REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-4.1 2 dex41.htm REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT Revolving Credit Agreement

EXHIBIT 4.1

 


 

REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

August 19, 2005

 

among

 

SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.,

 

THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO,

 

THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO,

 

CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH,

as Co-Documentation Agent,

 

COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A. “RABOBANK

INTERNATIONAL”, NEW YORK BRANCH,

as Co-Documentation Agent,

 

SUNTRUST BANK

as Co-Documentation Agent,

 

CITICORP USA, INC.,

as Syndication Agent

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 


 

JPMORGAN SECURITIES INC. and CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 



Table of Contents

 

          Page

Article I DEFINITIONS    1
Section 1.01.    Defined Terms    1
Section 1.02.    Classification of Loans and Borrowings    25
Section 1.03.    Terms Generally    25
Section 1.04.    Accounting Terms; GAAP    25
Section 1.05.    Currencies, Currency Equivalents    26
Section 1.06.    Subsidiaries; Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries    26
Article II THE CREDITS    27
Section 2.01.    Commitments    27
Section 2.02.    Loans and Borrowings    28
Section 2.03.    Requests for Revolving Loan    28
Section 2.04.    Swingline Loans    29
Section 2.05.    Letters of Credit    31
Section 2.06.    Funding of Borrowings    36
Section 2.07.    Interest Elections    37
Section 2.08.    Termination or Reduction of Commitments    39
Section 2.09.    Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt    39
Section 2.10.    Prepayment of Loans    40
Section 2.11.    Fees    42
Section 2.12.    Interest    43
Section 2.13.    Alternate Rate of Interest    43
Section 2.14.    Increased Costs    44
Section 2.15.    Break Funding Payments    45
Section 2.16.    Taxes    46
Section 2.17.    Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs    47
Section 2.18.    Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders    50
Section 2.19.    Increase in Commitments    51
Article III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES    52
Section 3.01.    Organization; Powers    52
Section 3.02.    Authorization; Enforceability    53
Section 3.03.    Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts    53
Section 3.04.    Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change    53
Section 3.05.    Properties    53
Section 3.06.    Litigation and Environmental Matters    54
Section 3.07.    Compliance with Laws and Agreements    54
Section 3.08.    Investment and Holding Company Status    54
Section 3.09.    Taxes    54
Section 3.10.    ERISA    55
Section 3.11.    Disclosure    55
Section 3.12.    Margin Regulations    55

 

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Section 3.13.    Material Agreements and Liens    55
Section 3.14.    Subsidiaries, Etc.    56
Section 3.15.    Solvency.    56
Section 3.16.    Labor Matters    56
Article IV CONDITIONS    56
Section 4.01.    Effective Date    56
Section 4.02.    Each Credit Event    58
Article V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS    59
Section 5.01.    Financial Statements and Other Information    59
Section 5.02.    Notices of Material Events    61
Section 5.03.    Existence; Conduct of Business    61
Section 5.04.    Payment of Obligations    61
Section 5.05.    Maintenance of Properties; Insurance    62
Section 5.06.    Books and Records; Inspection Rights    62
Section 5.07.    Compliance with Laws    62
Section 5.08.    Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit    62
Section 5.09.    Additional Guarantors    62
Section 5.10.    Further Assurances    63
Article VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS    63
Section 6.01.    Indebtedness    63
Section 6.02.    Liens    64
Section 6.03.    Fundamental Changes    66
Section 6.04.    Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions    68
Section 6.05.    Hedging Agreements    70
Section 6.06.    Restricted Payments    71
Section 6.07.    Transactions with Affiliates    71
Section 6.08.    Restrictive Agreements    72
Section 6.09.    Senior Note Documents.    73
Section 6.10.    Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions    73
Section 6.11.    Fiscal Periods    74
Section 6.12.    Financial Covenants    74
Section 6.13.    Subordinated Indebtedness    74
Section 6.14.    Receivables Financings    75
Article VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT    75
Article VIII GUARANTEE    78
Section 8.01.    The Guarantee    78
Section 8.02.    Obligations Unconditional    78
Section 8.03.    Reinstatement    79
Section 8.04.    Subrogation    79
Section 8.05.    Remedies    80
Section 8.06.    Instrument for the Payment of Money    80
Section 8.07.    Continuing Guarantee    80

 

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          Page

Section 8.08.    Rights of Contribution    80
Section 8.09.    General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations    81
Article IX THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT    81
Article X MISCELLANEOUS    83
Section 10.01.    Notices    83
Section 10.02.    Waivers; Amendments    85
Section 10.03.    Expenses; Indemnity: Damage Waiver    87
Section 10.04.    Successors and Assigns    89
Section 10.05.    Survival    92
Section 10.06.    Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness    92
Section 10.07.    Severability    93
Section 10.08.    Right of Setoff    93
Section 10.09.    Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process    93
Section 10.10.    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL    94
Section 10.11.    Headings    94
Section 10.12.    Confidentiality    94
Section 10.13.    Perfection of Security Interests    95
Section 10.14.    Acknowledgments    95
Section 10.15.    European Monetary Union    95
Section 10.16.    Judgment Currency    96
Section 10.17.    Senior Note Documents    97
Section 10.18.    USA PATRIOT Act Notice    97

 

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 1.01 – Excluded Subsidiaries

Schedule 2.01 – Commitments

Schedule 3.06 – Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.13 – Material Agreements and Liens

Schedule 3.14 – Subsidiaries

Schedule 6.01 – Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 – Existing Liens

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A – Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B – Form of Security Agreement

Exhibit C – Form of Guarantee Assumption Agreement

Exhibit D – Form of Opinion of McGuireWoods LLP

Exhibit E – Form of Intercreditor Agreement

Exhibit F – Form of Assumption Agreement

Exhibit G – Form of Compliance Certificate

 

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REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of August 19, 2005 (this “Agreement” or this “Credit Agreement”), among SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC., a Virginia corporation (the “Borrower”), each of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower identified under the caption “SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS” on the signature pages hereto or that, pursuant to Section 5.09 hereof, shall become a “Subsidiary Guarantor” hereunder (individually, a “Subsidiary Guarantor” and, collectively, the “Subsidiary Guarantors”), each of the lenders that is a party hereto identified under the caption “LENDERS” on Schedule 2.01 hereto or that, pursuant to Section 2.19 or Section 10.04 hereof, shall become a “Lender” hereunder (individually, a “Lender” and, collectively, the “Lenders”), CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH, COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A. “RABOBANK INTERNATIONAL”, NEW YORK BRANCH and SUNTRUST BANK, as co-documentation agents (in such capacity, the “Co-Documentation Agents”), CITICORP USA, INC., as syndication agent (in such capacity, the “Syndication Agent”), and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as administrative agent (in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

The Borrower and its subsidiaries are engaged as an integrated group in the business of producing and processing pork, beef and turkey, furnishing the required supplies, services, equipment, credit and other facilities for such integrated operation and related businesses. The integrated operation requires financing on such a basis that credit supplied to the Borrower be made available from time to time to the Subsidiary Guarantors, as required for the continued successful operation of the Obligors, separately, and the integrated operation as a whole. In that connection, the Obligors have requested that the Lenders extend credit to the Borrower, by means of Dollar and Foreign Currency denominated loans and letters of credit, in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding up to but not exceeding $1,000,000,000 or its equivalent as herein provided (to be made available by the Borrower directly or indirectly to the Subsidiary Guarantors and other of its Subsidiaries in the circumstances specified herein), to finance the working capital needs and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.

 

The Lenders are willing to so agree, and accordingly, the parties hereto hereby 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. ABR Loans may be denominated only in Dollars.

 

Accounts Receivable” means, as to any Person, all accounts (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code) of such Person arising from the sale of Inventory in the ordinary course of its business.


Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise, (b) directly or indirectly acquires control of at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation that have ordinary voting power for the election of directors or (c) directly or indirectly acquires control of at least a majority of the partner, member or other ownership interests of any Person that is not a corporation.

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency 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” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Administrative Agent’s Account” means, for each Currency, an account in respect of such Currency designated by the Administrative Agent in a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

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

 

Affected Currency” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.13.

 

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.

 

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) 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 opening of business on the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

 

Applicable Dollar Percentage” means, with respect to any Dollar Lender, the percentage of the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment represented by such Dollar Lender’s Dollar Sub-Commitment; provided, that if the Dollar Sub-Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Dollar Percentages shall be determined based upon the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment most recently in effect, after giving effect to any assignments.

 

Applicable Multicurrency Percentage” means, with respect to any Multicurrency Lender, the percentage of the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment represented by such Multicurrency Lender’s Multicurrency Sub-Commitment; provided, that if the Multicurrency Sub-Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Multicurrency Percentages shall be determined based upon the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment most recently in effect, after giving effect to any assignments.

 

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Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Total Commitment represented by such Lender’s Commitments; provided, that if the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Total Commitment most recently in effect, after giving effect to any assignments.

 

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan, Eurocurrency Revolving Loan, Federal Funds Loan, Letter of Credit, Swingline Loan, or with respect to the Commitment Fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below for Loans of such Type, for Letters of Credit or Commitment Fees, as the case may be, based upon the ratings by Moody’s and S&P, respectively, applicable on such date to the Index Debt:

 

Index Debt Ratings:


   ABR Loans and
Swingline Loans


   

Eurocurrency Loans,
Federal Funds Loans,
and

Letters of Credit


    Commitment
Fees


 

Category 1

   0.000 %   0.625 %   0.150 %

Category 2

   0.000 %   0.875 %   0.175 %

Category 3

   0.125 %   1.125 %   0.200 %

 

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if either Moody’s or S&P shall not have in effect a rating for the Index Debt (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition), then such rating agency shall be deemed to have established a rating in Category 3; (ii) if the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall fall within different Categories, the Applicable Rate shall be based on the higher of the two ratings unless one of the two ratings is two levels lower than the other, in which case the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Category next below that of the higher of the two ratings; and (iii) if the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall be changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system of Moody’s or S&P), such change shall be effective as of the date on which it is first announced by the applicable rating agency, irrespective of when notice of such change shall have been furnished by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01(g) or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of Moody’s or S&P shall change, or if either such rating agency shall cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from such rating agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the rating most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.

 

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Approved Foreign Currency” means, at any time, the Euro; provided, that with the prior written agreement of all of the Multicurrency Lenders, such term shall include any other Foreign Currency, that, at such time, (a) is dealt with in the London interbank market, (b) is freely transferable and convertible into Dollars in the London foreign exchange market and (c) with respect to which no central bank or other governmental authorization in the country of issue of such Foreign Currency is required to permit use of such Foreign Currency by any Multicurrency Lender for making any Loan hereunder and/or to permit the Borrower to borrow and repay the principal thereof and to pay the interest thereon, unless such authorization has been obtained and is in full force and effect.

 

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.04(b).

 

Arrangers” means, collectively, JPMorgan Securities Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Assumption Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19.

 

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.

 

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

 

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

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

 

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

 

Business Day” means any day (a) 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, (b) if such day relates to a Borrowing of, a payment or prepayment of principal of or interest on, a continuation or conversion of or into, or the Interest Period for, a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars, or to a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such Borrowing, payment, prepayment, continuation, conversion, or Interest Period, that is also a day on which dealings in deposits denominated in Dollars are carried out in the London interbank market and (c) if such day relates to a Borrowing or continuation of, a payment or prepayment of principal of

 

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or interest on, or the Interest Period for, any Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in any Foreign Currency, or to a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such Borrowing, continuation, payment, prepayment or Interest Period, that is also a day on which commercial banks in the London foreign exchange market settle payments in the Principal Financial Center for such Foreign Currency.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person 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.

 

Category” means, when used with reference to Index Debt, that the Index Debt is noted as follows:

 

Category


   S&P Rating

   Moody’s Rating

Category 1

   > BBB-    > Baa3

Category 2

   > BB+ but < BBB-    > Ba1 but < Baa3

Category 3

   < BB+    < Ba 1

 

Change in Control” means (a) 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), of shares representing more than 25% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; or (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group.

 

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 Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.14(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or 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 or Swingline Loans.

 

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

 

Co-Documentation Agents” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

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Collateral Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent under the Security Agreement, together with its successors in such capacity.

 

Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment 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 aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.19 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 10.04 (and the “Commitment” of any Lender shall be deemed to include its Dollar Sub-Commitment and its Multicurrency Sub-Commitment, if any). The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, or in the Assumption Agreement or Increase Confirmation pursuant to which any Lender shall have increased its Commitment pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(ii) or provided a new Commitment pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(iii), as applicable. The initial amount of the Total Commitment (including the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment and the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment) is $1,000,000,000.

 

Commitment Fee” means the fees payable at the Applicable Rate pursuant to Section 2.11(a).

 

Commitment Increase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(a).

 

Commitment Increase Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(a).

 

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate duly executed by a Financial Officer substantially in the form of Exhibit G.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, an amount equal to (a) the sum for such period of Consolidated Net Income and, to the extent subtracted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, provisions for (i) taxes based on income, (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense and (iii) depreciation and amortization expense.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the consolidated cash interest expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including deferred or accrued cash interest expense and the cash interest portion of all Capital Lease Obligations during such period).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Consolidated Interest Expense for any period will be adjusted, on a pro forma basis to take into account the effect of any Acquisition or Disposition during such period, as if such Acquisition or Disposition (and any related incurrence or prepayment of Indebtedness) had occurred on the first day of such period.

 

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Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (or deficit) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that there shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income (i) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a consolidated Restricted Subsidiary) in which the Borrower has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income has been actually received by the Borrower in the form of dividends or similar distributions, (ii) the undistributed earnings of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions of such Restricted Subsidiary is restricted and (iii) any income or gain resulting from any write-up or revaluation of the assets of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in determining Consolidated Net Income for any period, appropriate adjustments shall be made to take into account the effect of any Acquisition or Disposition during such period, as if such Acquisition or Disposition had occurred on the first day of such period.

 

Consolidated Total Assets” means, on any date, the aggregate amount of assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shown on a consolidated balance sheet of such Persons at such date.

 

Consolidated Total Funded Debt” means the aggregate amount of Funded Debt of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, 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.

 

Coverage Covenant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(c).

 

Currency” means Dollars or any Foreign Currency.

 

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

 

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

 

Disposition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) sells, transfers or otherwise disposes of any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, whether through sale, transfer or other disposition of assets, merger or otherwise, (b) directly or indirectly sells, transfers or otherwise disposes of control of at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation that have ordinary voting power for the election of directors or (c) directly or indirectly sells, transfers or otherwise disposes of control of at least a majority of the partner, member or other ownership interests of any Person that is not a corporation.

 

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Dollar Equivalent” means, with respect to any Borrowing denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, the amount of Dollars that would be required to purchase the amount of the Foreign Currency of such Borrowing on the date two Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing (or, in the case of any determination made under Section 2.10(b) or redenomination under the last sentence of Section 2.17(c), or in the case of a redenomination of any other amount into Dollars as provided herein, on the date of determination or redenomination therein referred to), based upon the spot selling rate at which the Administrative Agent offers to sell such Approved Foreign Currency for Dollars in the London foreign exchange market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, for delivery two days later, provided, that with respect to the certification to be made by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.01(f), such spot selling rate shall be determined by reference to the spot selling rate set forth in the Wall Street Journal on the Business Day immediately preceding the date on which such certification is to be made.

 

Dollar LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Dollar Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements in respect of Dollar Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of any Obligor at such time. The Dollar LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Dollar Percentage of the Dollar LC Exposure of all Lenders at such time.

