Credit Agreement dated as of June 9, 2022, by and among Westlake Corporation, the lenders from time to time party thereto, the issuing banks party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, relating to a $1.5 billion senior unsecured revolving credit facility

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Facility Agreements
EX-10.1 2 d263815dex101.htm EX-10.1 EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

June 9, 2022

among

WESTLAKE CORPORATION,

The Lenders Party Hereto

The Issuing Banks Party Hereto

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent.

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

BofA SECURITIES, INC. and WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers,

BofA SECURITIES, INC. and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Syndication Agents

and

DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH,

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and ROYAL BANK OF CANADA

as Co-Documentation Agents.

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

         PAGE  
ARTICLE I   
DEFINITIONS   
SECTION 1.01.  

Defined Terms

     1  
SECTION 1.02.  

Classification of Loans and Borrowings

     31  
SECTION 1.03.  

Terms Generally

     31  
SECTION 1.04.  

Accounting Terms; GAAP

     31  
SECTION 1.05.  

Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification

     32  
SECTION 1.06.  

Divisions

     32  
ARTICLE II   
THE CREDITS   
SECTION 2.01.  

Commitments

     32  
SECTION 2.02.  

Loans and Borrowings

     32  
SECTION 2.03.  

Requests for Revolving Borrowings

     33  
SECTION 2.04.  

[Reserved]

     34  
SECTION 2.05.  

Swingline Loans

     34  
SECTION 2.06.  

Letters of Credit

     35  
SECTION 2.07.  

Funding of Borrowings

     39  
SECTION 2.08.  

Interest Elections

     40  
SECTION 2.09.  

Termination and Reduction of Commitments; Mandatory Repayments

     41  
SECTION 2.10.  

Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

     42  
SECTION 2.11.  

Prepayment of Loans

     43  
SECTION 2.12.  

Fees

     43  
SECTION 2.13.  

Interest

     44  
SECTION 2.14.  

Alternate Rate of Interest

     45  
SECTION 2.15.  

Increased Costs

     48  
SECTION 2.16.  

Break Funding Payments

     49  
SECTION 2.17.  

Payments Free of Taxes

     50  
SECTION 2.18.  

Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs

     53  
SECTION 2.19.  

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

     54  
SECTION 2.20.  

Defaulting Lenders

     55  
SECTION 2.21.  

Increased Commitments, Additional Lenders

     56  
SECTION 2.22.  

Extension of Maturity Date

     57  
SECTION 2.23.  

Sustainability Targets

     59  
ARTICLE III   
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES   
SECTION 3.01.  

Organization; Qualification

     60  
SECTION 3.02.  

Authorization; Validity; Enforceability

     61  
SECTION 3.03.  

Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

     61  
SECTION 3.04.  

Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change; Projections

     61  
SECTION 3.05.  

[Reserved]

     61  

 

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SECTION 3.06.  

Litigation and Environmental Matters

     61  
SECTION 3.07.  

Compliance with Laws and Agreements

     62  
SECTION 3.08.  

Investment Company Status

     62  
SECTION 3.09.  

Taxes

     62  
SECTION 3.10.  

ERISA

     62  
SECTION 3.11.  

Disclosure

     63  
SECTION 3.12.  

Sanctions

     63  
SECTION 3.13.  

Margin Regulations

     63  
SECTION 3.14.  

[Reserved]

     63  
SECTION 3.15.  

[Reserved]

     63  
SECTION 3.16.  

USA PATRIOT Act

     63  
SECTION 3.17.  

Intellectual Property Matters

     63  
ARTICLE IV   
CONDITIONS   
SECTION 4.01.  

Effective Date

     63  
SECTION 4.02.  

Each Credit Event

     65  
ARTICLE V   
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS   
SECTION 5.01.  

Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information

     65  
SECTION 5.02.  

Notices of Material Events

     67  
SECTION 5.03.  

Existence; Conduct of Business

     67  
SECTION 5.04.  

Payment of Obligations

     67  
SECTION 5.05.  

Maintenance of Properties; Insurance

     67  
SECTION 5.06.  

Books and Records; Inspection Rights

     68  
SECTION 5.07.  

Compliance with Law; Maintenance of Licenses

     68  
SECTION 5.08.  

Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit

     68  
SECTION 5.09.  

[Reserved]

     68  
SECTION 5.10.  

Further Assurances

     68  
ARTICLE VI   
NEGATIVE COVENANTS   
SECTION 6.01.  

Indebtedness

     69  
SECTION 6.02.  

Liens

     70  
SECTION 6.03.  

Fundamental Changes

     71  
SECTION 6.04.  

[Reserved]

     71  
SECTION 6.05.  

[Reserved]

     71  
SECTION 6.06.  

[Reserved]

     71  
SECTION 6.07.  

Use of Proceeds; Anti-Corruption Laws and Laws Against Sanctioned Persons

     71  
SECTION 6.08.  

[Reserved]

     71  
SECTION 6.09.  

Financial Covenant

     71  
ARTICLE VII   
EVENTS OF DEFAULT   
SECTION 7.01.  

Events of Default

     72  
SECTION 7.02.  

Application of Funds

     74  

 

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ARTICLE VIII   
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT   
ARTICLE IX   
MISCELLANEOUS   
SECTION 9.01.  

Notices

     76  
SECTION 9.02.  

Waivers; Amendments

     78  
SECTION 9.03.  

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

     79  
SECTION 9.04.  

Successors and Assigns

     80  
SECTION 9.05.  

Survival

     84  
SECTION 9.06.  

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution

     84  
SECTION 9.07.  

Severability

     85  
SECTION 9.08.  

Right of Setoff

     85  
SECTION 9.09.  

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

     85  
SECTION 9.10.  

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     86  
SECTION 9.11.  

Headings

     86  
SECTION 9.12.  

Confidentiality

     86  
SECTION 9.13.  

Material Non-Public Information

     87  
SECTION 9.14.  

Interest Rate Limitation

     87  
SECTION 9.15.  

USA PATRIOT Act

     87  
SECTION 9.16.  

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions

     88  
SECTION 9.17.  

Judgment Currency

     88  
SECTION 9.18.  

Erroneous Payments

     88  
SECTION 9.19.  

No Fiduciary Duty

     89  
SECTION 9.20.  

Certain ERISA Matters

     90  

SCHEDULES:

Schedule 2.01A – Commitments

Schedule 2.01B – Swingline Commitments

Schedule 2.01C – Letter of Credit Commitments

Schedule 2.06 – Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 2.23 – Sustainability Targets

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A – Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B – Borrowing Request

Exhibit C – U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

Exhibit D – [Reserved]

Exhibit E – [Reserved]

Exhibit F– Form of Extension of Maturity Date Request

 

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CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 9, 2022 (this “Agreement”) among WESTLAKE CORPORATION, the LENDERS party hereto from time to time, the Issuing Banks from time to time party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

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

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate. Only Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars may bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Additional Lender” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.21(a).

Adjusted CDOR Rate” means, with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Canadian Dollars for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the CDOR Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate; provided that if the Adjusted CDOR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Adjusted Daily Simple RFR” means, (i) with respect to any RFR Borrowing denominated in Pounds Sterling, an interest rate per annum equal to the Daily Simple RFR for Pounds Sterling and (ii) with respect to any RFR Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollars, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR Rate” means, with respect to any RFR Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Daily Simple SOFR Rate for such Interest Period, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Adjusted EURIBOR Rate” means, with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Euros for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the EURIBOR Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate; provided that if the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Adjusted Term SOFR Rate” means, with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Term SOFR Rate for such Interest Period, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.


Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent and Issuers for the Lenders hereunder, or, as applicable, such Affiliates thereof as it shall from time to time designate for the purpose of performing its obligations hereunder in such capacity, including with respect to any Loan denominated in an Alternate Currency, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited and any successor thereto appointed pursuant to Article VIII.

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

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

Affected Lender” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.19(b).

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

Agent Party” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.01(d)(ii).

Agreed Currencies” means U.S. Dollars and each Alternate Currency.

Agreement” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereof.

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus 12 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for a one month Interest Period as published two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%; provided that for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for any day shall be based on the Term SOFR Reference Rate at approximately 5:00 a.m. Chicago time on such day (or any amended publication time for the Term SOFR Reference Rate, as specified by the CME Term SOFR Administrator in the Term SOFR Reference Rate methodology). Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.14 hereof (for the avoidance of doubt, only until the Benchmark Replacement has been determined pursuant to Section 2.14(b)), then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clause (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Alternate Base Rate shall be less than 1.00%, such rate shall be deemed to be 1.00% for purposes of this Agreement.

Alternate Currency” means Canadian Dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling and each other currency (other than U.S. Dollars) that is requested by the Company and approved in writing by the Administrative Agent and each Lender.

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

Alternate Currency Loan” means a Loan that is made in an Alternate Currency pursuant to the applicable Notice of Borrowing.

 

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Ancillary Document” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.06(b).

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption, including without limitation the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Alternate Currency Sublimit” means $1,500,000,000.

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment; provided that when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Term Benchmark Loan, RFR Loan or ABR Loan, or with respect to the undrawn commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum determined as set forth below under the caption “Term Benchmark Loans”, “RFR Loans”, “ABR Loans” or “Undrawn Commitment Fee”, as the case may be, based upon the ratings by Fitch, Moody’s and S&P, respectively, applicable on such date to the Public Debt Rating:

 

    

Pricing Level I

  

Pricing Level II

  

Pricing Level III

  

Pricing Level IV

  

Pricing Level V

Public Debt Rating    ≥ A- / A3 / A-    BBB+ / Baa1 / BBB+    BBB / Baa2 / BBB    BBB- / Baa3 / BBB-    ≤ BB+ / Ba1 / BB+
Term Benchmark Loans    100.0 bps    112.5 bps    125.0 bps    137.5 bps    162.5 bps
RFR Loans    100.0 bps    112.5 bps    125.0 bps    137.5 bps    162.5 bps
ABR Loans    0.0 bps    12.5 bps    25.0 bps    37.5 bps    62.5 bps
Undrawn Commitment Fee    10.0 bps    12.5 bps    15.0 bps    17.5 bps    22.5 bps

The foregoing pricing shall be based on the senior, unsecured non-credit enhanced long-term indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company issued by S&P, Moody’s and Fitch (the “Public Debt Rating”).

For any date of determination, (a) if the Company shall maintain a Public Debt Rating from only two of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch then the higher of such Public Debt Ratings shall apply, unless there is a split in Debt Ratings of more than one Pricing Level, in which case the pricing level shall be determined by reference to a Public Debt Rating that is one pricing level lower than the higher of the Company’s two Public Debt Ratings, (b) if the Company shall maintain a Public Debt Rating from only one of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch, then that single Debt Rating shall apply, (c) if the Company shall maintain a Public Debt Rating from all three of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch and there is a difference in such Public Debt Ratings, (i) if there is a difference of only one pricing level between the highest and lowest of such Public Debt Ratings, the pricing level shall be determined by reference to the higher Public Debt Rating, and (ii) if there is a difference of more than one pricing level between any of the Public Debt Ratings, and if two Public Debt Ratings are equivalent and the third Public Debt Rating is lower, the pricing level shall be determined by reference to the higher Public Debt Rating; otherwise the pricing level shall be determined

 

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by reference to a Public Debt Rating that is one pricing level below the highest of the Company’s three Public Debt Ratings and (d) if the Company shall fail to maintain any Public Debt Rating from any of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch, then Pricing Level V shall apply. As of the date hereof, Pricing Level III is in effect.

Applicable Time” means, with respect to any Borrowings and payments in any Alternate Currency, the local time in the place of settlement for such Alternate Currency as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to be necessary for timely settlement on the relevant date in accordance with normal banking procedures in the place of payment.

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(b).

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

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

Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark for any Agreed Currency, as applicable, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) or payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof), as applicable, that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period for any term rate or otherwise, for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated pursuant to this Agreement as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to clause (e) of Section 2.14.

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

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

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person 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 Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

 

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Benchmark” means, initially, with respect to any (i) RFR Loan in any Agreed Currency, the applicable Relevant Rate for such Agreed Currency or (ii) Term Benchmark Loan, the Relevant Rate for such Agreed Currency; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event, and the related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to the applicable Relevant Rate or the then-current Benchmark for such Agreed Currency, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to clause (b) of Section 2.14.

Benchmark Replacement” means, for any Available Tenor, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date; provided that, in the case of any Loan denominated in an Alternate Currency, “Benchmark Replacement” shall mean the alternative set forth in (2) below:

(1) in the case of any Loan denominated in U.S. Dollars, the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR;

(2) the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Company as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for syndicated credit facilities denominated in the applicable Agreed Currency at such time in the United States and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Interest Period and Available Tenor for any setting of such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Company for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and/or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for syndicated credit facilities denominated in the applicable Agreed Currency at such time.

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement and/or any Term Benchmark Revolving Loan denominated in U.S. Dollars, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Alternate Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day,” the definition of “RFR Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative

 

5


Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

Benchmark Replacement Date” means, with respect to any Benchmark, the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to such then-current Benchmark:

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

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

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

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

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

(2) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Board, the NYFRB, the CME Term SOFR Administrator, the central bank for the Agreed Currency applicable to such Benchmark, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), in each case, which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

 

6


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

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

Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, with respect to any Benchmark, the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date pursuant to clauses (1) or (2) of that definition has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced such then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14 and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced such then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14.

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

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010 230.

