking Services Obligations and Swap Obligations, and seventh, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Borrower.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, unless so directed by the Borrower, or unless a Default is in existence, neither the Administrative

 

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Agent nor any Lender shall apply any payment which it receives to any Eurodollar Loan of a Class, except (a) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable to any such Eurodollar Loan or (b) in the event, and only to the extent, that there are no outstanding ABR Loans of the same Class and, in any event, the Borrower shall pay the break funding payment required in accordance with Section 2.16.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to any portion of the Secured Obligations.

 

(c)           At the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder whether made following a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.03 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agrees that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans (including Swingline Loans), and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Sections 2.03, 2.04 or 2.05, as applicable and (ii) the Administrative Agent to charge any deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.

 

(d)           If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered,  such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).  The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

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(e)           Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

(f)            If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05, 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(e) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

 

SECTION 2.19.  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then:

 

(a)           such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender  (and the Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment);

 

(b)           the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, require such Lender or any Lender that defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder (herein, a “Departing Lender”), upon notice to the Departing Lender and the Administrative Agent, to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Revolving Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) the Departing Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the

 

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case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments.  A Departing Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Representations and Warranties

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 3.01.  Organization; Powers.  Each Loan Party is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

SECTION 3.02.  Authorization; Enforceability.  The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action.  The Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party have been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

SECTION 3.03.  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.  The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 3.04.  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.  (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007, certified as to the matters set forth in the immediately following sentence by a Financial Officer on behalf of the Borrower.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all

 

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material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

 

(b)           Since December 31, 2006, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

SECTION 3.05.  Properties.  (a) Each of the Loan Parties has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property (except for defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes) free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02.

 

(b)           The Loan Parties own, or are licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to their business as currently conducted, and the use thereof by the Loan Parties does not infringe in any material respect upon the rights of any other Person.

 

SECTION 3.06.  Litigation and Environmental Matters.  (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.

 

(b)           Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, none of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability, (ii) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, or (iii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability.

 

(c)           Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Laws and Agreements.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.08.  Investment Company Status.  Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

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SECTION 3.09.  Taxes.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.10.  ERISA.  No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.11.  Disclosure.  The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) or delivered hereunder contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered.

 

SECTION 3.12.  Solvency.  (a)  Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Borrower, at a fair valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Borrower will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Borrower will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Borrower will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date.

 

(b)           The Borrower does not intend to, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, and the Borrower does not believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it or any such Subsidiary and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness or the Indebtedness of any such Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 3.13.  Insurance.  The Borrower maintains, and has caused each Subsidiary to maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance on all their real and personal property in such amounts, subject to such deductibles and self-insurance retentions and covering such properties and risks as are adequate and customarily

 

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maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

SECTION 3.14.  Capitalization and SubsidiariesSchedule 3.14 sets forth (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Borrower of each and all of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries, (b) a true and complete listing of each class of each of the Borrower’s authorized Equity Interests, of which all of such issued shares are validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and owned beneficially and of record by the Persons identified on Schedule 3.14, and (c) the type of entity of the Borrower  and each of its Subsidiaries.  All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party has been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and is fully paid and non-assessable.

 

SECTION 3.15.  Security Interest in Collateral.  The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on all the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations, and, in the case Liens which can be perfected by the filing of UCC financing statements, upon the filing of the financing statements identified in Schedule 3.15, such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party and all third parties, and having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) any Liens permitted under Section 6.02 and (b) Liens perfected only by possession or control to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain possession or control of such Collateral in accordance with applicable law.

 

SECTION 3.16.  Labor Disputes.  As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened.  There are no labor controversies pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) which could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.

 

SECTION 3.17.  No Default.  No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01.  Effective Date.  The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

 

(a)           Credit Agreement and Loan Documents.  The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and

 

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(ii) duly executed copies of the Loan Documents and such other legal opinions, certificates, documents, instruments and agreements as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including any promissory notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.10 payable to the order of each such requesting Lender, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel and as further described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit B.

 

(b)           Financial Statements and Projections.  The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the 2004, 2005 and 2006 fiscal years, (ii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower, as reflected in the financial statements or projections contained in the Information Memorandum and (iii) satisfactory projections through 2009.