 

Dollar Lender” means (a) on the Effective Date, the Lenders having Dollar Sub-Commitments on Schedule 2.01 under the heading “Dollar Lenders” and (b) thereafter, the Lenders from time to time holding Loans made pursuant to Dollar Sub-Commitments or holding Dollar Sub-Commitments, after giving effect to any assignments thereof permitted by Section 10.04(b) or any Dollar Sub-Commitment Increase pursuant to Section 2.19.

 

Dollar Letters of Credit” means Letters of Credit that utilize the Dollar Sub-Commitments.

 

Dollar Loan” means a Loan denominated in Dollars.

 

Dollar Sub-Commitment” means, as to each Dollar Lender, the obligation of such Dollar Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Dollar Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.19 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 10.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Dollar Sub-Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Dollar Sub-Commitment or in the Assumption Agreement or Increase Confirmation pursuant to which any Lender shall have increased its Dollar Sub-Commitment pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(ii) or provided a new Commitment pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(iii), as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment is $800,000,000.

 

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Dollar Sub-Commitment Increase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(a).

 

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

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower organized under the laws of a State of the United States of America or the District of Columbia.

 

EDGAR” means the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval computer system for the receipt, acceptance, review and dissemination of documents submitted to the SEC in electronic format.

 

Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01.

 

Effective Date Debt Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 10.02(c).

 

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 Rights” means, with respect to any Person, any outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights or agreements of any kind (including, without limitation, any shareholders’ or voting trust agreements) for the issuance, sale, registration or voting of, or outstanding securities convertible into, any additional shares of capital stock of any class, or partnership or other ownership interests of any type in, such Person.

 

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

 

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“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 Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal 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.

 

Eurocurrency”, 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.

 

Euros” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.15(a).

 

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

 

Excluded Subsidiary” means the Subsidiaries of the Borrower listed on Schedule 1.01.

 

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Banks or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Obligors 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 an Obligor is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Obligors under Section 2.18(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) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.16(a).

 

Existing Credit Agreement” means the Multi-Year Credit Agreement dated as of December 6, 2001, as amended, among the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein, the Lenders named therein, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

 

Federal Funds”, 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 Federal Funds Rate. Federal Funds Loans may be denominated only in Dollars.

 

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

 

Federal Funds Rate” means the “offered rate”, as determined by the Administrative Agent, for overnight federal funds.

 

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

 

Foreign Currency” means at any time any Currency other than Dollars.

 

Foreign Currency Equivalent” means, with respect to any amount in Dollars, the amount of a Foreign Currency that could be purchased with such amount of Dollars using the reciprocal of the foreign exchange rate(s) specified in the definition of the term “Dollar Equivalent,” as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

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.

 

Funded Debt” means all Indebtedness which would, in accordance with GAAP, constitute debt, including:

 

(a) any Indebtedness with a maturity more than one year after the creation of such Indebtedness, including any portion thereof in current liabilities;

 

(b) any Indebtedness outstanding under a revolving credit or similar agreement other than any undrawn letters of credit;

 

(c) any Capital Lease Obligations; and

 

(d) any Guarantee with respect to Funded Debt of another Person, but only to extent that a payment demand has been made to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary under such Guarantee requiring the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary to make a payment thereunder with respect to the Funded Debt of such other Person.

 

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

 

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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.

 

Grantors” means the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries identified under the caption “GRANTORS” on the signature pages to the Security Agreement.

 

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 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.

 

Guarantee Assumption Agreement” means a Guarantee Assumption Agreement between each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is required pursuant to Section 5.09, or otherwise is designated by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.10 to, become a Subsidiary Guarantor after the Effective Date, and the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.

 

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

 

Hedging Agreement” means any swap agreement, cap agreement, collar agreement, put or call, futures contract, forward contract or similar agreement or arrangement entered into in respect of interest rates, foreign exchange rates or prices of commodities.

 

Increase Confirmation” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19(b).

 

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

 

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acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding 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 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 and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such 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. The Indebtedness of a Person shall not include obligations of such Person to pay rent under operating leases to the extent that such obligations do not constitute Capital Lease Obligations.

 

Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Index Debt” means the senior implied/issuer credit ratings of the Borrower.

 

Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated July, 2005 relating to the Borrower and the Transaction.

 

Intercreditor Agreement” means an Intercreditor Agreement between the Borrower (on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries), the Administrative Agent and purchasers or holders of Indebtedness issued under Senior Note Documents in substantially the form of Exhibit E hereto.

 

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07.

 

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Revolving Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency 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, (c) with respect to any Federal Funds Revolving Loan, the last day of each month and (d) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.

 

Interest Period” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency 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, 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 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, (ii) any Interest Period that commences on

 

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

 

Inventory” means, collectively, “Inventory” and “Farm Products” as defined in the Security Agreement.

 

Investment” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, property, services or securities or otherwise) of capital stock, bonds, notes, debentures, partnership or other ownership interests or other securities of any other Person or any agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale); (b) the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension of credit representing the purchase price of programming, advertising, inventory or supplies sold in the ordinary course of business); (c) the entering into of any Guarantee of, or other contingent obligation with respect to, Indebtedness or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such Person or (d) any Hedging Agreement having the commercial effect of a synthetic or derivative Investment.

 

Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. or any one or more other Lenders reasonably acceptable to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent who shall agree to become an issuing bank hereunder, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.05(i). Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by its Affiliates, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate. Any references herein to the “relevant” Issuing Bank shall mean the issuer of the related Letter of Credit.

 

Joint Venture” means any Investment by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as a joint venturer or partner in, or lender to, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary) principally engaged in a business in which the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are permitted by Section 6.03(b) to be engaged.

 

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

 

LC Exposure” means, as at any time, the sum of the Dollar LC Exposure and the Multicurrency LC Exposure.

 

Lenders” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.

 

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

 

Leverage Covenant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(a).

 

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurocurrency Borrowing and denominated in any Currency, the rate per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in such Currency for a period equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first day of such Interest Period appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen as of 11:00 A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period. In the event that such rate does not appear on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen (or otherwise on such screen), then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurocurrency Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which deposits in such Currency in the amount of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal 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.

 

LIBOR” means, for any Currency, the rate at which deposits denominated in such Currency are offered to leading banks in the London interbank market.

 

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. The interest of a lessor in any property leased pursuant to an operating lease shall not constitute a Lien over such property securing obligations of the related lessee to pay rent under such lease to the extent that such obligations do not constitute Capital Lease Obligations.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any promissory notes evidencing Loans hereunder and the Security Documents.

 

Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Local Time” means, with respect to any Loan denominated in or any payment to be made in any Currency, the local time in the Principal Financial Center for the Currency in which such Loan is denominated or such payment is to be made.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the Transactions, (b) the business, assets, operations, property, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Obligors, taken as a whole, (c) the ability of the Obligors. taken as a whole, to perform their payment obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or (d) the rights of or benefits available to the Lenders under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.

 

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of the

 

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Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Hedging 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 Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Material Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) that is a Domestic Subsidiary and (a) the portion of Consolidated Total Assets attributable, on a stand-alone basis, to such Restricted Subsidiary exceeds 5% of the Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter or (b) the portion of Consolidated EBITDA (after excluding all intercompany transactions) attributable, on a stand-alone basis, to such Restricted Subsidiary exceeds $50,000,000; provided, that (i) any Subsidiary that directly or indirectly owns a Material Subsidiary shall itself be a Material Subsidiary and (ii) on and after the Security Termination Date, in the event Subsidiaries that would otherwise not be Material Subsidiaries shall in the aggregate account for a percentage in excess of 20% of the Consolidated Total Assets or 20% of the Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of and for the most recently completed fiscal quarter, then one or more of such Subsidiaries designated by the Borrower (or, if the Borrower shall make no designation, one or more of such Subsidiaries in descending order based on their respective contributions to Consolidated Total Assets), shall be included as Material Subsidiaries to the extent necessary to eliminate such excess.

 

Maturity Date” means August 19, 2010; provided, that if such date is not a Business Day the Maturity Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

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

 

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

 

Multicurrency Lender” means (a) on the Effective Date, the Lenders having Multicurrency Sub-Commitments on Schedule 2.01 under the heading “Multicurrency Lenders” and (b) thereafter, the Lenders from time to time holding Loans made pursuant to Multicurrency Sub-Commitments or holding Multicurrency Sub-Commitments, after giving effect to any assignments thereof permitted by Section 10.04(b) or any Multicurrency Sub-Commitment Increase pursuant to Section 2.19(a).

 

Multicurrency Letters of Credit” means Letters of Credit that utilize the Multicurrency Sub-Commitments.

 

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Multicurrency Loan” means a Loan denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency.

 

Multicurrency Sub-Commitment” means, as to each Multicurrency Lender, the obligation of such Multicurrency Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, in each case, denominated in Dollars or in an Approved Foreign Currency, expressed as a Dollar amount representing the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.19 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 10.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Multicurrency Sub-Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Multicurrency Sub-Commitment or in the Assumption Agreement or Increase Confirmation pursuant to which any Lender shall have increased its Multicurrency Sub-Commitment pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(ii) or provided a new Commitment pursuant to Section 2.19(b)(iii), as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment is $200,000,000.

 

Multicurrency Sub-Commitment Increase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.19.

 

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

 

Obligors” means, collectively, the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Grantors, in each case from time to time party to any Loan Document.

 

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.

 

Pari Passu Debt” means any Indebtedness (a) in respect of which the Borrower is primarily liable as the borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors (but no other Subsidiary) are liable as guarantors, (b) that is secured only by the Lien created by the Security Agreement and (c) that the Required Lenders consent to as being treated as Pari Passu Debt. All of the requirements set forth in the preceding clauses (a), (b) and (c) must be satisfied in order for any Indebtedness to be Pari Passu Debt.

 

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(c).

 

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

 

“Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

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(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

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

 

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

(f) Liens securing judgments to the extent, for an amount and for a period not resulting in an Event of Default in clause (k) under Article VII; and

 

(g) Liens created under the Federal Packers and Stockyards Act, as amended;

 

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;

 

(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;

 

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(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;

 

(e) common stock of the Borrower; and

 

(f) capital stock of corporations in similar or related businesses to that of the Borrower and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, the American Stock Exchange.

 

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.

 

PP&E” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.02(j)(ii).

 

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City (the Prime Rate not being intended to be the lowest rate of interest charged by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in connection with extension of credit to debtors); each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

Principal Financial Center” means, in the case of any Currency, the principal financial center where such Currency is cleared and settled, as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

Public Bond Documents” means, collectively, the following instruments and agreements:

 

(a) the Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2001, among the Borrower and SunTrust Bank, as trustee, relating to the Borrower’s $300,000,000 8% Senior Notes due 2009;

 

(b) the Indenture, dated as of May 21, 2003, among the Borrower and SunTrust Bank, as trustee, relating to the Borrower’s $350,000,000 7 ¾% Senior Notes due 2013; and

 

(c) the Indenture, dated as of August 4, 2004, among the Borrower and SunTrust Bank, as trustee, relating to the Borrower’s $600,000,000 7% Senior Notes due 2011.

 

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Receivables Financing” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may (a) sell, convey or otherwise transfer to (i) a Securitization Entity (in the case of a transfer by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), (ii) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a Securitization Entity), or (iii) a third party that is financing the same in a customary repurchase arrangement in contemplation of a subsequent transfer to a Securitization Entity in a Receivables Financing or (b) grant a security interest in, any Accounts Receivable (whether now existing or arising in the future) of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and any assets related thereto, including all collateral securing such Accounts Receivable, all contracts and all guarantees or other obligations in respect of such Accounts Receivable, proceeds of such Accounts Receivable and other assets which are customarily transferred, or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted, in connection with asset securitization transactions involving Accounts Receivable.

 

Receivables Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to repurchase one or more Accounts Receivable transferred in a Receivables Financing and arising as a result of a breach of a representation, warranty or covenant or otherwise, including as a result of an Account Receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, off-set or counterclaim of any kind as a result of any action taken by, any failure to take action by or any other event relating to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(b)(iv).

 

Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board as in effect from time to time.

 

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 Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.

 

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any shares of any class of capital stock of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such shares of capital stock of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such shares of capital stock of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its Dollar LC Exposure, Multicurrency LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Revolving Dollar Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Dollar Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Dollar Lender’s Dollar Loans and its Dollar LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.

 

Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Multicurrency Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Multicurrency Lender’s Multicurrency Loans and its Multicurrency LC Exposure at such time.

 

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

 

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

 

Securitization Entity” means a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (or another Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a Receivables Financing with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary makes an Investment and to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary sells, conveys or otherwise transfers Accounts Receivable and related assets) which engages in no activities and incurs no Indebtedness or other liabilities or obligations other than in connection with the financing of Accounts Receivable of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, all proceeds thereof and all rights (contractual or other), collateral and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities incidental or related to such business, and which is designated by the Board of Directors of the Borrower (as provided below) as a Securitization Entity and:

 

(a) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which (i) is guaranteed by the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, (ii) is recourse to or obligates the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings or (iii) is secured directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, by any property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, and

 

(b) as to which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any obligation to maintain or preserve such entity’s financial condition or cause such entity to achieve certain levels of operating results.

 

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Borrower shall be evidenced to the Administrative Agent by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Borrower giving effect to such designation and a certificate of the Borrower certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions.

 

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Security Agreement” means a Collateral Agency and Security Agreement between the Grantors and the Collateral Agent in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.

 

Security Documents” means the Security Agreement, the Intercreditor Agreement and all Uniform Commercial Code financing statements required by the Security Agreement to be filed with respect to the security interests in personal property created pursuant to the Security Agreement.

 

Security Termination Date” means the date, if any, that the Security Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 10.02(c)(ii).

 

Senior Note Documents” means, collectively, the following instruments and agreements:

 

(a) the Second Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement dated as of October 29, 2004 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of February 15, 2005), among the Borrower and the Purchasers referred to therein relating to the Borrower’s $9,852,942 8.41% Series B Senior Secured Notes due August 1, 2006, the Borrower’s $100,000,000 8.52% Series F Senior Secured Notes due August 1, 2006 and the Borrower’s $14,000,000 9.85% Series G Senior Secured Notes due November 1, 2006,

 

(b) the Second Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement dated as of October 29, 2004 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of February 15, 2005), among the Borrower and the Purchasers referred to therein relating to the Borrower’s $100,000,000 7.89% Series I Senior Secured Notes due October 1, 2009, the Borrower’s $50,000,000 Variable Rate Series J Senior Secured Notes due October 1, 2009, the Borrower’s $50,000,000 8.44% Series K Senior Secured Notes due October 1, 2009 and the Borrower’s $25,000,000 LIBOR Rate Series L Senior Secured Notes due October 1, 2009,

 

(c) the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 29, 2004 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of February 15, 2005) among the Borrower and the Purchasers referred to therein relating to the Borrower’s $75,000,000 8.25% Series M Senior Secured Notes due March 2, 2006,

 

(d) the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 29, 2004 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of February 15, 2005) among the Borrower and the Purchasers referred to therein relating to the Borrower’s $25,000,000 Reset Rate Series O 5/10 Year Senior Secured Notes and the Borrower’s $30,000,000 Adjustable Rate Series P 5/10 Year Senior Secured Notes.

 

(e) any other agreement pursuant to which Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness constituting Subordinated Indebtedness) of the Borrower or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries is issued pursuant to Section 6.01(f), that is required to be treated as a “Note Purchase Agreement” for purposes of the Intercreditor Agreement pursuant to Section 3.03 thereto, in each case, together with all related guaranties, mortgages and security agreements permitted under the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

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Solvent” means, when used with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of any date of determination, (a) the aggregate value of all properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at their present fair saleable value (i.e., the amount which may be realized within a reasonable time, considered to be six months to one year, either through collection or sale at the regular market value, regular market value to mean the amount which could be obtained for the property in question within such period by a capable and diligent business person from an interested buyer who is willing to purchase under ordinary selling conditions), exceeds the aggregate amount of all the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (b) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries will not, on a consolidated basis, have an unreasonably small capital with which to conduct their business operations as contemplated to be conducted and (c) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries will have, on a consolidated basis, sufficient cash flow to enable them to pay their debts as they mature.