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

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

Board of Directors,” when used with reference to the Company, means the Board of Directors or comparable governing body of the Company, or any committee thereof duly authorized, with respect to any particular matter, to act by or on behalf of the Board of Directors or comparable governing body of the Company.

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

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Company for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03, and substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto or such other form as the Administrative Agent may approve from time to time.

Business Day” means, any day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banks are open for business in New York City or Chicago; provided that, in addition to the foregoing, a Business Day shall be (a) in relation to Loans denominated in Pounds Sterling, any day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banks are open for business in London, (b) in relation to Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars and in relation to the calculation or computation of CDOR, any day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banks are open for business in Toronto, Ontario, (c) in relation to Loans denominated

 

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in Euros and in relation to the calculation or computation of EURIBOR, any day which is a TARGET Day and (d) in relation to RFR Loans and any interest rate settings, fundings, disbursements, settlements or payments of any such RFR Loan, or any other dealings in the applicable Agreed Currency of such RFR Loan, any such day that is only an RFR Business Day.

Canadian Dollars” refers to lawful money of Canada.

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

CBR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Central Bank Rate.

CBR Spread” means the Applicable Rate, applicable to such Loan that is replaced by a CBR Loan.

CDOR Rate” means the rate per annum equal to the Canadian Dealer Offered Rate, or a comparable or successor rate approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

Central Bank Rate” means, the greater of (A) (i) for any Loan denominated in (a) Pounds Sterling, the Bank of England (or any successor thereto)’s “Bank Rate” as published by the Bank of England (or any successor thereto) from time to time, (b) Euro, one of the following three rates as may be selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion: (1) the fixed rate for the main refinancing operations of the European Central Bank (or any successor thereto), or, if that rate is not published, the minimum bid rate for the main refinancing operations of the European Central Bank (or any successor thereto), each as published by the European Central Bank (or any successor thereto) from time to time, (2) the rate for the marginal lending facility of the European Central Bank (or any successor thereto), as published by the European Central Bank (or any successor thereto) from time to time or (3) the rate for the deposit facility of the central banking system of the Participating Member States, as published by the European Central Bank (or any successor thereto) from time to time and (e) any other Alternate Currency determined after the Effective Date, a central bank rate as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion plus (ii) the applicable Central Bank Rate Adjustment and (B) the Floor.

Central Bank Rate Adjustment” means, for any day, for any Loan denominated in (a) Euro, a rate equal to the difference (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) of (i) the average of the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate for the five most recent Business Days preceding such day for which the EURIBOR Screen Rate was available (excluding, from such averaging, the highest and the lowest Adjusted EURIBOR Rate applicable during such period of five Business Days) minus (ii) the Central Bank Rate in respect of Euros in effect on the last Business Day in such period, (b) Pounds Sterling, a rate equal to the difference (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) of (i) the average of Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for Pound Sterling Borrowings for the five most recent RFR Business Days preceding such day for which SONIA was available (excluding, from such averaging, the highest and the lowest such Adjusted Daily Simple RFR applicable during such period of five RFR Business Days) minus (ii) the Central Bank Rate in respect of Pounds Sterling in effect on the last RFR Business Day in such period, (d) Canadian Dollars, a rate equal to the difference (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) of (i) the average of the Adjusted CDOR Rate for the five most recent Business Days preceding

 

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such day for which the CDOR Rate was available (excluding, from such averaging, the highest and the lowest Adjusted CDOR Rate applicable during such period of five Business Days) minus (ii) the Central Bank Rate in respect of Canadian Dollars in effect on the last Business Day in such period and (e) any other Alternate Currency determined after the Effective Date, a Central Bank Rate Adjustment as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion. For purposes of this definition, (x) the term Central Bank Rate shall be determined disregarding clause (B) of the definition of such term and (y) each of the EURIBOR Rate and the CDOR Rate on any day shall be based on the EURIBOR Screen Rate or the CDOR Rate, as applicable, on such day at approximately the time referred to in the definition of such term for deposits in the applicable Agreed Currency for a maturity of one month.

CFC” means any Subsidiary that is (i) a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of the Code, (ii) a partnership one or more partners in which is a “controlled foreign corporation” or (iii) disregarded as an entity separate from its owner within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section  ###-###-####-3 and is a direct Subsidiary of an entity described in clauses (i) or (ii), above.

CFC Holdco” means a Subsidiary (i) that is (x) organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (y) disregarded as an entity separate from its owner within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section  ###-###-####-3 and (ii) substantially all of the assets of which constitute the Equity Interests of entities that are CFCs.

Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Company; or (b) during any period of 24 consecutive calendar months, the majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company shall no longer be composed of individuals (i) who were members of the Board of Directors of the Company on the first day of such period or (ii) whose election or nomination to the Board of Directors of the Company was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting, at the time of such election or nomination, at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company or, if directors are nominated by a committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, constituting at the time of such nomination, at least a majority of such committee.

Change in Law” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement or, with respect to any Lender, such later date on which such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, of (a) the adoption of or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) compliance by any Lender or any Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; 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 or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

Charges” has the meaning specified in Section 9.14.

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

 

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CME Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited as administrator of the forward-looking term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) (or a successor administrator).

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

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.21 or (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $1,500,000,000.

Communications” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.01(d)(ii).

Company” means Westlake Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

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 EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum for such period of (i) Consolidated Net Interest Expense, (ii) consolidated income tax expense, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization, (iv) all other non-cash charges, any impairment charges, any charges resulting from the application of fair value accounting and any charges resulting from the application of purchase accounting or changes in accounting principles (provided that any cash payment made with respect to any non-cash charge added back in computing Consolidated EBITDA for any prior period, or that would have been added back had this Agreement been in effect during such prior period, shall be subtracted in computing Consolidated EBITDA for the period in which such cash payment is made), (v) all fees, costs and expenses, incurred or payable during such period in connection with the Transactions, any Material Acquisition, any other acquisition, disposition, issuance or repayment of indebtedness, issuance of equity securities, refinancing transaction or amendment or other modification of or waiver or consent relating to any debt instrument, in each case whether or not successful, (vi) cash restructuring, severance and similar charges, including costs associated with discontinued operations or exiting businesses (provided that the aggregate amount of addbacks made pursuant to this clause (a)(vi) shall not exceed $75,000,000, in each case for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended prior to the determination date), (vii) the amount of net cost savings, operating expense reductions, other operating improvements and acquisition synergies projected by the Company in good faith to be realized during such period (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such items had been realized on the first day of such period) as a result of actions taken or to be taken in connection with any acquisition or disposition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, any operational changes or headcount reductions, net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such period that are otherwise included in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA from such actions, provided that (A) a duly completed certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the Company shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent together with the Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c), certifying that such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies (x) are reasonably expected and factually supportable as determined in good faith by the Company, and (y) are expected to be realized within 18 months after the consummation of such actions taken or to be taken in connection with any acquisition or disposition, operational changes or headcount reductions, (B) no cost savings, operating

 

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expense reductions and synergies shall be added pursuant to this clause (vii) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges otherwise added to Consolidated EBITDA, whether through a pro forma adjustment or otherwise, for such period and (C) projected amounts (and not yet realized) may no longer be added in calculating Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (vii) to the extent occurring more than 18 months after the specified action taken in order to realize such projected cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies, (viii) non-cash stock-based compensation, (ix) non-cash write-downs or write-offs (including non-cash inventory write-downs and write-off of goodwill, intangibles or long-lived assets), (x) for so long as LACC, LLC is not a Restricted Subsidiary, LACC EBITDA multiplied by the Company’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ percentage ownership of LACC, LLC’s Equity Interests minus the amount of dividends or similar distributions paid in cash to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries by LACC, LLC (provided that the aggregate amount of addbacks made pursuant to this clause (a)(x) shall not exceed 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA before giving effect to such addback, in each case for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended on or prior to the determination date) and (xi) other extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring cash charges, and minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in determining such Consolidated Net Income, any non-cash items or any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any period, if at any time during such period the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have made any acquisition or disposition, Consolidated EBITDA for such period shall be determined giving pro forma effect thereto in accordance with Section 1.04.

Consolidated Indebtedness” means, for any date of determination, the consolidated Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such date, determined in accordance with GAAP and on a pro forma basis with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with Section 1.04.

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined in accordance with GAAP and on a pro forma basis with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with Section 1.04; provided that, without duplication and only to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the Consolidated Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting will be included in “Consolidated Net Income” to the extent of the amount of dividends or similar distributions paid in cash to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. For the avoidance of doubt, so long as LACC, LLC is not a Restricted Subsidiary, Consolidated Net Income shall not include earnings or losses attributable to LACC, LLC except as set forth in the proviso above.

Consolidated Net Interest Expense means, for any period, (a) the consolidated interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP (including imputed interest under Capital Lease Obligations and all debt discount and expense amortized in such period) but excluding (i) the effect of any mark-to-market valuation or revaluation of any Indebtedness and (ii) expense arising from the early extinguishment of Indebtedness to the extent otherwise includable in interest expense minus (b) the consolidated interest income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with GAAP. For the purposes of calculating Consolidated Net Interest Expense for any period, if at any time during such period the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have made any acquisition or disposition, Consolidated Net Interest Expense for such period shall be determined giving pro forma effect thereto and to any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness in accordance with Section 1.04.

 

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Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” of any Person means the aggregate amount of assets of such Person (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) after deducting therefrom (to the extent otherwise included therein) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, all as set forth on the books and records of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Revenues” means, for any date of determination, the consolidated revenue of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such date, determined in accordance with GAAP and on a pro forma basis with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with Section 1.04.

Consolidated Subsidiary” shall mean, as to any Person, each Subsidiary of such Person (whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial statements of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Total Assets” means, on any date, the aggregate amount of assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Contingent Obligation” shall mean as to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing or intended to guarantee any Indebtedness (“primary obligations”) of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (b) to advance or supply funds (x) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (y) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (c) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation or (d) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the holder of such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof; provided, however, that the term Contingent Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business nor any Guarantee. The amount of any Contingent Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable principal amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Contingent Obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to perform thereunder) as determined by such Person in good faith.

Continuing Lenders” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(b).

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.

Corresponding Tenor” with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.

Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.

Daily Simple RFR means, for any day (an “RFR Interest Day”), an interest rate per annum equal to, for any RFR Loan denominated in (i) Pounds Sterling, SONIA for the day that is 5 RFR Business Days prior to (A) if such RFR Interest Day is an RFR Business Day, such RFR Interest Day or (B) if such RFR Interest Day is not an RFR Business Day, the RFR Business Day immediately preceding such RFR Interest Day and (iii) U.S. Dollars, Daily Simple SOFR.

 

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Daily Simple SOFR means, for any day (a “SOFR Rate Day”), a rate per annum equal to SOFR for the day (such day “SOFR Determination Date”) that is five (5) RFR Business Days prior to (i) if such SOFR Rate Day is an RFR Business Day, such SOFR Rate Day or (ii) if such SOFR Rate Day is not an RFR Business Day, the RFR Business Day immediately preceding such SOFR Rate Day, in each case, as such SOFR is published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website. Any change in Daily Simple SOFR due to a change in SOFR shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in SOFR without notice to the Company.

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

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Company or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of (A) a Bankruptcy Event or (B) a Bail-In Action.

Dollar Amount” means, at any time:

(i) with respect to any Dollar-Denominated Loan, the principal amount thereof then outstanding;

(ii) with respect to any Alternate Currency Loan, the principal amount thereof then outstanding in the relevant Alternate Currency, converted to U.S. Dollars in accordance with Section 2.09(d); and

(iii) with respect to any LC Exposure, (A) if denominated in U.S. Dollars, the amount thereof and (B) if denominated in an Alternate Currency, the amount thereof converted to U.S. Dollars in accordance with Section 2.09(d)(ii).

Dollar-Denominated Loan” means a Loan that is made in U.S. Dollars pursuant to the applicable Notice of Borrowing.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company (other than any CFC Holdco) that is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

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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.

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

Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

Electronic System” means any electronic system, including e-mail, e-fax, IntraLinks®, ClearPar®, Debt Domain, Syndtrak and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by the Administrative Agent and or any Issuing Bank and any of its respective Related Persons or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

Eligible Institution” means any financial institution having capital and surplus in excess of $200,000,000 the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law and which is subject to supervision and examination by federal or state banking authorities. If such depository institution publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. For the purposes of this Agreement, Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC shall be deemed to be an Eligible Institution.

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

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, corrective action or compliance, indemnities, fines or penalties), of the Company or any Subsidiary whether or not of a kind required by GAAP to be set forth on a financial statement or in the notes thereto, in each case, resulting from or related to any violation of or noncompliance with any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit, any Hazardous Material, or any contract pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit” means all permits, licenses, franchises, certificates, approvals and other similar authorizations of Governmental Authorities relating to or required by Environmental Laws for the operation of the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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

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

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

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waived); (b) the failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard with respect to a Plan within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 303 or 304 of ERISA, whether or not waived; (c) a determination that any Plan is in “at risk” status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the Code; (d) the filing pursuant to Section 431 or Section 304 of ERISA of an application for the extension of any amortization period; (e) the failure to timely make a contribution required to be made with respect to any Plan or Multiemployer Plan that would result in the imposition of an encumbrance under Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA; (f) the filing under Section 4041(c) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate any Plan or the termination of any Plan under Section 4041(c) of ERISA; (g) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (h) the incurrence by the Company of any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (i) the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (j) the incurrence by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability with respect to withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (k) the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization or in “endangered” or “critical” status within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA; or (l) any Foreign Benefit Event.