 

(c)           No Default Certificate.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, on the initial Borrowing date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in Article III are true and correct as of such date, and (iii) certifying any other factual matters as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)           Fees.  The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel to the Administrative Agent), on or before the Effective Date.  All such amounts will be paid with proceeds of Loans made on the Effective Date and will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on or before the Effective Date.

 

(e)           Lien Searches.  The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search of the Uniform Commercial Code records of each jurisdiction and office identified on Schedule 3.15, and such search shall reveal no liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a pay-off letter or other documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(f)            Pay-Off Letter.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a reasonably satisfactory pay-off letter in respect of the Borrower’s Credit Agreement dated as of July 10, 2006 with the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association as administration agent.

 

(g)           Funding Account.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a written money transfer notice setting forth the Funding Account.

 

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(h)           Pledged Stock; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes.  The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing the shares of Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any) pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof.

 

(i)            Filings, Registrations and Recordings.  Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Collateral Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.

 

(j)            Insurance.  The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of insurance coverage in form, scope, and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and otherwise in compliance with the terms of Section 5.09.

 

(k)           Letter of Credit Application.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed letter of credit application if the issuance of a Letter of Credit will be required on the Effective Date.

 

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

 

SECTION 4.02.  Each Credit Event.  The obligation of each Lender to make (but not convert, continue or extend) a Loan (other than a Loan which refinances a LC Disbursement in accordance with Section 2.06(e)), and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)           The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Loan or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent that any such representation or warranty relates solely to an earlier date, in which case it shall have been true and correct as of such earlier date, or, after prior notice to the Administrative Agent, is untrue or incorrect as a result of transactions permitted by the Loan Documents.

 

(b)           At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Each Loan and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, terminated, been cash collateralized or otherwise covered by letters of credit as permitted herein and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 5.01.  Financial Statements and Other Information.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

(a)           within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, accompanied by any management letter prepared by said accountants;

 

(b)           within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

(c)           concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of the Borrower executed on its behalf of a Financial Officer in substantially the form of Exhibit D (i) certifying, in the case of the financial statements delivered under clause (b), as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 and (iv) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has

 

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occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

 

(d)           as soon as available (following approval by the Borrower’s board of directors, if such approval is obtained in the ordinary course), but in any event not more than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and funds flow statement) of the Borrower for each month of the upcoming fiscal year (the “Projections”) substantially in form of the projections delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(b);

 

(e)           promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and

 

(f)            promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

SECTION 5.02.  Notices of Material Events.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

 

(a)           the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)           the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that has a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)           the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(d)           any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 5.03.  Existence; Conduct of Business.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, (a) do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits material to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct

 

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its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03 and (b) carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted.

 

SECTION 5.04.  Payment of Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay or discharge all Material Indebtedness and all other material liabilities and obligations, including Taxes, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.05.  Maintenance of Properties.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

 

SECTION 5.06.  Books and Records; Inspection Rights.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) keep proper books of record and account in accordance with prudent practices and (ii) permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.  The Borrower acknowledges that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain reports pertaining to the assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent agrees to use reasonable efforts to minimize, to the extent practicable and so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the number of separate requests from the Lenders to exercise their rights under this Section 5.06 and to coordinate the exercise by the Lenders of such rights.

 

SECTION 5.07.  Compliance with Laws.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.08.  Use of Proceeds.  The proceeds of the Term Loans will be used to finance a special dividend to the Borrower’s shareholders, to refinance certain existing indebtedness and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.  The proceeds of the Revolving Loans will be used to finance Permitted Acquisitions, working capital needs and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.  No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.