 

Standard Securitization Undertakings” means representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and guarantees of performance entered into by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary which the Borrower has determined in good faith to be either customary in a Receivables Financing or, when taken as a whole, to be more favorable to the Borrower than in a customary Receivables Financing including, without limitation, those relating to the servicing of the related Accounts Receivable, it being understood that any Receivables Repurchase Obligation shall be deemed to be a Standard Securitization Undertaking.

 

Statutory Reserve Rate” means for any day (or for the Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Borrowing), 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 arithmetic mean of 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 for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurocurrency 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.

 

Sub-Commitment” shall refer, as applicable, to a Dollar Sub-Commitment or a Multicurrency Sub-Commitment.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness” means, collectively, (a) Indebtedness of the Borrower in respect of its 7 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008, issued by the Borrower pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of February 9, 1998, among the Borrower and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, as trustee, and (b) any additional Funded Debt of the Borrower (and in respect of which none of its Subsidiaries is directly or indirectly obligated) that is subordinated to the obligations of the Borrower to the Lenders hereunder, which is incurred upon terms and conditions no less

 

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favorable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (as determined by the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion) than the terms and conditions set forth on the date hereof in the Indenture for the 7 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 referred to above (except in respect of interest), which shall have no provisions for a sinking fund or other scheduled reductions of principal prior to final maturity and which shall have a final maturity date for the repayment of principal not earlier than the second anniversary of the Maturity Date.

 

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent 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” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Dollar Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

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

 

Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

Syndication Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

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

 

Total Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Commitments as in effect at such time.

 

Total Dollar Sub-Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Dollar Sub-Commitments as in effect at such time.

 

Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Multicurrency Sub-Commitments as in effect at such time.

 

Transactions” means (i) with respect to the Borrower, the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of Loan Documents to which it is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder and, (ii) with respect to any Obligor (other than the Borrower), the execution, delivery and performance by such Obligor of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

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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, the Federal Funds Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiaries” means (a) any Subsidiary of the Borrower that shall have been designated as an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.06 and (b) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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 “Eurocurrency Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing”). Loans and Borrowings may also be identified by Currency.

 

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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Section 1.05. Currencies, Currency Equivalents. At any time, any reference in the definition of the term “Approved Foreign Currency” or in any other provision of this Agreement to the Currency of any particular nation means the lawful currency of such nation at such time whether or not the name of such Currency is the same as it was on the date hereof. Except as provided in Section 2.10(b) and Section 2.17(c), for purposes of determining (i) whether the amount of any Borrowing, together with all other applicable Borrowings then outstanding or to be borrowed at the same time as such Borrowing, would exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments or applicable Sub-Commitments, (ii) the aggregate unutilized amount of the Commitments or either Sub-Commitment and (iii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Borrowings, the outstanding principal amount of any Borrowing that is denominated in any Foreign Currency shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of the Foreign Currency of such Borrowing determined as of the date of such Borrowing (determined in accordance with the last sentence of the definition of the term “Borrowing”). Wherever in this Agreement in connection with a Borrowing or Loan an amount, such as a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but such Borrowing or Loan is denominated in a Foreign Currency, such amount shall be the relevant Foreign Currency Equivalent of such Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest 1,000 units of such Foreign Currency).

 

Section 1.06. Subsidiaries; Designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries. The Borrower may designate any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary at the time such Subsidiary is acquired or formed, and may designate any entity that becomes a Subsidiary that immediately prior to such time was a Joint Venture, to be an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” for purposes of this Agreement, by delivering to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer (and the Administrative Agent shall promptly forward a copy of such certificate to each Lender) setting forth such designation and stating that the conditions set forth in this Section 1.06 have been satisfied with respect to such designation; provided that no such designation shall be effective unless (x) at the time of such designation and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) at the time of such designation and at all times thereafter for clauses (a) and (d) below or for all times after November 1, 2006 for clauses (b) and (c) below:

 

(a) no portion of the Indebtedness or any payment obligation (contingent or otherwise) of such Subsidiary (A) is guaranteed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (B) is recourse to or obligates the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof (other than in respect of liabilities for which the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary is jointly obligated with such Subsidiary by operation of law, such as for tax or ERISA claims),

 

(b) such Subsidiary has no Indebtedness that, if in default in any respect (including a payment default), would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity, and

 

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(c) such Subsidiary has no obligation (other than Indebtedness, as to which the provisions of the foregoing clause (b) shall apply) that, if not paid when due, would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity, and

 

(d) such Subsidiary is not a Grantor or a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

Any designation of a Subsidiary (or a Joint Venture) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed an Investment in an amount equal to the fair market value of such Subsidiary (or, in the case of a newly acquired or newly-formed Subsidiary, the amount of the investment by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiary therein) determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Borrower) and any such designation shall be permitted only if it complies with the provisions of Section 6.04.

 

In addition to the foregoing, the Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a “Restricted Subsidiary” for purposes of this Agreement, by delivering to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer (and the Administrative Agent shall promptly forward a copy of such certificate to each Lender) setting forth such designation. Any designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed an Acquisition of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and shall be permitted only to the extent permitted as an Acquisition under Section 6.04, and the certificate of a Financial Officer setting forth such designation shall state that such Acquisition is so permitted.

 

ARTICLE II

 

THE CREDITS

 

Section 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein:

 

(a) each Dollar Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount (i) that will not result in such Lender’s Revolving Dollar Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Dollar Sub-Commitment or (ii) the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders exceeding the Total Commitment; and

 

(b) each Multicurrency Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in Dollars or one or more Approved Foreign Currencies from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount (i) that will not result in such Lender’s Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Multicurrency Sub-Commitment or (ii) the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders exceeding the Total Commitment.

 

Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

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Section 2.02. Loans and Borrowings

 

(a) Obligations Several. Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans of the same Currency and Type made by the applicable Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective applicable Sub-Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided, that the Commitments (and Sub-Commitments) of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

 

(b) Types. Subject to Section 2.13, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans, Federal Funds Loans or Eurocurrency Loans denominated in a single Currency as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith and each Swingline Loan shall be comprised of an ABR Loan. Each Federal Funds Loan and each ABR Loan (whether a Revolving Loan or a Swingline Loan) shall be denominated in Dollars. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurocurrency 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) Minimum Amounts. At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000, or (as applicable) the Foreign Currency Equivalent of said amounts. At the time that each ABR Borrowing and each Federal Funds Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing or a Federal Funds Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Class, Currency and Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided, that there shall not at any time be more than a total of nine Eurocurrency Borrowings outstanding.

 

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

 

Section 2.03. Requests for Revolving Loan.

 

(a) Notification to Administrative Agent. To request a Revolving Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (i) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, five Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, (ii) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, (iii) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (iv) in the case of a Federal Funds Borrowing, not

 

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later than 12:00 noon, New York City 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.

 

(b) Content of Notification. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i) the aggregate amount and Currency of the requested Borrowing;

 

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

 

(iii) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing, a Federal Funds Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing and whether such Borrowing shall constitute a utilization of the Dollar Sub-Commitment or Multicurrency Sub-Commitment;

 

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

 

(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.06.

 

(c) Notice by Administrative Agent to Lenders. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall advise each applicable Lender of the details thereof and of the amount and Currency of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

(d) Certain Presumptions. If no election as to the Currency of a Borrowing is specified in a Borrowing Request, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing denominated in Dollars. If no election as to the Type of a Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be a Federal Funds Borrowing unless an Approved Foreign Currency has been specified, in which case the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in such Approved Foreign Currency. If no election as to the Sub-Commitment of a Borrowing is specified, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing under the Dollar Sub-Commitment; provided, that, if at such time the Dollar Sub-Commitment shall be fully drawn, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing in Dollars under the Multicurrency Sub-Commitment. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

 

Section 2.04. Swingline Loans.

 

(a) Obligation of Swingline Lender. 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 Dollars, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline

 

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Loans exceeding $25,000,000, (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Dollar Credit Exposures exceeding the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment or (iii) the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders exceeding the Total Commitment; 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 reborrow Swingline Loans.

 

(b) Requests for 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 3:00 p.m., New York City 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 general deposit account of the Borrower with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), by remittance to the relevant Issuing Bank) by 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(c) Participation by Other Lenders. The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Dollar 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 Dollar Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Dollar Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Dollar Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Dollar 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 Dollar Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Dollar 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 Event of 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 Dollar Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 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 Dollar 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 Dollar Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear.

 

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The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Dollar Lender shall not have any obligation to acquire a participation in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time such Swingline Loan was made and such Lender shall have notified the Swingline Lender in writing, at least one Business Day prior to the time such Swingline Loan was made, that such Event of Default has occurred and that such Lender will not acquire participations in Swingline Loans made while such Event of Default is continuing.

 

(d) Swingline Loans Payable on Demand. All Swingline Loans made hereunder shall be payable on demand of the Swingline Lender made at any time upon the Borrower (and, if not so demanded sooner, in any event shall be payable as provided in Section 2.09(a) hereof).

 

Section 2.05. Letters of Credit.

 

(a) Obligation to Issue Letters of Credit. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit by an Issuing Bank for its own account or for the account of any Restricted Subsidiary (provided, that if such Restricted Subsidiary is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, the Borrower or another Subsidiary Guarantor shall be a co-applicant, and be jointly and severally liable, with respect to each such Letter of Credit issued for the account of such Restricted Subsidiary), either under the Dollar Sub-Commitments or under the Multicurrency Sub-Commitments, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the relevant Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. 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 relevant Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

 

(b) Requests for Letters of Credit. 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 relevant Issuing Bank) to the relevant 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, the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section 2.05), the Currency (which shall be Dollars or an Approved Foreign Currency) and amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof, whether such Letter of Credit is to be made under the Dollar Sub-Commitments or the Multicurrency Sub-Commitments and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the relevant Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the such 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

 

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effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the Dollar LC Exposure shall not exceed $200,000,000 and the total Revolving Dollar Credit Exposures shall not exceed the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment, (ii) the Multicurrency LC Exposure shall not exceed $25,000,000 or the Foreign Currency Equivalent thereof and the total Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposures shall not exceed the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment and (iii) the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders shall not exceed the Total Commitment; and prior to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit, each Issuing Bank shall have requested and received a confirmation from the Administrative Agent that each of the foregoing shall be true and correct.

 

(c) Term of Letters of Credit. 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.

 

(d) Participations by Other Lenders. 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 any Issuing Bank or the Lenders, (i) in the case of a Dollar Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Dollar Lender (other than the relevant Issuing Bank), and each Dollar Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Dollar Percentage, and (ii) in the case of a Multicurrency Letter of Credit, the relevant Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Multicurrency Lender (other than the relevant Issuing Bank), and each Multicurrency Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Multicurrency Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each relevant Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Dollar Percentage (in the case of a Dollar Letter of Credit) and such Lender’s Applicable Multicurrency Percentage (in the case of a Multicurrency Letter of Credit) of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Dollar Lender and each Multicurrency Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Dollar Letters of Credit and Multicurrency Letters of Credit, as the case may be, 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 Event of Default or reduction or termination of the Dollar Sub-Commitment or Multicurrency Sub-Commitment, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

(e) Obligation of Borrower to Reimburse. If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to

 

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such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) 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, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or Section 2.04 that such payment be financed with a Eurocurrency Borrowing of the Currency in which such Letter of Credit is issued (or in the case of a Borrowing of Dollars) an ABR Revolving Borrowing, a Federal Funds 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 Eurocurrency Borrowing, ABR Revolving Borrowing, a Federal Funds Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Dollar Percentage or Applicable Multicurrency Percentage, as the case may be, thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Dollar Percentage or Applicable Multicurrency Percentage, as the case may be, of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the relevant Issuing Bank, the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the relevant Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank, as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse an Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of Eurocurrency Loans, ABR Revolving Loans, Federal Funds 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) Obligation of Borrower Absolute, Etc. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05 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 amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the provisions of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement;

 

(iii) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower, any other party guaranteeing, or otherwise obligated with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof or any other Person may at any time have against the beneficiary under any Letter of Credit, any Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement or any other related or unrelated agreement or transaction;

 

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(iv) 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;

 

(v) payment by an Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply strictly with the terms of such Letter of Credit; and

 

(vi) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind of the relevant Issuing Bank, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or any other Person or any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.05, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.

 

Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Banks, 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 relevant Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse such 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 such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise the standard of care agreed hereunder (as set forth in the next sentence) to be applicable when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that each Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised the agreed standard of care in the absence of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of such Issuing Bank when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof, and shall be deemed to have failed to exercise the agreed standard of care only if it shall have engaged in gross negligence or wilful misconduct when making such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, it is understood that the Issuing Banks may accept documents that appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and may make payment upon presentation of documents that appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit; provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the relevant Issuing Bank shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to decline to accept such documents and to make such payment if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

(g) Notification by Issuing Bank to Administrative Agent. Each relevant Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit issued by it. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by

 

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telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided, that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the relevant participating Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

 

(h) Interest on LC Disbursements. If an 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 (which, in the case of Multicurrency Letters of Credit, shall be converted into Dollars) 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 Loans; provided, that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05, then Section 2.12(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the relevant Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section 2.05 to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

(i) Replacement of Issuing Bank. Any Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of 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 2.11(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 replaced 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) Cash Collateral. If (i) any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) the aggregate amount of Revolving Dollar Credit Exposure of all Dollar Lenders hereunder exceeds the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment or (iii) the aggregate amount of Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure of all Multicurrency Lenders hereunder exceeds the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment, then on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in Dollars equal to (x) in the case of the foregoing clause (i), the LC Exposure as of such date, converting the aggregate Multicurrency LC Exposure into the Dollar Equivalent thereof at that date, and (y) in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), the amount of the relevant excess plus (in each of the cases referred to in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii)) any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided, that the obligation to

 

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deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.

 

The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the 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 relevant 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 Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Obligors under this Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default or the renewal of a Letter of Credit or an excess of the Revolving Credit Exposure, as the case may be, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived or, in the case of a renewal of a Letter of Credit that would cause the expiration date of such Letter of Credit to extend beyond the Maturity Date, after all amounts drawn or able to be drawn under Letters of Credit have been reimbursed by the Borrower or, in the case of an excess of the Revolving Credit Exposure, after such excess has been eliminated.

 

(k) Certain Existing Letters of Credit. To the extent that there are outstanding on the Effective Date pursuant to the Existing Credit Agreement one or more letters of credit issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (as the “Issuing Lender” thereunder) then, on the Effective Date, each of such letters of credit is hereby designated a “Dollar Letter of Credit” under and for all purposes of this Agreement. In that connection, the Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Issuing Lenders, each Dollar Lender and the Administrative Agent that each such letter of credit satisfies the requirements of this Section 2.05 (including paragraph (c) above).

 

Section 2.06. Funding of Borrowings.

 

(a) Manner of Funding. 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 1:00 p.m., Local Time in the location of the Administrative Agent’s Account for the relevant Currency, to the Administrative Agent’s Account for such Currency; provided, that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided, that Eurocurrency Loans or ABR Revolving Loans or Federal Funds Loans, in any case made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the relevant Issuing Bank.