ESG Amendment” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.23(a).

ESG Pricing Provisions” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.23(b).

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.

Euro” means the single currency of those members of the European Union from time to time which adopt a single, shared currency.

EURIBOR Rate” means, with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Euros and for any Interest Period, the EURIBOR Screen Rate, two TARGET Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

 

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EURIBOR Screen Rate” means the euro interbank offered rate administered by the European Money Markets Institute (or any other person which takes over the administration of that rate) for the relevant period displayed (before any correction, recalculation or republication by the administrator) on page EURIBOR01 of the Thomson Reuters screen (or any replacement Thomson Reuters page which displays that rate) or on the appropriate page of such other information service which publishes that rate from time to time in place of Thomson Reuters as published at approximately 11:00 a.m. Brussels time two TARGET Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period. If such page or service ceases to be available, the Administrative Agent may specify another page or service displaying the relevant rate after consultation with the Company.

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

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor statute.

Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a 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 applicable 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, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Company under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(f) and (d) any Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Letters of Credit” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(k).

Existing Maturity Date” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(a).

Extension Confirmation Date” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(a).

Extension of Maturity Date Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.22(a) hereof.

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 to comply with), any intergovernmental agreement entered into between the United States and the government of another country in order to implement the requirements of such Sections of the Code, any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as shall be set forth on the NYFRB’s Website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Financial Covenant” means the covenant contained in Section 6.09.

 

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

Financial Statements” means the financial statements to be furnished pursuant to Sections 5.01(a) and (b).

Fitch” means Fitch, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Floor” means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, Adjusted EURIBOR Rate, Adjusted CDOR Rate, each Adjusted Daily Simple RFR, Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR or the Central Bank Rate, as applicable. For the avoidance of doubt the initial Floor for each of Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, Adjusted EURIBOR Rate, Adjusted CDOR Rate, each Adjusted Daily Simple RFR or the Central Bank Rate shall be zero.

Foreign Benefit Event” means the incurrence of any liability by the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to any Foreign Pension Plan other than underfunded or unfunded liabilities permitted under applicable law.

Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

Foreign Pension Plan” means any benefit plan that under applicable law is required to be funded through a trust or other funding vehicle other than a trust or funding vehicle maintained exclusively by a Governmental Authority.

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company which is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

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

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Effective Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness).

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all substances, wastes or other pollutants, in each case that are regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law as “hazardous” or “toxic” or words of similar import, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas.

 

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Increased Commitments” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.21(b).

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property, which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing the property in service or taking delivery and title thereto (excluding (1) current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business and (2) any customary earn-out obligations), (d) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on an asset owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed; provided, however, that so long as such Indebtedness is non-recourse to such Person (other than with respect to the asset so subject to such Lien), the amount of such Indebtedness will be deemed to be the lesser of: (x) the fair market value of such asset at such date of determination and (y) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Person, (e) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (f) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (g) obligations under or in respect of a Qualified Receivables Financing and (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall exclude (a) Contingent Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in respect of borrowed money; (b) deferred or prepaid revenues; (c) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the respective seller or purchase price adjustment in connection with any acquisition or disposition in connection with this agreement; (d) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty other than obligations for payments arising in respect of drawn letters of credit or letters of guaranty; (e) the amount of any Indebtedness that has been defeased or for which funds have been irrevocably deposited with the applicable lender, agent or trustee for redemption; and (f) all obligations in respect of leases of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that would have been treated as operating leases for purposes of GAAP at any time, prior to the issuance by the Financial Accounting Standards Board on February 25, 2016 of an Accounting Standards Update.

Indemnified Party” has the meaning specified in Section 9.03(b).

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 the Company under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a) hereof, Other Taxes.

Ineligible Institution” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.04(b).

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 9.12.

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

 

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Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the fifteenth (15th) day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date, (b) with respect to any RFR Loan, (1) each date that is on the numerically corresponding day in each calendar month that is one month after the Borrowing of such Loan (or, if there is no such numerically corresponding day in such month, then the last day of such month) and (2) the Maturity Date, (c) with respect to any Term Benchmark Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Term Benchmark Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and the Maturity Date and (d) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid and the Maturity Date.

Interest Period” means with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to the availability for the Benchmark applicable to the relevant Loan or Commitment for any Agreed Currency), as the Company may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period and (iii) no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 2.14(e) shall be available for specification in such Borrowing Request or Interest Election Request. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

IRBs” means the $10,889,000 in original principal amount of Calcasieu Parish Public Trust Authority Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds issued pursuant to the Indenture of Trust, dated December 1, 1997, between Calcasieu Parish Public Trust Authority, as issuer, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Bank of America, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and any other Lender that agrees to act as an Issuing Bank and is designated by the Company as an Issuing Bank, each in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of each Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate. Each reference herein to an “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to be a reference to the relevant Issuing Bank.

LACC EBITDA” means, for any period, consolidated net income of LACC, LLC for such period plus, without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining such consolidated net income, the sum for such period of (i) consolidated interest expense, (ii) consolidated income tax expense and (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization.

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

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

 

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Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01A and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or an agreement entered into pursuant to Section 2.21, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Banks.

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

Letter of Credit Commitment” means, with respect to each Issuing Bank, the commitment of such Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder. The initial amount of each Issuing Bank’s Letter of Credit Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01C, or if an Issuing Bank has entered into an Assignment and Assumption, the amount set forth for such Issuing Bank as its Letter of Credit Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent. The initial aggregate amount of the Issuing Banks’ Letter of Credit Commitments is $150,000,000.

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

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any document entered into by an Issuing Bank and the Company in favor of such Issuing Bank and relating to a Letter of Credit and any promissory notes delivered pursuant to Section 2.10(e).

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

Material Acquisition” means, with respect to any Person, any acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of all or any substantial portion (constituting a separate business unit) of the assets of another Person or at least a majority of the Equity Interests with ordinary voting power of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person and whether for cash, property, services, assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise where the aggregate consideration therefor consisting of cash paid, Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith and, to the extent not duplicative of the foregoing, other consideration constituting an incurrence of Indebtedness exceeds $300,000,000.

Material Adverse Effect” means any event or circumstance that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect (a) on the business, assets, property or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) upon the validity or enforceability against the Company of any of the Loan Documents to which it is a party or a material impairment of the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereunder.

Material Agreement” means any agreement or arrangement to which a Person is a party or is bound as of the date thereof (other than the Loan Documents), without duplication, that is deemed to be a material contract under any securities law applicable to such Person, including the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit and Nonrecourse Indebtedness) of any one or more of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding the Threshold Amount.

Material Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC (or any successor provision).

Maturity Date” means the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding date that is a Business Day).

“Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 9.14.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

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

Nonrecourse Indebtedness” means, with respect to a Person, Indebtedness for borrowed money (or the portion thereof) in respect of which recourse for payment (except for customary exceptions for fraud, misapplication of funds, environmental indemnities, violation of “special purpose entity” covenants, bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar events and other similar exceptions to recourse liability until a claim is made with respect thereto, and then in the event of any such claim, only a portion of such Indebtedness in an amount equal to the amount of such claim shall no longer constitute “Nonrecourse Indebtedness” for the period that such portion is subject to such claim) is contractually limited to specific assets of such Person encumbered by a Lien securing such Indebtedness.

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

NYFRB’s Website” means the website of the NYFRB at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source.

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a Federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, and obligations of, the Company arising under any Loan Document, 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 that accrues after the commencement of any proceeding as a result of a Bankruptcy Event by or against the Company.

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, Letter of Credit or Loan Document).

 

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Other Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 9.17.

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 2.19).

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight eurodollar transactions denominated in U.S. Dollars by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions, as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on the NYFRB’s Website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in U.S. Dollars, the NYFRB Rate and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in an Alternate Currency, an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Participating Member State” means any member state of the European Union that has the euro as its lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the European Union relating to Economic and Monetary Union.

PATRIOT Act” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.15.

Payee” has the meaning specified in Section 9.17.

Payment” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.18(a).

Payment Notice” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 9.18(b).

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

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

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

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

 

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

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

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

(f) reservations, exceptions encroachments, licenses, easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(g) Liens in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of law or in the ordinary course of business under customary general terms and conditions encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set-off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry or arising pursuant to such banking institution’s general terms and conditions;

(h) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods (other than fixed or capital assets) and proceeds thereof of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods in the ordinary course of business; and

(i) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes.

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

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

Pounds Sterling” refers to lawful money of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined reasonably and in good faith by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

Proceedings” has the meaning specified in Section 9.03(b).

 

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Projections” means the annual forecasts (to include forecasted consolidated, as well as consolidating by business segment in accordance with the Company’s customary practices, balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements) of the Company and its Subsidiaries delivered to the Administrative Agent.

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

Public Debt Rating” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Applicable Rate”.

Public-Sider” means a Lender whose representatives may trade in securities of the Company or its controlling person or any of its Subsidiaries while in possession of the financial statements provided by the Company under the terms of this Agreement.

Qualified Receivables Financing” means the securitization of accounts receivables and related assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on customary market terms (including, without limitation, Standard Securitization Undertakings and a Receivables Repurchase Obligation) as determined in good faith by the Company to be in the aggregate commercially fair and reasonable to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

Receivables Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of a seller of receivables in a Qualified Receivables Financing to repurchase receivables arising as a result of a breach of a representation, warranty or covenant or otherwise, including as a result of a receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, offset or counterclaim of any kind as a result of any action taken by, any failure to take action by or any other event relating to the seller.

Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, as applicable.

Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is the Term SOFR Rate, 5:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the day that is two Business Days preceding the date of such setting, (2) if such Benchmark is EURIBOR Rate, 11:00 a.m. Brussels time two TARGET Days preceding the date of such setting, (3) if such Benchmark is CDOR Rate, 10:00 a.m. Toronto, Ontario time on the first day of such Interest Period (or such other day as is generally treated as the rate fixing day by market practice in such interbank market, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) (or if such day is not a Business Day, then on the immediately preceding Business Day), (4) if the RFR for such Benchmark is SONIA, then four Business Days prior to such setting, (5) if the RFR for such Benchmark is Daily Simple SOFR, then four Business Days prior to such setting or (6) if such Benchmark is none of the Term SOFR Rate, the EURIBOR Rate, the CDOR Rate, SONIA or Daily Simple SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

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

Relevant Governmental Body” means (i) with respect to a Benchmark Replacement in respect of Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars, the Board and/or the NYFRB, the CME Term SOFR Administrator, as applicable, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Board and/or the NYFRB or, in each case, any successor thereto, (ii) with respect to a Benchmark Replacement in respect of Loans denominated in Pounds Sterling, the Bank of England, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Bank of England or, in each case, any successor thereto, (iii) with respect to a

 

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Benchmark Replacement in respect of Loans denominated in Euros, the European Central Bank, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the European Central Bank or, in each case, any successor thereto, (iv) with respect to a Benchmark Replacement in respect of Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars, the Bank of Canada, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Bank of Canada or, in each case, any successor thereto, and (v) with respect to a Benchmark Replacement in respect of Loans denominated in any other currency, (a) the central bank for the currency in which such Benchmark Replacement is denominated or any central bank or other supervisor which is responsible for supervising either (1) such Benchmark Replacement or (2) the administrator of such Benchmark Replacement or (b) any working group or committee officially endorsed or convened by (1) the central bank for the currency in which such Benchmark Replacement is denominated, (2) any central bank or other supervisor that is responsible for supervising either (A) such Benchmark Replacement or (B) the administrator of such Benchmark Replacement, (3) a group of those central banks or other supervisors or (4) the Financial Stability Board or any part thereof.

Relevant Rate” means (i) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, (ii) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Euros, the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate, (iii) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Canadian Dollars, the Adjusted CDOR Rate, or (iv) with respect to any RFR Borrowing denominated in Pounds Sterling or U.S. Dollars, the applicable Adjusted Daily Simple RFR, as applicable.

Relevant Screen Rate” means (i) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, (ii) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Euros, the EURIBOR Screen Rate or (iii) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Canadian Dollars, the CDOR Rate, as applicable.

Requested Maturity Date” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(a).

Required Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 9.17.

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time; provided that for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII or the Commitments expire or terminate, then, as to each Lender, clause (a) of the definition of Swingline Exposure shall only be applicable for purposes of determining its Revolving Credit Exposure to the extent such Lender shall have funded its participation in the outstanding Swingline Loans; provided further that for the purpose of determining the Required Lenders needed for any waiver, amendment, modification or consent, any Lender that is an Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded.

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

Responsible Officer” means the president, any vice president, the controller, the chief financial officer, the principal accounting officer, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer of the Company. Any document or certificate hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Company.

Restricted Subsidiaries” means each Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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Reuters” means, as applicable, Thomson Reuters Corp., Refinitiv, or any successor thereto.

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

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

RFR” means, for any RFR Loan denominated in (a) Pounds Sterling, SONIA and (b) U.S. Dollars, Daily Simple SOFR.

RFR Administrator” means the SONIA Administrator or the SOFR Administrator.

RFR Borrowing” means, as to any Borrowing, the RFR Loans comprising such Borrowing.

RFR Business Day” means, for any Loan denominated in (a) Pounds Sterling, any day except for (i) a Saturday, (ii) a Sunday or (iii) a day on which banks are closed for general business in London, and (b) U.S. Dollars, a U.S. Government Securities Business Day.

RFR Interest Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple RFR”.

RFR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business, and any successor thereto.

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, (b) any Person located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

Sanctions means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United State of America or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

SLL Principles” has the meaning specified in Section 2.23(b).