 

SECTION 5.09.  Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers (a) insurance in such

 

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amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks (including loss or damage by fire and loss in transit; theft, burglary, pilferage, larceny, embezzlement, and other criminal activities; business interruption; and general liability) and such other hazards, as is customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents.  The Borrower will furnish to the Lenders, upon request of the Administrative Agent, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.  The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent endorsements (x) to all “All Risk” physical damage or casualty insurance policies in respect of Collateral naming the Administrative Agent as loss payee, and (y) to all general liability and other liability policies naming the Administrative Agent an additional insured.  In the event the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries at any time or times hereafter shall fail to obtain or maintain any of the policies or insurance required herein or to pay any premium in whole or in part relating thereto, then the Administrative Agent, without waiving or releasing any obligations or resulting Default hereunder, may at any time or times thereafter (but shall be under no obligation to do so) obtain and maintain such policies of insurance and pay such premiums and take any other action with respect thereto which the Administrative Agent deems advisable.  All sums so disbursed by the Administrative Agent shall constitute part of the Obligations, payable as provided in this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.10.  Casualty and Condemnation.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders prompt written notice of any casualty or other insured damage (to the extent representing a loss of in excess of $1,000,000 per occurrence to any property) or the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any property of the Loan Parties or interest therein (with a value in excess of $1,000,000 per action or proceeding) under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding.

 

SECTION 5.11.  Subsidiary Guarantors; Pledges; Additional Collateral; Further Assurances.  (a)       As promptly as possible but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such later date as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent) after any Person becomes a Material Subsidiary, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing the material assets of such Person and shall cause each such Material Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent the Subsidiary Guaranty and the  Security Agreement pursuant to which such Material Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, such Subsidiary Guaranty and Security Agreement to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation and legal opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

(b)           The Borrower will cause, and will cause each other Loan Party to cause, all of its owned property (constituting personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, but excluding Excluded Assets) to be subject at all times to first priority, perfected Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations to secure the Secured Obligations in accordance with and to the extent required by the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents, subject in any case to Liens permitted by Section 6.02.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower will (i) cause the Applicable Pledge Percentage of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Pledge Subsidiary directly owned by the Borrower or any other Loan Party to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in

 

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favor of the Administrative Agent to secure the Secured Obligations in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents or such other security documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request and (ii) will, and will cause each Subsidiary Guarantor to, deliver deposit account control agreements or blocked account agreements with respect to deposit accounts maintained by, the Borrower or such Guarantor to the extent, and within such time period as is, reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, in each case in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Security Agreement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no pledge agreement in respect of the Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary shall be required hereunder to the extent the Administrative Agent or its counsel reasonably determines that such pledge would not provide material credit support for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations pursuant to legally valid, binding and enforceable pledge agreements.

 

(c)           Without limiting the foregoing, the Borrower will, and will cause each Loan Party to, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative Agent such documents, agreements and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by law or which the Administrative Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all at the expense of the Borrower.

 

SECTION 5.12.  Swap Agreements.  By no later than 60 days following the Effective Date, the Borrower (i) shall maintain a hedged position established by one or more Swap Agreements for a period of no less than two years following the initial Borrowing of the Term Loan, with the aggregate notional amount of such Swap Agreements equal to not less than fifty percent (50%) of the then outstanding aggregate principal balance of the Term Loan and on other terms which are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) shall neither assign, terminate or unwind any such Swap Agreements nor sell any Swap Agreements if the effect of such action (when taken together with any other Swap Agreements executed contemporaneously with the taking of such action) would have the effect of canceling its positions under such Swap Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable under any Loan Document have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired, terminated, been cash collateralized or otherwise covered by letters of credit as permitted herein and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 6.01.  Indebtedness.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

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(a)           the Secured Obligations;

 

(b)           Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

(c)           Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04;

 

(d)           Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01 and (ii) Guarantees by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04;

 

(e)           Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction, improvement, alteration or repair of any fixed or capital assets (whether or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction, improvement, alteration or repair and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed $40,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f)            Indebtedness owed to any Person providing workers’ compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)           Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of Bonding Obligations;

 

(h)           Indebtedness under any Swap Agreement entered into for bona fide hedging purposes and not for speculative or investment purposes;

 

(i)            Indebtedness constituting Affiliated Subordinated Debt; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (i) shall not exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(j)            Indebtedness constituting Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness; and

 

(k)           other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $7,500,000 at any time outstanding.

