AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of April 11, 2016, among UNIFIRST CORPORATION, and certain of its Subsidiaries, as Borrowers, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as an L/C Issuer, and The Other Lenders Party Hereto MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Joint Lead Arrangers and Book Managers, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Syndication Agent, and SANTANDER BANK, N.A. and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agents TABLE OF CONTENTS
Exhibit 10.1
Published CUSIP Number: 904709AE2 – Deal
Published CUSIP Number: 904709AF9 – Rev
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of April 11, 2016,
among
UNIFIRST CORPORATION,
and certain of its Subsidiaries,
as Borrowers,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender
and an L/C Issuer,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as an L/C Issuer,
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Book Managers,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Syndication Agent,
and
SANTANDER BANK, N.A.
and
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
as Co-Documentation Agents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS | 1 | |
1.01 | Defined Terms. | 1 |
1.02 | Other Interpretive Provisions. | 28 |
1.03 | Accounting Terms. | 29 |
1.04 | Rounding. | 29 |
1.05 | Times of Day. | 29 |
1.06 | Letter of Credit Amounts. | 29 |
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS | 29 | |
2.01 | Committed Loans. | 29 |
2.02 | Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans. | 30 |
2.03 | [Reserved.] | 32 |
2.04 | Letters of Credit. | 32 |
2.05 | Swing Line Loans. | 42 |
2.06 | Prepayments. | 45 |
2.07 | Termination or Reduction of Commitments. | 47 |
2.08 | Repayment of Loans. | 48 |
2.09 | Interest. | 48 |
2.10 | Fees. | 49 |
2.11 | Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate. | 49 |
2.12 | Evidence of Debt. | 50 |
2.13 | Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback. | 50 |
2.14 | Sharing of Payments by Lenders. | 52 |
2.15 | Extension of Maturity Date. | 53 |
2.16 | Increase in Commitments. | 55 |
2.17 | Cash Collateral. | 57 |
2.18 | Defaulting Lenders. | 58 |
2.19 | Joint and Several Liability of the Borrowers. | 60 |
2.20 | Designation of the Parent as Agent for the Borrowers. | 60 |
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY | 61 | |
3.01 | Taxes. | 61 |
3.02 | Illegality | 66 |
3.03 | Inability to Determine Rates. | 67 |
3.04 | Increased Costs. | 68 |
3.05 | Compensation for Losses. | 70 |
3.06 | Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. | 70 |
3.07 | Survival. | 71 |
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS | 71 | |
4.01 | Conditions of Initial Credit Extension. | 71 |
4.02 | Conditions to all Credit Extensions. | 72 |
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 73 | |
5.01 | Existence, Qualification and Power. | 73 |
5.02 | Authorization; No Contravention. | 73 |
5.03 | Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. | 74 |
5.04 | Binding Effect. | 74 |
5.05 | Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect. | 74 |
5.06 | Litigation. | 75 |
5.07 | No Default. | 75 |
5.08 | Ownership of Property; Liens. | 75 |
5.09 | Environmental Compliance. | 75 |
5.10 | Insurance. | 75 |
5.11 | Taxes. | 76 |
5.12 | ERISA Compliance. | 76 |
5.13 | Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. | 77 |
5.14 | Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. | 77 |
5.15 | Disclosure. | 77 |
5.16 | Compliance with Laws. | 77 |
5.17 | Taxpayer Identification Number. | 78 |
5.18 | Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. | 78 |
5.19 | Solvency. | 78 |
5.20 | EEA Financial Institution. | 78 |
5.21 | Sanctions Concerns and Anti-Corruption Laws. | 78 |
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS | 78 | |
6.01 | Financial Statements. | 79 |
6.02 | Certificates; Other Information. | 79 |
6.03 | Notices. | 81 |
6.04 | Payment of Taxes. | 82 |
6.05 | Preservation of Existence, Etc. | 82 |
6.06 | Maintenance of Properties. | 82 |
6.07 | Maintenance of Insurance. | 82 |
6.08 | Compliance with Laws. | 83 |
6.09 | Books and Records. | 83 |
6.10 | Inspection Rights. | 83 |
6.11 | Use of Proceeds. | 83 |
6.12 | Additional Loan Parties. | 83 |
6.13 | Compliance with Environmental Laws. | 84 |
6.14 | Further Assurances. | 84 |
6.15 | Compliance with Terms of Leaseholds. | 84 |
6.16 | Material Contracts. | 84 |
6.17 | Obligations to Rank Pari Passu. | 84 |
6.18 | Anti-Corruption Laws. | 85 |
6.19 | Keepwell. | 85 |
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS | 85 | |
7.01 | Liens. | 85 |
7.02 | Investments. | 87 |
7.03 | Indebtedness | 88 |
7.04 | Fundamental Changes. | 90 |
7.05 | Dispositions. | 91 |
7.06 | Restricted Payments. | 92 |
7.07 | Change in Nature of Business. | 92 |
7.08 | Transactions with Affiliates. | 92 |
7.09 | Burdensome Agreements. | 92 |
7.10 | Use of Proceeds. | 93 |
7.11 | Financial Covenants. | 93 |
7.12 | Amendments of Organizational Documents. | 93 |
7.13 | Accounting Changes. | 93 |
7.14 | [Reserved] | 93 |
7.15 | Sanctions | 93 |
7.16 | Anti-Corruption Laws. | 94 |
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES | 94 | |
8.01 | Events of Default | 94 |
8.02 | Remedies Upon Event of Default. | 96 |
8.03 | Application of Funds. | 97 |
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT | 98 | |
9.01 | Appointment and Authority | 98 |
9.02 | Rights as a Lender | 98 |
9.03 | Exculpatory Provisions | 98 |
9.04 | Reliance by Administrative Agent | 100 |
9.05 | Delegation of Duties | 100 |
9.06 | Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent. | 100 |
9.07 | Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. | 102 |
9.08 | No Other Duties, Etc. | 102 |
9.09 | Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. | 102 |
9.10 | Guaranty Matters. | 103 |
9.11 | Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements | 103 |
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS | 104 | |
10.01 | Amendments, Etc. | 104 |
10.02 | Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication. | 106 |
10.03 | No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement | 108 |
10.04 | Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. | 109 |
10.05 | Payments Set Aside. | 111 |
10.06 | Successors and Assigns. | 112 |
10.07 | Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. | 117 |
10.08 | Right of Setoff. | 118 |
10.09 | Interest Rate Limitation. | 119 |
10.10 | Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. | 119 |
10.11 | Survival of Representations and Warranties. | 119 |
10.12 | Severability. | 120 |
10.13 | Replacement of Lenders. | 120 |
10.14 | Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. | 121 |
10.15 | Waiver of Jury Trial. | 122 |
10.16 | California Judicial Reference. | 122 |
10.17 | No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. | 122 |
10.18 | Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. | 123 |
10.19 | USA PATRIOT Act. | 123 |
10.20 | Time of the Essence. | 124 |
10.21 | ENTIRE AGREEMENT. | 124 |
10.22 | Amendment and Restatement of Existing Credit Agreement. | 124 |
10.23 | Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-in of EEA Financial Institutions. | 124 |
SCHEDULES
| 1 | Subsidiary Borrowers |
| 1.01 | Existing Letters of Credit |
| 2.01 | Commitments and Applicable Percentages |
| 5.06 | Litigation |
| 5.09 | Environmental Matters |
| 5.12(d) | Pension Plans |
| 5.13 | Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments |
| 5.17 | Borrower U.S. Taxpayer ID Number |
| 5.18 | Intellectual Property Matters |
| 7.01 | Existing Liens |
| 7.02 | Existing Investments |
| 7.03 | Existing Indebtedness |
| 10.02 | Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices |
EXHIBITS
Form of
| A | Committed Loan Notice |
| B | Swing Line Loan Notice |
| C | Note |
| D | Compliance Certificate |
| E-1 | Assignment and Assumption |
| E-2 | Administrative Questionnaire |
| F | Guaranty |
| G | Reserved |
| H | Notice of Loan Prepayment |
| M | U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates |
| S | Letter of Credit Report |
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CREDIT AGREEMENT
This AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of April 11, 2016, among UNIFIRST CORPORATION, a Massachusetts corporation (the “Parent”), certain of its Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 1 (collectively with the Parent, the “Borrowers”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer.
The Borrowers have requested that the Lenders amend, restate and extend the Existing Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Acquisition” means the acquisition in a single transaction or a series of related transactions of either (a) all or any substantial portion of the property of, or line of business or division of, another Person or (b) at least a majority of the Equity Interests of another Person entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of such Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit E-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders in effect from time to time, which amount shall initially equal $250,000,000.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.18. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
“Applicable Rate” means the applicable percentage per annum set forth in the table below determined by reference to the Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(b):
Applicable Rate
| |||||
Pricing Level | Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio | Eurodollar Rate Loans | Base Rate Loans | Commitment Fee | Letters of Credit
|
I | <0.75:1.00 | 0.75% | 0.00% | 0.125% | 0.50% |
II | ≥0.75:1.00 but <1.50:1.00 | 1.00% | 0.00% | 0.150% | 0.75% |
III | ≥1.50:1.00 but <2.25:1.00 | 1.25% | 0.25% | 0.200% | 1.00% |
IV | ≥2.25:1.00 | 1.50% | 0.50% | 0.250% | 1.25% |
Initially, for the period as of and immediately following the Closing Date, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to Level I in the table set forth above. Thereafter, each increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b); provided, however, that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered within ten (10) days after the time periods specified in such Section 6.02(b), then Pricing Level IV (as set forth in the table above) shall apply; and provided further that at any time that the Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio is greater than 3:25 to 1:00 pursuant to Section 7.11(b), the Applicable Rates for Eurodollar Rate Loans, Base Rate Loans and Letter of Credit Fees shall be equal to the Pricing Level IV plus 0.25% per annum and the Commitment Fee shall be increased to 0.30%.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.09(b).
“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
“Arrangers” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in their respective capacities as joint lead arrangers and book managers.
“Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit E-1 or any other form (including an electronic documentation form generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Assumed Indebtedness” means Indebtedness assumed as part of an Acquisition, including Indebtedness in the form of industrial revenue bonds, but not any renewals or extensions of such industrial revenue bonds.
“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease or other applicable agreement or instrument that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease or other applicable agreement or instrument were accounted for as a capital lease.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.07(a), and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.
“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.
“Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU or the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.
“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%; provided that if the Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base Rate Committed Loan” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Borrowers” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.
“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations, Obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), (a) cash or deposit account balances, (b) backstop letters of credit entered into on terms, from issuers and in amounts reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the applicable L/C Issuer, and/or (c) if the applicable L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and such L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable). “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.
“Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by a Borrower free and clear of all Liens: (a) readily marketable obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition thereof; provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof; (b) time deposits with, or insured certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances of, any commercial bank that (i) is organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or is the principal banking subsidiary of a bank holding company organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and is a member of the Federal Reserve System, (ii) issues (or the parent of which issues) commercial paper rated as described in clause (c) of this definition and (iii) has combined capital and surplus of at least $500,000,000, in each case with maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition thereof; (c) commercial paper issued by any Person organized under the laws of any state of the United States of America and rated at least “Prime-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by Moody’s or at least “A-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by S&P, in each case with maturities of not more than 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof; (d) Investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, in money market investment programs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which are administered by financial institutions that have the highest rating obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P, and the portfolios of which are limited solely to Investments of the character, quality and maturity described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this definition; (e) in the case of UniFirst Canada Ltd., in term deposits, guaranteed investment certificates, banker’s acceptances, time certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, treasury bills and bonds issued by the Canadian federal government and/or provincial governments or promissory notes and bonds issued by Canadian federal and provincial government agencies or corporations with short term ratings of R-1 High by Dominion Bond Rating Service (DBRS), maturing within one year of their issuance or which are fully cashable after 30 days, from banks in the United States having capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $500,000,000 or from Canadian Affiliates of any of the Lenders; and (f) in the case of UniFirst Canada Ltd., in shares of money-market mutual funds investing in obligations carrying the investment grade rating by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (DBRS); in the case of any non-Domestic Subsidiary, instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above denominated in a foreign currency, which are substantially equivalent in credit quality and tenor to those referred to above and customarily used by businesses for short term cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside of the United States; and (g) investments permitted pursuant to the Borrower’s investment policy as approved by the Board of Directors (or committee thereof) of the Borrower from time to time.
“Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement that is entered into by and between the Borrowers and any Cash Management Bank to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.
“Cash Management Bank” means any Person that, on the Closing Date (with respect to any Cash Management Agreements existing as of the Closing Date) or at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement (even if such Person ceases to be a Lender or such Person’s Affiliate ceases to be a Lender).
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:
(a) Marie Croatti, descendants of either Adlo A. Croatti or Marie Croatti, or trusts established for the benefit of any of the foregoing Persons collectively cease to own, legally and beneficially, shares of common stock of the Parent enabling the holders thereof to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent; or
(b) the Parent ceases to own (other than pursuant to a transaction permitted by Section 7.04), legally and beneficially, directly or indirectly, 100% of all of the issued and outstanding voting equity interests of each other Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries formed or acquired after the Closing Date (excluding directors’ qualifying shares); provided, that any Subsidiary may issue options to its officers, directors or employees for services so long as, after giving effect thereto, the Parent shall continue to own, both legally and beneficially, directly or indirectly, not less than 80% of all of the issued and outstanding voting equity interests of such Subsidiary.
“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
“Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
“Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A, or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrowers.
“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
“Competitor” means any Person (including any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof) primarily engaged in the uniform rental business; provided, however, that the term “Competitor” shall not include any Person that is a bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution, pension plan, pension trust, investment company, insurance company, broker-dealer, mutual fund, “CDO” or any other similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D.
“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
“Consolidated EBIT” means, for any period, for the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, state, local and foreign income or profits taxes paid or payable by the Parent and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) non-cash stock compensation expenses for such period, (iv) non-cash accretion expense related to nuclear facility decommissioning liabilities for such period and (v) non-cash impairment charges for such period, minus (b) the following to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for such period and (ii) all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period. Consolidated EBIT for any period may, at the Borrowers’ option, include the historical net income (calculated in the manner set forth in this definition of “Consolidated EBIT”) of any target of a Permitted Acquisition consummated during such period; provided that the Administrative Agent has received such target’s financial statements for such period and any other information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated EBIT for such period plus the following to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income for such period: (a) depreciation and amortization expense for such period and (b) other non-cash charges or items for such period. Consolidated EBITDA for any period may, at the Borrowers’ option, include the historical Consolidated EBITDA for such period (calculated in the manner set forth in this definition of “Consolidated EBITDA”) of any target of a Permitted Acquisition consummated during such period; provided that the Administrative Agent has received such target’s financial statements for such period and any other historical financial information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
“Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently ended.
“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum (without duplication) of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations for borrowed money hereunder) and all principal obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, but excluding any obligations with respect to Swap Contracts, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) the amount of all Letters of Credit determined in accordance with Section 1.06, (e) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, (f) all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other than the Parent or any Subsidiary, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which the Parent or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Parent or such Subsidiary; provided, however, that in no event shall Consolidated Funded Indebtedness include any Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03(f) to the extent consisting of contingent obligations of the Borrowers.
“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum (without duplication) of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Parent and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Parent and its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBIT for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such date to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, excluding extraordinary or non-recurring gains and extraordinary or non-recurring losses for that period.
“Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” means, as of any date of determination, for the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, Shareholders’ Equity of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on that date minus the Intangible Assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on that date; provided, however, that there shall be excluded from the calculation of “Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” any effects resulting from the application of FASB ASC No. 715: Compensation – Retirement Benefits.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
“Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to past due Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such past due Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to past due Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.
“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.18(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the applicable L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrowers, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-in Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.18(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrowers, the L/C Issuers, the Swing Line Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.
“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory is the subject of any Sanction.
“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.
“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.
“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrowers, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries 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 or agreement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with any Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA; (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) the determination that any Pension Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA; (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or (i) a failure by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to meet all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, or the failure by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan.
“Eurodollar Rate” means:
(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (in such case, the “LIBOR Rate”) at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and
(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits with a term of one (1) month commencing that day;
provided that: (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and (ii) if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.
“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate”.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Borrower or any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Person of such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Person’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 6.19 and any other “keepwell, support or other agreement for the benefit of such Person and any and all guarantees of such Person’s Swap Obligations by other Borrowers or Guarantors) at the time the Guaranty of such Person becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such Guaranty is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 10.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), (a)(iii) or (c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.
“Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of May 5, 2011, among the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the other Lenders party thereto.
“Existing Letters of Credit” means, collectively, the standby letters of credit set forth on Schedule 1.01.
“Facility Termination Date” means the date as of which all of the following shall have occurred: (a) the Aggregate Commitments have terminated, (b) all Obligations have been paid in full (other than Unasserted Obligations), and (c) all Letters of Credit have terminated or expired (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements with respect thereto reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the applicable L/C Issuer shall have been made).
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous for Parent and its Subsidiaries to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Code Sections.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
“Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated February 16, 2016, among the Parent, the Administrative Agent and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, which supersedes and replaces in its entirety that certain Fee Letter, dated March 10, 2011, among the Parent, the Administrative Agent and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which any Borrower is resident for tax purposes (including such a Lender when acting in the capacity of the L/C Issuer). For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.
“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth from time to time in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies with similar functions of comparable stature and authority within the accounting profession) including, without limitation, the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied and subject to Section 1.03.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) each Domestic Subsidiary of the Parent that becomes a party to this Agreement after the Closing Date as a guarantor pursuant to Section 6.12, and (b) with respect to any Swap Obligation of a Borrower or a Guarantor (determined before giving effect to Section 6.19) under any Guaranty, each Borrower.
“Guaranty” means any Guaranty made after the Closing Date by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.12, substantially in the form of Exhibit F.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated as hazardous or toxic pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract permitted under Article VII that is entered into by and between the Borrowers and any Hedge Bank.
“Hedge Bank” means any Person that, on the Closing Date (with respect to any Hedge Agreements existing as of the Closing Date) or at the time it enters into a Hedge Agreement, is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, in its capacity as a party to such Hedge Agreement.
“IFRS” means the International Financial Reporting Standards set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the International Accounting Standards Board, consistently applied.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP (excluding anything in the nature of capital stock, capital surplus and retained earnings):
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;
(b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;
(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;
(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, not past due for more than 120 days after the date on which such trade account payable was created (unless being contested in good faith, as to which adequate reserves required by GAAP have been established and are being maintained and as to which no encumbrance has been placed on any property of such Person));
(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) all Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;
(g) [reserved]; and
(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.
For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.
“Intangible Assets” means assets that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, including customer lists, goodwill, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges and unamortized debt discount, but excluding computer software costs, computer programs and capitalized research and development costs.
“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each February, May, August and November and the Maturity Date.
“Interest Period” means as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrowers in a Committed Loan Notice, or such other period that is twelve months or less (in all cases, subject to availability) requested by the Borrowers and consented to by all the Lenders; provided that:
(i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
(ii) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) an Acquisition. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested less all returns of principal or on equity in respect thereof, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.
“IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.18.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).
“Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and any Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.
“Knowledge Officer” means, with respect to any Borrower, any Responsible Officer, executive vice president or senior vice president of such Borrower.
“KYC Requirement Information” means, with respect to the Borrowers and each other Guarantor, such Borrower’s or Guarantor’s tax identification number, physical address, country of principal place of business, headquarters and formation, type of legal entity, phone number and such other information as any Lender reasonably requires.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
“L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
“L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.
“L/C Commitment” means, as to each L/C Issuer, its obligation to issue Letters of Credit to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.04 in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit applicable to such L/C Issuer, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
“L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance or amendment thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.
“L/C Issuer” means Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., each in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.
“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swing Line Lender.
“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, which office may include any Affiliate of such Person or any domestic or foreign branch of such Person or such Affiliate.
“Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder and the Existing Letters of Credit.
“Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.
“Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is five days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).
“Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(h).
“Letter of Credit Report” means a certificate substantially the form of Exhibit S or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Letter of Credit Sublimit” means, (i) as to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., an amount equal to $50,000,000 and (ii) as to Bank of America, an amount equal to $60,000,000, unless otherwise agreed by such L/C Issuer, and an aggregate sublimit for all L/C Issuers of $110,000,000. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
“LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrowers under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of this Agreement, the Fee Letter, each Guaranty, each joinder agreement and related documents entered into or delivered by a Domestic Subsidiary in connection with such Subsidiary becoming a Borrower or a Guarantor, and any certificates, instruments or agreements (excluding any Cash Management Agreements or Hedge Agreements) executed by a Loan Party in favor of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent in connection with any of the foregoing, each as amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, each Borrower and each Guarantor.
“London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“Material Acquisition” means each material acquisition or series of three or fewer acquisitions in any trailing twelve-month period in which the acquiring Loan Parties paid consideration (including earnouts or deferred cash payments and assumed Indebtedness) to the sellers at least equal to $25,000,000 in the aggregate.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the financial condition, properties, business or results of operations of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document, or of the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their material obligations under any Loan Document; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
“Material Contract” means, with respect to any Person, each contract to which such Person is a party that, if cancelled or terminated (other than in accordance with its terms, except to the extent such terms permit cancellation or termination due to such Person’s failure to perform its obligations thereunder), could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
“Maturity Date” means April 11, 2021; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.
“Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any Disposition by any Loan Party, or any insurance proceeds received by or paid to or for the account of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of cash received by such Person in connection with such transaction (including upon receipt any cash received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) minus (b) the sum (without duplication) of (i) the principal amount of any Indebtedness that is secured by the applicable asset and that is required to be repaid in connection with such transaction (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents), (ii) the reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses (including legal, accounting, investment banking fees and sales commissions) incurred by such Borrower or such Subsidiary in connection with such transaction, (iii) Taxes reasonably estimated to be actually payable as a result of any gain or income recognized in connection therewith; provided that, if the amount of any estimated taxes pursuant to subclause (iii) exceeds the amount of taxes actually required to be paid in cash in respect of such Disposition, the aggregate amount of such excess shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds, (iv) any cash payments received by any non-Domestic Subsidiary unless such proceeds may be repatriated (by reason of a payment of an intercompany note or otherwise) to the United States without (in the reasonable judgment of the Parent) resulting in a tax liability to the Borrowers or Subsidiaries, and (v) appropriate amounts provided by Parent or a Subsidiary as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with such Disposition or other event until the release of such amounts from reserve.
“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.
“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrowers in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Notice of Loan Prepayment” means a notice of prepayment with respect to a Loan, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit H or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer.
“Obligations” means (a) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, Letter of Credit, Cash Management Agreement or Hedge Agreement, and (b) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcement and collection of the foregoing, including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, to the extent provided for and subject to the limitations contained in Section 10.04, in each case whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding; provided that Obligations of a Borrower or Guarantor shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Borrower or Guarantor.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).
“Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrowers of Unreimbursed Amounts.
“Parent” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).
“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
“Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.
“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by any Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.
“Permitted Acquisition” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(g).
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, and advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.
“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.
“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, two or more Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall, subject to the following proviso, be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders; and provided further that, the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swing Line Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination.
“Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.06.
“Responsible Officer” means (a) the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, senior vice president, executive vice president, vice president, treasurer, assistant treasurer, secretary, assistant secretary or controller of a Loan Party, (b) solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 4.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party, and (c) solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party. To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate and to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, appropriate authorization documentation, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of the Parent 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 capital stock or other Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrowers’ stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Loan Parties may directly or indirectly make or receive payments, contributions and distributions from time to time and any such payments, contributions or distributions shall not be Restricted Payments hereunder; provided, that the payments, contributions or distributions are used by the Loan Parties to pay federal and state income taxes then due and owing, franchise taxes and other similar licensing expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business.
“Revolving Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Revolving Loans and such Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans at such time.
“Sanction(s)” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including, without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Seller Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in Section 7.03(f).
“Shareholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries as of such date, determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital, and (e) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.
“Specified Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 6.19).
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Parent.
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Obligations” means with respect to any Borrower or any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.
“Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a).
“Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.05(b), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B or such other form as approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent pursuant), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
“Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $15,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.
“Type” means, with respect to any Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“Unasserted Obligations” means, at any time, (a) contingent Obligations for taxes, costs, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities (except for (i) the principal of and interest on, and fees relating to, any Indebtedness and (ii) contingent reimbursement obligations in respect of amounts that may be drawn under Letters of Credit) in respect of which no claim or demand for payment has been made (or, in the case of obligations for indemnification, no notice for indemnification has been issued by the indemnitee) at such time, (b) Obligations under any Cash Management Agreement that are allowed by the applicable Cash Management Bank to remain outstanding, or are not expressly required pursuant to the terms of such Cash Management Agreement to be repaid or cash collateralized, upon repayment in full of the other Obligations hereunder, and (c) Obligations under any Hedge Agreement that are allowed by the applicable Hedge Bank to remain outstanding, or are not expressly required pursuant to the terms of such Hedge Agreement to be repaid or cash collateralized, upon repayment in full of the other Obligations hereunder.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c)(i).
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).
“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions.With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented, extended or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements, extensions or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory, rules, regulations, orders and provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced (with respect to “replaced”, to the extent reasonably clear to the parties) or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. Any and all references to “Borrower” regardless of whether preceded by the term a, any, each of, all, and/or, or any other similar term shall be deemed to refer, as the context requires, to each and every (and/or any one or all) parties constituting a Borrower, individually and/or in the aggregate.
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
1.03 Accounting Terms.(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP or, if permitted by Section 7.13 and subject to Section 1.03(b), IFRS, in each case applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Parent and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded. For purposes of calculations made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, GAAP will be deemed to treat operating leases and capital leases in a manner consistent with their treatment under GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date, notwithstanding any modifications or interpretive changes thereto that may occur thereafter.
(b) Changes in GAAP; Adoption of IFRS. If at any time any change in GAAP, or the Borrowers’ substitution of IFRS for GAAP as permitted by Section 7.13, would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrowers shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change or substitution (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change or substitution and (ii) the Borrowers shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change or substitution.
1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 Committed Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to the Borrowers from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.06(a), and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.
(a) Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrowers’ irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by: (A) telephone or (B) a Committed Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice by the Borrowers must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Committed Loan Notice. Each such Committed Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans; provided, however, that if the Borrowers wish to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 (or, if less, the entire remaining amount available) or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.04(c) and 2.05(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $10,000 (or, if less, the entire remaining amount available) or a whole multiple of $5,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrowers are requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrowers fail to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrowers fail to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrowers request a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Swing Line Loan may not be converted to a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrowers in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrowers on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrowers; provided, however, that if, on the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrowers, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, shall be made available to the Borrowers as provided above.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of an Event of Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.
(e) After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.
(f) Cashless Settlement Mechanism. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all or the portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.
2.03 [Reserved.]
2.04 Letters of Credit.
(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.
(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuers agree, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrowers, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrowers and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit; provided, further, that after giving effect to all L/C Credit Extensions, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations of any L/C Issuer shall not exceed such L/C Issuer’s L/C Commitment. Each request by the Borrowers for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrowers that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrowers’ ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrowers may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.
(ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:
(A) subject to Section 2.04(b)(iii), the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or
(B) the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date or the Borrowers have Cash Collateralized such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to 103% of the amount such Letter of Credit (determined in accordance with Section 1.06).
(iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:
(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;
(B) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;
(C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $5,000;
(D) the Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
(E) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrowers or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.18(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion;
(F) the Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or
(G) to the L/C Issuer’s knowledge, the proceeds of the Letter of Credit would be made available to any Person (i) to fund any activity or business of or with any Person currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of any Sanctions or (ii) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement.
(iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.
(v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.
(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.
(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.
(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrowers delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Parent. Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by fax transmission, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the applicable L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the applicable L/C Issuer, must be received by the applicable L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrowers shall furnish to the applicable L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as such L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.
(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrowers and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrowers or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.
(iii) If the Borrowers so request in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrowers shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date or the Borrowers have Cash Collateralized such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to 103% of the amount such Letter of Credit (determined in accordance with Section 1.06); provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.04(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrowers that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.
(iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.
(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.
(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrowers shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If the Borrowers fail to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time (it being acknowledged that such failure shall not, on its own, form the basis for a Default or Event of Default hereunder if the Borrowers can refinance such drawing with a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in accordance with the following sentence), the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrowers shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.04(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.
(ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.04(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrowers in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.
(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrowers shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and, upon the request of the Required Lenders, shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.04.
(iv) Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.
(v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.04(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrowers or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrowers of a Committed Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrowers to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.
(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) Repayment of Participations.
(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.04(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrowers or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.
(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrowers to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:
(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;
(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that any Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;
(iii) any draft, demand, endorsement certificate or other document presented under or in connection with such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;
(iv) waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower;
(v) honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;
(vi) any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under, such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the ISP or applicable Uniform Commercial Code, as applicable;
(vii) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or
(viii) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Borrower or any Subsidiary.
The Borrowers shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrowers’ instructions or other irregularity, the Borrowers will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrowers shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrowers agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrowers hereby assume all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrowers’ pursuing such rights and remedies as they may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (viii) of Section 2.04(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrowers may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrowers, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrowers which were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence, as determined by a final nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring, endorsing or assigning or purporting to transfer, endorse or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason. The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.
(g) Applicability of ISP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrowers when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no L/C Issuer shall be responsible to the Borrower for, and each L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required under any law, order, or practice that is required or expressly permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.
(h) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance, subject to Section 2.18, with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit; provided, however, any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.04 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.18(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the L/C Issuer for its own account. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the last Business Day of each February, May, August and November, commencing with the first such date to occur after the later of (x) sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, and (y) issuance of such Letter of Credit, and also on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f), all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate and upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any other Event of Default exists, all overdue Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.
(i) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrowers shall pay directly to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit at a rate equal to 0.125% per annum, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each February, May, August and November in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the later to occur of (x) sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, and (y) issuance of such Letter of Credit, and also on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. In addition, the Borrowers hereby agree to pay to Bank of America for its own account the accrued and unpaid fronting fees owing to Bank of America as of the Closing Date with respect to the Existing Letters of Credit (the “Existing L/C Fronting Fees”). The Existing L/C Fronting Fees shall be deemed to have accrued as an Obligation hereunder and shall be due and payable on the first date upon which any other Letter of Credit fronting fee is due and payable hereunder. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. In addition, the Borrowers shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.
(j) Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.
(k) L/C Issuer Reports to the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section, provide the Administrative Agent a Letter of Credit Report, as set forth below (unless waived by the Administrative Agent):
(i) reasonably prior to the time that such L/C Issuer issues, amends, renews, increases or extends a Letter of Credit, the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal, increase or extension and the stated amount of the applicable Letters of Credit after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed);
(ii) on each Business Day on which such L/C Issuer makes a payment pursuant to a Letter of Credit, the date and amount of such payment;
(iii) on any Business Day on which the Borrower fails to reimburse a payment made pursuant to a Letter of Credit required to be reimbursed to such L/C Issuer on such day, the date of such failure and the amount of such payment;
(iv) such other information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in writing as to the Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer; and
(v) for so long as any Letter of Credit issued by an L/C Issuer is outstanding, such L/C Issuer shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (A) on the last Business Day of each calendar month, (B) at all other times a Letter of Credit Report is required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, and (C) on each date that (1) an L/C Credit Extension occurs or (2) there is any expiration, cancellation and/or disbursement, in each case, with respect to any such Letter of Credit, a Letter of Credit Report appropriately completed with the information for every outstanding Letter of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer.
(l) Replacement of the L/C Issuer.
(i) The L/C Issuer may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the replaced L/C Issuer and the successor L/C Issuer. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the L/C Issuer. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrowers shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(i). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor L/C Issuer shall have all the rights and obligations of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (y) references herein to the term “L/C Issuer” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous L/C Issuer, or to such successor and all previous L/C Issuers, as the context shall require. After the replacement of the L/C Issuer hereunder, the replaced L/C Issuer shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of the L/C Issuer 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.
(ii) The L/C Issuer may resign as L/C Issuer at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers and the Lenders, in which case, such L/C Issuer shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.04(l)(i) above.
2.05 Swing Line Loans.(a) The Swing Line. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.05, may in its sole discretion make loans (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”) to the Borrowers from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, (iii) the Borrowers shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan, and (iv) the Swing Line Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swing Line Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Swing Line Loan may have, Fronting Exposure. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.05, prepay under Section 2.06(a), and reborrow under this Section 2.05. Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.
(b) Borrowing Procedures.
(i) Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrowers’ irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by: (A) telephone or (B) a Swing Line Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $1,000,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.05(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrowers.
(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.
(i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrowers (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Committed Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02. The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrowers with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.05(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrowers in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.
(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.05(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Committed Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.05(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.
(iii) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.05(c) by the time specified in Section 2.05(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, any Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrowers of a Committed Loan Notice). No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrowers to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.
(d) Repayment of Participations.
(i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.
(ii) If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(e) Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrowers for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.05 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.
(f) Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender. The Borrowers shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.
2.06 Prepayments.(a) Optional Prepayments.
(i) The Borrowers may, upon delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Loan Prepayment, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty, subject to Section 3.05; provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (2) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof; and (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $10,000 or a whole multiple of $5,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrowers, the Borrowers shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein; provided, however, that any notice of prepayment in full of the Committed Loans may provide that prepayment is conditioned upon the consummation of a refinancing. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.18, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
(ii) The Borrowers may, upon delivery to the Swing Line Lender of a Notice of Loan Prepayment (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Swing Line Lender, (A) such notice must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (B) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $50,000 or a whole multiple of $50,000 in excess hereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrowers, the Borrowers shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of principal shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.
(b) Mandatory Prepayments.
(i) Borrowing Availability. If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrowers shall immediately prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrowers shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(i) unless after the prepayment in full of the Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.
(ii) Dispositions. If any Loan Party Disposes of any property, the Borrowers shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition) prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds; provided, however, that this Section 2.06(b)(ii) shall not apply to Dispositions to the extent they are (i) permitted under Sections 7.05(a) or (g), to the extent the Net Cash Proceeds of which do not exceed 15% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) or (b) have been delivered, or (ii) permitted under Sections 7.05(b) through (f).