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

SOFR Administrator” means the NYFRB (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

 

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SOFR Administrator’s Website” means the NYFRB’s website, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.

SOFR Determination Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”.

SOFR Rate Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”.

SONIA” means, with respect to any Business Day, a rate per annum equal to the Sterling Overnight Index Average for such Business Day published by the SONIA Administrator on the SONIA Administrator’s Website on the immediately succeeding Business Day.

SONIA Administrator” means the Bank of England (or any successor administrator of the Sterling Overnight Index Average).

SONIA Administrator’s Website” means the Bank of England’s website, currently at http://www.bankofengland.co.uk, or any successor source for the Sterling Overnight Index Average identified as such by the SONIA Administrator from time to time.

Spot Rate” means, for any currency (including any Alternate Currency), as applicable, on any day, the average of the Administrative Agent’s spot buying and selling rates for the exchange of such currency and U.S. Dollars as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such day.

Standard Securitization Undertakings” means representations, warranties, undertakings, covenants, indemnities and guarantees of performance entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary which the Company has determined in good faith to be customary in a Qualified Receivables Financing.

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentage (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D) or any other reserve ratio 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 reserve percentage shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D. Term Benchmark Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

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

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company.

Sustainability Assurance Provider” has the meaning specified in Section 2.23(a).

 

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Sustainability Structuring Agent” means an entity or entities to be appointed by the Company to assist with developing the Sustainability Targets in connection with an ESG Amendment. Such entity or entities shall be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

Sustainability Table” has the meaning specified in Section 2.23(a).

Sustainability Targets” means specified key performance indicators with respect to certain environmental, social and governance targets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which shall be confirmed by the Company as being consistent with the SLL Principles.

Swingline Commitment” means as to any Lender (i) the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01B hereof or (ii) if such lender has entered into an Assignment and Acceptance, the amount set forth for such lender as its Swingline Commitment in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.04(b)(ii)(C).

Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be the sum of (a) its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time other than with respect to any Swingline Loans made by such Lender in its capacity as a Swingline Lender and (b) the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans made by such Lender as a Swingline Lender outstanding at such time (less the amount of participations funded by the other Lenders in such Swingline Loans).

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

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

TARGET Day” means any day on which TARGET2 (or, if such payment system ceases to be operative, such other payment system, if any, determined by the Administrative Agent to be a suitable replacement) is open for the settlement of payments in Euro.

TARGET2” means the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer payment system which utilizes a single shared platform and which was launched on November 19, 2007.

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), value added taxes, or any other goods and services, use or sales taxes, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

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

Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning assigned to it under the definition of Term SOFR Reference Rate.

Term SOFR Rate” means, with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars and for any tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, the Term SOFR Reference Rate at approximately 5:00 a.m., Chicago time, two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the commencement of such tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, as such rate is published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator.

 

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Term SOFR Reference Rate” means, for any day and time (such day, the “Term SOFR Determination Day”), with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars and for any tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent as the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR. If by 5:00 pm (New York City time) on such Term SOFR Determination Day, the “Term SOFR Reference Rate” for the applicable tenor has not been published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Rate has not occurred, then the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such Term SOFR Determination Day will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate as published in respect of the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate was published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator, so long as such first preceding Business Day is not more than five (5) Business Days prior to such Term SOFR Determination Day.

Terminating Lender” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.22(a).

Threshold Amount” means $175,000,000.

Total Alternate Currency Revolving Credit Exposures” means, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of all Lenders’ Alternate Currency Loans and their Alternate Currency LC Exposure at such time.

Total Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as of any date, the ratio of (x) Consolidated Indebtedness on such date (net of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in excess of $50,000,000) to (y) Consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four consecutive fiscal quarter period ending on or prior to such date for which financial statements have been delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Sections 5.01(a) and (b), as applicable.

Total Revolving Credit Exposure” means, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of all Lenders’ Revolving Loans, their LC Exposure and their Swingline Exposure at such time; provided, that clause (a) of the definition of Swingline Exposure shall only be applicable to the extent Lenders shall have funded their respective participations in the outstanding Swingline Loans.

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

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate, the Adjusted CDOR Rate, the Alternate Base Rate or the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR.

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

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

 

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

Unrestricted Subsidiaries” means, collectively, (i) Westlake International Services Corporation, Westlake Chemical Finance Corporation, Westlake Chemical (China) Corporation, Westlake International II LLC, Westlake Chemical Partners GP LLC, Westlake Chemical OpCo GP LLC, Westlake Chemical Partners LP, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company that is designated by the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with this definition and (iii) any direct or indirect Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Company may at any time designate any Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, at the time of such designation and after giving effect thereto (x) the Company is in compliance with the Financial Covenant and (y) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. The Company may, at any time, by written request to the Administrative Agent, designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary.

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

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

U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(B)(3).

Westlake Eighth Supplemental Indenture” means the Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated August 10, 2016 among the Company and the guarantors party thereto, and The Bank of New York Mellon, N.A. relating to the 3.600% Senior Notes due 2026 and the 5.000% Senior Notes due 2046.

Wholly-Owned Consolidated Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person at any time, any Consolidated Subsidiary all of the shares of capital stock or other ownership interests of which (except directors’ qualifying shares) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person at such time.

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

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

 

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

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

SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Company notifies the Administrative Agent that the Company requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries at “fair value”, as defined therein. For the purpose of calculating Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Net Income for any period, if during such period the Company or any Subsidiary shall have made a material acquisition or material disposition, each of Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto as if such material acquisition or disposition occurred on the first day of such period.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 1.04(a) or in the definition of “Capital Lease Obligations,” any change in accounting for leases pursuant to GAAP resulting from the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“FAS 842”), to the extent such adoption would require treating any lease (or similar arrangement conveying the right to use) as a capital lease where such lease (or similar arrangement) would not have been required to be so treated under GAAP as in effect on December 31, 2015, such lease shall not be considered a capital lease, and all calculations and deliverables under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made or delivered, as applicable, in accordance therewith.

 

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SECTION 1.05. Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification. The interest rate on a Loan denominated in U.S. Dollars or an Alternate Currency may be derived from an interest rate benchmark that may be discontinued or is, or may in the future become, the subject of regulatory reform. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, Section 2.14(b) provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission, performance or any other matter related to any interest rate used in this Agreement, or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof, including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the existing interest rate being replaced or have the same volume or liquidity as did any existing interest rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates and/or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of any interest rate used in this Agreement or any alternative, successor or alternative rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) and/or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Company. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain any interest rate used in this Agreement, any component thereof, or rates referenced in the definition thereof, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Company, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

SECTION 1.06. Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized and acquired on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.

ARTICLE II

The Credits

SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans (which may be denominated in U.S. Dollars or an Alternate Currency as the Company may elect pursuant to Section 2.02) to the Company from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result (after giving effect to any application of proceeds of such Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.10) in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment, (b) the Total Alternate Currency Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the Alternate Currency Sublimit or (c) the Total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings. (a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

 

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(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised (A) in the case of Borrowings in U.S. Dollars, entirely of ABR Loans or Term Benchmark Loans and (B) in the case of Borrowings in any other Agreed Currency, entirely of Term Benchmark Loans or RFR Loans, as applicable, in each case of the same Agreed Currency, as the Company may request in accordance herewith. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each Lender at its option may make any Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Company to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is not less than the Dollar Amount of $5,000,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing and/or RFR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing or an RFR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of 12 Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowings or RFR Borrowings outstanding.

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

SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by submitting a Borrowing Request (a)(i) in the case of a Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, not later than 12:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, (ii) in the case of a Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Euros or Canadian Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing and (iii) in the case of an RFR Borrowing denominated in Pounds Sterling, not later than 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, five RFR Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 11:30 a.m., Houston, Texas time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i) the aggregate principal amount of the requested Borrowing;

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

(iii) the currency and aggregate principal amount (in such currency) of such Borrowing;

(iv) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing, a Term Benchmark Borrowing or an RFR Borrowing;

 

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

(vi) the location and number of the Company’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.

If no election as to the currency of a Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be made in U.S. Dollars. If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall (except for Pounds Sterling Loans) be a Term Benchmark Borrowing with an Interest Period of one (1) month. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing, then the Company shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

SECTION 2.04. [Reserved]

SECTION 2.05. Swingline Loans. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the Availability Period, the Swingline Lender may, in its sole discretion, make Swingline Loans to the Company in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans made by the Swingline Lender exceeding the Swingline Lender’s Swingline Commitment, (ii) the Swingline Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding its Commitment or (iii) any Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding its Commitment; provided that a Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans. Swingline Loans may be borrowed in U.S. Dollars only.

(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Company. The Swingline Lender shall make the requested Swingline Loan available to the Company by means of a credit to an account of the Company with the Administrative Agent designated for such purpose (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the applicable Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent require the Lenders to acquire participations in all or a portion of its Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loans. Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, promptly upon receipt of such notice from the Administrative Agent (and in any event, if such notice is received by 1:30 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on a Business Day no later than 5:00 p.m. Houston, Texas time on such Business Day and if received after 1:30 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on a Business Day shall mean no later than 9:00 a.m. Houston, Texas time on the immediately succeeding Business Day), to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of such Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loans. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this

 

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paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Company of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Company (or other party on behalf of the Company) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Company for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Company of any default in the payment thereof.

(d) The Company may replace the Swingline Lender at any time by providing a written notice thereof to such Swingline Lender, with a copy to the Administrative Agent; provided that the successor Swingline Lender shall have agreed to serve in such capacity and is an Eligible Institution. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Swingline Lender. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Company shall pay all unpaid interest accrued for the account of the replaced Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.13(a). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor Swingline Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Swingline Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swingline Loans made thereafter and (y) references herein to the term “Swingline Lender” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Swingline Lender, or to such successor and all previous Swingline Lender, as the context shall require. After the replacement of the Swingline Lender hereunder, the replaced Swingline Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of a Swingline Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swingline Loans made by it prior to its replacement, but shall not be required to make additional Swingline Loans.

SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit. (a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company may request the issuance of Letters of Credit (which may be denominated in U.S. Dollars or an Alternate Currency as the Company elects pursuant to Section 2.06(b)) as the applicant thereof for the support of its or its subsidiaries’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Company to, or entered into by the Company with, the applicable Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Company shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, but in any event no less than three (3) Business Days or such shorter period as the applicable

 

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Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent shall agree to) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount and currency of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the applicable Issuing Bank, the Company also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit, the Company shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) (x) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit issued by the applicable Issuing Bank at such time plus (y) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements made by such Issuing Bank that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Company at such time shall not exceed its Letter of Credit Commitment, (ii) no Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure shall exceed its Commitment and (iii) the Total Alternate Currency Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the Alternate Currency Sublimit. The Company may, at any time and from time to time, reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Bank with the consent of such Issuing Bank; provided that the Company shall not reduce the Letter of Credit Commitment of any Issuing Bank if, after giving effect of such reduction, the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) above shall not be satisfied. Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to the beneficiary thereof, the Issuing Bank shall also deliver to the Company a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the applicable Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension, which renewals or extensions, subject to clause (ii) hereof, may be automatic pursuant to the terms of such Letter of Credit so long as such Issuing Bank shall have the right to prevent such renewals or extensions at least once in each twelve months 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 in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued; provided that such Issuing Bank shall provide notice to the Company at least thirty (30) days prior to such non-extension notice date if such Issuing Bank determines not to extend an auto-extension Letter of Credit) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided that any Letter of Credit issued in connection with the IRBs may have an expiration date of not later than five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Issuing Bank agrees that a Letter of Credit issued in connection with the IRBs may, at the Company’s request, permit the automatic reinstatement of all or a portion of the stated amount thereof after any drawing thereunder, and the Company shall not be required to make a specific request to permit such reinstatement.

(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or the Lenders, each Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Banks, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Banks and not reimbursed by the Company on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Company for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire

 

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participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

(e) Reimbursement. If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Company shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than (i) 1:30 p.m., Houston, Texas time in the case of LC Disbursements denominated in U.S. Dollars or (ii) 1:30 p.m., London time in the case of LC Disbursements denominated in an Alternate Currency, in each case on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Company or the Company shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to (i) 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time in the case of LC Disbursements denominated in U.S. Dollars or (ii) 11:00 a.m., London time in the case of LC Disbursements denominated in an Alternate Currency, in each case, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Company or the Company prior to such time on such date, then not later than 1:30 p.m., Houston, Texas time (1:30 p.m., London time in the case of LC Disbursements in an Alternate Currency), on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Company or the Company receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000 and denominated in U.S. Dollars, the Company may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Sections 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Company’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Company fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Company in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Company, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the applicable Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Company pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the applicable Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Company of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(f) Obligations Absolute. The Company’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by an Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Company’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Banks, nor any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in

 

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connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the applicable Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse such Issuing Bank from liability to the Company to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Company that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

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

(h) Interim Interest. If the applicable Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Company shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the reimbursement is due and payable at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans (or, (i) in the case of LC Disbursements in an Alternate Currency other than Pounds Sterling, at the rate per annum then applicable to Term Benchmark Loans in such Alternate Currency for an Interest Period of one month and (ii) in the case of LC Disbursements in Pounds Sterling, at the rate per annum then applicable to RFR Loans denominated in Pounds Sterling) and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is payable; provided that, if the Company fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13 shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

(i) Replacement of Issuing Bank. Any Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent and the replaced Issuing Bank. The successor Issuing Bank may be an existing Issuing Bank that agrees to assume the replaced Issuing Bank’s commitment to issue Letters of Credit. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Company shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all

 

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the rights and obligations of the replaced Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (y) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Company receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to 100% of the LC Exposure as of such date; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Company described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent for the satisfaction of the LC Exposure. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Company’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Banks for LC Disbursements for which they have not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Company for the LC Exposure at such time. If the Company is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Company within one (1) Business Day after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

(k) Existing Letters of Credit. On the Effective Date, each Issuing Bank that has issued a letter of credit listed on Schedule 2.06 hereto (the “Existing Letters of Credit”) shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have sold to each Lender, and each Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have purchased from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Existing Letter of Credit and the related LC Exposure to the extent of its Applicable Percentage. On and after the Effective Date, each Existing Letter of Credit shall constitute a Letter of Credit for all purposes hereof. An Existing Letter of Credit may contain a statement to the effect that such Existing Letter of Credit is issued for the account of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided, however, that notwithstanding such statement, the Company shall be the actual account party for all purposes of this Agreement for such Existing Letter of Credit and such statement shall not affect the Company’s reimbursement obligations hereunder with respect to such Existing Letter of Credit.

SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof solely by wire transfer of immediately available funds of the applicable currency by 12:00 noon, Houston, Texas time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05. Except in respect of the provisions of this Agreement covering the reimbursement of Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Company by promptly, but in no event later than 2:00 p.m. Houston, Texas time, crediting the funds so received in the aforesaid account of the Administrative Agent to an account of the Company maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Company in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the applicable Issuing Bank.

 

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(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Company a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Company severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Company to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the applicable Overnight Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Company, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans for U.S. Dollars, or in the case of Alternate Currencies, in accordance with such market practice, in each case, as applicable. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type and Agreed Currency specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Company may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Company may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

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

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

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

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

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing, a Term Benchmark Borrowing or an RFR Borrowing; and

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

 

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

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

(e) If the Company fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to a Term Benchmark Borrowing with an Interest Period of one (1) month’s duration. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Company, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Term Benchmark Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments; Mandatory Repayments. (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

(b) The Company may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $25,000,000 and (ii) the Company shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, (i) the Total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments or (ii) the Total Alternate Currency Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the Alternate Currency Sublimit.

(c) The Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Company pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Company may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the closing of a specified transaction, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Company (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.

(d) Determining U.S. Dollar Amounts; Related Mandatory Prepayments.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall determine the Dollar Amount of each Alternate Currency Loan as of the first day of each Interest Period applicable thereto and, in the case of any such Interest Period of more than three months, at three-month intervals after the first day thereof, and shall promptly notify the Company and the Lenders of each Dollar Amount so determined by it. Each such determination shall be based on the Spot Rate (1) on the date of the related Notice of Borrowing for purposes of the initial such determination for any Alternate Currency Loan and (2) on the fourth Business Day prior to the date as of which such Dollar Amount is to be determined, for purposes of any subsequent determination.

 

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(ii) The Administrative Agent shall determine the Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure related to each Letter of Credit as of the date of issuance thereof and at three-month intervals after the date of issuance thereof. Each such determination shall be based on the Spot Rate (1) on the date of the related Notice of Issuance, in the case of the initial determination in respect of any Letter of Credit and (2) on the fourth Business Day prior to the date as of which such Dollar Amount is to be determined, in the case of any subsequent determination with respect to an outstanding Letter of Credit.

(iii) Each determination of a Dollar Amount pursuant to clauses (i) or (ii) above shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. If after giving effect to any such determination of a Dollar Amount, (1) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure exceeds the aggregate amount of the Commitments or (2) the Total Alternate Currency Revolving Credit Exposure exceeds the Alternate Currency Sublimit, the Company shall in each case, within five Business Days, prepay outstanding Loans (as selected by the Company and notified to the Lenders through the Administrative Agent not less than three Business Days prior to the date of prepayment) or take other action to the extent necessary to eliminate any such excess.

SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The Company hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan made to it on the Maturity Date and (ii) to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan made to it on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the tenth (10th) Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Company shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding and the proceeds of any such Borrowing shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to repay any Swingline Loans outstanding.

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

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

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

(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Company shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender and its registered assigns and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form, unless such assignee elects not to receive a note (in which case such assignor shall return to the Company

 

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any note issued to it, or in the case of any loss, theft or destruction of any such note, a lost note affidavit in customary form). Upon either (a) payment in full of the Loans evidenced by any such promissory note or (b) the assignment of such Loans and Revolving Commitments in accordance with Section 9.01 hereof, each such promissory note shall be promptly returned to the Company by the payee named therein or in the case of any loss, theft or destruction of any such promissory note, a lost note affidavit in customary form.

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

(b) The Company shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of Swingline Loans, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, not later than 12:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing denominated in an Alternate Currency, not later than 10:30 a.m., London time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (iii) in the case of prepayment of a RFR Revolving Borrowing denominated in an Alternate Currency, not later than 10:30 a.m., London time, five Business Days before the date of prepayment, (iv) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (v) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 1:30 p.m., Houston, Texas, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09 (subject to any break funding payments required by Section 2.16). Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13.

SECTION 2.12. Fees. (a) The Company agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender an unused commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the unused Commitment (excluding, for these purposes, clause (b) of the definition of “Swingline Exposure”) of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates. Accrued unused commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the fifteenth (15th) day of each March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All unused commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(b) The Company agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Term Benchmark Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to

 

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each Issuing Bank with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it a fronting fee, which shall accrue at a rate per annum of 0.125% on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as such Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the fifteenth (15th) day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

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

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

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to Section 2.20, the Company shall not be obligated to pay any amounts to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section 2.12.

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

(b) The Loans comprising each Term Benchmark Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, Adjusted EURIBOR Rate or Adjusted CDOR Rate, as applicable, for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c) The Loans comprising each RFR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default under paragraph (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Company hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% per annum plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 2.13 or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% per annum plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 2.13.

(e) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section 2.13 shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Term Benchmark Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

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(f) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate, or if the Loans are denominated in Pounds Sterling, shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, Adjusted EURIBOR Rate, Adjusted CDOR Rate, Term SOFR Rate, EURIBOR Rate or CDOR Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the terms hereof, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest.

(a) Subject to clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this Section 2.14, if:

(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) (A) prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Term Benchmark Borrowing, that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, the Term SOFR Rate, the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate, the EURIBOR Rate, the Adjusted CDOR Rate or the CDOR Rate (including because the Relevant Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis), for the applicable Agreed Currency and such Interest Period or (B) at any time, that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable Adjusted Daily Simple RFR, Daily Simple RFR or RFR for the applicable Agreed Currency; or

(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that (A) prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Term Benchmark Borrowing, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, the Adjusted EURIBOR Rate or the Adjusted CDOR Rate for the applicable Agreed Currency and such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for the applicable Agreed Currency and such Interest Period or (B) at any time, the applicable Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for the applicable Agreed Currency will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for the applicable Agreed Currency;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Company and the Lenders by telephone, telecopy or electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until (x) the Administrative Agent notifies the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist with respect to the relevant Benchmark and (y) the Company delivers a new Interest Election Request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.08 or a new Borrowing Request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.03, (A) for Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars, (1) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Term Benchmark Borrowing and any Borrowing Request that requests a Term Benchmark Revolving Borrowing shall instead be deemed to be an Interest Election Request or a Borrowing Request, as applicable, for (x) an RFR Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings is not also the subject of Section 2.14(a)(i) or (ii) above or (y) an ABR Borrowing if the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings also is the subject of Section 2.14(a)(i) or (ii) above and (B) for Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency, any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Term Benchmark Borrowing and any Borrowing Request that requests a Term

 

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Benchmark Borrowing or an RFR Borrowing, in each case, for the relevant Benchmark, shall be ineffective; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then all other Types of Borrowings shall be permitted. Furthermore, if any Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan in any Agreed Currency is outstanding on the date of the Company’s receipt of the notice from the Administrative Agent referred to in this Section 2.14(a) with respect to a Relevant Rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan, then until (x) the Administrative Agent notifies the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist with respect to the relevant Benchmark and (y) the Company delivers a new Interest Election Request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.08 or a new Borrowing Request in accordance with the terms of Section 2.03, (A) for Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars, (1) any Term Benchmark Loan shall on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan (or the next succeeding Business Day if such day is not a Business Day), be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute, (x) an RFR Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings is not also the subject of Section 2.14(a)(i) or (ii) above or (y) an ABR Loan if the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for Dollar Borrowings also is the subject of Section 2.14(a)(i) or (ii) above, on such day and (B) for Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency, (1) any Term Benchmark Loan shall, on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan (or the next succeeding Business Day if such day is not a Business Day) bear interest at the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency plus the CBR Spread; provided that, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency cannot be determined, any outstanding affected Term Benchmark Loans denominated in any Alternate Currency shall, at the Company’s election prior to such day: (A) be prepaid by the Company on such day or (B) solely for the purpose of calculating the interest rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Loan, such Term Benchmark Loan denominated in any Alternate Currency shall be deemed to be a Term Benchmark Loan denominated in U.S. Dollars and shall accrue interest at the same interest rate applicable to Term Benchmark Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars at such time and (2) any RFR Loan shall bear interest at the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency plus the CBR Spread; provided that, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency cannot be determined, any outstanding affected RFR Loans denominated in any Alternate Currency, at the Company’s election, shall either (A) be converted into ABR Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars (in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount of such Alternate Currency) immediately or (B) be prepaid in full immediately.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (1) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” with respect to U.S. Dollars for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” with respect to any Agreed Currency for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(d) The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Company and the Lenders of (i) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (iii) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, (iv) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to clause (f) below and (v) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.14, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.14.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Rate, EURIBOR Rate or CDOR Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

(f) Upon the Company’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Company may revoke any request for a Term Benchmark Borrowing or RFR Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term Benchmark Loans to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, either (x) the Company will be deemed to have converted any request for (1) a Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to (A) an RFR Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings is not the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (B) an ABR Borrowing if the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings is the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (y) any Term Benchmark Borrowing or RFR Borrowing denominated in an Alternate Currency shall be ineffective. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of ABR based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of ABR. Furthermore, if any Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan in any Agreed Currency is outstanding on the date of the Company’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period with respect to a Relevant Rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Loan or RFR Loan, then until such time as a Benchmark Replacement for such Agreed Currency is implemented pursuant to this Section 2.14, (A) for Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars (1) any Term Benchmark Loan shall on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan (or the next

 

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succeeding Business Day if such day is not a Business Day), be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute, (x) an RFR Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings is not the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (y) an ABR Loan if the Adjusted Daily Simple RFR for U.S. Dollar Borrowings is the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event, on such day and (B) for Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency, (1) any Term Benchmark Loan shall, on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan (or the next succeeding Business Day if such day is not a Business Day) bear interest at the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency plus the CBR Spread; provided that, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency cannot be determined, any outstanding affected Term Benchmark Loans denominated in any Alternate Currency shall, at the Company’s election prior to such day: (A) be prepaid by the Company on such day or (B) solely for the purpose of calculating the interest rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Loan, such Term Benchmark Loan denominated in any Alternate Currency shall be deemed to be a Term Benchmark Loan denominated in U.S. Dollars and shall accrue interest at the same interest rate applicable to Term Benchmark Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars at such time and (2) any RFR Loan shall bear interest at the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency plus the CBR Spread; provided that, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the Central Bank Rate for the applicable Alternate Currency cannot be determined, any outstanding affected RFR Loans denominated in any Alternate Currency, at the Company’s election, shall either (A) be converted into ABR Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars (in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount of such Alternate Currency) immediately or (B) be prepaid in full immediately.

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

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, Adjusted EURIBOR Rate or Adjusted CDOR Rate, as applicable) or an Issuing Bank;

(ii) impose on any Lender or an Issuing Bank or the applicable offshore interbank market for the applicable Agreed Currency any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

(iii) 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;

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

 

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

(c) A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or its holding company in reasonable detail, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Company or the Company and shall be conclusive absent manifest error; provided that such Lender or such Issuing Bank shall not seek compensation under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section unless such Lender or such Issuing Bank is making such claims from similarly situated borrowers under similar credit facilities. The Company shall pay such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or an Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Company shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 2.15 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 90 days prior to the date that such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Company or the Company of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 90-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Term Benchmark Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Term Benchmark Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Term Benchmark Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith), (d) [reserved] or (e) the assignment of any Term Benchmark Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Company pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Company shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Term Benchmark Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, Adjusted EURIBOR Rate or Adjusted CDOR Rate, as applicable, that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in the applicable Agreed Currency of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such Agreed Currency. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Company and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Company shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 15 days after receipt thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.17. Payments Free of Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Company under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Company shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.17) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Company. The Company 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, Other Taxes.

(c) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Company to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, the Company shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(d) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall indemnify each Recipient, within 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) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any 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 Company or the Company by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Company has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Company to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent 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 hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

 

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(f) Status of Lenders. (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 Company and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Company 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 Company or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Company 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 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (B) and (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 the Company is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Company 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 Company or the Administrative Agent), an executed 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 Company 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 Company or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(1) 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, an executed IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8BEN 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 IRS Form W-8BEN 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;

(2) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, an executed IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3) 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 C-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 Company 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) an executed IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8BEN; or

 

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(4)    to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, an executed IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2 or Exhibit C-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 C-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 Company 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 Company or the Administrative Agent), executed originals 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 Company 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 Company and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Company 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 Company or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Company 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.