 

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SECTION 6.02.  Liens.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a)           Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

(b)           Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(c)           any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

(d)           Liens on assets acquired, constructed, improved, altered or repaired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction, improvement, alteration or repair,  (iii) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing, improving, altering or repairing such assets and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or Subsidiary (other than, in respect of any lease, under any one or more master lease agreements with same lessor or an Affiliate thereof);

 

(e)           any Lien existing on any property or asset (other than accounts receivable and inventory) prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset (other than accounts receivable and inventory) of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Loan Party, as the case may be;

 

(f)            Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(g)           Liens arising out of sale and leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06; and

 

(h)           Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of the Borrower or another Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness owed by such Subsidiary.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section 6.02 may at any time attach to any Loan Party’s (1) accounts receivable, other than those permitted under clauses (a) and (d) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrance and clause (a) above and (2) inventory, other than those permitted under clauses (a), (b) and (d) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrance and clause (a) above.

 

SECTION 6.03.  Fundamental Changes.  (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Material Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Loan Party (other than the Borrower) may merge into any Loan Party in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Loan Party, (iii) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04 and (iv) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may consummate Permitted Acquisitions.

 

(b)           The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.

 

SECTION 6.04.  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a Loan Party and a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit (whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise), except:

 

(a)           Permitted Investments and Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(b)           investments in existence on the date of this Agreement and described in Schedule 6.04;

 

(c)           investments by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in Equity Interests in their respective Subsidiaries, provided that (A) any such Equity Interests held by a Loan Party shall be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement (subject to the limitations applicable to common stock of a Foreign Subsidiary referred to in Section 5.12) and (B) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

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(d)           loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that the amount of such loans and advances made by Loan Parties to Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(e)           Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party shall (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f)            loans or advances made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to its employees on an arms-length basis in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices for travel and entertainment expenses, relocation costs and similar purposes up to a maximum of $500,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;

 

(g)           investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or consolidates or merges with the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition) so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;

 

(h)           investments received in connection with the dispositions of assets permitted by Section 6.05;

 

(i)            investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Encumbrances”; and

 

(j)            any other investment, loan or advance (other than acquisitions) so long as the aggregate amount of all such investments does not exceed $500,000 in principal amount or original investment outstanding during the term of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.05.  Asset Sales.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will the Borrower permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to the Borrower or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except:

 

(a)           sales, transfers and dispositions of (i) inventory in the ordinary course of business, (ii) used, obsolete, worn out or surplus equipment or property in the ordinary course of business and (iii) any equipment or property subject to any lease or right-of-use agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business, in accordance with the terms of such agreement;

 

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(b)           sales, transfers and dispositions to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be made in compliance with Section 6.08;

 

(c)           sales, transfers and dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;

 

(d)           sales, transfers and dispositions of investments permitted by clauses (i) and (k) of Section 6.04;

 

(e)           sale and leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

(f)            dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

 

(g)           sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other paragraph of this Section, provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in reliance upon this paragraph (g) shall not exceed $7,500,000 during any fiscal year of the Borrower.

 

SECTION 6.06.  Sale and Leaseback Transactions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets or equipment by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset or equipment (or, if acquired by the Borrower or such Subsidiary within 90 days prior to entering into such sale, not less than the prior purchase price of such asset or equipment) and is consummated within 90 days after the Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset or equipment.

 

SECTION 6.07.  Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness.  (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interest payable solely in additional units of its Equity Interests, (ii) Subsidiaries of the Borrower may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) the Borrower may make any other Restricted Payments so long as (A) no Event of Default has then occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto, (B) Consolidated Availability is not less than $20,000,000 immediately after giving effect thereto and (C) at the time thereof and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Leverage Ratio (as calculated pursuant to Section 6.12(b)) is not, and would not be, greater than 2.75 to 1.0.

 

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(b)           The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Indebtedness, except:

 

(i)            payment of Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;

 

(ii)           any payment in respect of Affiliated Subordinated Debt to the extent such payment is made from funds permitted to be paid as a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.07(a)(iii) and otherwise in conformity with the terms of subordination applicable thereto;

 

(iii)          any payment in respect of Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness made in accordance with the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents and Section 6.10;

 

(iv)          payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Indebtedness, other than payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof;

 

(v)           refinancings of Indebtedness to the extent permitted by Section 6.01; and

 

(vi)          payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness.