 

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(b) Presumption by Administrative Agent. 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 2.06 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) for the first three Business Days, (A) 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 for Loans in the applicable Currency or (B) in the case of the Borrower, the Federal Funds Effective Rate (or, if such Loan is denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, at such other rate as the Administrative Agent shall determine is appropriate in the circumstances) and (ii) thereafter, 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 herein shall limit the rights of the Borrower against any Lender that fails to make Loans hereunder and each Lender agrees that, to the extent that the Borrower was required to make any payments pursuant to this Section 2.06(b) on account of the failure by such Lender to make Loans hereunder, it shall promptly reimburse the Borrower for such amounts.

 

Section 2.07. Interest Elections.

 

(a) Interest Election Requests. Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section 2.07; provided, however, that (i) a Borrowing denominated in one Currency may not be converted to a Borrowing in a different Currency and (ii) a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency may not be converted to a Borrowing of a different Type. Subject to the foregoing, 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 2.07 shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then (A) no outstanding Borrowing denominated in Dollars may be

 

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converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing, (B) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period therefor and (C) no outstanding Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency may have an Interest Period of more than one month’s duration.

 

(b) Notification by Borrower. To make an election pursuant to this Section 2.07, 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 Revolving 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) Content of Notifications. 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, a Federal Funds Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing; and

 

(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency 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) Notice by Administrative Agent to Lenders. Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each applicable Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

 

(e) Certain Presumptions. If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, (i) if such Borrowing is denominated in Dollars, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to a Federal Funds Borrowing, and (ii) if such Borrowing is denominated in a Foreign Currency, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

 

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Section 2.08. Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

 

(a) Scheduled Termination. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

 

(b) Voluntary Reductions. The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments (and Sub-Commitments); provided, that (i) each reduction of the Commitments (and of either Sub-Commitment) shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments (and either Sub-Commitment) if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.10, the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the Total Commitment, the sum of the Revolving Dollar Credit Exposure would exceed the Total Dollar Sub-Commitment or the sum of the Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposures would exceed the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment.

 

(c) Notifications, Etc. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of (i) any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section 2.08, and (ii) in the case of a reduction, the amount of such reduction (if any) to be allocated to the Dollar Sub-Commitment and Multicurrency Sub-Commitment hereunder, at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election, the aggregate amount of a reduction and any allocation as aforesaid, 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 2.08 shall be irrevocable; provided, that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the 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 Commitments (and of Sub-Commitments) shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments and Sub-Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments and Sub-Commitments, as the case may be.

 

Section 2.09. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

 

(a) Repayment of Loans. The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each 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 date such repayment is demanded pursuant to Section 2.04(d) hereof, 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 two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided, that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.

 

(b) Maintenance of Accounts by Lenders. 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 and Currency of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

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(c) Maintenance of Accounts by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount and Currency of each Loan made hereunder, the Sub-Commitment, Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount and Currency 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 and Currency of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(d) Effect of Entries. The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section 2.09 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) Promissory Notes. Any Lender may request that Loans of any Sub-Commitment 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 (including after assignment pursuant to Section 10.04) 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 2.10. Prepayment of Loans.

 

(a) Voluntary Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section 2.10 and provided that the aggregate principal amount of any prepayment that does not result in the prepayment of a Borrowing in full shall be in an integral multiple of $1,000,000 (or the Foreign Currency Equivalent of such amount).

 

(b) Mandatory Prepayments. On each date on which the Administrative Agent reasonably requests, the Borrower shall determine the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders (taking into account the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate amount of Revolving Credit Loans denominated in any Approved Foreign Currency), and shall provide the Administrative Agent with a copy of such determination. In addition, promptly upon the receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Currency Valuation Notice (as defined below), the Administrative Agent shall (and at any time at the Administrative Agent’s option, the Administrative Agent may) similarly determine the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders. Upon receipt of any such determination from the Borrower and upon receipt of the certification that the Borrower is required to make pursuant to Section 5.01(f), and upon its making any such determination, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders

 

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thereof (and in the case of any such determination by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower). If on the date of any such determination or as of the date that the Borrower is required to make the certification required to be made pursuant to Section 5.01(f)(i) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders exceeds 105% of the Total Commitment as then in effect or (ii) the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure of all Multicurrency Lenders exceeds 105% of the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment as then in effect, the Borrower shall prepay the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans (and/or provide cover for LC Exposure as specified in Section 2.05(j)) in such amounts as shall be necessary so that after giving effect thereto, (x) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders does not exceed the Total Commitment and (y) the Dollar Equivalent of the Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure of all Multicurrency Lenders does not exceed the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment. For purposes hereof, “Currency Valuation Notice” means a notice given by the Required Lenders stating that such notice is a “Currency Valuation Notice” and requesting that the Administrative Agent determine the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure. The Administrative Agent shall not be required to make more than one valuation determination pursuant to a Currency Valuation Notice during any rolling three-month period.

 

For the purpose of the determinations in this paragraph (b), the outstanding principal amount of any Loan that is denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the amount in the Currency of such Loan, determined as of the date of such determination or, in the case of a Currency Valuation Notice received by the Administrative Agent prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on a Business Day, on such Business Day or, in the case of a Currency Valuation Notice otherwise received, on the first Business Day after such Currency Valuation Notice is received.

 

(c) Notification of Prepayments. 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 Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time (or, in the case of a Borrowing denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, 11:00 a.m., London time), three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing or a Federal Funds Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall identify the Borrowing to be prepaid (specifying the Currency thereof), the prepayment date and the principal amount of such 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 2.08, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.08. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the applicable Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.12.

 

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Section 2.11. Fees.

 

(a) Commitment Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a Commitment Fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily unused amount of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the date hereof to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates. For purposes of this Section 2.11(a) only, Swingline Loans shall not be deemed to constitute a use of any Lender’s Commitment. Accrued Commitment Fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All Commitment Fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

(b) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate for Letters of Credit 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 Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, (ii) to the relevant Issuing Bank a fronting fee in an amount per annum to be agreed between the Borrower and each relevant Issuing Bank on the undrawn and unexpired amount of each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, and (iii) to the relevant Issuing Bank its 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 March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable in arrears 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 Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten 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).

 

(c) Administrative Agent’s Fees. 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) Manner of Payment. All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in Dollars and immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the relevant 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.

 

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Section 2.12. Interest.

 

(a) ABR Borrowings. The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan comprised of an ABR Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.02(b)) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(b) Federal Funds Borrowing. The Loans comprising each Federal Funds Borrowing shall bear interest at the Federal Funds Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

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

 

(d) Default Rate. 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 2.12 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 2.12.

 

(e) Interest Payment Dates. Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section 2.12 shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan or a Federal Funds Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurocurrency Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

(f) Computation. 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, the Federal Funds Rate and Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

Section 2.13. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing (the Currency of such Borrowing being herein called the “Affected Currency”):

 

(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 for the Affected Currency for such Interest Period; or

 

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(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by Lenders of the affected Sub-Commitment having more than 50% of such Sub-Commitment that the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Affected Currency for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the affected Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and such 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 the continuation of any Borrowing as, (A) a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in the Affected Currency (other than Dollars), such conversion to, or continuation of, shall be ineffective and (B) a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing (unless prepaid) shall be continued as, or converted to, a Federal Funds Borrowing, (ii) if the Affected Currency is Dollars and any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing shall be made as a Federal Funds Borrowing and (iii) if the Affected Currency is a Foreign Currency, any Borrowing Request that requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in the Affected Currency shall be ineffective.

 

Section 2.14. Increased Costs.

 

(a) Change in Law. 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 any Issuing Bank; or

 

(ii) impose on any Lender or any Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or 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 Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the relevant Issuing Bank, as the case may be, in Dollars, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the relevant Issuing Bank for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or 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 Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or 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 such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or

 

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Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, in Dollars, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c) Certificate from Lenders, Etc. A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts, in Dollars, necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a)or (b) of this Section 2.14 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten days after receipt thereof.

 

(d) Retroactive Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.14 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided, that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 2.14 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or 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 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

Section 2.15. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Revolving Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.10(c) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurocurrency 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 2.18, 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 Eurocurrency 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, denominated in the Currency of such Loan, had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits of a comparable amount and period, denominated in such Currency from other banks in the Eurocurrency market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten days after receipt thereof.

 

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Section 2.16. Taxes.

 

(a) Payment for Taxes. 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 2.16) the Administrative Agent, Lender or 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) Other Taxes. In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

(c) Indemnification by Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank, within ten days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such 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 2.16) 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 an Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d) Receipts. 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) Exemptions. Upon becoming a party to this Agreement, each Foreign Lender represents and warrants to the Borrower that it is, on the date such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto, entitled to complete exemption from withholding tax under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or under any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, for payments made to it by the Borrower hereunder. 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, 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.

 

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(f) Refunds or Credits. If any Lender or the Administrative Agent (i) receives a refund from a taxation authority in respect of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts hereunder or (ii) claims any credit or other tax benefit (such credit to include any increase in any foreign tax credit) with respect to any Taxes or Other Taxes for which it has been indemnified by the Borrower and with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts hereunder which refund, credit or other tax benefit in the sole judgment of such Lender or the Administrative Agent is directly attributable to any such Indemnified Tax or Other Tax paid, such Lender or the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay over to the Borrower the amount of such refund, credit or other tax benefit (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund or credit), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any taxes on a refund or on interest received or credited) which such Lender or the Administrative Agent certifies that it has reasonably determined to have been incurred in connection with obtaining such refund, credit or other tax benefit; provided, however, that (i) the Borrower agrees to repay, upon the request of such Lender or the Administrative Agent, the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus penalties, interest or other charges) to such Lender or the Administrative Agent in the event such Lender or the Administrative Agent is required to repay such refund or credit to such tax authority, (ii) such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall have no obligation to cooperate with respect to any contest (or continue to cooperate with respect to any contest), or to seek or claim any refund, credit or other tax benefit if such Lender or the Administrative Agent determines that its interest would be materially adversely affected by so cooperating (or continuing to cooperate) or by seeking or claiming any such refund, credit or other tax benefit and (iii) the Borrower shall not have any right to examine the tax returns or other records of any Lender or the Administrative Agent or to obtain any information with respect thereto by reason of the provisions of this Section or any judgment or determination made by any Lender or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section.

 

Section 2.17. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

 

(a) Manner of Payment. The Borrower shall make each payment (including prepayment) required to be made by it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.14, Section 2.15 or Section 2.16, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, Local Time in the location of the Administrative Agent’s Account for the relevant Currency, 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 the Administrative Agent’s Account for the relevant Currency, except that payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Section 2.14, Section 2.15, Section 2.16 and Section 10.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute, in like Currency and funds, any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.

 

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(b) Payments on Non-Business Days. If any payment hereunder (other than payments on the Eurocurrency Loans) becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment on a Eurocurrency Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the case of any extension of any payment of principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension.

 

(c) Currency of Payments. All amounts owing under this Agreement (including Commitment Fees, payments required under Section 2.14, and payments required under Section 2.15 relating to any Loan denominated in Dollars) or under any other Loan Document (except to the extent otherwise provided therein) are payable in Dollars; provided, that all payments of principal of and interest on any Loan or fees on any Letter of Credit that in either case is denominated in an Approved Foreign Currency, and all payments relating to such Loans under Section 2.15 shall be payable in such Foreign Currency. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, by mandatory prepayment or otherwise), the unpaid portion of such Loan shall, if such Loan is not denominated in Dollars, automatically be redenominated in Dollars on the due date thereof (or, if such due date is a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor, on the last day of such Interest Period) in an amount equal to the Dollar Equivalent thereof on the date of such redenomination and such principal shall be payable on demand; and if the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan that is not denominated in Dollars, such interest shall automatically be redenominated in Dollars on the due date therefor (or, if such due date is a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor, on the last day of such Interest Period) in an amount equal to the Dollar Equivalent thereof on the date of such redenomination and such interest shall be payable on demand.

 

(d) Pro Rata Treatment. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein: (i) each Borrowing of Dollar Loans or Multicurrency Loans in a particular Currency from the Lenders under Section 2.01 hereof shall be made from the relevant Lenders, each payment of Commitment Fees or of participation fees under Section 2.11 hereof in respect of the Dollar Sub-Commitment or the Multicurrency Sub-Commitment shall be made for account of the relevant Lenders, and each termination or reduction of the amount of the Commitment, Dollar Sub-Commitment or Multicurrency Sub-Commitment under Section 2.08 hereof shall be applied to the respective Commitments and Sub-Commitments of the relevant Lenders, pro rata according to the amounts of their respective Commitments or Sub-Commitments; (ii) the making, conversion and continuation of Loans of a particular Type and Currency (other than conversions provided for by Section 2.13 hereof) shall be made pro rata among the relevant Lenders according to the amounts of their respective Sub-Commitments (in the case of the making of Loans) or their respective Loans (in the case of conversions and continuations of Loans) and the then current Interest Period for each Eurocurrency Loan, as applicable, shall be coterminous; (iii) each payment or prepayment of principal of Dollar Loans or of Multicurrency Loans by the

 

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Borrowers shall be made for account of the Dollar Lenders and the Multicurrency Lenders, as applicable, pro rata in accordance with the respective unpaid principal amounts of the Dollar Loans and Multicurrency Loans held by them; and (iv) each payment of interest on Dollar Loans and Multicurrency Loans by the Borrowers shall be made for account of the relevant Lenders pro rata in accordance with the amounts of interest on such Dollar Loans and Multicurrency Loans then due and payable to the respective Lenders.

 

(e) Manner of Application if Insufficient Funds. If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

 

(f) Sharing of Payments. 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 Revolving 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 Revolving 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 Revolving 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 Revolving 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 or any Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor 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 or any such Subsidiary Guarantor in the amount of such participation.

 

(g) Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Banks 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

 

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assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the relevant 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 Banks, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

(h) Withholding by Administrative Agent of Certain Payments. If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), Section 2.05(d) or (e), Section 2.06(b) or Section 2.17(g), 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 2.18. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a) Change of Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, 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 2.16, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.14 or Section 2.16, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, 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 2.16, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 10.04), 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 Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Banks and the Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such 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 case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.14 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16, such assignment

 

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

 

Section 2.19. Increase in Commitments.

 

(a) The Borrower may at any time propose that the Commitments hereunder be increased (each such proposed increase being a “Commitment Increase”), by notice to the Administrative Agent specifying (i) whether such Commitment Increase shall be of the Dollar Sub-Commitment (a “Dollar Sub-Commitment Increase”) or of the Multicurrency Commitment (a “Multicurrency Sub-Commitment”), (ii) the existing Lender(s) (the “Increasing Lender(s)”) and/or the additional lenders (the “Assuming Lender(s)”) that will be providing the additional Commitment(s) and (iii) the date on which such increase is to be effective (the “Commitment Increase Date”), which shall be a Business Day at least three Business Days after delivery of such notice and prior to the Maturity Date and; provided that:

 

(i) the minimum aggregate amount of each proposed Commitment Increase shall be (A) $25,000,000 in the case of an Assuming Lender, (B) $5,000,000 in the case of an Increasing Lender and (C) $50,000,000 in the aggregate for all Lenders;

 

(ii) immediately after giving effect to such Commitment Increase, the Commitments in effect hereunder shall not exceed $1,350,000,000;

 

(iii) immediately after giving effect to any such Multicurrency Sub-Commitment Increase, the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitments in effect hereunder shall not exceed $270,000,000;

 

(iv) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such Commitment Increase Date or shall result from the proposed Commitment Increase; and

 

(v) the representations and warranties contained in Article III and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the Commitment Increase Date.