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Company and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(g)    [Reserved]

(h)    Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party 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 pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental

 

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Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (h), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (h) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(i)    Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.17 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

(j)    Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

SECTION 2.18.     Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a) The Company shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set off or counterclaim (but without prejudice to the Company’s rights with respect to any Defaulting Lender). Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York, except payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment on a Term Benchmark Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the case of any payment of principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate for the period of such extension.

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

(c)    If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline

 

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

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

(e)    If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Sections 2.06(d) or 2.06(e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(b), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold such amounts in a segregated account over which the Administrative Agent shall have exclusive control as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section, in the case of each of clause (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

SECTION 2.19.     Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Company is 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 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or its participation in any Letter of Credit affected by such event, or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Company hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment; provided, that such Lender is generally seeking compensation from similarly situated borrowers under similar credit facilities (to the extent such Lender has the right under such similar credit facilities to do so).

 

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(b)    If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or (ii) the Company is 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 2.17, or (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender or a Terminating Lender (any such Lender referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above being hereinafter referred to as an “Affected Lender”), then the Company may, in addition to any other rights the Company may have hereunder or under applicable Law, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate at par plus accrued interests and fees, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that the Company shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Banks), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Company (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Company to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 2.20.     Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(a)    fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);

(b)    the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided that this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;

(c)    if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i)    all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender (other than the portion of such Swingline Exposure referred to in clause (b) of the definition of such term) shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only (x) to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure to exceed its Commitment and (y) if the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at such time;

 

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(ii)    if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Company shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Banks only the Company obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

(iii)    if the Company cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Company shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

(iv)    if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.12(a) and 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and

(v)    if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Banks or any other Lender hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

(d)    so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Banks shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Company in accordance with Section 2.20(c), and Swingline Exposure related to any newly made Swingline Loan or LC Exposure related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Company, the Swingline Lender and each Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

SECTION 2.21.     Increased Commitments, Additional Lenders. (a) From time to time after the Effective Date, the Company may, upon at least three (3) days’ notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly provide a copy of such notice to the Lenders), increase the aggregate amount of the Commitments by an amount not less than $25,000,000 (the amount of any such increase, the “Increased Commitments”).

(b)    To effect such an increase, the Company may designate one or more of the existing Lenders or other financial institutions reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender which at the time agree to (i) in the case of any such Person that is an existing Lender, increase its Commitment and (ii) in the case of any other such Person (an “Additional Lender”), become a party to this Agreement with a Commitment of not less than $10,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, existing Lenders are under no obligation to commit to any Increased Commitments.

 

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(c)    Any increase in the Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.21 shall be subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:

(i)    at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such increase, all representations and warranties of the Company contained in Article III shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent qualified by materiality, Material Adverse Effect or a similar qualifier, in which case it shall be true and correct in all respects, and except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly relates to an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

(ii)    at the time of such increase, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such increase;

(iii)    the Company shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenant in Section 6.09; and

(iv)    after giving effect to such increase, the aggregate amount of all increases in Commitments made pursuant to this Section 2.21 shall not exceed $500,000,000.

(d)    An increase in the aggregate amount of the Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.21 shall become effective upon the receipt by the Administrative Agent of (i) an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent signed by the Company, by each Additional Lender and by each other Lender whose Commitment is to be increased, setting forth the new Commitments of such Lenders and setting forth the agreement of each Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement and to be bound by all the terms and provisions hereof, (ii) such evidence of appropriate legal authorization on the part of the Company with respect to the Increased Commitments and such opinions of outside counsel for the Company addressed to the Additional Lenders (covering customary legal matters for an unsecured bank loan financing) and (iii) such evidence of the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in subsection (c) above as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(e)    Upon any increase in the aggregate amount of the Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.21, (i) the respective LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be redetermined as of the effective date of such increase in proportion to their respective Commitments after giving effect to such increase and (ii) the outstanding Loans shall be reallocated as of the effective date of such increase such that as of the date of such increase, all outstanding Loans are funded by the Lenders in proportion to their respective Commitments after giving effect to such increase.

SECTION 2.22.    Extension of Maturity Date.

(a) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Company may request, in a notice given as herein provided and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F or in such other form as shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent (the “Extension of Maturity Date Request”) to the Administrative Agent, who shall promptly forward such notice to each of the Lenders, not less than 30 days and not more than 90 days prior to each anniversary of the Effective Date, that the then-applicable Maturity Date (the “Existing Maturity Date”) be extended to the date that is one year after such Existing Maturity Date (each such date, the “Requested Maturity Date”); provided that the Company may request such an extension no more than two times after the Effective Date. Each Lender, acting in its sole discretion, shall, not later than a date 20 days after its receipt of any such notice from the

 

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Company, notify the Company and the Administrative Agent in writing of its election to extend or not to extend the Existing Maturity Date with respect to its Commitment. Any Lender which shall not timely notify the Company and the Administrative Agent of its election to extend the Existing Maturity Date shall be deemed not to have elected to extend the Existing Maturity Date with respect to its Commitment (any Lender who timely notifies the Company and the Administrative Agent of an election not to extend or fails to timely notify the Company and the Administrative Agent of its election being referred to as a “Terminating Lender”). No Lender shall have any obligation to extend the Existing Maturity Date without such Lender’s written consent, which may be withheld in such Lender’s sole discretion.

(b)    If and only if the Required Lenders shall have agreed in writing during the 20 day period referred to in Section 2.09(a) to extend the Existing Maturity Date, then (i) the Commitments of the Lenders other than Terminating Lenders (the “Continuing Lenders”) shall, subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, be extended to the Requested Maturity Date specified in the Extension of Maturity Date Request from the Company, and as to such Lenders the term “Maturity Date”, as used herein, shall on and after the date as of which the requested extension is effective mean such Requested Maturity Date, provided that if such date is not a Business Day, then such Requested Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day and (ii) the Commitments of the Terminating Lenders shall continue until the then-applicable Existing Maturity Date, and shall then terminate, and as to the Terminating Lenders, the term “Maturity Date”, as used herein, shall continue to mean such Existing Maturity Date. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify (A) the Lenders and the Company of any extension of any Existing Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.09 and (B) the Company and the Lenders of any Lender which becomes a Terminating Lender (the date of such notification being referred to herein as the “Extension Confirmation Date”).

(c)    As a condition precedent to any such extension of the Maturity Date on the Extension Confirmation Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Company dated as of the Extension Confirmation Date and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the Company approving or consenting to such extension, and (ii) certifying that the conditions set forth in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) shall be satisfied (with all references in such subsections to a Loan being deemed to be references to such extension).

(d)    In the event that the Maturity Date shall have been extended for the Continuing Lenders in accordance with Section 2.22(a) above and, in connection with such extension, there are Terminating Lenders, the Company may, at its own expense and in its sole discretion and prior to the then-applicable Existing Maturity Date, require any Terminating Lender to transfer and assign, without recourse (in accordance with Section 2.19(b)) all or part of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee (which assignee may be another Lender, if another Lender accepts such assignment) that shall assume such assigned obligations and that shall agree that its Commitment will expire on the Maturity Date in effect for Continuing Lenders pursuant to Section 2.22(a); provided, however, that (i) the Company shall have received the prior written consent (which consents shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed) of the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender in the case of an assignee that is not a Lender, (ii) the assigning Lender shall have received from the Company or such assignee full payment in immediately available funds of the principal of and interest accrued to the date of such payment on the Loans made by it hereunder to the extent that such Loans are subject to such assignment and all other amounts owed to it hereunder, and (iii) if the assigning Lender is an Issuing Bank, it shall have received cash collateral in an amount equal to 100% of any outstanding LC Exposure with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank or it shall have entered into other arrangements with the Company that are satisfactory to such Issuing Bank with respect to any outstanding Letters of Credit issued by it. Any such assignee’s initial Maturity Date shall be the Maturity Date in effect for the Continuing Lenders at the time of such assignment. Any assignee which becomes a Lender as a result of such an assignment made pursuant to this Section 2.22(c) shall be deemed to have consented to the applicable Extension of Maturity Date Request and, therefore, shall not be a Terminating Lender.

 

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(e)    The Company shall repay in full all Revolving Loans owed by it to any Terminating Lender on the Existing Maturity Date, with accrued interest and all other amounts then due and owing thereon, on or before the Existing Maturity Date with respect to such Terminating Lender.

(f)    Each Continuing Lender shall automatically (without any further action) and ratably acquire on the Existing Maturity Date the Terminating Lender’s participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans, in an amount equal to such Continuing Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of such participations but only to the extent that such acquisition does not cause, with respect to any Continuing Lender, the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving Loans of such Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the LC Exposure then outstanding, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans then outstanding, to exceed such Continuing Lender’s Commitments as in effect at such time.

(g)    If the acquisition of the Terminating Lender’s participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans described in the preceding clause (f) cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Company shall (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Banks such LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (f) above). The amount of cash collateral provided by the Company in accordance with this clause (g) shall reduce the Terminating Lenders’ Percentage of the outstanding amount of LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial acquisition pursuant to the preceding clause (f)) on a pro rata basis; and on the Existing Maturity Date, each Terminating Lender’s Commitment to make Revolving Loans, purchase participations in Swingline Loans, and purchase participations in LC Exposure with respect to Letters of Credit issued after its Existing Maturity Date shall terminate.

(h)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, any extension of any Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.22 and any release of a Terminating Lender’s obligations in respect of outstanding LC Exposure and Swingline Loans shall not be effective with respect to any Lender unless:

(i)    the Company shall have made all payments required pursuant to clause (e) of this Section 2.22 and Section 2.11;

(ii)    the Administrative Agent shall have received any cash collateral required to be paid by the Company pursuant to clause (f) of this Section 2.22; and

(iii)    each Issuing Bank shall have received such cash collateral as is required to be paid by the Company pursuant to clause (f) of this Section 2.22 or shall have entered into other satisfactory arrangements with the Company with respect to any outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

SECTION 2.23.    Sustainability Targets.

(a)    The parties hereto acknowledge that the Sustainability Targets have not been determined and agreed as of the date of this Agreement and that Schedule 2.23 therefore has been intentionally left blank. The Company may, at any time prior to the second anniversary of the Effective Date, submit a request in writing to the Administrative Agent that this Agreement be amended to include the Sustainability Targets and other related provisions (including without limitation those provisions described in this Section 2.23), to be mutually agreed among the parties hereto in accordance with this Section 2.23 and Section 9.02(b) (such amendment, the “ESG Amendment”). Such request shall be accompanied by the proposed Sustainability Targets as prepared by the Company in consultation with the

 

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Sustainability Structuring Agent and devised with assistance from the Sustainability Assurance Provider (defined below), which shall be included as Schedule 2.23 (the “Sustainability Table”). The proposed ESG Amendment shall also include the ESG Pricing Provisions (defined below) and identify a sustainability assurance provider; provided that any such sustainability assurance provider shall be a qualified external reviewer, independent of the Company and its Subsidiaries, with relevant expertise, such as an auditor, environmental consultant and/or independent ratings agency of recognized national standing (the “Sustainability Assurance Provider”).

(b)    If the Company elects to seek an ESG Amendment, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Company shall in good faith enter into discussions to reach an agreement in respect of the proposed Sustainability Targets and Sustainability Assurance Provider, and any proposed incentives and penalties for compliance and noncompliance, respectively, with the Sustainability Targets, including any adjustments to the Applicable Rate and/or the Undrawn Commitment Fee therein (such provisions, collectively, the “ESG Pricing Provisions”); provided that the amount of any such adjustments made pursuant to an ESG Amendment shall not result in a decrease or an increase of more than (a) 0.01% in the Undrawn Commitment Fee set forth in the definition of “Applicable Rate” and/or (b) 0.05% in the Applicable Rate for Term Benchmark Loans, ABR Loans and RFR Loans set forth in the definition of “Applicable Rate” during any fiscal year, which pricing adjustments shall be applied in accordance with the terms as further described in the ESG Pricing Provisions; provided that (i) in no event shall any of the Applicable Rate for Term Benchmark Loans, ABR Loans, RFR Loans or the Undrawn Commitment Fee be less than 0% at any time and (ii) for the avoidance of doubt, such pricing adjustments shall not be cumulative year-over-year, and each applicable adjustment shall only apply until the date on which the next adjustment is due to take place. The ESG Amendment (including the ESG Pricing Provisions) will become effective once the Company, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders have executed the ESG Amendment on or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the tenth (10th) Business Days after the date notice of such ESG Amendment is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such ESG Amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. The Company agrees and confirms that the ESG Pricing Provisions shall follow the Sustainability Linked Loan Principles, as published in May 2021, and as may be updated, revised or amended from time to time by the Loan Market Association and the Loan Syndications & Trading Association (the “SLL Principles”).

(c)    Following the effectiveness of the ESG Amendment, any amendment or other modification to the ESG Pricing Provisions which does not have the effect of reducing the Applicable Rate for Term Benchmark Loans, ABR Loans, RFR Loans or the Undrawn Commitment Fee to a level not otherwise permitted by this Section 2.23 shall be subject only to the consent of the Required Lenders.