(iii) Indebtedness. If the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries issues or incurs any Indebtedness (except as permitted under Section 7.03), the Borrowers shall immediately prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds of such issuance or incurrence on the same day such Net Cash Proceeds are received by the Parent or such Subsidiary.
(iv) Insurance Proceeds. With respect to any loss of property insured by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries where the Net Cash Proceeds of such loss exceeds $7,500,000, the Borrowers shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after the 360-day period following receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of any insurance proceeds with respect to such loss) prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to that portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that are not reinvested (or subject to a binding written agreement or commitment to be reinvested) in the business of the Parent or its Subsidiary to repair or replace such property or other tangible property of the Parent or any Subsidiary within such 360-day period.
(c) Application of Prepayments. Each prepayment shall be applied first to outstanding Base Rate Loans until paid in full and thereafter to outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans.
2.07 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.(a) Optional Termination or Reduction. The Borrowers may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit; provided, that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction (provided that a notice of termination or reduction may state that such notice is conditioned upon the consummation of an acquisition or sale transaction or upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the receipt of proceeds from the issuance of other Indebtedness or any other specified event, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrowers (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied; and provided further that in the event that Borrowers request to revoke any such notice effective the same Business Day on which such notice is delivered, Borrowers must request such revocation no later than 11:00 a.m. on such delivery date), (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrowers shall not terminate or reduce (A) the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (B) the Letter of Credit Sublimit if, after giving effect thereto, the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations not fully Cash Collateralized hereunder would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, or (C) the Swing Line Sublimit if, after giving effect thereto and any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Outstanding Amount of Swing Line Loans would exceed the Swing Line Sublimit, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
(b) Indebtedness. The Aggregate Commitments shall be automatically reduced concurrently with, and by an amount equal to, any prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(iii) (but not from any prepayment made pursuant to Sections 2.06(b)(i), (ii) or (iv)).
(c) Application of Commitment Reductions; Payment of Fees. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any termination or reduction of the Letter of Credit Sublimit, Swingline Sublimit, or the Aggregate Commitments under this Section 2.07. Upon any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Commitment of each Lender shall be reduced by such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such reduction amount. All fees in respect of the Commitments accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
2.08 Repayment of Loans.(a) The Borrowers shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such date.
(b) The Borrowers shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.
2.09 Interest.(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) (i) While any Event of Default exists under Section 8.01(f), the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder and any other amount payable by the Borrowers under any Loan Document at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. While any other Event of Default exists, upon the request of the Required Lenders the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of all past due Obligations hereunder and any other past due amount payable by the Borrowers under any Loan Document at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(i) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.10 Fees. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.04:
(a) Commitment Fee. The Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.18. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each February, May, August and November, commencing with the first such date to occur at least sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.
(b) Other Fees. (i) The Borrowers shall pay to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
(i) The Borrowers shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
2.11 Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate. (a) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.13(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Borrowers or for any other reason, the Borrowers or the Lenders determine that (i) the Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio as calculated by the Borrowers as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrowers shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the L/C Issuers, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period. This paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under Section 2.04(c)(iii), 2.04(h) or 2.09(b) or under Article VIII. The Borrowers’ obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.
2.12 Evidence of Debt.(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrowers and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrowers hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.
2.13 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrowers shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. Except as is otherwise specifically provided for in clause (i) of the definition of “Interest Period” herein, if any payment to be made by the Borrowers shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrowers a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrowers severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrowers to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrowers, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrowers and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrowers the amount of such interest paid by the Borrowers for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrowers shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrowers may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.
(i) Payments by Borrowers; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrowers prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrowers will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrowers have made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrowers have not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrowers with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrowers by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).
(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.14 Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of any of the (a) Obligations due and payable to such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Obligations due and payable to such Lender at such time to (ii) the aggregate amount of the Obligations in respect of the Committed Loans and the participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans due and payable to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of payments on account of the Obligations in respect of the Committed Loans and the LC Obligations and Swing Line Loans due and payable to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time obtained by all the Lenders at such time or (b) Obligations in respect of any of the Committed Loans and the participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time in excess of its ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Obligations owing (but not due and payable) to such Lender at such time to (ii) the aggregate amount of the Obligations in respect of the Committed Loans and the L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time) of payments on account of the Obligations in respect of the Committed Loans and the L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans owing (but not due and payable) to all Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents at such time obtained by all of the Lenders at such time, then, in each case under clauses (a) and (b) above, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (1) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (2) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of Obligations then due and payable to the Lenders or owing (but not due and payable) to the Lenders, as the case may be, provided that:
(i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrowers pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.17, or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Borrower or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
The Borrowers consent to the foregoing and agree, 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 Borrowers rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrowers in the amount of such participation.
2.15 Extension of Maturity Date.(a) Requests for Extension. The Borrowers may, by notice to the Administrative Agent not earlier than 30 days and not later than 60 days after the date that is four years and seven (7) months after the anniversary of the date of this Agreement, request that each Lender extend such Lender’s Maturity Date (the “Existing Maturity Date”) for an additional period set forth in such notice. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Borrowers’ request for such extension (the date such notice is given, the “Notice Date”).
(b) Lender Elections to Extend. Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent given not later than the date that is 30 days after the Notice Date, advise the Administrative Agent whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and each Lender that determines not to so extend its Maturity Date (a “Non Extending Lender”) shall notify the Administrative Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than 30 days after the Notice Date (the “Response Deadline”). Any Lender that does not so advise the Administrative Agent on or before the Response Deadline shall be deemed to be a Non Extending Lender. The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree; provided that, in the case of a Non-Extending Lender, such Non-Extending Lender may be replaced by the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of Section 10.13 hereof.
(c) Notification by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of each Lender’s determination under this Section no later than five days after the Response Deadline (or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next Business Day).
(d) Additional Commitment Lenders. The Borrower shall have the right to replace each Non Extending Lender with, and add as “Lenders” under this Agreement in place thereof, one or more Eligible Assignees (each, an “Additional Commitment Lender”) as provided in Section 10.06; provided that each of such Additional Commitment Lenders shall enter into an Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Additional Commitment Lender shall, effective as of the Existing Maturity Date, undertake a Commitment (and, if any such Additional Commitment Lender is already a Lender, its Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s Commitment hereunder on such date).
(e) Minimum Extension Requirement; Additional Amendments. If (and only if) the total of the Commitments of the Lenders that have agreed so to extend their Maturity Date (each, an “Extending Lender”) and the additional Commitments of the Additional Commitment Lenders shall be more than 50% of the aggregate amount of the Commitments in effect immediately prior to the Existing Maturity Date, then, effective as of the Existing Maturity Date, (i) the Maturity Date of each Extending Lender shall be extended to the date set forth in the notice as the extended maturity date and each Additional Commitment Lender shall thereupon become a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement, and (ii) the Commitment of each Non-Extending Lender that has not been replaced as provided in Section 2.15(d) shall terminate on the Existing Maturity Date in effect prior to any such extension and the outstanding principal balance of all Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder to each Non-Extending Lender shall become due and payable on such Existing Maturity Date, and (iii) the total Commitments of the Lenders hereunder shall be reduced by the Commitments of the Non-Extending Lenders so terminated on such Existing Maturity Date. In addition, the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Extending Lenders and the Additional Commitment Lenders may enter into such amendments to the Loan Documents as to interest rates, fees, covenants or other terms or conditions as shall be acceptable to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, and each Extending Lender and Additional Commitment Lender; provided, however, that any such amendments may only become effective after the Existing Maturity Date.
(f) Conditions to Effectiveness of Extensions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the extension of the Maturity Date pursuant to this Section shall not be effective with respect to any Lender unless the Borrowers shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate dated the Existing Maturity Date signed by a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party certifying:
(i) No Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such extension and after giving effect thereto;
(ii) the representations and warranties of the Borrowers and each other Loan Party contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents made or deemed made to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is by its terms qualified by concepts of materiality, such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Existing Maturity Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in such respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.15, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01; and
(iii) the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such extension.
In addition, on the Maturity Date of each Non-Extending Lender, the Borrowers shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on such date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep outstanding Committed Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages of the respective Lenders effective as of such date.
(g) Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.14 or 10.01 to the contrary.
2.16 Increase in Commitments.(a) Request for Increase. Upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrowers may, from time to time, request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments (which increase may take the form of new revolving or term loan tranches) by an amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $125,000,000; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $20,000,000, (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall exist immediately prior to or after giving effect to such increase, and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall have received an officer’s certificate certifying that the Borrowers shall be in pro forma compliance with each of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 after giving effect to such increase and the use of proceeds thereof, calculated as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b). At the time of sending such notice, the Borrowers (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).
(b) Lender Elections to Increase. No Lender shall be required or otherwise obligated to provide any portion of such requested increase in the Aggregate Commitments. Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase. Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment.
(c) Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder. To achieve the full amount of a requested increase and subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Borrowers may also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) Effective Date and Allocations. If the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.
(e) Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase. As a condition precedent to such increase, (i) the Borrowers shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (A) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, (B) in the case of any Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (x) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is by its terms qualified by concepts of materiality, such representation or warranty is true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in such respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.16, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (y) no Default or Event of Default exists or will exist immediately prior to or after giving effect to such increase, and (C) in the case of any Borrower, certifying and providing evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Borrowers will be in pro forma compliance with each of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 after giving effect to such increase and the use of proceeds thereof, calculated as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), and (ii) to the extent that the increase of the Aggregate Commitments takes the form of a term loan tranche, this Agreement shall be amended, in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, to include such terms as are customary for a term loan commitment. The Borrowers shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Committed Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.
(f) Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.14 or 10.01 to the contrary.
2.17 Cash Collateral.(a) Certain Credit Support Events. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer (i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, the Borrowers shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, the Borrowers shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.18(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).
(b) Grant of Security Interest. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, interest bearing or non-interest bearing (as determined at the Borrowers’ sole discretion) deposit accounts at Bank of America. The Borrowers, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grant to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders (including the Swing Line Lender), and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.17(c). If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent, LC Issuers or Swing Line Lender as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured thereby, the Borrowers or the relevant Defaulting Lender will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.
(c) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.17 or Sections 2.04, 2.05, 2.06(b), 2.18 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, Swing Line Loans, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided for herein.
(d) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations (or portion thereof) giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 10.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 2.17 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 8.03), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.
2.18 Defaulting Lenders.(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 10.01.
(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to either of the L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.17; fourth, as the Borrowers may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (A) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (B) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.17; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrowers as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise as may be required under the Loan Documents in connection with any Lien conferred thereunder or directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (1) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (2) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.18(a)(v). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.18(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(iii) Certain Fees.
(A) Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).
(B) Letter of Credit Fees. Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.17.
(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Revolving Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment. Subject to Section 10.23, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.
(v) Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Loans. If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrowers shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to them hereunder or under applicable Law, (A) first, prepay Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to the Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure and (B) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.17.
(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.18 (a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrowers while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.
2.19 Joint and Several Liability of the Borrowers.
(a) Each of the Borrowers is accepting joint and several liability for the Obligations of all of the Borrowers hereunder and under the other Loan Documents in consideration of the financial accommodations to be provided by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement, for the mutual benefit, directly and indirectly, of each of the Borrowers and in consideration of the undertakings of each other Borrower to accept joint and several liability for the Obligations.