 

(b) Any Assuming Lender shall become a Lender hereunder as of such Commitment Increase Date and the Commitment and relevant Sub-Commitment of any Increasing Lender and any such Assuming Lender shall be increased as of such Commitment Increase Date; provided, that:

 

(i) the Administrative Agent shall have received on or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Commitment Increase Date a certificate of a duly authorized officer of the Borrower stating that each of the applicable conditions to such Commitment Increase set forth in clause (a) of this subsection has been satisfied;

 

(ii) with respect to each Assuming Lender, the Administrative Agent shall have received, on or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Commitment Increase Date, an assumption agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit F (an “Assumption Agreement”) duly executed by such Assuming Lender and the Borrower and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent; and

 

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(iii) each Increasing Lender shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, on or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Commitment Increase Date, confirmation in writing (an “Increase Confirmation”) satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to its increased Commitment and Sub-Commitment, with a copy of such confirmation to the Borrower.

 

(c) Upon its receipt of an Increase Confirmation from a Lender that it is increasing its Commitment and Sub-Commitment hereunder, together with the certificate referred to in clause (b)(i) above, the Administrative Agent shall (A) record the information contained therein in the Register and (B) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower; provided, that absent such Lender’s delivery of an Increase Confirmation as aforesaid, such Lender will be under no obligation to increase its Commitment hereunder. Upon its receipt of an Assumption Agreement executed by an Assuming Lender, together with the certificate referred to in clause (b)(i) above, the Administrative Agent shall, if such Assumption Agreement has been completed and is in substantially the form of Exhibit F, (x) accept such Assumption Agreement, (y) record the information contained therein in the Register and (z) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower.

 

(d) In the event that the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower as to any agreement with respect to a Commitment Increase on or prior to the relevant Commitment Increase Date and the actions provided for in clause (b) above shall have occurred by 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Commitment Increase Date, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders (including any Assuming Lenders) of the occurrence of such Commitment Increase promptly on such date by facsimile transmission or electronic messaging system. On the date of such Commitment Increase, the Borrower shall (i) prepay the outstanding Loans (if any) of the relevant Sub-Commitment being increased in full, (ii) simultaneously borrow new Loans under the relevant Sub-Commitment in an amount equal to such prepayment, so that, after giving effect thereto, the Loans under such Sub-Commitment are held ratably by the Lenders in accordance with the respective Commitments and Sub-Commitments of such Lenders (after giving effect to such Commitment Increase) and (iii) pay to the Lenders the amounts, if any, payable under Section 2.15.

 

ARTICLE III

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

 

Section 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries 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.

 

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Section 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Obligor’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, shareholder action. Each of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents has been duly executed and delivered by each such Obligor and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Obligor, 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 for filings and recordings in respect of the Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (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) except for the Lien created by the Security Documents, will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Section 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

 

(a) Financial Statements. The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet, statements of income, shareholders equity and cash flows and pro forma information as of and for the fiscal year ended May 1, 2005, reported on by Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments.

 

(b) No Material Adverse Change. Since May 1, 2005, there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c) No Material Undisclosed Liabilities. The Borrower does not have on the date of this Agreement any contingent liabilities, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments in each case that are material, except as referred to or reflected in the balance sheets as at May 1, 2005.

 

Section 3.05. Properties.

 

(a) Title to Properties. Each of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes.

 

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(b) Intellectual Property. Each of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters.

 

(a) Litigation. 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 an adverse determination is reasonably likely and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Transactions.

 

(b) Environmental Matters. 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, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

 

(c) Disclosed Matters. Since the Effective Date, 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. As of the Effective Date, except as set forth on Schedule 3.06, the Borrower does not believe that the Disclosed Matters individually or in the aggregate are reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Section 3.08. Investment and Holding Company Status. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is (a) an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

 

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

 

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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 reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87), individually and in the aggregate, did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan or Plans by an amount which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 3.11. Disclosure. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which they are subject, and all other matters known to them, 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 reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Obligors to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) 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 Obligors represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

 

Section 3.12. Margin Regulations. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of “buying” or “carrying” “margin stock” within the meaning of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect, and no part of the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder will be used to “buy” or “carry” any “margin stock”.

 

Section 3.13. Material Agreements and Liens.

 

(a) Indebtedness. Part A of Schedule 3.13 hereto is a complete and correct list, as of the Effective Date, of each credit agreement, loan agreement, indenture, note purchase agreement, guarantee, letter of credit or other arrangement providing for or otherwise relating to any Indebtedness or any extension of credit (or commitment for any extension of credit) to, or guarantee by, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (including the Senior Note Documents) the aggregate principal or face amount of which equals or exceeds (or may equal or exceed) $20,000,000 and the aggregate principal or face amount outstanding or that may become outstanding under each such arrangement is correctly described in Part A of said Schedule 3.13.

 

(b) Liens. Part B of Schedule 3.13 hereto is a complete and correct list, as of the Effective Date, of each Lien securing Indebtedness described in Part a of Schedule 3.13 of any Person covering any property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and the aggregate Indebtedness secured (or which may be secured) by each such Lien and the property covered by each such Lien is correctly described in Part B of said Schedule 3.13.

 

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Section 3.14. Subsidiaries, Etc.

 

(a) Subsidiaries. Set forth in Part A of Schedule 3.14 hereto is a complete and correct list, as of the Effective Date, of all of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower, together with, for each Subsidiary, (i) the jurisdiction of organization of such Subsidiary, (ii) each Person holding ownership interests in such Subsidiary, (iii) the nature of the ownership interests held by each such Person and the percentage of ownership of such Subsidiary represented by such ownership interests and (iv) whether such Subsidiary is a Restricted Subsidiary, Unrestricted Subsidiary, Excluded Subsidiary and/or Material Subsidiary. Except as disclosed in Part A of Schedule 3.14 hereto, (x) each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, free and clear of Liens, and has the unencumbered right to vote, all outstanding ownership interests in each Person shown to be held by it in Part A of Schedule 3.14 hereto, (y) all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Person organized as a corporation is validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and (z) there are no outstanding Equity Rights with respect to such Person.

 

(b) Investments. Set forth in Part B of Schedule 3.14 hereto is a complete and correct list, as of the Effective Date, of all Investments (other than Investments disclosed in Part A of said Schedule 3.14 hereto) held by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in Person and, for each such Investment, (x) the identity of the Person or Persons holding such Investment and (y) the nature of such Investment. Except as disclosed in Part B of Schedule 3.14 hereto, each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, free and clear of all Liens, all such Investments.

 

Section 3.15. Solvency. On and as of the Effective Date, immediately prior to and after consummation of the Transactions and after giving effect to all Loans and other obligations and liabilities being incurred on such date in connection therewith, and on the date of each subsequent Loan or other extension of credit hereunder and after giving effect to application of the proceeds thereof in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are, and the Borrower and each Subsidiary Obligor is, and will be, Solvent.

 

Section 3.16. Labor Matters. On and as of the Effective Date, there are no material strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CONDITIONS

 

Section 4.01. Effective Date. The obligation of the Lenders to make Loans and the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date (the “Effective Date”), on which the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower that each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.02); provided, that such effectiveness shall in any event occur on or before August 19, 2005):

 

(a) Execution of Agreement. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor and each Lender either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) 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.

 

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(b) Corporate Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of each Obligor, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to each Obligor, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

(c) Officer’s Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.

 

(d) Opinion of Counsel to Obligors. The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of McGuireWoods LLP, counsel for the Obligors, substantially in the form of Exhibit D, and covering such other matters relating to the Obligors, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request (and the Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion).

 

(e) Security Documents. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) the Security Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement, duly executed and delivered by each of the intended parties thereto (including, in the case of the Security Agreement, each of the Grantors) and (ii) evidence that duly completed and executed Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statements covering the personal property subject to the Liens created by the Security Agreement have been duly filed in all jurisdictions in which such filing is necessary or appropriate and that such filings are current and in full force and effect as of the Effective Date.

 

(f) Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received a copy of the results of such Uniform Commercial Code, tax and judgment searches as may be requested by the Administrative Agent in each relevant jurisdiction with respect to the Borrower and its Domestic Subsidiaries and which searches reveal no Liens on any asset of the Borrower or its Domestic Subsidiaries except for (i) Liens permitted under this Agreement and (ii) Liens to be discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(g) Termination of Existing Credit Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that all commitments to extend credit under the Existing Credit Agreement have been or are simultaneously being terminated and that all loans

 

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thereunder and other amounts payable in respect thereof have been or are simultaneously being paid in full, and that arrangements for the termination of the Liens thereunder (or transfer of the Liens created thereunder to the Administrative Agent hereunder) shall have been completed in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(h) Fees, Etc. The Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Arranger shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

 

(i) Financial Statements. The Lenders shall have received audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the 2003, 2004 and 2005 fiscal years.

 

(j) Projections. The Lenders shall have received, and been reasonably satisfied with, annual projections for the fiscal years ended April 2006, April 2007, April 2008, April 2009 and April 2010.

 

(k) Approvals. All governmental and third party approvals necessary, or as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, advisable in connection with the Transactions and the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect.

 

(l) Other Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent (or its counsel) or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

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 a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of any Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Obligors set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable.

 

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

 

Each Borrowing 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 4.02.

 

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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 or terminated 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) on or before the date such financial statements are required to be filed with the SEC (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower), the following:

 

(i) the audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding consolidated figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like modification, qualification or exception and without any modification, 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 Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied (excluding copies of any such financial statements that are publicly available from the SEC on EDGAR, so long as a notification has been sent to the Administrative Agent within two days after such financial statements become publicly available, stating that such financial statements have been filed with the SEC and are publicly available on EDGAR), and

 

(ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such year, 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 Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

 

(b) on or before the date such financial statements are required to be filed with the SEC (or, if such financial statements are not required to be filed with the SEC, on or before the date that is 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower), the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (and, separately stated, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries without comparative

 

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data) 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 corresponding consolidated 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 certified by one of its Financial Officers and presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (and of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be) on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes (excluding copies of any such financial statements that are publicly available from the SEC on EDGAR, so long as a notification has been sent to the Administrative Agent within two days after such financial statements become publicly available, stating that such financial statements have been filed with the SEC and are publicly available on EDGAR);

 

(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, (i) a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower certifying as to whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and, if a Default or Event of Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, and (ii) a Compliance Certificate containing all information and calculations necessary for determining compliance with Section 6.12 and clause (ii) of the last paragraph of Section 6.02 as of the last day of the fiscal quarter or fiscal year of the Borrower, as the case may be;

 

(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, to the extent not available in the Borrower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in either case filed with the SEC, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial statements of any Default or Event of Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);

 

(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed (excluding copies of any reports, statements or other materials that are publicly available from the SEC on EDGAR, so long as a notification has been sent to the Administrative Agent within two days after such reports, statements or other materials become publicly available, stating that such reports, statements and/or other materials have been filed with the SEC and are publicly available on EDGAR) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;

 

(f) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certification by a Financial Officer certifying that, as at the last day of each fiscal quarter or fiscal year of the Borrower, as the case may be (i) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all Lenders does not exceed 105% of the Total Commitment as then in effect and (ii) the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate Revolving Multicurrency Credit Exposure of all Multicurrency Lenders does not exceed 105% of

 

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the Total Multicurrency Sub-Commitment as then in effect. It is understood that if a Financial Officer is not able to make such certification on any such date, the Borrower will be required to comply with the provisions of Section 2.10(b) and prepay the Loans as required by such Section.

 

(g) promptly after Moody’s or S&P shall have announced a change in the rating established or deemed to have been established for the Index Debt, written notice of such rating change; and

 

(h) 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 or Event of Default;

 

(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof 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 5.02 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 Restricted Subsidiaries to, 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, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided, that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

 

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

 

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Section 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

Section 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, 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.

 

Section 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority, including all Environmental Laws, and with all other material obligations, 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 and Letters of Credit.

 

(a) Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans hereunder will be used only for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.

 

(b) Letters of Credit. Letters of Credit will be issued only to support obligations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Section 5.09. Additional Guarantors. With respect to any new Material Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary, Securitization Entity or an Unrestricted Subsidiary) created or acquired after the Effective Date by the Borrower or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries (which, for the purposes of this Section 5.09, shall include any existing Material Subsidiary that ceases to be an Excluded Subsidiary or any existing Material Subsidiary that ceases to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary), the Borrower shall, and shall cause such Subsidiary to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Guarantee Assumption Agreement in the form of Exhibit C hereto in order to cause such Subsidiary to become a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder. Each such new Subsidiary Guarantor shall deliver such proof of corporate action, incumbency of officers, opinions of counsel and other documents as is consistent with those delivered by the Subsidiary Guarantors pursuant to Section 4.01 upon the Effective Date or as the Administrative Agent shall have requested (and the Borrower hereby instructs such counsel to deliver such opinions to the Lenders).

 

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Section 5.10. Further Assurances. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time cause any of its Subsidiaries to become a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder by complying with the requirements of Section 5.09 above. The Borrower may also at any time and from time to time cause any of its Subsidiaries to become a Grantor under the Security Agreement by causing such Subsidiary to (A) execute and deliver a supplement to the Security Agreement and (B) take such actions necessary or advisable to grant to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a perfected first priority security interest in the Collateral described in the Security Agreement with respect to such Subsidiary, including the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Security Agreement or by law or as may be requested by the Collateral Agent. Each such new Grantor shall deliver such proof of corporate action, incumbency of officers, opinions of counsel and other documents as is consistent with those delivered by the Grantors pursuant to Section 4.01 upon the Effective Date or as the Administrative Agent shall have requested (and the Borrower hereby instructs such counsel to deliver such opinions to the Lenders).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated 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 Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur or assume any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a) Indebtedness created hereunder;

 

(b) Pari Passu Debt;

 

(c) any Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and any extensions, renewals or replacements thereof; provided, that (i) with respect to any Indebtedness governed by a revolving credit or similar agreement, the maximum facility amount of such revolving credit or similar agreement is not thereby increased or (ii) with respect to any other Indebtedness, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness is not thereby increased;

 

(d) prior to the Security Termination Date, Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary and of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(e) On and after the Security Termination Date, Indebtedness (i) of the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) of any Subsidiary Guarantor to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a

 

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Subsidiary Guarantor to any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor and (iv) subject to Section 6.04(d), of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

(f) other Indebtedness; provided, that, on the date (the “Incurrence Date”) such Indebtedness is created, incurred or assumed (as the case may be), prior to the Security Termination Date, the Borrower will be in compliance with Section 6.12(b), and on and after the Security Termination Date, the Borrower will be in compliance with both Section 6.12(a) and Section 6.12(b) (in each such case, the determination of such compliance to be calculated on a pro forma basis, as at the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to such Incurrence Date for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are available, under the assumption that such Indebtedness shall have been created, incurred or assumed at the beginning of the applicable period, and under the assumption that interest for such period had been equal to the actual weighted average interest rate in effect for the Loans hereunder on the Incurrence Date).

 

For purposes of the foregoing paragraphs (e) and (f), the Acquisition of any Person shall be deemed to constitute the assumption of the Indebtedness of such Person by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower at the time of the consummation of such Acquisition.