ARTICLE III

Representations and Warranties

The Company represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

SECTION 3.01.     Organization; Qualification. The Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (or, in each case, the foreign equivalent, if applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted, except where such failure to be in good standing (or, in each case, the foreign equivalent, if applicable) would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing (or, in each case, the foreign equivalent, if applicable) in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

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SECTION 3.02.     Authorization; Validity; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Company’s corporate or other organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and other organizational action. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents have each been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

SECTION 3.03.     Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) such as have been obtained or will be obtained prior to being required or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) such filings as may be required with the SEC to comply with disclosure obligations or (iii) the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, except for any violation of any applicable law or regulation that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, except for any violation or default that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

SECTION 3.04.     Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change; Projections. (a) The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

(b)    Since December 31, 2021, there has been no material adverse effect on the business, assets, property or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

SECTION 3.05.    [Reserved]

SECTION 3.06.     Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) Except as disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the SEC, there are no actions, suits or proceedings by any Person or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable likelihood of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than matters fully covered by insurance as to which the insurer has been notified as of such action, suit or proceeding and has not issued a notice denying coverage thereof) or (ii) challenge the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Transactions.

 

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(b)    Except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are and, since January 1, 2022, have been in compliance with applicable Environmental Law and have obtained and are, and, since January 1, 2022, have been, in compliance with all Environmental Permits, (ii) have not become subject to any Environmental Liability and (iii) have not received written notice of any claim alleging any Environmental Liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries the subject matter of which has not been fully resolved.

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

SECTION 3.08.     Investment Company Status. The Company is not required to be registered as an “investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

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

SECTION 3.10.     ERISA. (a) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except either as disclosed in any public filing or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than the Threshold Amount the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and (ii) the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than the Threshold Amount the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.

(b)    From and after the date on which the Company and its Subsidiaries have or are liable with respect to any Foreign Pension Plan (in each case in this clause (b)): Each Foreign Pension Plan is in compliance in all respects with all requirements of law applicable thereto and the respective requirements of the governing documents for such plan except where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, with respect to each Foreign Pension Plan, none of the Company, its respective Affiliates or any of its respective directors, officers, employees or agents has engaged in a transaction that would subject the Company or any Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to a tax or civil penalty that, individually or in the aggregate, exceeds the Threshold Amount. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, with respect to each Foreign Pension Plan, reserves have been established in the Financial Statements in respect of any material unfunded liabilities in accordance with applicable law or, where required, in accordance with ordinary accounting practices in the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Pension Plan is maintained. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the aggregate unfunded liabilities with respect to such Foreign Pension Plans would not reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount.

 

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SECTION 3.11.     Disclosure.

(a) None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other written information (other than projections, other forward looking information and information of a general economic or industry specific nature) furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other written information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Company represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time prepared (it being understood and agreed that actual results may vary materially from the projections).

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

SECTION 3.12.     Sanctions. The Company has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Company, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of the Company, any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent of the Company or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the loan facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person.

SECTION 3.13.     Margin Regulations. None of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).

SECTION 3.14.     [Reserved]

SECTION 3.15.     [Reserved]

SECTION 3.16.     USA PATRIOT Act. To the extent applicable, the Company and each Subsidiary are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 3.17.     Intellectual Property Matters. The Company owns or is licensed or otherwise has the right to use all of the patents, trademarks, contractual franchises, licenses, permits, rights of way, authorizations and other rights that are reasonably necessary to the current conduct of its businesses, without any known conflict with the rights of any other Person, except where the failure to own or otherwise have such right would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

ARTICLE IV

Conditions

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

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

 

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(b)    Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents executed on the Effective Date, the Company’s Credit Agreement, dated as of July 24, 2018, among the Company, the lenders party thereto, the issuing banks party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof) shall have been terminated and all amounts outstanding thereunder shall have been repaid, and all security interests and guarantees granted in connection therewith terminated and released, as applicable.

(c)    The Administrative Agent shall have received a written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, the Swingline Lender and the other Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent. The Company hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.

(d)    The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Company, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Company, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, including (i) copies of the Company’s charter (or equivalent formation document) and by-laws (or equivalent organizational document), and any amendments thereto, certified in each instance by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary (or analogous Person), (ii) copies of the resolutions or similar authorizing documentation of the governing body of the Company authorizing the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents, certified by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, (iii) a good standing certificate from the jurisdiction of formation of the Company and (iv) a customary certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company certifying the names and true signatures of the Company’s authorized persons, officers and employees authorized to sign this Agreement and the other documents to be delivered by the Company hereunder.

(e)    The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Company, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraph (b) of Section 4.01 and paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.

(f)    The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all out of pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Company hereunder.

(g)    The Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and other information reasonably requested by each Lender that is required for compliance with the PATRIOT Act or other “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations (which requested information shall have been received by the Effective Date to the extent requested by the Lenders at least five Business Days prior to the Effective Date), including a completed Beneficial Ownership Certification.

(h)    The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) satisfactory audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the two most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Effective Date as to which such financial statements are available and (ii) satisfactory unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available.

 

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Promptly upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions precedent, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 30, 2022 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

SECTION 4.02.     Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of an Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a)    The representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement (excluding, after the Effective Date, the representations and warranties set forth in Sections 3.04(b) and 3.06) shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent qualified by materiality, Material Adverse Effect or a similar qualifier, in which case it shall be true in correct in all respects) on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly relates to an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

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

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

ARTICLE V

Affirmative Covenants

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated (or other arrangements that are satisfactory to such Issuing Bank shall have been made with respect thereto), and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Company covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 5.01.     Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent for transmission to each Lender by the Administrative Agent, including Public-Siders:

(a)    within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification commentary or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

 

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(b)    within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, its consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

(c)    concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Company (i) (x) certifying that, to such Financial Officer’s knowledge, no Default has occurred and is continuing or, (y) if, to such Financial Officer’s knowledge, a Default has occurred and is continuing, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.09, (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate and (iv) providing unaudited consolidating financial information that presents in reasonable detail available to the Company’s management the differences between the consolidated cash, indebtedness and EBITDA relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the consolidated cash, indebtedness and EBITDA relating to the Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) on the other hand;

(d)    promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Company with the SEC under the Exchange Act, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Company to its shareholders generally, as the case may be, other than non-material disclosures;

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

(f)    any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification; and

(g)    reasonably promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, or information and documentation for the purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations (including the Patriot Act), as the Administrative Agent, at the request of any Lender, may reasonably request; provided that in no event shall the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary be required to disclose information (x) to the extent that such disclosure to the Administrative Agent or such Lender violates any bona fide contractual confidentiality obligations by which it is bound, so long as (i) such obligations were not entered into in contemplation of this Agreement or any of the other Transactions and (ii) such obligations are owed by it to a third party, or (y) as to which it has been advised by counsel that provision of such information to the Administrative Agent or such Lender would give rise to a waiver of attorney-client privilege.

 

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Information required to be delivered pursuant to clause (a), (b) or (g) of this Section shall be deemed to have been delivered if such information, or one or more annual or quarterly reports containing such information, shall be available on the website of the Company or the SEC. Information required to be delivered pursuant to this Section may also be delivered by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 5.02.     Notices of Material Events. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice, after a Responsible Officer becomes aware of such event, of the following events:

(a)    the occurrence of any Default;

(b)    the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Company that, in the good faith judgment of the Company, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

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

(d)    any Environmental Liability that has or would reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

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

SECTION 5.03.     Existence; Conduct of Business. The Company will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any action permitted under Section 6.03; provided, further, that this Section 5.03 shall not require the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to preserve or maintain any rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises if the Company (other than the legal existence of the Company) shall reasonably determine that the failure to maintain and preserve the same would not reasonably be expected, in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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

SECTION 5.05.     Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Company will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition (ordinary wear and tear and casualty and condemnation events excepted), except to the extent any failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) to the extent available on commercially reasonable terms, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

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SECTION 5.06.     Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Company will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which true and correct entries in all material respects are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities to the extent required by GAAP. The Company will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties subject to any applicable restrictions or limitations on access to any facility or information that is classified or restricted by contract or by law, regulation or governmental guidelines or in accordance with any applicable safety procedures, to examine the books of accounts of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and (only during the continuance of an Event of Default) its independent accountants, all at such reasonable times upon reasonable advance notice and as often as reasonably requested; provided, however, that prior to the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, such visitations and inspections shall be no more frequent than once per fiscal year and shall be at the sole cost and expense of the Administrative Agent or such Lender.

SECTION 5.07.     Compliance with Law; Maintenance of Licenses. The Company shall comply, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply with all requirements of law of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it or its business (including the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and all Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits, including those relating to the generation, handling, use and disposal of any Hazardous Material), except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, take prompt and appropriate action to respond to any material non-compliance with Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits. The Company has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Company, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, and employees, and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall violate the provisions of any Material Agreement, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, obtain and maintain all licenses, permits, franchises, and governmental authorizations necessary to own its property and to conduct its business as conducted on the Effective Date, including all Environmental Permits, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.08.     Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for general corporate purposes, including for working capital, the issuance of Letters of Credit, and permitted acquisitions.

SECTION 5.09.     [Reserved].

SECTION 5.10.     Further Assurances. The Company shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative Agent and/or any Lender such documents and agreements, and shall take or cause to be taken such actions, as the Administrative Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

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ARTICLE VI

Negative Covenants

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated (or other arrangements that are satisfactory to such Issuing Bank shall have been made with respect thereto), and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Company covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01.     Indebtedness. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a)    Indebtedness created hereunder (including any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 2.21);

(b)    Indebtedness existing on the date hereof;

(c)    Indebtedness of the Company to any Restricted Subsidiary and of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

(d)    Guarantees by the Company of Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and by any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

(e)    Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred or issued to finance the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction, repair, replacement or improvement and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing, repairing, replacing or improving such fixed or capital asset;

(f)    Indebtedness incurred by a Person prior to the time (a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, (b) such Person merges into or consolidates with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiaries or existing at the time of a sale or transfer of the properties of a Person as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company or any Subsidiary or (c) another Restricted Subsidiary merges into or consolidates with such Person (in a transaction in which such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary), which Indebtedness was not incurred in anticipation of such transaction and was outstanding prior to such transaction, and extensions, renewals or replacements thereof (or successive extensions, renewals and replacements thereof);

(g)    Indebtedness in respect of a Qualified Receivables Financing;

(h)    any extension, renewal and replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in part of any Indebtedness referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (g), inclusive, that do not increase the outstanding principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other amounts paid, and fees and expenses incurred, in connection with such extension, renewal or replacement and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;

 

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(i)    other Indebtedness of the Company; provided that at the time the Company incurs such Indebtedness (and giving pro forma effect thereto), (x) the Company is in compliance with the Financial Covenant and (y) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(j)    other Indebtedness of the Restricted Subsidiaries not otherwise permitted by this Section 6.01; provided that on the date of and immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and to the retirement of any Indebtedness which is being retired substantially concurrently therewith, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (j) plus, without duplication, the aggregate outstanding principal amount at such time of Indebtedness and other obligations incurred and secured by Liens pursuant to Section 6.02(f), does not exceed an amount equal to 25.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as set forth in the latest balance sheet delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable.

SECTION 6.02.     Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:

(a)    Permitted Encumbrances;

(b)    any Lien on any property or asset of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the date hereof;

(c)    Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Sections 6.01(e) and (g);

(d)    Liens of or upon (x) any property of, or shares of Equity Interests or Indebtedness of, a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary, is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary, or is otherwise acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary, or existing at the time of a sale or transfer of the property of such Person to the Company or any Subsidiary, and in each case not created or incurred in contemplation of such event, or (y) any shares of Equity Interests or Indebtedness of a Joint Venture or an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that such Lien does not attach to other property of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

(e)    any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in part of any Lien existing at the date of this Agreement or any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (d), inclusive, but only to the extent that the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness (or accreted value, if applicable) so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other amounts paid, and fees and expenses incurred, in connection with such extension, renewal or replacement and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder; and

(f)    Liens not otherwise permitted by this Section 6.02 securing Indebtedness and other obligations (including Liens securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(i)); provided that at the time such Indebtedness or other obligations are incurred or secured (as applicable) and immediately after giving effect thereto and to the retirement of any Indebtedness which is being retired substantially concurrently therewith, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness and other obligations secured pursuant to this clause (f) plus, without duplication, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(j) and outstanding at such time, does not exceed an amount equal to 15.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as set forth in the latest balance sheet delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as applicable.

 

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SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. (a) The Company will not merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge into or consolidate with the Company in a transaction in which the Company is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person may merge or consolidate into any Restricted Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Restricted Subsidiary, provided, if the Company is party to such a merger, the Company shall be the surviving entity, (iii) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate, dissolve, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Company, (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or merge into, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to another Person if the Company determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution, merger or disposition is in the best interests of the Company and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders;

provided that the restrictions in this Section 6.03(a) shall not apply to the Restricted Subsidiaries if, at the time it enters into such transaction and giving pro forma effect thereto, (x) the Company is in compliance with the Financial Covenant and (y) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related, ancillary or incidental thereto.

SECTION 6.04. [Reserved]

SECTION 6.05. [Reserved]

SECTION 6.06. [Reserved]

SECTION 6.07. Use of Proceeds; Anti-Corruption Laws and Laws Against Sanctioned Persons. No part of the proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit will be used by the Company to purchase or carry any margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System). The Company will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Company shall not use, and shall procure that the Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers and employees shall not use the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (A) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, or (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, or in any other manner, in each case as would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

SECTION 6.08. [Reserved]

SECTION 6.09. Financial Covenant. The Company will not permit the Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Company to exceed 3.50 to 1.00; provided, however, that at the election of the Company (prior written notice of which shall be given to the Administrative Agent), following the consummation of any Material Acquisition, the Total Leverage Ratio (x) as at the end of the fiscal quarter in which such Material Acquisition occurs and the three fiscal quarters immediately thereafter, shall not be greater than 4.00:1.00 and (y) as at the end of any fiscal quarter thereafter, shall not be greater than 3.50:1.00, provided, further, that if the Company elects to increase the permitted Total

 

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Leverage Ratio to 4.00:1.00 in connection with a Material Acquisition as described in the preceding proviso, at least two full fiscal quarters shall have elapsed with the permitted Total Leverage Ratio at 3.50:1.00 before the Company may make a subsequent election to increase the permitted Total Leverage Ratio to 4.00:1.00 in connection with a subsequent Material Acquisition.