(b) Each of the Borrowers, jointly and severally, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally accepts, not merely as a surety but also as a co-debtor, joint and several liability with the other the Borrowers with respect to the payment and performance of all of the Obligations of the Borrowers (including, without limitation, any Obligations arising under this Section 2.19), it being the intention of the parties hereto that all of the Obligations shall be the joint and several obligations of each of the Borrowers without preferences or distinction among them.
(c) If and to the extent that any of the Borrowers shall fail to make any payment with respect to any of the Obligations as and when due or to perform any of the Obligations in accordance with the terms thereof, then in each such event the Borrowers will make such payment with respect to, or perform, such Obligation.
(d) The Obligations of each of the Borrowers under the provisions of this Section 2.19 constitute full recourse obligations of each of the Borrowers enforceable against each such Borrower to the full extent of its properties and assets.
2.20 Designation of the Parent as Agent for the Borrowers. For purposes of this Agreement, the Borrowers hereby designate the Parent as the agent and representative of each Borrower for all purposes hereunder and under any other Loan Document, and the Parent hereby accepts each such appointment. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may regard any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document from the Parent as a notice or communication from all the Borrowers, and may give any notice or communication required or permitted to be given to any Borrower or the Borrowers hereunder to the Parent on behalf of such Borrower or the Borrowers. Each Borrower agrees that each notice, election, representation and warranty, covenant, agreement and undertaking expressly made on its behalf by the Parent shall be deemed for all purposes to have been made by such Borrower and shall be binding upon and enforceable against such Borrower to the same extent as if the same had been made directly by such Borrower.
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes.(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Borrower or Guarantor, then the Administrative Agent or such Borrower or Guarantor shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
(ii) If the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(iii) If any Borrower or Guarantor or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Borrower or Guarantor or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) such Borrower or Guarantor or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Borrower or Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(iv) For purposes of determining withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA, from and after the effective date of this Agreement, the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to treat) the Loans as not qualifying as a “grandfathered obligation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrowers shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(c) Tax Indemnifications.
(i) Each of the Borrowers shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified 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 Borrowers by a Lender or an L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error; provided, that no Lender or L/C Issuer nor the Administrative Agent shall be required to include in any such certificate any proprietary information (including, without limitation, any pricing information) or any other information that may not be disclosed pursuant to applicable confidentiality requirements or applicable Law. Each of the Borrowers shall also, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or an L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below.
(ii) Each Lender and each L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, (A) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender or L/C Issuer (but only to the extent that the Borrowers have not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrowers to do so), (B) the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (C) the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Borrower in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such 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 any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender and each L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).
(d) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Borrower to a Governmental Authority, as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrowers 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 any return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.
(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that a Borrower is a U.S. Person,
(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;
(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
(a) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;
(b) executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(c) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit M-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable); or
(d) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit M-2 or Exhibit M-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit M-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent), executed copies (or originals, as required) of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or an L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or any L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Borrower or with respect to which any Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to such Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that each Borrower, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to such Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Borrower or any other Person.
(g) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or an L/C Issuer, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrowers through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Credit Extension or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Committed Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrowers shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.(a) If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (A) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (i), “Impacted Loans”), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrowers and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowers may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in clause (a)(i) of this Section, the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower and the Required Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause (a)(i) of this Section, (2) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers written notice thereof.
3.04 Increased Costs.
(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C Issuer;
(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than any Tax) affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth in reasonable detail the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrowers shall be conclusive absent manifest error; provided, that no Lender or L/C Issuer shall be required to include in any such certificate any proprietary information (including, without limitation, any pricing information) or any other information that may not be disclosed pursuant to applicable confidentiality requirements or applicable Law. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrowers of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).
(e) Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans. The Borrowers shall pay to each Lender, (i) as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive, absent demonstrable error), and (ii) as long as such Lender shall be required to comply with any reserve ratio requirement or analogous requirement of any central banking or financial regulatory authority imposed in respect of the maintenance of the Commitments or the funding of the Loans, such additional costs (expressed as a percentage per annum and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest five decimal places) equal to the actual costs allocated to such Commitment or Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which in each case which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided that the Borrowers shall have received at least 10 Business Days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice 10 Business Days’ prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 Business Days from receipt of such notice, but in no event shall additional interest be payable with respect to the period preceding the date that is nine months prior to the date such notice is given.
3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrowers shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense (other than Taxes) incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
(b) any failure by the Borrowers (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrowers; or
(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrowers pursuant to Section 10.13;
excluding any loss of anticipated profits, but including any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrowers shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender to similarly situated borrowers in connection with the foregoing.
For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then, at the request of the Borrowers, such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, 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 or the L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Borrowers hereby agree to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives notice pursuant to Section 3.02, and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a) (including, but not limited to, Section 3.06(a)(i)), the Borrowers may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.
3.07 Survival. All of the Borrowers’ obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension. The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or fax transmissions (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders unless otherwise specified:
(i) counterparts of this Agreement, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Parent;
(ii) a Note in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;
(iii) for each Loan Party, (A) its charter (or similar formation document), certified by the appropriate governmental authority, (B) its bylaws (or similar governing document), (C) resolutions duly adopted by its board of directors (or similar governing body) approving such Loan Party’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is party, and (D) incumbency certificates evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer of such Loan Party authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;
(iv) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is validly existing and in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization;
(v) an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders;
(vi) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party stating that no consents, licenses or approvals of any Governmental Authority or pursuant to any Material Contract are required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party;
(vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrowers certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.01(e) and (f) and Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied;
(viii) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents has been obtained and is in effect; and
(ix) such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or the Required Lenders reasonably may require.
(b) Any fees required to be paid pursuant to any Loan Document on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.
(c) Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) payable pursuant to the Loan Documents to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date.
(d) The Closing Date shall have occurred on or before May 31, 2016.
(e) There shall have been no event or circumstance since August 29, 2015 that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) There shall be no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, threatened in writing in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrowers and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document made or deemed made to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is by its terms qualified by concepts of materiality, such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in such respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.
(b) No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrowers shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrowers represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power. Each Loan Party (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority and all material requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict in any material respect with or result in any material breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any material payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate in any material respect any Law.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, other than, (a) those that have already been obtained and are in full force and effect and (b) filings with the SEC (which filings, however, are not a condition to such execution, delivery, performance or enforcement).
5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in proceedings in equity or at law.
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show, to the extent required by GAAP, all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
(b) The unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of the Parent and its Subsidiaries dated November 28, 2015, the related consolidated statement of income or operations for the fiscal quarter ended on that date, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for the portion of the Borrowers’ fiscal year ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments, and (iii) show, to the extent required by GAAP, all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
(c) Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The consolidated forecasted balance sheets and statements of income or operations and cash flows of the Parent and its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(c) were prepared in good faith on the basis of assumptions the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries believed to be reasonable when made (it being understood that projections and forecasts are not a guarantee of financial performance and actual results may vary materially from the projections and forecasts).
5.06 Litigation.(a) There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending against the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues, other than those permissible under clause (b) below.
(b) To the knowledge of any Knowledge Officer of the Borrowers, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending, after due and diligent investigation, threatened in writing at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, against the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.06, either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (c) there has been no adverse change since the Closing Date in the status, or financial effect on any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, of the matters described on Schedule 5.06 that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.07 No Default. Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of the Parent and each Subsidiary has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Parent and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01.
5.09 Environmental Compliance. The Parent and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Borrowers have reasonably concluded that, except as disclosed in Schedule 5.09, such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.10 Insurance. The properties of the Parent and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of any Borrower, in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards), with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Parent or the applicable Subsidiary operates.
5.11 Taxes. The Parent and its Subsidiaries have filed all Federal and state income and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed or have filed for extensions with respect thereto, and have paid all Federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets which are due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against the Parent or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is party to any tax sharing agreement, other than any such agreement to which only Loan Parties are a party.
5.12 ERISA Compliance.
(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state laws. Each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code, or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the Internal Revenue Service. To the best knowledge of any Knowledge Officer of the Borrowers, nothing has occurred that would prevent or cause the loss of such tax-qualified status.
(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of any Knowledge Officer of the Borrowers, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred, and neither any Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate is aware of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan; (ii) each Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate has met all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of each Pension Plan, and no waiver of the minimum funding standards under the Pension Funding Rules has been applied for or obtained; (iii) as of the most recent valuation date for any Pension Plan, the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 430(d)(2) of the Code) is 60% or higher and neither any Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate knows of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the funding target attainment percentage for any such plan to drop below 60% as of the most recent valuation date; (iv) neither any Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC other than for the payment of premiums, and there are no premium payments which have become due that are unpaid; (v) neither any Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; and (vi) no Pension Plan has been terminated by the plan administrator thereof nor by the PBGC, and no event or circumstance has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to cause the PBGC to institute proceedings under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Pension Plan.
(d) Neither any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate maintains or contributes to, or has any unsatisfied obligation to contribute to, or liability under, any active or terminated Pension Plan other than (A) on the Closing Date, those listed on Schedule 5.12(d) hereto and (B) thereafter, Pension Plans not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement.
5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. As of the Closing Date, the Parent has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 free and clear of all Liens. As of the Closing Date, the Borrowers have no equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part (b) of Schedule 5.13. All of the outstanding Equity Interests in the Borrowers have been validly issued and are (except for directors’ qualifying shares) fully paid and (except for directors’ qualifying shares) nonassessable.
5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. (a) The Borrowers are not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.
(b) None of the Borrowers, any Person Controlling any Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.15 Disclosure. The reports, financial statements, certificates and other information furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) do not, taken as a whole, contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that, with respect to projected information (including financial projections, forecasts, budgets and other forward-looking information), the Borrowers represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by the Borrowers to be reasonable at the time delivered (it being understood that projections and forecasts are not a guarantee of financial performance and actual results may vary materially from the projections and forecasts).
5.16 Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.17 Taxpayer Identification Number. As of the Closing Date, each Borrower’s true and correct U.S. federal taxpayer identification number is set forth on Schedule 5.17.
5.18 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Parent and its Subsidiaries own, lease, license, or otherwise possess the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are material to the operation of their respective businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other Person, other than conflicts that either individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the best knowledge of any Knowledge Officer of the Borrowers, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by the Parent or any Subsidiary infringes in any material respects upon any rights held by any other Person. Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.18, no claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the best knowledge of any Knowledge Officer of the Borrowers, threatened in writing, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.19 Solvency. The Loan Parties are Solvent on a consolidated basis.
5.20 EEA Financial Institution. None of the Borrowers and none of the Guarantors is an EEA Financial Institution.
5.21 Sanctions Concerns and Anti-Corruption Laws.(a) Sanctions Concerns. No Borrower or Guarantor, nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, the Guarantors and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.
(b) Anti-Corruption Laws. The Borrowers, the Guarantors and their Subsidiaries have conducted their business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions, and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation (other than Unasserted Obligations) hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit (other than L/C Obligations Cash Collateralized in accordance herewith) shall remain outstanding, the Borrowers shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, and 6.03) cause each Subsidiary to:
6.01 Financial Statements. Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender (through the Administrative Agent):
(a) as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrowers, a consolidated and consolidating balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal year, and the related consolidating statements of income or operations for such fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, such consolidated statements to be audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit, and such consolidating statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Parent to the effect that such statements are fairly stated in all material respects;
(b) as soon as available, but in any event within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrowers, a consolidated and consolidating balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrowers’ fiscal year then ended, the related consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the Borrowers’ fiscal year then ended, all in reasonable detail, such consolidated statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Parent as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Parent and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes and such consolidating statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Parent to the effect that such statements are fairly stated in all material respects; and
(c) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a), forecasts prepared by management of the Borrowers, in form consistent with past practices of the Borrowers and in any event reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, of consolidated balance sheets and statements of income or operations and cash flows of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for the next three (3) fiscal years beginning with such fiscal year. To the extent required by Section 10.07, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree to keep confidential any and all information obtained from such projections in accordance with its policies regarding confidential materials obtained from customers.