 

Section 6.02. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its properties or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including Accounts Receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a) Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(b) (i) Liens securing Indebtedness created under the Senior Note Documents; provided, that (A) such Liens may only cover the property and assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that, as of the date hereof, secures the Indebtedness under the Senior Note Documents and (B) on and after the Security Termination Date, such Liens shall secure only the Indebtedness which they secure on the Security Termination Date and the aggregate amount of Indebtedness outstanding under the Senior Note Documents on the Security Termination Date (the “Security Termination Date Debt Amount”) may not (1) be increased thereafter, (2) be reborrowed or reissued after repayment or redemption at any time thereafter or (3) otherwise refinanced or replaced at any time thereafter and (ii) on and after the Security Termination Date, Liens on PP&E securing Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness secured pursuant to clause (i) above) in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the lesser of (x) $100,000,000 and (y) the sum of (I) the amount by which the Security Termination Date Debt Amount is less than the Effective Date Debt Amount and (II) the aggregate repayments and redemptions of the Security Termination Date Debt Amount after the Security Termination Date;

 

(c) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02 (other than Liens

 

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created by the Senior Note Documents); provided, that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof;

 

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

 

(e) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness incurred to finance such acquisition, construction or improvement, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 80% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(f) the Lien created by the Security Agreement;

 

(g) any extensions, renewals or replacements of any of the Liens permitted by the foregoing clauses (a) through (f) effected in connection with any extension, renewal or replacement of the Indebtedness secured thereby; provided, that (i) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness is not thereby increased, (ii) such Lien shall not be extended to cover any additional property and (iii) this clause (g) shall cease to apply with respect to Section 6.02(b) on and after the Security Termination Date;

 

(h) Liens on Accounts Receivable and the proceeds thereof which are sold, conveyed or transferred to a Securitization Entity or on the assets of any Securitization Entity in any transaction permitted by Section 6.14;

 

(i) Liens on any property or asset of the Excluded Subsidiaries so long as neither (i) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the obligations secured thereby nor (ii) the aggregate fair market value of the assets subject thereto exceeds (as to all Excluded Subsidiaries) $3,000,000 at any one time; and

 

(j) other Liens that do not cover (i) property constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement (or property that would constitute Collateral if the Security Termination Date had not occurred), subject, to the extent applicable, to the requirements of Article III of the Intercreditor Agreement or (ii) on and after the Security Termination Date, property, plant and equipment reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that are Domestic Subsidiaries (“PP&E”), except to the extent otherwise permitted under Section 6.02(b).

 

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Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 6.02 to the contrary, (i) the aggregate amount of obligations of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries secured by Liens on any of their property or assets shall not exceed 10% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time on or after the Security Termination Date and (ii) at any time, the sum of (A) the Revolving Credit Exposure of the Lenders under this Agreement and any Pari Passu Debt, in either case on any date plus (B) the aggregate amount of other secured obligations of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens created in reliance on the exception in clause (1) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” in Section 1.1 of each of the Public Bond Documents or any other comparable provision under any other Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, which provision is permitted pursuant to Section 6.08(viii) (the “Lien Baskets”) shall not exceed the limitations prescribed by such Lien Baskets.

 

Section 6.03. Fundamental Changes.

 

(a) Mergers, Sales of Assets, Etc. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:

 

(i) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation,

 

(ii) any Subsidiary may merge into any Restricted Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that if any such transaction shall be between a Subsidiary Guarantor and a Restricted Subsidiary not a Subsidiary Guarantor, and such Subsidiary Guarantor is not the continuing or surviving corporation, then the continuing or surviving corporation shall have assumed all of the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder and under the other Loan Documents pursuant to documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in form and substance,

 

(iii) any Restricted Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that if any such transaction shall be between a Subsidiary Guarantor and a Restricted Subsidiary not a Subsidiary Guarantor, and if such Subsidiary Guarantor is not the continuing or surviving corporation, then the continuing or surviving corporation shall have assumed all of the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder and under the other Loan Documents pursuant to documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in form and substance,

 

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(iv) any Restricted Subsidiary 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,

 

(v) prior to the Security Termination Date, the stock or assets of any Restricted Subsidiary may be sold, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of in connection with the making of an investment in a Joint Venture permitted under Section 6.04(h)(iii) below, and

 

(vi) the stock or assets of any Restricted Subsidiary may be sold, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted under Section 6.10;

 

provided, that any such merger that would otherwise be permitted by this Section 6.03 involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.

 

(b) Lines of Business. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Effective Date and businesses reasonably related thereto.

 

(c) Sales of Assets. On and after the Security Termination Date, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) any of its assets or property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or, in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary, issue or sell any shares of such Restricted Subsidiary’s capital stock to any Person, except:

 

(i) the sale, transfer or other disposition of obsolete, worn out or surplus property in the ordinary course of business;

 

(ii) the sale of inventory and goods held for sale in the ordinary course of business;

 

(iii) the lease or sublease of real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;

 

(iv) sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted by Section 6.03(a) (other than Section 6.03(a)(iv));

 

(v) the sale, transfer or other disposition of assets or property (including the sale or issuance of capital stock of any Restricted Subsidiary) (A) to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, (B) between Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Guarantors and (C) subject to Section 6.04(d), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor constituting Investments to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(vi) sales or discounts without recourse (except in the case of clause (B), with respect to Standard Securitization Undertakings) of Accounts Receivable either

 

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(A) arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof or (B) in a transaction permitted by Section 6.14; and

 

(vii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of other property or assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for fair value; provided, that (A) the aggregate amount of such sales, transfers and other dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, during the period from the Security Termination Date until the Maturity Date pursuant to this clause (vii), shall not exceed, in the aggregate, 20% of the Consolidated Total Assets; provided, that, to the extent that (1) the proceeds of any such sale, transfer or other disposition permitted under this Section 6.03(c)(vii)(A) are reinvested in assets that are related to the business in which the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are permitted to be engaged under Section 6.03(b) within the period of twelve (12) months following such sale, transfer or other disposition and (2) the amount of proceeds of all such sales, transfers or other dispositions that are subject to reinvestment do not at any one time exceed 20% of the Consolidated Total Assets, such sale, transfer or other disposition shall be excluded for purposes of computing the amount of sales, transfers and other dispositions made pursuant to Section 6.03(c)(vii)(A); provided, further, that, to the extent that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has acquired any assets that are related to the business in which the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are permitted to be engaged under Section 6.03(b) during the period six months prior to such sale, transfer or other disposition, then the proceeds of such sale, transfer or other disposition may be deemed to have been reinvested for the purpose of determining compliance with the preceding proviso and (B) at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in this Section 6.03 the divestiture or other disposition of specific assets and property of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to an order by any Governmental Authority shall be permitted to the extent such order is given by such Governmental Authority as a prerequisite to the receipt of such Governmental Authority’s approval in connection with a pending Acquisition by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary shall have repaid all Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness outstanding hereunder) associated with the assets or property so divested or disposed (or such Indebtedness shall have been assumed by the purchaser of such assets or property).

 

Section 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Restricted 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, except:

 

(a) Permitted Investments;

 

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(b) Investments by the Borrower existing on the date hereof in the capital stock of its Restricted Subsidiaries and Investments by the Borrower existing on the date hereof described in Part B of Schedule 3.14;

 

(c) prior to the Security Termination Date, Investments made by the Borrower in any Restricted Subsidiary and made by any Restricted Subsidiary in the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(d) on and after the Security Termination Date, (i) Investments by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors in any Person, that, prior to such Investment, is a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor (including Guarantee Obligations with respect to obligations of any such Restricted Subsidiary, loans made to any such Restricted Subsidiary and Investments resulting from mergers with or sales of assets to any such Restricted Subsidiary) in an aggregate amount valued at the fair market value of such Investment at the time such Investment is made not to exceed at any one time the sum of (i) an amount equal to 20% of Consolidated Total Assets plus (ii) an amount equal to any repayments, interest, returns, profits, distributions, income or similar amounts actually received in cash in respect of such Investment (which amount shall not exceed the amount of such Investment valued at the fair market value of such Investment at the time such Investment was made);

 

(e) On and after the Security Termination Date, Investments by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor in the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(f) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01;

 

(g) Investments resulting from the sale or transfer of Accounts Receivable pursuant to a transaction permitted by Section 6.14; and

 

(h) other Investments, so long as immediately prior to the making of such Investment and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and after giving effect to the making of such Investment, the Borrower is in compliance with Section 6.12 (the determination of such compliance to be calculated on a pro forma basis, as at the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to the date of the making of such Investment for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are available, under the assumption that such Investment and any other Investments consummated during the twelve-month period ending on such date shall have occurred, and any Indebtedness in connection therewith shall have been incurred, at the beginning of the applicable period, and under the assumption that interest for such period had been equal to the actual weighted average interest rate in effect for the Loans hereunder on the date of such Investment); provided, that:

 

(i) to the extent that such Investment constitutes an Acquisition by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (A) such Investment is effected in such manner that, if effected by purchase of assets, the acquired business, and the related assets, are

 

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owned either by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or, if effected by merger or consolidation involving the Borrower, the Borrower is the continuing or surviving entity or, if effected by merger or consolidation involving a Restricted Subsidiary, the continuing or surviving entity is a Restricted Subsidiary, or, if effected by purchase of stock or partner, member or other ownership interests, the acquired entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and (B) in the event that the amount of expenditures in respect of such Investment exceeds $100,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate pro forma compliance with Section 6.12 and certifying that prior to the making of such Investment and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(ii) to the extent such Investment is made by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in an Unrestricted Subsidiary, (A) such Investment shall have been made in cash or with the proceeds of the issuance of additional equity capital, (B) the aggregate amount of any such Investment (herein, the “current Investment”) taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this Section 6.04(h)(ii) after the date hereof and prior to the date of the current Investment does not exceed 3% of Consolidated Total Assets determined as at the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to the date of the current Investment for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are available; and (C) in the event that the current Investment exceeds $100,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate pro forma compliance with Section 6.12 and certifying that prior to the making of such Investment and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; provided, however, that the aggregate amount of such current Investments permitted under this Section 6.04(h)(ii) shall not be limited if after the current Investment is made, the aggregate unutilized Commitments is at least $300,000,000; and

 

(iii) to the extent that such Investment is made by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any Person (other than a Subsidiary), including, a Joint Venture, (A) such Investment shall be made in a Person that is principally engaged in a business that the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are permitted by Section 6.03(b) to be engaged in, (B) the aggregate amount of any such Investment (herein, the “current Investment”) taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this Section 6.04(h)(iii) after the date hereof and prior to the date of the current Investment does not exceed 15% of Consolidated Total Assets determined as at the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to the date of the current Investment for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are available and (C) in the event that the current Investment exceeds $100,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer showing calculations in reasonable detail to demonstrate pro forma compliance with Section 6.12 and certifying that prior to the making of such Investment and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Section 6.05. Hedging Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any Hedging Agreement, other than Hedging

 

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Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is exposed in the conduct of its business or the management of its liabilities.

 

Section 6.06. Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that

 

(a) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its capital stock payable solely in additional shares of its common stock;

 

(b) Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their capital stock;

 

(c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; and

 

(d) so long as at the time of each such purchase and after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may purchase outstanding shares of its stock from time to time in such amounts as it shall determine; provided, that after giving effect to such purchase the Borrower is in compliance with Section 6.12 (the determination of such compliance to be calculated on a pro forma basis, as at the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to the date of such purchase for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are available, under the assumption that such purchase shall have occurred, and any Indebtedness in connection therewith shall have been incurred, at the beginning of the applicable period, and under the assumption that interest for such period had been equal to the actual weighted average interest rate in effect for the Loans hereunder on the date of such purchase).

 

Section 6.07. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) prior to the Security Termination Date, transactions between or among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, (c) on and after the Security Termination Date, transactions between or among the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors not involving any other Affiliate and any other transactions between or among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate which are expressly permitted by this Agreement, (d) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06 and (e) any Receivables Financing transaction permitted by Section 6.14 to the extent that a valid “true sale” opinion has been delivered in connection with such transaction by a nationally recognized legal counsel.

 

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Section 6.08. Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries 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 Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets as collateral security for any obligations of the Borrower or any such Restricted Subsidiary under the Loan Documents, or (b) the ability of any Restricted 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 Restricted Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that

 

(i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents;

 

(ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions under agreements applicable to Restricted Subsidiaries so long as, at any date, the aggregate Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on or most recently ended prior to such date shall not exceed 15% of the aggregate Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and all of its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, clause (a) of this Section 6.08 shall continue to apply to all restrictions and conditions limiting Liens on (A) property constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement (or property that would constitute Collateral if the Security Termination Date had not occurred) and (B) on and after the Security Termination Date, the PP&E of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary;

 

(iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Restricted Subsidiary pending such sale; provided, such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Restricted Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder;

 

(iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents (other than the Senior Note Documents or any agreement under which the Indebtedness under the Senior Note Documents is refinanced) if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, clause (a) of this Section 6.08 shall continue to apply to all restrictions and conditions limiting Liens on property constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement (or property that would constitute Collateral if the Security Termination Date had not occurred);

 

(v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof;

 

(vi) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by the Senior Note Documents or, prior to the Security Termination Date, any agreement under which the Indebtedness governed by the Senior Note Documents is refinanced; provided, that such restrictions or conditions are not materially more

 

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restrictive than those contained in the Senior Note Documents on the date hereof (and, if such agreement does not provide that the Indebtedness created thereunder will be secured by Liens on property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, such agreement may contain restrictions or conditions that are not deemed to be more onerous than those contained in the Senior Note Documents on the date hereof); provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Collateral Release Date (as defined in the Senior Note Documents (or the equivalent term in any agreement under which the Indebtedness governed by the Senior Note Documents is refinanced)) occurs, then on and after such date, clause (a) of this Section 6.08 shall apply to all restrictions and conditions limiting Liens on property constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement (or property that would constitute Collateral if the Security Termination Date had not occurred);

 

(vii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to any requirement that obligations of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, in respect of any Subordinated Indebtedness that provide that new Subordinated Indebtedness may not be secured unless existing Subordinated Indebtedness is at least equally and ratably secured; and

 

(viii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by the Public Bond Documents (as such Public Bond Documents are in effect on the date hereof) and any other agreements relating to unsecured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents; provided, that the restrictions or conditions contained in such other agreements are not more restrictive than those contained in the Public Bond Documents on the date hereof.

 

Section 6.09. Senior Note Documents.

 

(a) Promptly following the execution thereof, the Borrower will supply to the Administrative Agent with a copy of any modification, supplement or waiver to a Senior Note Document.

 

(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, provide notice under Section 1.5 of any of the Senior Note Documents or any other comparable provision in any other agreement or document under which the Indebtedness governed by the Senior Note Documents is refinanced, requesting the security trustee under the Senior Note Documents or the equivalent Person under any such other agreement or document, as applicable, to release the collateral securing the Indebtedness under the Senior Note Documents or such refinanced Indebtedness, as applicable, from the Liens created by the Senior Note Documents or such other agreement or document, as applicable.

 

Section 6.10. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into, renew or extend any transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary sells or transfers any property in connection with the leasing, or the release against installment payments, or as part of an arrangement involving the leasing or resale against installment payments, of such property to the seller or transferor; provided, that the Borrower

 

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may effect any of the foregoing so long as the aggregate fair market value of the property so transferred during the term of this Agreement shall not exceed $100,000,000 and, at the time thereof and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Section 6.11. Fiscal Periods. If the Borrower changes the manner of determining the last day of its fiscal year or the last days of the first three fiscal quarters in each of its fiscal years, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to agree to modify any financial calculations and determinations hereunder to reflect their original intent in light of such changes, and if they fail so to agree all such financial calculations determinations hereunder shall continue to be made as if such change had not occurred.

 

Section 6.12. Financial Covenants.

 

(a) Consolidated Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not, as at any date on or after the Security Termination Date, permit the ratio of Consolidated Total Funded Debt as at such date to Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on or most recently ended prior to such date, to be more than 4.25 to 1 (the “Leverage Covenant”).

 

(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the ratio of Consolidated EBITDA to Consolidated Interest Expense for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower to be less than 3.00 to 1.