 

SECTION 6.08.  Transactions with Affiliates.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) transactions that (i) are in the ordinary course of business and (ii) are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among any Loan Party and any Pledge Subsidiary not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any investment permitted by Sections 6.04(c) or 6.04(d), (d) any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c) or (i), (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.07, (f) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04, (g) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of the Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and (h) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by the Borrower’s board of directors.

 

SECTION 6.09.  Restrictive Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the

 

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Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets (other than any Lien permitted by Section 6.02), or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.

 

SECTION 6.10.  Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness and Amendments to Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly voluntarily prepay, defease or in substance defease, purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire, any Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness or any Indebtedness from time to time outstanding under the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents.  Furthermore, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or any document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents (or any replacements, substitutions, extensions or renewals thereof) or pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued where such amendment, modification or supplement provides for the following or which has any of the following effects:

 

(a)           increases the overall principal amount of any such Indebtedness or increases the amount of any single scheduled installment of principal or interest;

 

(b)           shortens or accelerates the date upon which any installment of principal or interest becomes due or adds any additional mandatory redemption provisions;

 

(c)           shortens the final maturity date of such Indebtedness or otherwise accelerates the amortization schedule with respect to such Indebtedness;

 

(d)           increases the rate of interest accruing on such Indebtedness;

 

(e)           provides for the payment of additional fees or increases existing fees;

 

(f)            amends or modifies any financial or negative covenant (or covenant which prohibits or restricts the Borrower or any Subsidiary from taking certain actions) in a manner which is more onerous or more restrictive in any material respect to the Borrower or such Subsidiary or which is otherwise materially adverse to the Borrower, any Subsidiary and/or the Lenders or, in the case of any such covenant, which places material additional restrictions on the Borrower or such Subsidiary or which requires the Borrower or such Subsidiary to comply with more restrictive financial ratios or which requires the Borrower to better its financial performance, in each case from that set forth in the existing applicable covenants in the

 

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Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or the applicable covenants in this Agreement; or

 

(g)           amends, modifies or adds any affirmative covenant in a manner which (i) when taken as a whole, is materially adverse to the Borrower, any Subsidiary and/or the Lenders or (ii) is more onerous than the existing applicable covenant in the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or the applicable covenant in this Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.11.  Capital Expenditures.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur or make any Capital Expenditures, during any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower, in an amount exceeding $25,000,000; provided, that this Section 6.11 shall not apply if the Borrower’s Leverage Ratio (as most recently demonstrated pursuant to the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c)) is less than 2.5 to 1.0.

 

SECTION 6.12.  Financial Covenants.

 

(a)           Interest Coverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, to be less than 3.0 to 1.0.

 

(b)           Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0; provided that Indebtedness in respect of Letters of Credit with a maturity of one year or less (in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount of Consolidated EBITDA for such period as of the end of such fiscal quarter) shall not be included in determining Consolidated Total Indebtedness for calculating the Leverage Ratio in accordance with this clause (b).

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Events of Default

 

If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:

 

(a)           the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

(b)           the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;

 

(c)           any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any

 

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report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

 

(d)           the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence), 5.08, 5.11 or 5.12 or in Article VI;

 

(e)           the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those which constitute a default under another Section of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);

 

(f)            the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;

 

(g)           any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) 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;

 

(h)           an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

 

(i)            the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or such Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed

 

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against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(j)            the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

 

(k)           one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 (to the extent not covered by a creditworthy insurer which has not denied coverage and subject to customary deductibles) shall be rendered against the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

 

(l)            an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(m)          a Change in Control shall occur;

 

(n)           the occurrence of any “default”, as defined in any Loan Document (other than this Agreement) or the breach of any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document (other than this Agreement), which default or breach continues beyond any period of grace therein provided;

 

(o)           the Subsidiary Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Subsidiary Guaranty, or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the relevant Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party, or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under the Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect;

 

(p)           any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid and perfected first priority security interest in any Collateral purported to be covered thereby, except as permitted by the terms of any Collateral Document, or any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document, or any Loan Party shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of any Collateral Document, or the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any holder of Affiliated Subordinated Debt shall fail to comply with the terms and conditions set forth in Schedule 1.01, or any such terms and conditions shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of such terms and conditions; or

 

(q)           any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction based on any such assertion, that any

 

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provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms);

 

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times:  (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

The Administrative Agent

 

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf, including execution of the other Loan Documents, and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

 

The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or

 

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such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.  The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection with any Loan Document, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral or the existence of the Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

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

 

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower.  Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor.  If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the

 

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retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

None of the Lenders, if any, identified in this Agreement as a Syndication Agent or a Documentation Agent shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender.  Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to the relevant Lenders in their respective capacities as Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.