As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(d), the Borrowers shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrowers to furnish the information and materials described in clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.
6.02 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender (through the Administrative Agent):
(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the Loan Parties failed to comply with Section 7.11 insofar as they relate to accounting matters or, if any such Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event;
(b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Parent (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent requests executed originals, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes);
(c) promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent), copies of any final management letters submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the Parent by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Parent or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;
(d) promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other material report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Parent, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Parent may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;
(e) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement or other material financial report furnished generally to the holders of any debt securities of any Loan Party pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or any other clause of this Section 6.02;
(f) [reserved]; and
(g) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Parent or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may from time to time reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Parent posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Parent’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Parent’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrowers shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) upon its written request to the Parent to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) and (ii) the Borrowers shall notify the Administrative Agent (by fax transmission or e-mail transmission) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by e-mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents upon request. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrowers with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
The Borrowers hereby acknowledge that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers or an Affiliate thereof will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrowers hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPark or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrowers or their Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrowers hereby agree that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrowers shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and any Affiliate thereof, to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrowers or their securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent, any Affiliate thereof and the Arrangers shall treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowers shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.
6.03 Notices. Promptly (and in any within one (1) Business Day) upon any Responsible Officer of a Loan Party becoming aware of such event, notify the Administrative Agent:
(a) of the occurrence of any Default;
(b) of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including (in each case only if it has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect) (i) any default under a Material Contract of the Parent or any Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between the Parent or any Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any adverse development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting the Parent or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;
(c) of the occurrence of any ERISA Event; and
(d) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by the Parent or any Subsidiary (provided that separate disclosure of changes in accounting policies shall not be required to the extent that such changes are described in the reports delivered pursuant to Section 6.01), including any determination by the Borrowers referred to in Section 2.11(b).
Each notice pursuant to Sections 6.03(a) through (c) shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Parent setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrowers have taken and propose to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
6.04 Payment of Taxes. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies (other than taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies which either individually or in the aggregate are not material to the business or assets of the Borrowers taken as a whole) upon it or its properties or assets prior to such amounts becoming delinquent, except for any tax, assessment or charge which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 Maintenance of Properties. (a) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) make all commercially reasonable repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof; provided that this Section shall not prevent any Borrower or Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of any Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.
6.08 Compliance with Laws. Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.09 Books and Records. (a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Parent or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over the Parent or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.
6.10 Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and agents of the Administrative Agent to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors and officers, all at the expense of the Borrowers and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrowers; provided, however, that the Borrowers shall not be responsible for the costs of more than one (1) such inspection per year unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
6.11 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (a) for working capital, Capital Expenditures and other corporate purposes not prohibited by this Agreement, (b) to finance Permitted Acquisitions and other Investments permitted under Section 7.02, (c) to refinance Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date, and (d) to pay fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing, in each case not in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.
6.12 Additional Loan Parties. Notify the Administrative Agent at the time that any Person becomes a Domestic Subsidiary, and promptly thereafter (and in any event within 30 days), cause such Person to (a) at the option of the Administrative Agent, become a Guarantor or a Borrower by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent such documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably deem appropriate for such purpose, (b) deliver to the Administrative Agent documents of the types referred to in clauses (iii), (iv) and (vi) of Section 4.01(a) and, upon request, favorable opinions of counsel to such Person (which shall cover the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the documentation referred to in clause (a)) and (c) deliver to the Lenders KYC Requirement Information with respect to such Person becoming a Guarantor or Borrower, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
6.13 Compliance with Environmental Laws.(a) Comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits, except for such non-compliance that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or cost (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) to the Borrowers incurred from and after the Closing Date at least equal to 15% of Consolidated EBITDA as measured at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter; (b) obtain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties, except as, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or cost (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) to the Borrowers incurred from and after the Closing Date at least equal to 15% of Consolidated EBITDA as measured at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter; and (c) conduct any investigation, study, sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous Materials from any of its properties, to the extent required by and in accordance with all applicable Environmental Laws; provided, however, that neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to undertake any such investigation, study, sampling, testing, cleanup, removal, remedial or other action to the extent that its obligation to do so is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and appropriate reserves are being maintained with respect to such circumstances in accordance with GAAP or to the extent failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or cost (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) to the Borrowers incurred from and after the Closing Date at least equal to 15% of Consolidated EBITDA as measured at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter. For avoidance of doubt, all disclosure listed on Schedules 5.06 and 5.09 shall be included for purposes of compliance with this Section 6.13.
6.14 Further Assurances. Promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent, or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent), (a) correct any mutually agreed material defect or error that may be discovered in any Loan Document or in the execution or acknowledgment thereof in a mutually agreed manner, and (b) do, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all such further acts, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the express purposes of the Loan Documents.
6.15 Compliance with Terms of Leaseholds. Make all payments and otherwise perform all obligations in respect of all leases of real property to which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, except, in any case, where the failure to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.16 Material Contracts. Perform and observe all the terms and provisions of each Material Contract to be performed or observed by it and maintain each such Material Contract in full force and effect, except, in any case, where the failure to do so, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.17 Obligations to Rank Pari Passu. Cause the Obligations to rank at least pari passu with all other present and future unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrowers and any of their Subsidiaries.
6.18 Anti-Corruption Laws.
Conduct its business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
6.19 Keepwell. Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time this Agreement or the Guaranty, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Section voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation (other than Unasserted Obligations) hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (other than L/C Obligations Cash Collateralized in accordance herewith), the Borrowers shall not, nor shall they permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:
7.01 Liens.Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:
(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;
(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased except as contemplated by Section 7.03(b), (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is permitted by Section 7.03(b);
(c) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
(d) Statutory Liens of landlords and carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business to secure payment for labor, materials, supplies or services; provided that such Liens secure only amounts (i) not overdue for a period of more than 45 days or (ii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;
(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;
(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, licenses and leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bid bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, including Liens pursuant to Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(f);
(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;
(h) [reserved];
(i) Liens on property with respect to which the title to or the right to use such property is acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition, provided that (i) any such Lien shall have existed on such property on the date of, or in the case of Seller Indebtedness, shall be created concurrently with, such Acquisition and shall not have been created, incurred or assumed in anticipation thereof, (ii) any such Lien shall only be on the real or personal property (other than inventory or accounts receivable) acquired or, in the case of new construction, the buildings constructed and the real property relating thereto, and shall not extend to or cover any other property of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, and (iii) such Liens shall not secure an aggregate amount in excess of $30,000,000;
(j) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);
(k) [reserved];
(l) the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements solely as a precautionary measure (and not to evidence Liens) in connection with operating leases;
(m) normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;
(n) Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;
(o) Liens arising on any real property as a result of any eminent domain, condemnation or similar proceeding being commenced with respect to such real property;
(p) Liens on assets of non-Domestic Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness of such Persons permitted by Section 7.03(h); provided that such Liens shall not secure an aggregate amount in excess of $30,000,000; and
(q) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(k)(B).
7.02 Investments. Make any Investments, except:
(a) Investments held by the Parent or such Subsidiary in the form of Cash Equivalents;
(b) Investments existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.02 and any modifications or extensions of any intercompany loans comprising such Investments; provided, that the principal amount thereof is not increased and the parties thereto remain unchanged;
(c) Investments of any Loan Party in another Loan Party;
(d) [Reserved];
(e) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;
(f) Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03;
(g) Acquisitions with respect to which each of the following conditions is satisfied (each Acquisition satisfying the conditions in clauses (i) through (iv) below, a “Permitted Acquisition”):
(i) at the time of such Acquisition, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and such Acquisition will not otherwise create a Default or an Event of Default hereunder;
(ii) such Acquisition is not hostile or has been approved by a court in a bankruptcy or an insolvency proceeding;
(iii) (A) in the case of an asset Acquisition, all of the assets acquired shall be acquired by a Loan Party or by a newly-created Subsidiary, and such Subsidiary shall become a Borrower or Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.12, provided that no such newly-created Subsidiary shall be required to become a Borrower or Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.12 if the Borrowers determine in good faith that taking such action could reasonably be expected to result in a deemed dividend to any Loan Party or otherwise have adverse tax consequences with respect to such newly-created Subsidiary, any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or (B) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of the acquired Person, such Person shall become a Borrower or Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.12, or such acquired company shall be merged or amalgamated with and into a Loan Party (which shall be the surviving entity, except that, with respect to a Loan Party other than any Borrower, the surviving Person in such merger or amalgamation may be the other Person; provided, however, that such other Person becomes a Borrower or Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.12); provided that, such acquired Person shall not be required to become a Borrower or Guarantor in accordance with Section 6.12 if the Borrowers determine in good faith that taking such action could reasonably be expected to result in a deemed dividend or otherwise have adverse tax consequences with respect to such acquired Person, any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates;
(iv) prior to any Acquisition with respect to which the aggregate cash and non-cash consideration paid by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries (including any Seller Indebtedness and any Assumed Indebtedness used to finance the purchase price of such Acquisition) exceeds $45,000,000, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received computations from the Borrowers demonstrating compliance, on a pro forma basis (including after the consummation of such Acquisition), with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11, using Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Charges as at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter (including the historical Consolidated EBITDA for such period of any target of a Permitted Acquisition consummated on or prior to the measurement date) and Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of the measurement date but giving effect to the proposed Acquisition (including any Seller Indebtedness and any Assumed Indebtedness incurred in connection with such Acquisition);
(h) [reserved];
(i) loans and advances to employees of the Borrowers and Subsidiaries, made in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate; provided that such loans and advances to any single employee shall not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate; and
(j) other Investments (not of the nature or type specified in clause (i) of this Section 7.02 ) in an unlimited amount at any time outstanding; provided, however, that, at the time of the making of any such Investment under this Section 7.02(j), the Borrowers are in pro forma compliance (including after the making of such Investment) with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11, measured on a pro forma basis (using Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Charges as at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter and Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of the measurement date); and provided, further, that with respect to any such Investment under this Section 7.02(j), no such Investment may be made during the continuance of any Event of Default.