 

(c) Inventory and Receivables. The Borrower will not, on or before the Security Termination Date, permit the ratio of (i) the sum of the aggregate amount of Inventory and Accounts Receivable of the Borrower and the other Grantors (other than any Grantor that has sold, conveyed or otherwise transferred Accounts Receivable in connection with a Receivables Financing) subject to the Lien of the Security Agreement to (ii) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all the Lenders under this Agreement and any Pari Passu Debt, in either case at such date, to be less than 1.30 to 1 (the “Coverage Covenant”).

 

Section 6.13. Subordinated Indebtedness. If any Default or Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value, or set apart any money for a sinking, defeasance or other analogous fund for the purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition of, or make any voluntary payment or prepayment of the principal of or interest on, or any other amount owing in respect of, the Subordinated Indebtedness, except (subject to the terms of subordination thereof) for regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest in respect thereof required pursuant to the terms thereof. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consent to any modification, supplement or waiver of any of the provisions of any agreement, instrument or other document evidencing or relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness (in the case of any Subordinated Indebtedness referred to in clause (b) of the definition of such term in Section 1.01, after the issuance thereof), without the prior consent of the Administrative Agent (with the approval of the Required Lenders) if such modification, supplement or waiver would be adverse in any material respect to the interests of the Borrower, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of the Lenders.

 

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Section 6.14. Receivables Financings. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, sell Accounts Receivable pursuant to Receivables Financings, if after giving effect to any such sale, the aggregate fair market value of all Accounts Receivables sold pursuant to Receivables Financings by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would exceed 5% of Consolidated Total Assets.

 

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 or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three or more Business Days;

 

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Obligor in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

 

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

 

(e) any Obligor shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);

 

(f) the Borrower or any Restricted 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

 

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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 and, with respect to any “Event of Default” under and as defined in any Senior Note Document due to the violation, breach or failure to comply with either Section 6.6 or Section 6.7 thereunder, such “Event of Default” shall continue unremedied or unwaived for a period of 30 days after the occurrence of such “Event of Default”; provided, that (i) such 30-day cure period shall cease to apply, and such Event of Default shall constitute an “Event of Default” hereunder, immediately upon the holder or holders of Material Indebtedness under the relevant Senior Note Document, or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf, accelerating or otherwise causing such Material Indebtedness to come due prior to its scheduled maturity date and (ii) during such 30-day cure period, a Default hereunder shall be deemed to have occurred and be continuing. It is understood 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 Restricted 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 Restricted 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 Restricted 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 any Restricted Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(j) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing 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 $25,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Restricted 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 Restricted Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

 

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(l) the Borrower or any Subsidiary receives any notice, notification, demand, request for information, citation, summons or order or there has been filed any complaint or any penalty has been assessed or an investigation or review is pending or threatened by any governmental or other entity, in each case with respect to any alleged failure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to have any environmental, health or safety permit, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law in connection with the conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or with respect to any generation, treatment, storage, recycling, transportation, discharge or disposal, or any release of any Hazardous Materials generated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(m) 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 Event;

 

(n) any of the following shall occur: (i) subject to Section 10.13, the Lien created by any Security Document shall at any time cease to constitute a valid and perfected Lien on the collateral intended to be covered thereby before the Security Termination Date; (ii) subject to Section 10.13, except for expiration in accordance with its terms, any Security Document shall for whatever reason be terminated, or shall cease to be in full force and effect before the Security Termination Date; or (iii) subject to Section 10.13, the actual or asserted invalidity of any Security Document or of any guarantee under Article VIII hereof or the validity of any Security Document or of any guarantee under Article VIII hereof or the validity of any subordination provision contained in Article VIII hereof shall be contested by any party before (in the case of any Security Document) the Security Termination Date;

 

(o) a Change in Control shall occur;

 

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 Obligors 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 Obligors.

 

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Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, at all time to and including November 1, 2006, each reference to ‘Restricted Subsidiary’ in clauses (f), (h), (i), (j) and (k) of this Article shall be a reference to ‘Subsidiary’.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

GUARANTEE

 

Section 8.01. The Guarantee. The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, guarantee to each Lender, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent and their respective successors and assigns the prompt payment in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the principal of, and interest on the Loans (and, in the case of Letters of Credit, LC Disbursements) made by the Lenders to the Borrower and all other amounts from time to time owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the Administrative Agent by the Borrower under this Agreement and by any Obligor under any of the other Loan Documents, and all obligations of the Borrower to any Lender (or any affiliate of any Lender) in respect of any Hedging Agreement (other than Hedging Agreements in respect of prices of commodities), in each case in the Currency thereof and otherwise strictly in accordance with the terms thereof (such obligations being herein collectively called the “Guaranteed Obligations”). The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby further jointly and severally agree that if the Borrower shall fail to pay in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the Subsidiary Guarantors will promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

 

For purposes hereof, it is understood that any Guaranteed Obligations to a Person arising under a Hedging Agreement (other than Hedging Agreements in respect of prices of commodities) entered into at the time such Person (or an affiliate thereof) is a “Lender” party to this Agreement shall nevertheless continue to constitute Guaranteed Obligations for purposes hereof, notwithstanding that such Person (or its affiliate) may have assigned all of its Loans and other interests in this Agreement and, at the time a claim is to be made in respect of such Guaranteed Obligations, such Person (or its affiliate) is no longer a “Lender” party to this Agreement.

 

Section 8.02. Obligations Unconditional. The obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under Section 8.01 hereof are absolute and unconditional, joint and several, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein, or any substitution, release or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 8.02 that the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional, joint and several, under any and all circumstances. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of the

 

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Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

 

(i) at any time or from time to time, without notice to the Subsidiary Guarantors, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

 

(ii) any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein shall be done or omitted;

 

(iii) the maturity of any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security therefor shall be released or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with; or

 

(iv) any lien or security interest granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Lenders as security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall fail to be perfected.

 

The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby expressly waive diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any Lender exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against the Borrower under this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

Section 8.03. Reinstatement. The obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under this Article VIII shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise and the Subsidiary Guarantors jointly and severally agree that they will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law.

 

Section 8.04. Subrogation. The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby jointly and severally agree that until the payment and satisfaction in full of all Guaranteed Obligations and the expiration and termination of the Commitments and Letters of Credit under this Agreement they shall not exercise any right or remedy arising by reason of any performance by them of their guarantee in Section 8.01 hereof, whether by subrogation or otherwise, against the Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

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Section 8.05. Remedies. The Subsidiary Guarantors jointly and severally agree that, as between the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Lenders, the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as provided in Article VII hereof (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided in said Article VII) for purposes of Section 8.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or such obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against the Borrower and that, in the event of such declaration (or such obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), such obligations (whether or not due and payable by the Borrower) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Subsidiary Guarantors for purposes of said Section 8.01.

 

Section 8.06. Instrument for the Payment of Money. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby acknowledges that the guarantee in this Article VIII constitutes an instrument for the payment of money, and consents and agrees that any Lender or the Administrative Agent, at its sole option, in the event of a dispute by such Subsidiary Guarantor in the payment of any moneys due hereunder, shall have the right to bring motion-action under New York CPLR Section 3213.

 

Section 8.07. Continuing Guarantee. The guarantee in this Article VIII is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Guaranteed Obligations whenever arising.

 

Section 8.08. Rights of Contribution. The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree, as between themselves, that if any Subsidiary Guarantor shall become an Excess Funding Guarantor (as defined below) by reason of the payment by such Subsidiary Guarantor of any Guaranteed Obligations, each other Subsidiary Guarantor shall, on demand of such Excess Funding Guarantor (but subject to the next sentence), pay to such Excess Funding Guarantor an amount equal to such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Pro Rata Share (as defined below and determined, for this purpose, without reference to the Properties, debts and liabilities of such Excess Funding Guarantor) of the Excess Payment (as defined below) in respect of such Guaranteed Obligations. The payment obligation of a Subsidiary Guarantor to any Excess Funding Guarantor under this Section 8.08 shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the other provisions of this Article VIII and such Excess Funding Guarantor shall not exercise any right or remedy with respect to such excess until payment and satisfaction in full of all of such obligations.

 

For purposes of this Section 8.08, (i) “Excess Funding Guarantor” means, in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations, a Subsidiary Guarantor that has paid an amount in excess of its Pro Rata Share of such Guaranteed Obligations, (ii) ”Excess Payment” means, in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations, the amount paid by an Excess Funding Guarantor in excess of its Pro Rata Share of such Guaranteed Obligations and (iii) ”Pro Rata Share” means, for any Subsidiary Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of (x) the amount by which the aggregate present fair saleable value of all properties of such Subsidiary Guarantor (excluding any shares of stock of any other Subsidiary Guarantor) exceeds the amount of all the debts and liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder and any obligations of any other Subsidiary Guarantor that have been Guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor) to (y) the amount by which the aggregate fair saleable value of all properties of all of the Subsidiary Guarantors exceeds the amount of all the debts and liabilities

 

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(including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder and under the other Loan Documents) of all of the Subsidiary Guarantors, determined (A) with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a party hereto on the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date, and (B) with respect to any other Subsidiary Guarantor, as of the date such Subsidiary Guarantor becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.

 

Section 8.09. General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations. In any action or proceeding involving any state corporate law, or any state or Federal bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally, if the obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor under Section 8.01 would otherwise, taking into account the provisions of Section 8.08, be held or determined to be void, invalid or unenforceable, or subordinated to the claims of any other creditors, on account of the amount of its liability under said Section 8.01, then, notwithstanding any other provision hereof to the contrary, the amount of such liability shall, without any further action by such Subsidiary Guarantor, any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any other Person, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount that is valid and enforceable and not subordinated to the claims of other creditors as determined in such action or proceeding.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT

 

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

 

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent as its collateral agent under the Security Agreement and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms hereof or of the Security Agreement, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. All references to the Administrative Agent in this Article IX shall be deemed to also include and refer to the Collateral Agent in its capacity as such.

 

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 herein. 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 or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary

 

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powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 10.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, 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 10.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or wilful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default or Event of 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 this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

The Administrative Agent shall take such action (subject to Section 10.02(b) hereof and subject to the right of the Administrative Agent to receive further assurances to its satisfaction from the Lenders of their indemnification obligations under Section 10.03(c) hereof against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take such action) with respect to the notice of a Default or Event of Default referred to in the preceding paragraph as shall be directed by the Required Lenders; provided, that, unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such notice of Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interest of the Lenders except to the extent that this Agreement expressly requires that such action be taken, or not be taken, only with the consent or upon the authorization of the Required Lenders or all of the Lenders.

 

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

 

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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 Banks 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 retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. 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 10.03 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 related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

The Arrangers identified on the cover page of this Agreement shall have no duties or responsibilities hereunder. None of the Co-Documentation Agents or the Syndication Agent shall have any duties or responsibilities hereunder other than as a Lender hereunder.

 

ARTICLE X

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 10.01. 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:

 

(i) if to the Borrower, to it at Smithfield Foods, Inc. at 200 Commerce Street, Smithfield, VA 23430, Attention: Dan Stevens (Telecopy No. 757 ###-###-####) and Carey Dubois (Telecopy No. 757 ###-###-####);

 

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(ii) if to any Subsidiary Guarantor, at the address for notices to the Borrower as provided herein;

 

(iii) if to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Loan and Agency Services Group, 1111 Fannin Street, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Jeremy M Jones (Telecopy No. 713 ###-###-####), and, if such notice or other communication relates to borrowings of, or payments or prepayments of, or the duration of Interest Periods for, Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency, also to JPMorgan Chase Bank, 125 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5AJ, United Kingdom, Attention: Agency Loans Department (Telecopy No. 44 ###-###-####; Telephone No. 44 ###-###-####), in each case with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention of Teri Streusand (Telecopy No. 212 ###-###-####;

 

(iv) if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as Issuing Bank, to it at 1111 Fannin Street 10th Fl, Houston, Texas 77002 (Telecopy No. 713 ###-###-####); LC Department, Jeremy M Jones (713 ###-###-####);

 

(v) if to the Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services Group, 1111 Fannin Street, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Jeremy M Jones (Telecopy No. 713 ###-###-####); and

 

(vi) if to any other Lender or any Issuing Lender other than JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided, that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications

 

(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

 

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Section 10.02. Waivers; Amendments.

 

(a) Waivers. No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Obligor therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 10.02, 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 or Event of Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default or Event of Default at the time.

 

(b) Amendments of Agreement. Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors Obligors and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided, that no such agreement shall

 

(i) increase the Commitment (or either Sub-Commitment) of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender,

 

(ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,

 

(iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,

 

(iv) change Section 2.17 in a manner that would alter the pro rata treatment of Lenders required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender,

 

(v) change the definition of “Approved Foreign Currency”, “Dollar Equivalent”, “Foreign Currency” or “Foreign Currency Equivalent”, or any provision affecting the calculation of an amount payable in an Approved Foreign Currency, without the written consent of each Multicurrency Lender,

 

(vi) change any of the provisions of this Section 10.02 or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender,

 

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(vii) release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their obligations in respect of their Guarantee hereunder without the written consent of each Lender, or

 

(viii) except as otherwise provided in the second sentence of paragraph (c) below, release all or substantially all of the collateral under the Security Documents 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, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.

 

(c) Amendments of Security Documents. Neither any Security Document nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified, nor may any collateral thereunder be released, except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Obligors party thereto, and by the Collateral Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders (or all Lenders to the extent required under Section 10.02(b)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to the last sentence of Section 10.02(d), the Collateral Agent shall, at the request of the Borrower, (i) agree to release from the Lien of the Security Agreement any property that is the subject of a permitted sale hereunder to a Person other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary and (ii) agree to terminate the Security Agreement if (w) at the time of such release and after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of obligations of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the Obligations) secured by Liens on any of their property or assets shall not exceed 10% of Consolidated Total Assets, (x) the Index Debt of the Borrower is rated at least Baa3 (with stable outlook or better) by Moody’s or at least BBB- (with stable outlook or better) by S&P; provided, that in no event shall the Lien of the Security Agreement be released if the Index Debt of the Borrower is rated lower than Ba1 (with stable outlook or better) by Moody’s or BB+ (with stable outlook or better) by S&P, (y) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (z) at the time of release and after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 6.02(b) does not exceed the aggregate amount Indebtedness (the “Effective Date Debt Amount”) that was secured by Liens permitted by Section 6.02(b) on the Effective Date.

 

(d) Re-Securing of Collateral. At any time after the Security Termination Date so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower may, upon ten Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, take the following actions, and cause (x) Subsidiary Guarantors that were Grantors immediately prior to the Security Termination Date and (y) to the extent that Accounts Receivable and Inventory of such Grantors is not sufficient for the Borrower to be in compliance with the Coverage Covenant, such other Subsidiary Guarantors that are a party to this Agreement at such time as are sufficient to ensure compliance with such covenant (such Grantors and other Subsidiary Guarantors, the “New Grantors”) to take the following actions, to grant to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a perfected first priority security interest in all of

 

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the Accounts Receivable and Inventory of the Borrower and such New Grantors that would have been subject to the Lien of the Security Agreement if the Security Termination Date had not occurred: (i) deliver a new Security Agreement and, to the extent that the Intercreditor Agreement executed on the Effective Date is no longer in effect or has been previously terminated, a new Intercreditor Agreement to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, duly executed and delivered by each of the intended parties thereto (including, in the case of the Security Agreement, each of the Borrower and the New Grantors), (ii) deliver evidence that duly completed and executed Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statements covering the personal property subject to the Liens created by the new Security Agreement have been duly filed in all jurisdictions as may be required by the Security Agreement or by law or as may be requested by the Collateral Agent and ensure that such filings are current and in full force and effect, (iii) deliver a copy of the results of such Uniform Commercial Code, tax and judgment searches as may be requested by the Administrative Agent in each relevant jurisdiction with respect to the Borrower and New Grantors and which searches reveal no Liens on any asset of the Borrower or the New Grantors, except for Liens permitted under this Agreement, (iv) deliver such proof of corporate action, incumbency of officers, opinions of counsel and other documents as is consistent with those delivered by the Borrower and the Grantors pursuant to Section 4.01 upon the Effective Date or as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent shall have requested (and the Borrower hereby instructs such counsel to deliver such opinions to the Lenders) and (v) any other actions as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may reasonably request. On the later of the tenth day following such notice and the completion of all of the actions listed in clause (i) through (v) above as certified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and confirmed by the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent (such earlier date, the “Resecuring Date”), for all purposes in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Security Termination Date shall be deemed not to have occurred and the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall, on and after the Resecuring Date, be required to comply with all covenants (including the Coverage Covenant) as if the Security Termination Date had not occurred. The Borrower agrees that upon sending any notice pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 10.02(d), it shall no longer be permitted to make a request under Section 10.02(c), and the Collateral Agent shall have no obligation, to release the Collateral from the Lien of the Security Agreement.