 

Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights of any Lender, in accordance with Section 9.08, the proceeds of which are applied in accordance with this Agreement, each Lender agrees that it will not take any action, nor institute any actions or proceedings, against the Borrower or with respect to any Loan Document, without the prior written consent of the Required Lenders or, as may be provided in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, with the consent of the Administrative Agent.

 

The Lenders are not partners or co-venturers, and no Lender shall be liable for the acts or omissions of, or (except as otherwise set forth herein in case of the Administrative Agent) authorized to act for, any other Lender.  The Administrative Agent shall have the exclusive right on behalf of the Lenders to enforce the payment of the principal of and interest on any Loan after the date such principal or interest has become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

In its capacity, the Administrative Agent is a “representative” of the Holders of Secured Obligations within the meaning of the term “secured party” as defined in the New York Uniform Commercial Code.  Each Lender authorizes the Administrative Agent to enter into each

 

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of the Collateral Documents to which it is a party and to take all action contemplated by such documents.  Each Lender agrees that no Holder of Secured Obligations (other than the Administrative Agent) shall have the right individually to seek to realize upon the security granted by any Collateral Document, it being understood and agreed that such rights and remedies may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations upon the terms of the Collateral Documents.  In the event that any Collateral is hereafter pledged by any Person as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and deliver on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations any Loan Documents necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations.  The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Lien granted to or held by the Administrative Agent upon any Collateral (i) as described in Section 9.02(c); (ii) as permitted by, but only in accordance with, the terms of the applicable Loan Document; or (iii) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, unless such release is required to be approved by all of the Lenders hereunder.  Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release particular types or items of Collateral pursuant hereto.  Upon any sale or transfer of assets constituting Collateral which is permitted pursuant to the terms of any Loan Document, or consented to in writing by the Required Lenders or all of the Lenders, as applicable, and upon at least two Business Days’ prior reasonably detailed written request by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by the Lenders to) execute such documents as may be necessary to evidence the release of the Liens granted to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations herein or pursuant hereto upon the Collateral that was sold or transferred; provided, however, that (i) the Administrative Agent shall not be required to execute any such document on terms which, in the Administrative Agent’s opinion, would expose the Administrative Agent to liability or create any obligation or entail any consequence other than the release of such Liens without recourse or warranty, and (ii) such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect or impair the Secured Obligations or any Liens upon (or obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of) all interests retained by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, including (without limitation) the proceeds of the sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01.  Notices.  (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

 

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(i)  if to the Borrower, to it at:

 

 

MYR Group Inc.

 

 

 

Three Continental Towers

 

 

 

1701 West Golf Road, Suite 1012

 

 

 

Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attention:

Marco A. Martinez, Vice
President, Chief Financial Officer
and Treasurer

 

Facsimile No:

847 ###-###-####

 

 

 

(ii)  if to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association at:

 

Loan and Agency Services Group

 

 

Chase Tower IL 1-0010

 

 

Chicago, Illinois 60670

 

 

Attention:

April Yebd

 

 

Facsimile No:

312 ###-###-####

 

 

 

 

(iii)  if to any other Lender, to it at its address or telecopy number set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

All such notices and other communications (i) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received or (ii) sent by telecopy shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.