7.03 Indebtedness Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.03 and any refinancings, renewals, replacements or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the principal amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, renewal, replacement or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (ii) the material terms, taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, renewed or extended and the interest rate applicable to any such refinancing, renewing or extending Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate, and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall receive prior notice of any refinancing, renewal or extension of such Indebtedness if the principal amount of such Indebtedness exceeds $15,000,000;
(c) Guarantees of any Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness otherwise permitted hereunder of another Loan Party;
(d) obligations (contingent or otherwise) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Person, fluctuations in currency, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;
(e) [reserved];
(f) Indebtedness with respect to bid bonds, surety bonds, performance bonds, security deposits and other obligations of a like nature incurred by the Borrowers in the ordinary course of business;
(g) Indebtedness for taxes, assessments or governmental charges to the extent that payment therefor shall at the time not be required to be made in accordance with Section 5.11;
(h) Indebtedness of non-Domestic Subsidiaries with an aggregate outstanding principal amount not in excess of $30,000,000 and Indebtedness of non-Domestic Subsidiaries constituting Investments by Loan Parties permitted under Section 7.02(b) or (c);
(i) Indebtedness among the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries otherwise permitted under Section 7.02; and
(j) [reserved];
(k) the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries shall have the right to incur
(A) unlimited unsecured Indebtedness (not of the nature or type specified in clause (b) or clauses (d) through (h) of this Section 7.03); and
(B) secured Indebtedness (not of the nature or type specified in clause (b) or clauses (c) through (h) of this Section 7.03) in an amount not exceeding for all such secured Indebtedness 15% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth as of last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) or (b) have been delivered;
so long as, at the time of incurrence of any Indebtedness permitted by the foregoing subclauses (A) or (B), the Borrowers are in pro forma compliance (including after the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11, measured on a pro forma basis (using Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Charges as at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter and Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of the measurement date but giving effect to the proposed new Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof); and provided, further, that with respect to any such Indebtedness under this clause (k), (i) no such Indebtedness may be incurred during the continuance of any Event of Default, (ii) such Indebtedness shall have a maturity that is not prior to 180 days after the Maturity Date and shall contain financial covenants that are no more restrictive to the Borrowers than those financial covenants contained in the Loan Documents, provided, that this subclause (ii) shall not apply to (a) Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations for the purchase or improvement of fixed or capital assets; (b) Indebtedness acquired in Permitted Acquisitions; and (c) Indebtedness captured by clauses (b) and (d) of the definition of Indebtedness; and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall receive prior notice of the incurrence of any such Indebtedness the principal amount of which exceeds $10,000,000 if, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all such Indebtedness under this clause (k) exceeds $30,000,000;.
7.04 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that:
(a) (i) any Borrower may merge with any other Borrower and (i) any non-Borrower Subsidiary may merge with (A) any Borrower; provided that such Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (B) any one or more other non-Borrower Subsidiaries; provided that when any Guarantor is merging with another non-Borrower Subsidiary, the Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving Person;
(b) So long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, (i) any Borrower may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon dissolution, voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to any other Borrower and (ii) any non-Borrower Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon dissolution, voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to any Borrower or to another wholly-owned non-Borrower Subsidiary; provided, that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Guarantor, then the transferee must either be a Borrower or a Guarantor; and
(c) So long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, any Borrower or non-Borrower Subsidiary may merge with any other Person in connection with an Acquisition; provided that such Borrower or non-Borrower Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving Person.
7.05 Dispositions. Make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:
(a) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property or property no longer used or useful to the business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Dispositions of (i) inventory in the ordinary course of business, (ii) of cash or Cash Equivalents in a manner that is not prohibited by the terms of the Loan Documents, (iii) consisting of the licensing, on a non-exclusive basis, of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business, (iv) consisting of the leasing of real property or equipment in the ordinary course of business in a transaction that does not constitute a sale and leaseback transaction, and (v) of Equity Interests of any Subsidiary to members of its board of directors in order to qualify such members of required by applicable law;
(c) Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of equipment or real property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied (or such amount is used prior to the acquisition date) to the purchase price of such replacement property;
(d) Dispositions of property among the Borrowers or of property by any non-Borrower Subsidiary to a Borrower or to a wholly-owned non-Borrower Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Guarantor, the transferee thereof must either be a Borrower or a Guarantor;
(e) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.06;
(f) Dispositions or settlements of delinquent notes or accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business for purposes of collection only; and
(g) Dispositions by the Parent and its Subsidiaries not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05; provided, that (i) at the time of such Disposition, no Event of Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition and (ii) the aggregate book value of all property Disposed of in reliance on this clause (g) shall not exceed 15% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth during any trailing 12-month period, which shall be calculated as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) or (b) have been delivered; provided, however, that any Disposition pursuant to clauses (a), (c) and (g) shall be for fair market value.
7.06 Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that:
(a) each Subsidiary may declare and make Restricted Payments to the Borrowers, the Guarantors and any other Person that owns an Equity Interest in such Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;
(b) the Parent and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the common stock or other common Equity Interests of such Person;
(c) the Parent and each Subsidiary may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire Equity Interests issued by it with the proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its common stock or other common Equity Interests; and
(d) So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of any action described below in this Section 7.06(d) or would result therefrom, and provided that, at the time of the taking of any action described below in this Section 7.06(d), the Borrowers are in pro forma compliance (including after the taking of such action) with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11, measured on a pro forma basis (using Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Charges as at the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter and Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of the measurement date), the Parent may (i) declare and make cash dividends and distributions to its stockholders and (ii) purchase, redeem, retire, acquire, cancel or terminate or otherwise acquire for cash Equity Interests issued by it, in each case in an unlimited amount.
7.07 Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Parent and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or any business substantially related, ancillary or incidental thereto.
7.08 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any material transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of any Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Parent or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Parent or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate; provided, that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to (a) transactions between any Loan Parties, (b) transactions between any Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, (c) Investments to the extent permitted by Section 7.02 or (d) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 7.06.
7.09 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that (a) limits the ability (i) of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to any Borrower or any Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to any Borrower or any Guarantor, (ii) of any Subsidiary to Guarantee the Indebtedness of any Borrower hereunder or (iii) of any Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person; provided, however, that this clause (iii) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e) solely to the extent any such negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness; or (b) requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien is granted to secure another obligation of such Person;
provided, however, that nothing in this Section 7.09 shall prohibit a non-Domestic Subsidiary from entering into any such Contractual Obligations.
7.10 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
7.11 Financial Covenants.(a) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrowers to be less than 3.00 to 1.00.
(b) Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio as of the end of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrowers to be greater than 3.25 to 1.00; provided, however, that if any Material Acquisition has been consummated during such period, then the maximum Consolidated Funded Debt Ratio (i) may, at the election of the Borrowers, be increased to 3.50 to 1.00 for the period beginning on the closing date of the last such Permitted Acquisition and ending on the last day of the fourth fiscal quarter following such closing date (with the fiscal quarter in which such closing date occurs counting as the first of such four fiscal quarters), and (ii) shall be decreased to 3.25 to 1.00 for all periods thereafter. The Borrowers may exercise the option set forth in the proviso above from time to time.
7.12 Amendments of Organizational Documents. Amend any of its Organization Documents, except for any such amendment that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.13 Accounting Changes. Make any change in (a) accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP; provided, however, that such accounting policies and reporting practices may be conducted in accordance with IFRS instead of GAAP to the extent required or permitted by applicable law, in which case references in the Loan Documents to GAAP shall be construed as references to IFRS as the context may require, or (b) fiscal year.
7.14 [Reserved].
7.15 Sanctions.
Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (including, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer, Swing Line Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.
7.16 Anti-Corruption Laws.
Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment. Any Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within five days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, any fee due hereunder, or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(b) Specific Covenants. Any Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03, 6.05(a), 6.10, 6.11 or 6.12 or Article VII; or
(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days after the earlier of the date on which any Borrower shall have first actually become aware of such failure or breach or the Administrative Agent or the Lenders shall have first notified any Borrower of such failure or breach; or
(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made in writing or deemed made by any Borrower or any other Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect (or, if any such representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact is by its terms qualified by concepts of materiality, such representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact shall be incorrect or misleading in any respect) when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i) The Parent or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment (in the payment amount of at least $750,000) when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than $10,000,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause (in each case after giving effect to any applicable notice or grace period) such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than $15,000,000; or
(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any substantial part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any substantial part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Parent or any Subsidiary admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any substantial part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 60 days after its issue or levy; or
(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Parent or any Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding $7,500,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer is rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company and has not reserved the right to disallow such claim), which remains unpaid for a period of thirty (30) days following the date of entry, or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case of the foregoing clauses (i) or (ii), (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of 60 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in a material amount, or (ii) any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in a material amount; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document or any material provision thereof, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations (other than (x) Obligations under any Cash Management Agreement that are allowed by the applicable Cash Management Bank to remain outstanding, or are not expressly required pursuant to the terms of such Cash Management Agreement to be repaid or cash collateralized, upon repayment in full of the other Obligations hereunder, and (y) Obligations under any Hedge Agreement that are allowed by the applicable Hedge Bank to remain outstanding, or are not expressly required pursuant to the terms of such Hedge Agreement to be repaid or cash collateralized, upon repayment in full of the other Obligations hereunder), ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any material provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any material provision of any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any material provision of any Loan Document; or
(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers;
(c) require that the Borrowers Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and
(d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or equity;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of any L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrowers to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.17 and 2.18, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuers and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuers in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Obligations then owing under Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Agreements, ratably among the Lenders, the L/C Issuers, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them, and to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuers, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrowers pursuant to Sections 2.04 and 2.17, in each case ratably among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuers, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrowers or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject to Sections 2.04(c) and 2.17, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above. Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Borrower or any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Borrower or Guarantor or its assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Borrowers and Guarantors to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof prior to the applicable payment date, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be. Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to the Credit Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article IX hereof for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers, and no Borrower shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
9.02 Rights as a Lender The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial, advisory, underwriting or other business with the Parent or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or to provide notice to or consent of the Lenders with respect thereto.
9.03 Exculpatory ProvisionsThe Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrowers or any of their Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Persons as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrowers, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related parties shall be responsible for or have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person shall be fully protected in relying thereon and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of the applicable Lender or L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrowers), 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. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objections. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
9.05 Delegation of Duties The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
9.06 Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent.(a) Notice. The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrowers. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrowers, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that in no event shall any successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b) Defaulting Lender. If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrowers and such Person, remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultations with the Borrowers, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c) Effect of Resignation or Removal. With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable, (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed in writing between the Borrowers and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed 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 (i) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including without limitation in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.
(d) Any resignation by or removal of Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as an L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender. If Bank of America resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of an L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(c). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(c). Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, (ii) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (iii) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers or Book Managers listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, an Arranger, a Lender or an L/C Issuer hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrowers) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.04(i) and (j), 2.10 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.10 and 10.04.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.
9.10 Guaranty Matters. The Lenders (including in their capacities as potential Cash Management Banks and potential Hedge Banks) and the L/C Issuers irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder or upon satisfaction in full of all the Obligations (other than (x) Obligations under any Cash Management Agreement that are allowed by the applicable Cash Management Bank to remain outstanding, or are not expressly required pursuant to the terms of such Cash Management Agreement to be repaid or cash collateralized, upon repayment in full of the other Obligations hereunder, and (y) Obligations under any Hedge Agreement that are allowed by the applicable Hedge Bank to remain outstanding, or are not expressly required pursuant to the terms of such Hedge Agreement to be repaid or cash collateralized, upon repayment in full of the other Obligations hereunder). Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10. In each case as specified in this Section 9.10, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrowers’ expense, promptly execute and deliver to the applicable Borrower such documents as such Borrower may reasonably request to release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.10.
9.11 Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements No Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 8.03 or any Guaranty by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Guaranty shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document (or to notice of or to consent to any amendments, waivers and other modifications hereof or to any Guaranty or any other Loan Documents) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements except to the extent expressly provided herein and unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be. The Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Cash Management Agreements and Hedge Agreements in the case of a Facility Termination Date.
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and the Borrowers or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender;
(b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent in Section 4.02 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Commitments of any Lender);
(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;
(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrowers to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(e) change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;
(f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; or
(g) release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of any Guarantor is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone);
and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, adversely affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, adversely affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, adversely affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iv) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (A) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender; (B) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein and (C) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Borrower to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders.