 

Section 10.03. Expenses; Indemnity: Damage Waiver.

 

(a) Expenses. 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 administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Banks in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 10.03, 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.

 

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(b) Indemnification by Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, any 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, liabilities and related expenses, 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, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the an Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (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, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided, that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses resulted from the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of such Indemnitee.

 

(c) Indemnification by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, an Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 10.03, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, such 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, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.

 

(d) No Consequential Damages, Etc. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

 

(e) Payment Due Dates. All amounts due under this Section 10.03 shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

 

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Section 10.04. Successors and Assigns.

 

(a) Assignments Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Banks that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) an Obligor 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 such Obligor 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 10.04. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of an Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the relevant Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b) Assignment by Lenders. (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees (each, an “Assignee”) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments or either Sub-Commitment) and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent of:

 

(A) the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld); provided, that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund (as defined below) or, if an Event of Default under clause (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII has occurred and is continuing, any other Person; and

 

(B) the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld); and

 

(C) each Issuing Bank (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).

 

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

 

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitments or Loans, the amount of the Commitments or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent; provided, that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under clause (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII has occurred and is continuing, if any;

 

(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

 

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Agreement; provided, that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all of 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.

 

For the purposes of this Section 10.06, “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) below, 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 Section 2.14, Section 2.15, Section 2.16 and Section 10.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 10.04 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 10.04.

 

(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 Commitments of (including Sub-Commitments), and principal amount of the Loans and L/C Disbursement 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 Banks 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 Banks and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(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),

 

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the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 10.04 and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section 10.04, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

 

(c) Participations. (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks 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 Commitments or either Sub-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 Banks 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 may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) requires the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby pursuant to the first proviso to Section 10.02(b) and (2) directly affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section 10.04, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.14, Section 2.15 and Section 2.16 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 10.04. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided, such Participant shall be subject to Section 2.17(f) as though it were a Lender. Notwithstanding anything in this paragraph to the contrary, any bank or other lending institution that is a member of the Farm Credit System that (A) has purchased a participation or sub-participation in the minimum amount of $10,000,000 on or after the Effective Date, (B) is, by written notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (“Voting Participant Notification”), designated by the selling Lender as being entitled to be accorded the rights of a Voting Participant hereunder (any bank or other lending institution that is a member of the Farm Credit System so designated being called a “Voting Participant”) and (C) receives the prior written consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to become a Voting Participant, shall be entitled to vote (and the voting rights of the selling Lender shall be correspondingly reduced), on a dollar for dollar basis, as if such participant or sub-participant were a Lender, on any matter requiring or allowing a Lender to provide or withhold its consent, or to otherwise vote on any proposed action. To be effective, each Voting Participant Notification shall, with respect to any Voting Participant, (1) state the full name, as well as all contact information required of an Assignee in any Administrative Questionnaire and (2) state the dollar amount of the participation or sub-participation purchased. The Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to conclusively rely on information contained in notices delivered pursuant to this paragraph.

 

(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.14 or Section 2.16 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to

 

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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. Any Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.16 unless such Participant complies with Section 2.16(e) as though it were a Lender.

 

(d) Pledges by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or the Farm Credit Funding Corp. or to any other entity organized under the Farm Credit Act, as amended, and this Section 10.04 shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided, that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or Assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(e) No Assignments to Borrower and Affiliates. Anything in this Section 10.04 to the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender may assign or participate any interest in any Loan held by it hereunder to the Borrower or any Affiliates or Subsidiaries of the Borrower without the prior consent of each Lender.

 

Section 10.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Obligors herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of 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 Section 2.14, Section 2.15, Section 2.16 and Section 10.03 and Article IX 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 10.06. 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 and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent and the Arrangers 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. Subject to 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

 

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

 

Section 10.08. 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 any Obligor against any of and all the obligations of such Obligor now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section 10.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

 

Section 10.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

 

(a) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b) Submission to Jurisdiction. EACH OBLIGOR 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 THIS AGREEMENT, 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 shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Obligor or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c) Waiver of Forum Matters. Each Obligor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection

 

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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 10.09. 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) Service of Process. Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 10.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

Section 10.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS Section 10.10.

 

Section 10.11. 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 10.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ 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 applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 10.12, (i) to any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower, (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 10.12 or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section 10.12, “Information” means all

 

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information received from any Obligor relating to such Obligor or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided, that, in the case of information received from any Obligor after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 10.12 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 10.13. Perfection of Security Interests. Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in any Security Document to the contrary, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be responsible for the failure of the Lien created by the Security Agreement to be first priority and perfected Lien on the Collateral to the extent that such failure results from the failure by the Collateral Agent to file continuation statements under the Uniform Commercial Code in respect of such Lien.

 

Section 10.14. Acknowledgments. Each Obligor hereby acknowledges that:

 

(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

 

(b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender or Issuing Bank has any fiduciary relationship with or fiduciary duty to any Obligor arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, on the one hand, and the Obligors, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

 

(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among any party or parties hereto.

 

Section 10.15. European Monetary Union.

 

(a) Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

EMU” means economic and monetary union as contemplated in the Treaty on European Union.

 

EMU Legislation” means legislative measures of the European Council for the introduction of, changeover to or operation of a single or unified European currency (whether known as the Euro or otherwise), being in part the implementation of the third stage of EMU.

 

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Euros” means the single currency of Participating Member States of the European Union, which shall be an Approved Foreign Currency and a Foreign Currency under this Agreement.

 

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

 

Target Operating Day” means any day that is not (i) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii) Christmas Day or New Year’s Day or (iii) any other day on which the Trans-European Real-time Gross Settlement Operating System (or any successor settlement system) is not operating (as determined by the Administrative Agent).

 

Treaty on European Union” means the Treaty of Rome of March 25, 1957, as amended by the Single European Act 1986 and the Maastricht Treaty (which was signed at Maastricht on February 7, 1992, and came into force on November 1, 1993), as amended from time to time.

 

(b) Payments by the Administrative Agent Generally. With respect to the payment of any amount denominated in Euros, the Administrative Agent shall not be liable to the Borrower or any of the Lenders in any way whatsoever for any delay, or the consequences of any delay, in the crediting to any account of any amount required by this Agreement to be paid by the Administrative Agent if the Administrative Agent shall have taken all relevant steps to achieve, on the date required by this Agreement, the payment of such amount in immediately available, freely transferable, cleared funds in Euros to the account of any Lender in the Principal Financial Center in the Participating Member State which the Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, shall have specified for such purpose. For the purposes of this paragraph, “all relevant steps” means all such steps as may be prescribed from time to time by the regulations or operating procedures of such clearing or settlement system as the Administrative Agent may from time to time determine for the purpose of clearing or settling payments in Euros.

 

(c) Certain Rate Determinations. For the purposes of determining the date on which the LIBO Rate is determined under this Agreement for the Interest Period for any Borrowing denominated in Euros, references in this Agreement to Business Days shall be deemed to be references to Target Operating Days.

 

Section 10.16. Judgment Currency. This is an international loan transaction in which the specification of Dollars or any Foreign Currency, as the case may be (the “Specified Currency”), and payment in New York City or the country of the Specified Currency, as the case may be (the “Specified Place”), is of the essence, and the Specified Currency shall be the currency of account in all events relating to Loans denominated in the Specified Currency. The payment obligations of each Obligor under this Agreement shall not be discharged or satisfied by an amount paid in another currency or in another place, whether pursuant to a judgment or otherwise, to the extent that the amount so paid on conversion to the Specified Currency and transfer to the Specified Place under normal banking procedures does not yield the amount of the Specified Currency at the Specified Place due hereunder. If for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder in the Specified Currency into another currency (the “Second Currency”), the rate of exchange that shall be applied shall be

 

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the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the Specified Currency with the Second Currency on the Business Day next preceding the day on which such judgment is rendered. The obligation of each Obligor in respect of any such sum due from it to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in this Section 10.16 called an “Entitled Person”) shall, notwithstanding the rate of exchange actually applied in rendering such judgment, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Entitled Person of any sum adjudged to be due hereunder in the Second Currency such Entitled Person may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase and transfer to the Specified Place the Specified Currency with the amount of the Second Currency so adjudged to be due; and each Obligor hereby, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, agrees to indemnify such Entitled Person against, and to pay such Entitled Person on demand, in the Specified Currency, the amount (if any) by which the sum originally due to such Entitled Person in the Specified Currency hereunder exceeds the amount of the Specified Currency so purchased and transferred.

 

Section 10.17. Senior Note Documents. In the event that the Senior Note Amendment Date (as defined below) shall occur at any time prior to November 1, 2006, each reference to “November 1, 2006” in Section 1.06, and in Article VII, of the Credit Agreement shall be deemed to be amended to refer instead to the Senior Note Amendment Date. As used herein, “Senior Note Amendment Date” means the date, if ever, on which an amendment, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to each of the Senior Note Documents has been adopted amending Section 8.1 of each Senior Note Document so that only events relating to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as opposed to the Borrower and all of its Subsidiaries) may result in an Event of Default (as defined in the respective Senior Note Document) in clauses (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j) of Section 8.1 of each Senior Note Document

 

Section 10.18. USA PATRIOT Act Notice. Each Lender and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (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 or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, provide, to the extent commercially reasonable, such information and take such actions as are reasonably requested by each Lender and the Administrative Agent to maintain compliance with the Act.

 

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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.

 

SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
By  

/s/ Daniel G. Stevens


Name:   Daniel G. Stevens
Title:   Vice President and Chief Financial
    Officer

 

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

CODDLE ROASTED MEATS, INC.

 

BROWN’S OF CAROLINA LLC

GWALTNEY OF SMITHFIELD, LTD.

 

CARROLL’S FOODS LLC

HANCOCK’S OLD FASHIONED
COUNTRY HAM, INC.

 

CARROLL’S FOODS OF
VIRGINIA LLC

IOWA QUALITY MEATS, LTD.

 

CENTRAL PLAINS FARMS LLC

JOHN MORRELL & CO.

 

CIRCLE FOUR LLC

LYKES MEAT GROUP, INC.

 

MURPHY FARMS LLC

MOYER PACKING COMPANY

  QUARTER M FARMS LLC,

PACKERLAND-PLAINWELL, INC.

  MURPHY-BROWN HOLDINGS LLC

NORTH SIDE FOODS CORP.

  each a Delaware limited liability company

PACKERLAND PACKING

       

COMPANY, INC.

       

PATRICK CUDAHY INCORPORATED

  By   MURPHY-BROWN LLC,

PREMIUM PORK, INC.

      a Delaware limited liability company,

QUIK-TO-FIX FOODS, INC.

      as a sole member of each

STADLER’S COUNTRY HAMS, INC.

       

SUN LAND BEEF COMPANY

           

SUNNYLAND, INC.

      By   JOHN MORRELL & CO.,

THE SMITHFIELD COMPANIES, INC.

          a Delaware corporation,

THE SMITHFIELD PACKING
COMPANY, INCORPORATED

          as its sole member

STEFANO FOODS, INC.

           

THE SMITHFIELD HAM AND PRODUCTS
COMPANY, INCORPORATED

         

/s/ Daniel G. Stevens


        Name:   Daniel G. Stevens

DAKOTA ACQUISITION COMPANY

      Title:   Vice President

JOHN MORRELL OF JAPAN, INC.

           

MURPHY FARMS OF TEXHOMA, INC.

           

 

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SHOWCASE FOODS, INC.

SMITHFIELD GLOBAL PRODUCTS, INC.

CATTLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, INC.

FARMLAND FOODS, INC.

By  

/s/ Daniel G. Stevens


Name:   Daniel G. Stevens
Title:   Vice President

MURPHY-BROWN LLC,
a Delaware limited liability company

    By  

JOHN MORRELL & CO.,


        a Delaware corporation,
        as its sole member
       

/s/ Daniel G. Stevens


    Name:   Daniel G. Stevens
    Title:   Vice President

 

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LENDERS

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
as Administrative Agent and as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Teri Streusand


Name:   Teri Streusand
Title:   Vice President

CITICORP USA, INC.,
as Syndication Agent and as a Lender

By:  

/s/ Robert J. Kane


Name:   Robert Kane
Title:   Managing Director
CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH

as Co-Documentation Agent and as a

Lender

By:  

/s/ Lee E. Greve


Name:   Lee E. Greve
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ Julie T. Kanak


Name:   Julie T. Kanak
Title:   Director
COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE
RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK
B.A. “RABOBANK INTERNATIONAL”,
NEW YORK BRANCH,
as Co-Documentation agent and as a Lender
By:  

/s/ James V. Kenwood


Name:   James V. Kenwood
Title:   Executive Director
By:  

/s/ Rebecca O. Morrow


Name:   Rebecca O. Morrow
Title:   Executive Director

 

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SUNTRUST BANK,
as Co-Documentation agent and as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Hugh E. Brown


Name:   Huge E. Brown
Title:   Vice President
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ David Catherall


Name:   David Catherall
Title:   Vice President
BNP PARIBAS,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Tom Ambrose


Name:   Tom Ambrose
Title:   Director
By:  

/s/ Gaye Plunkett


Name:   Gaye Plunkett
Title:   Vice President
COBANK, ACB,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Jim Stutzman


Name:   Jim Stutzman
Title:   Vice President
COBANK, ACB
By:  

/s/ Jim Stutzman


Name:   Jim Stutzman
Title:   Vice President
HARRIS N.A.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ John R. Carley


Name:   John R. Carley
Title:   Vice President

 

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THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND plc,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Michaela V. Galluzzo


Name:   Michaela V. Galluzzo
Title:   Vice President
SOCIETE GENERALE,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Sebastien Ribatto


Name:   Sebastien Ribatto
Title:   Director
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Bollington


Name:   Jeremy Bollington
Title:   Managing Director
ING CAPITAL, LLC,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Daniel W. Lamprecht


Name:   Daniel W. Lamprecht
Title:   Managing Director
MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK, LTD.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Robert Gallagher


Name:   Robert Gallagher
Title:   Senior Vice President
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Harold Nelson


Name:   Harold Nelson
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

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WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Beth Rue


Name:   Beth Rue
Title:   AVP
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Security Trustee
By:  

/s/ Beth Rue


Name:   Beth Rue
Title:   AVP
GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Thomas Connolly


Name:   Thomas Connolly
Title:   Authorized Signatory
CAPE FEAR FARM CREDIT, ACA,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Randy T. Pope


Name:   Randy T. Pope
Title:   Vice President

 

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