 

(b)           Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including e-mail and internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower  may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.  All such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (b)(i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

 

(c)           Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

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SECTION 9.02.  Waivers; Amendments.  (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power.  The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

(b)           Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or, (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (iii) postpone any scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement (other than any reduction of the amount of, or any extension of the payment date for, the mandatory prepayments required under Section 2.11, in each case which shall only require the approval of the Required Lenders), or any date for the payment of any interest, fees or other Obligations payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the manner in which payments are shared, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender, (vi) release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their obligation under the Subsidiary Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents), without the written consent of each Lender, or (viii) except as provided in clauses (d) and (e) of this Section or in any Collateral Document, release all or substantially all of the Collateral, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.  The Administrative Agent may also amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.04

 

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(c)           The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to release any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral (i) upon the termination of the all Commitments, payment and satisfaction in full in cash of all Secured Obligations (other than Unliquidated  Obligations), and the cash collateralization of all Unliquidated Obligations in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if the Borrower certifies to the Administrative Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), (iii) constituting property leased to the Borrower or any Subsidiary under a lease which has expired or been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, or (iv) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of such Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article VII.  Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly being released) upon (or obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral.

 

(d)           If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent  requiring the consent of “each Lender” or “each Lender affected thereby,” the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but not obtained being referred to herein as a “Non-Consenting Lender”), then the Borrower may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrower shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non-Consenting Lender by the Borrower hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender.

 

SECTION 9.03.  Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.  (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the initial general syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through a service such as Intralinks) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of the Loan Documents (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing

 

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Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during  any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

(b)           The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities and related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, (other than in respect of Taxes or Other Taxes, in respect of which Section 2.17 shall govern), including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, relating to (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit) or (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from (x) the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee (or any Related Party thereof) or (y) the breach by such Indemnitee (or any Related Party thereof) of its obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

(c)           To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, penalty, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.

 

(d)           To the extent permitted by applicable law, each party hereto shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any other party hereto and its Related Parties, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

 

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(e)           All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

 

SECTION 9.04.  Successors and Assigns.  (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section.  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)(i)       Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

 

(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;

 

(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Term Loan to an assignee that is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

 

(C) the Issuing Bank, provided that no consent of the Issuing Bank shall be required for an assignment of all or any portion of a Term Loan.

 

(ii)           Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 or, in the case of a Term Loan, $1,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of

 

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a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;

 

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

 

(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain, subject to Section 9.12, material non-public information about the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

 

For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:

 

Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

(iii)          Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03).  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.

 

(iv)          The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

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(v)           Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05, 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon.  No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

 

(c)(i)        Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.  Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.

 

(ii)           A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.  A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.17 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.17(e) as though it were a Lender.

 

(d)           Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that

 

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no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

SECTION 9.05.  Survival.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments  delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

SECTION 9.06.  Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.07.  Severability.  Any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 9.08.  Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or

 

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any Subsidiary Guarantor against any of and all the Secured Obligations held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be unmatured.  The applicable Lender shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such set-off or application, provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such set-off or application under this Section.  The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

 

SECTION 9.09.  Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.  (a)The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

 

(b)           The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)           The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)           Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

SECTION 9.10.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).

 

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EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 9.11.  Headings.  Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.12.  Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by Requirement of Law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

SECTION 9.13.  Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law.  The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein.  Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrower in violation of any Requirement of Law.

 

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SECTION 9.14.  USA PATRIOT Act.  Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

 

SECTION 9.15.  Disclosure.  The Borrower and each Lender hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with any of the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates.

 

SECTION 9.16.  Appointment for Perfection.   Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable law can be perfected only by possession.  Should any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) obtain possession of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s instructions.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

MYR GROUP INC., as the Borrower

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Marco A. Martinez

 

 

 

Name Marco A. Martinez

 

 

Title: V.P., CFO and Treasurer

 

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, individually, as Administrative
Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Dawn Mase

 

 

 

Name Dawn Mase

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

CITIBANK, N.A., individually and as
Syndication Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Scott A. Miller

 

 

 

Name: Scott A. Miller

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

FIFTH THIRD BANK, individually and as Documentation Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Neil G. Mesch

 

 

 

Name: Neil G. Mesch

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Frank J. Jancar

 

 

 

Name: Frank J. Jancar

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

NATIONAL CITY BANK, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Renee M. Bonnell

 

 

 

Name: Renee M. Bonnell

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

Signature Page to Credit Agreement
MYR Group Inc.
August 2007