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers (i) to add one or more additional revolving credit or term loan facilities to this Agreement, in each case subject to the limitations in Section 2.16, and to permit the extensions of credit and all related obligations and liabilities arising in connection therewith from time to time outstanding to share ratably (or on a basis subordinated to the existing facilities hereunder) in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the obligations and liabilities from time to time outstanding in respect of the existing facilities hereunder, and (ii) in connection with the foregoing, to permit, as deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent, the Lenders providing such additional credit facilities to obtain comparable tranche voting rights with respect to each such new facility and to participate in any required vote or action required to be approved by the Required Lenders or by any other number, percentage or class of Lenders hereunder.
If any Lender does not consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to any Loan Document that requires the consent of each Lender, or requires the consent of each Lender directly affected by such proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release, and such amendment, waiver, consent or release has been approved by the Required Lenders or, as applicable, by more than fifty percent (50%) of the Lenders who would be directly affected by such amendment, waiver, consent or release, the Borrowers may repay such non-consenting Lender’s Loans on a non-pro-rata basis (and, in the case of repayments of Committed Loans, reduce such non-consenting Lender’s Commitment on a non-pro-rata basis in connection therewith) or may replace such non-consenting Lender in accordance with Section 10.13; provided that such amendment, waiver, consent or release can be effected as a result of the assignment contemplated by said Section and/or by such repayment (together with all other such repayments effected by, or assignments required by, the Borrowers to be made pursuant to this paragraph).
10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein or in any other Loan Document shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax transmission or e-mail transmission as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, an L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, fax number, e-mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, fax number, e-mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrowers).
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by fax transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuers hereunder or under any other Loan Document may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail, FPML messaging and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender, the Swing Line Lender or any L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender, Swing Line Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender, the L/C Issuers or the Borrowers may each, 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.
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgment from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement) and (ii) notices and other communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received by the intended recipient upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail address or other written acknowledgement) indicating that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.
(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrowers’ or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service or through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to any Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers, the Swing Line Lender and each Borrower may change its address, fax number, or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, fax number or telephone number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Swing Line Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrowers or their securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.
(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including, without limitation, telephonic or electronic notices, Committed Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications, Notices of Loan Prepayment and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrowers even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrowers shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrowers. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.14), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.14, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.(a) Costs and Expenses. The Borrowers shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (limited in the case of any legal expenses to the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of one outside counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuers in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuers (limited to the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of one outside counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender and the L/C Issuers, collectively) in connection with the enforcement (or, to the extent such expenses are incurred by the Administrative Agent or its outside counsel, protection) of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit; provided, that for any individual claim (or series of related claims) the Borrowers shall not be required to reimburse legal fees, charges and disbursements of more than one counsel (in addition to any reasonably necessary local counsel) for the Administrative Agent, any Lender and the L/C Issuers unless the representation of the Administrative Agent, any Lender and the L/C Issuers by one outside counsel would be inappropriate due to the existence of an actual or potential conflict of interest, in which case the Borrowers shall reimburse the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of outside counsel to such conflicted party.
(b) Indemnification by the Borrowers. The Borrowers shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of any outside counsel for any Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including any Borrower or any other Loan Party) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Parent 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, whether brought by a third party or by any Borrower or any other Loan Party, 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 (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, (y) result from a claim brought by any Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for material breach of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Borrower or such other Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or (z) result from disputes solely between Indemnitees (other than the Arrangers or the Administrative Agent in their capacities as such) and do not arise or result from any act, request or omission by any Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates; and provided further, that for any individual claim (or series of related claims) the Borrowers shall not be required to reimburse legal fees, charges and disbursements of more than one counsel (in addition to any reasonably necessary local counsel) for all Indemnitees unless the representation of all Indemnitees by one outside counsel would be inappropriate due to the existence of an actual or potential conflict of interest, in which case the Borrowers shall reimburse the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of outside counsel to such conflicted Indemnitees. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 10.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrowers for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuers, the Swing Line Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuers, the Swing Line Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s Applicable Share at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Swing Line Lender or the applicable L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Swing Line Lender or the applicable L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.13(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrowers shall not assert, and each Borrower hereby waives and acknowledges that to its knowledge no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after written demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 10.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
10.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrowers is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
10.06 Successors and Assigns.(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrowers may not assign or otherwise transfer any of their rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (other than pursuant to a transaction permitted by Section 7.04) and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum Amounts.
(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrowers otherwise consent (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect to the Loans and/or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans;
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(A) the consent of the Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrowers shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless they shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received written notice thereof;
(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender;
(C) the consent of the L/C Issuers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment; and
(D) the consent of the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment.
(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to any Borrower or any of the Borrowers’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) reserved, (C) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (C), or (D) to a natural person.
(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
(vii) Representations of Assignee. By agreeing to an assignment or transfer of rights or obligations under this Agreement, any assignee Lender shall be required to either(A) represent and warrant to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the assigning Lender that the assignee Lender is not a Competitor, or (B) agree that, if the Assignee is a Competitor, (i) it shall give notice thereof to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, and (ii) that it shall not receive access to any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” pursuant to Section 6.02 and that any receipt by such Assignee Lender of any such non-public Borrower Materials will irreparably harm the Borrowers. It is further acknowledged and agreed that the Administrative Agent may rely exclusively on the representation of the assignee Lender without any duty of inquiry or investigation.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrowers (at their expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall 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 and no transfer of an interest in the Loans or L/C Obligations shall be effective unless and until recorded in the Register. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrowers or any of the Borrowers’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 10.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participations.
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 10.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.14 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrowers’ prior written consent pursuant to an authorization that references this Section 10.06(e) or except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to any benefits under Section 3.01 unless the Borrowers are notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrowers, to comply with Section 3.01(e) as though it were a Lender.
(f) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(g) [Reserved]
(h) Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, (i) any L/C Issuer may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrowers and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) Bank of America may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrowers, resign as Swing Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrowers shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrowers to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of any L/C Issuer as an L/C Issuer or of Bank of America as Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. If any L/C Issuer resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuers hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as an L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(c)). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of such L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.
10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.(a) Treatment of Certain Information. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (i) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (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), (ii) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (iii) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party hereto, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.17(c) or (B) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (vii) on a confidential basis to (A) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (B) the provider of any Platform or other electronic delivery service used by the Administrative Agent, an L/C Issuer and/or the Swingline Lender to deliver Borrower Materials or notices to the Lenders or (C) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, or (viii) with the consent of the Borrowers or to the extent such Information (1) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (2) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers. For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrowers or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as applicable, on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by or on behalf of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Commitments.
(b) Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Parent or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.
( c) Press Releases. The Loan Parties and their Affiliates agree that they will not in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, unless (and only to the extent that) the Loan Parties or such Affiliate is required to do so under law and then, in any event the Loan Parties or such Affiliate will consult with such Person before issuing such press release or other public disclosure.
(d) Customary Advertising Material. The Loan Parties consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of customary advertising material relating to the transactions contemplated hereby using the name, product photographs, logo or trademark of the Loan Parties.
10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Borrower against any and all of the obligations of any Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, L/C Issuer or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.18 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
10.09 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrowers. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, and the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuers, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any certificate delivered thereunder, by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or certificate. Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.
10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties of the Loan Parties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation (other than Unasserted Obligations) hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.
10.12 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
10.13 Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrowers are entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, a Non-Consenting Lender or a Non-Extending Lender, or if any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrowers the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:
(a) the Borrowers shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 10.06(b);
(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to 100% of the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees (in the case of a Defaulting Lender, to the extent payable) and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts);
(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e) in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF (other than Sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 of The New York General Obligations Law).
(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. EACH BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER, ANY L/C ISSUER, OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. EACH BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
10.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
10.16 California Judicial Reference. If any action or proceeding is filed in a court of the State of California by or against any party hereto in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (a) the court shall, and is hereby directed to, make a general reference pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 638 to a referee (who shall be a single active or retired judge) to hear and determine all of the issues in such action or proceeding (whether of fact or of law) and to report a statement of decision; provided, that at the option of any party to such proceeding, any such issues pertaining to a “provisional remedy” as defined in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1281.8 shall be heard and determined by the court, and (b) subject to the limitations set forth in Section 10.04, the Borrowers shall be solely responsible to pay all fees and expenses of any referee appointed in such action or proceeding.
10.17 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrowers acknowledge and agree, and acknowledges their Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, any Affiliate thereof, the Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrowers, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and, as applicable, its Affiliates, the Arrangers and their Affiliates, and the Lenders and their Affiliates (collectively, for purposes of this Section, the “Lenders”), on the other hand, (B) the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they have deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrowers and each other Loan Party are capable of evaluating, and understand and accept, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, each Arranger and its Affiliates, and each Lender each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for any Borrower or any other Loan Party or any of their Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, any of its Affiliates, nor either Arranger or any of its Affiliates, nor any Lender, has any obligation to any Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates and the Lenders may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrowers, the other Loan Parties and their Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor either Arranger nor any of their Affiliates or any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrowers or their Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrowers hereby waive and release any claims that they may have against the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates and the Lenders, with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
10.18 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “delivery,” “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any Loan Document or any other document executed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, amendments or other modifications, Committed Loan Notices, Swing Line Loan Notices, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided further without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.
10.19 USA PATRIOT Act.Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrowers 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 each Loan Party, which information includes the names and addresses of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the Act. The Borrowers shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
10.20 Time of the Essence. Time is of the essence of the Loan Documents.
10.21 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE MATTERS SET FORTH IN THE LOAN DOCUMENTS.
10.22 Amendment and Restatement of Existing Credit Agreement. On the Closing Date, this Agreement shall supersede the Existing Credit Agreement in its entirety. On the Closing Date, the rights and obligations of the parties hereto evidenced by the Existing Credit Agreement shall be evidenced by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the “Loans” and “Letters of Credit” as each is defined in the Existing Credit Agreement shall be continued under this Agreement for the account of the Borrower, and shall bear interest and be subject to such other fees as set forth in this Agreement.
10.23 Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-in of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution; and
(b) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.
[Signatures Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
UNIFIRST COrporation UNIFIRST HOLDINGS, INC. UNITECH SERVICES GROUP, INC. UNIFIRST-FIRST AID CORPORATION RC AIR LLC | |
By: | /s/ Steven S. Sintros |
Name: Steven S. Sintros Title: Chief Financial Officer |
uone corporation | |
By: | /s/ Steven S. Sintros |
Name: Steven S. Sintros Title: Senior Vice President |
UNIFIRST manufacturing COrporation | |
By: | /s/ Steven S. Sintros |
Name: Steven S. Sintros Title: Treasurer |
| BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., |
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| By: | /s/ Priscilla Baker |
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| Name: | Priscilla Baker |
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| Title: | Assistant Vice President |
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| BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., |
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| By: | /s/ Molly M. Kropp |
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| Name: | Molly M. Kropp |
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| Title: | Vice President |
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| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., |
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| By: | /s/ Peter M. Killea |
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| Name: | Peter M. Killea |
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| Title: | Executive Director |
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| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., |
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| By: | /s/ Peter M. Killea |
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| Name: | Peter M. Killea |
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| Title: | Executive Director |
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| SANTANDER BANK, N.A., as a Lender |
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| By: | /s/ Jay L. Massimo |
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| Name: | Jay L. Massimo |
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| Title: | Senior Vice President |
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| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as a Lender |
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| By: | /s/ Denis Waltrich |
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| Name: | Denis Waltrich |
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| Title: | Director |
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| HSBC Bank USA, National Association, as a Lender |
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| By: | /s/ Zhiyan Zeng |
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| Name: | Zhiyan Zeng |
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| Title: | Vice President |
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| ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, |
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| By: | /s/ Alexandre Charron |
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| Name: | Alexandre Charron |
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| Title: | Vice-President |
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