ARTICLE VII

Events of Default

SECTION 7.01. Events of Default. If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:

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

(b) the Company shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five (5) Business Days;

(c) any representation or warranty made, or deemed made pursuant to Sections 2.06(b) or 4.02, by or on behalf of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

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

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

(f) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable and after expiration of all grace or cure periods;

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity, and all applicable grace, waiver and cure periods provided for with respect thereto shall have expired; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to (i) secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, (ii) regularly scheduled amortization payments with respect to Material Indebtedness or (iii) customary non default mandatory prepayments with respect to Material Indebtedness in connection with asset sales, casualty or condemnation events, equity issuances or debt issuances;

 

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

(i) the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

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

(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money (not covered by insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment and has not issued a notice denying coverage thereof) in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount shall be rendered against the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 60 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or

(m) a Change in Control shall occur;

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

 

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SECTION 7.02. Application of Funds. The order and manner in which the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ rights and remedies are to be exercised shall be determined by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders in their sole and absolute discretion. Regardless of how a Lender may treat payments for the purpose of its own accounting, for the purpose of computing the Obligations hereunder, payments received during the existence of an Event of Default shall be applied first, to costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and each Lender (to the extent that each Lender has a right to reimbursement thereof pursuant to the Loan Documents), second, to the payment of accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans to and including the date of such application, third, to the payment of the unpaid principal of the Obligations, and fourth, to the payment of all other amounts (including fees) then owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the Loan Documents, in each case paid pro rata to each Lender in the same proportions that the aggregate Obligations owed to each Lender under the Loan Documents bear to the aggregate Obligations owed under the Loan Documents to all Lenders, without priority or preference among the Lenders.

ARTICLE VIII

The Administrative Agent

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

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

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Company or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

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

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

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Company. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Company and subject to the consent of the Company (so long as no Event of Default under Sections 7.01(a), (b), (h) or (i) has occurred and is continuing at such time), to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be an Eligible Institution. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Company to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Company and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.

Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and letters of credit and not investments in a business enterprise or securities. Each Lender further represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder. Each Lender shall, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Company and its Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder and in deciding whether or to the extent to which it will continue as a Lender or assign or otherwise transfer its rights, interests and obligations hereunder.

 

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Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Effective Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Effective Date.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Lead Arrangers, Bookrunners, Co-Syndication Agents or Co-Documentation Agents 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 or a Lender hereunder.

ARTICLE IX

Miscellaneous

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

(i) if to the Company, to Westlake Corporation, 2801 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77056, Attention of L. Benjamin Ederington (Email: ***@***) and Steven Bender (Email: ***@***), with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Baker Botts L.L.P., One Shell Plaza, 910 Louisiana Street, Houston, TX 77002, Attention of Andrew Thomison (Telecopy No. (713 ###-###-####));

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, Floor L2 Suite, IL1-0480 Chicago, IL, 60603-2300, Attention of Garrett Kee, Phone No: 1 ###-###-####, Email: ***@***, with copy(s) to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Middle Market Servicing, 10 South Dearborn, Floor L2, Suite IL1-0480 Chicago, IL, 60603-2300, Attention of Commercial Banking Group, Email: ***@*** and ***@*** (Telecopy No. ((844) 490-5663));

(iii) if to an Issuing Bank, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, Floor L2 Suite, IL1-0480 Chicago, IL, 60603-2300, Attention of LC Agency Team, Phone No: 800 ###-###-####, Email: ***@***, (Telecopy No. (856 ###-###-####), with copy(s) to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, Floor L2 Suite, IL1-0480 Chicago, IL, 60603-2300, Attention of Loan & Agency Services Group, Phone No: 1 ###-###-####, Email: ***@*** , (Telecopy No. (856 ###-###-####);

(iv) if to the Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, Floor L2 Suite, IL1-0480 Chicago, IL, 60603-2300, Attention of Garrett Kee, Phone No: 1 ###-###-####, Email: ***@***, with copy(s) to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Middle Market Servicing, 10 South Dearborn, Floor L2, Suite IL1-0480 Chicago, IL, 60603-2300, Attention of Commercial Banking Group, Email: ***@*** and ***@*** (Telecopy No. ((844) 490-5663)); and

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

 

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Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile 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 delivered through Electronic Systems, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Electronic Systems pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Company may, in their discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to them hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by them; 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 acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

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

(d) Electronic Systems.

(i) The Company agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar Electronic System.

(ii) Any Electronic System used by the Administrative Agent is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of such Electronic Systems and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. 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 Communications or any Electronic System. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Company any Lender, any Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Company’s, or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through an Electronic System other than as a result of willful misconduct or gross negligence by such person as determined by a final, non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Electronic System.

 

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

(b) Subject to Section 2.14, Section 2.23 and Section 9.02(c) below, neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Company and the Required Lenders or by the Company and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, or amend or waive any other provisions of this Agreement requiring pro rata treatment of Lenders, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, or (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be; provided further that no such agreement shall amend or modify the provisions of Section 2.07 or any letter of credit application and any bilateral agreement between the Company and an Issuing Bank regarding such Issuing Bank’s Letter of Credit Commitment or the respective rights and obligations between the Company and such Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank, respectively.

(c) if the Administrative Agent and the Company acting together identify any ambiguity, omission, mistake, typographical error or other defect in any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then the Administrative Agent and the Company shall be permitted to amend, modify or supplement such provision to cure such ambiguity, omission, mistake, typographical error or other defect, and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Company will pay all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (without duplication) associated with the preparation, due diligence, administration, syndication and enforcement of this Agreement and all other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the reasonable legal fees and expenses of the Administrative Agent’s counsel (but limited to one counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders taken as a whole and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction (and, in the case of a conflict of interest where the party affected by such conflict notifies the Company of the existence of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel for each such affected party in each relevant jurisdiction)). The Company will also pay the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent and each Lender in connection with the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents related to this Agreement (but limited, in the case of legal expenses, to one counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders taken as a whole and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction (and, in the case of a conflict of interest where the party affected by such conflict notifies the Company of the existence of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel for each such affected party in each relevant jurisdiction)).

(b) The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender and each of their respective affiliates and their respective officers, directors, partners, employees, agents, advisors and other representatives (each, an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and reasonable and documented expenses (including, without limitation, the legal expenses of one firm of counsel for all Indemnified Parties, taken as a whole, and if necessary, of a single local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions (and, in the case of a conflict of interest where the Indemnified Party affected by such conflict notifies you of the existence of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel for each such affected Indemnified Party in each relevant jurisdiction)) that may be incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including, without limitation, in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding or preparation of a defense in connection therewith) (a) any aspect of the transactions contemplated herein, (b) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or any use made or proposed to be made with the proceeds thereof, or (c) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous Materials relating to any property owned, leased or operated, at any time, by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Environmental Liability relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent (i) such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s (A) gross negligence or willful misconduct or (B) material breach of its obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; (ii) arising out of any claim, actions, suits, inquiries, litigation, investigation or proceeding that does not involve an act or omission of the Company or any of their respective affiliates and that is brought by an Indemnified Person against any other Indemnified Person (other than any claim, actions, suits, inquiries, litigation, investigation or proceeding in its capacity as an agent or arranger under this Agreement) as determined in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction; or (iii) any settlement is entered into by such Indemnified Party without the Company’s written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) but if there is a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction in any such proceeding, or if the Company consents to such settlement, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless such Indemnified Party in the manner set forth above. In the case of any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding (any of the foregoing, a “Proceeding”) to which the indemnity in this paragraph applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such Proceeding is brought by the Company, its equity holders or creditors, or an Indemnified Party (subject to (ii) above) and whether or not an Indemnified Party is otherwise a party thereto. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (i) no Indemnified Party shall be liable for any indirect, special,

 

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punitive or consequential damages in connection with its activities relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (ii) no Indemnified Party shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through an Electronic System, other than for direct, actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party as determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of an Indemnified Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceedings against an Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability or claims that are the subject matter of such Proceedings and (ii) does not include any statement as to any admission of fault by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

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

(d) [Reserved]

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

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

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

(A) the Company, provided that, the Company shall be deemed to have consented to an assignment unless it shall have objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 10 Business Days after having received notice thereof; provided that no consent of the Company shall be required for an assignment to a Lender,

 

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an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b), (h) and (i) under Article VII has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, any other assignee (other than an Ineligible Institution), but the Administrative Agent shall nonetheless send notice of such assignment to the Company;

(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender), an Affiliate of a Lender, or an Approved Fund with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment;

(C) each Issuing Bank; and

(D) the Swingline Lender.

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

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

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

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Electronic System as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants), together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (unless such fee is waived by the Administrative Agent); and

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

 

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For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” and “Ineligible Institution” have the following meanings:

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

Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Lender Parent, (c) a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, such company, investment vehicle or trust referenced in this clause (c) shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business; or (d) the Company or any of its Affiliates.

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

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Company, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Company, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, the Swingline Lender and the other 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. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Company, the Issuing Banks, the Swingline Lender and any other Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(v) Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Electronic System as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants), the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Sections

 

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2.06(d) or 2.06(e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(b), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Company, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more Persons that are not Ineligible Institutions (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (C) the Company, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, the Swingline Lender and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. The Company agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender) 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 (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, 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. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Company’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Company to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Company, 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.

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

 

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

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

(b) Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of (x) this Agreement, (y) any other Loan Document and/or (z) any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any notice delivered pursuant to Section 9.01), certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or the transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby (each an “Ancillary Document”) that is an Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, such other Loan Document or such Ancillary Document, as applicable. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in any electronic form (including deliveries by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), 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; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept Electronic Signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent and pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (i) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept any Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on such

 

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Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the Company without further verification thereof and without any obligation to review the appearance or form of any such Electronic signature and (ii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company hereby (A) agrees that, for all purposes, including without limitation, in connection with any workout, restructuring, enforcement of remedies, bankruptcy proceedings or litigation among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Company, Electronic Signatures transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and/or any electronic images of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as any paper original, (B) the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document in the form of an imaged electronic record in any format, which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document (and all such electronic records shall be considered an original for all purposes and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record), (C) waives any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document and/or such Ancillary Document, respectively, including with respect to any signature pages thereto and (D) waives any claim against any Lender-Related Person for any Liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s and/or any Lender’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures and/or transmissions by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page, including any Liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Company to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.

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

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Company against any of and all the obligations of the Company now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

(b) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such

 

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New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, the Swingline Lender or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Company or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

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

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

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS 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 PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

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

SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Company and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Company, (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative

 

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Agent, any Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or (i) to rating agencies. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Company relating to its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Company and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Company after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

SECTION 9.13. Material Non-Public Information.

(a) EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 9.12(a) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COMPANY AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

(b) ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE COMPANY OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE COMPANY AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.

SECTION 9.14. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

SECTION 9.15. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “PATRIOT Act”) hereby notifies the Company that pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it is (i) required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Company, which information includes the name

 

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and address of the Company and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Company in accordance with the PATRIOT Act and (ii) to the extent the Company qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, at least five days prior to the Effective Date, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Company.

SECTION 9.16. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent entity, 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 applicable Resolution Authority.

SECTION 9.17. Judgment Currency. If, under any applicable law and whether pursuant to a judgment being made or registered against the Company or for any other reason, any payment under or in connection with this Agreement is made or satisfied in a currency (the “Other Currency”) other than that in which the relevant payment is due (the “Required Currency”) then, to the extent that the payment (when converted into the Required Currency at the rate of exchange on the date of payment or, if it is not practicable for the party entitled thereto (the “Payee”) to purchase the Required Currency with the Other Currency on the date of payment, at the rate of exchange as soon thereafter as it is practicable for it to do so) actually received by the Payee falls short of the amount due under the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, as a separate and independent obligation, indemnify and hold harmless the Payee against the amount of such short-fall. For the purpose of this Section, “rate of exchange” means the rate at which the Payee is able on the relevant date to purchase the Required Currency with the Other Currency and shall take into account any premium and other costs of exchange.

SECTION 9.18. Erroneous Payments.

(a) Each Lender hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender (whether or not known to such Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day

 

88


from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender pursuant to this Section 9.18(a) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(b) Each Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.

(c) The Company hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by the Company, except in each case, to the extent such erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Administrative Agent from the Company for the purpose of satisfying an Obligation.

(d) Each party’s obligations under this Section 9.18 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.

SECTION 9.19. No Fiduciary Duty. The Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners, each Co-Syndication Agent, each Co-Documentation Agent, each Lender and their respective Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “Lenders”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Company, its stockholders and/or their respective affiliates. The Company agrees that nothing in this Agreement and any related documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and the Company, its stockholders or their respective affiliates, on the other. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any related documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company, their stockholders or their respective affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or

 

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remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise any of the Company, its stockholders or their respective Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and any related documents and (y) each Lender is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of the Company, their management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person. The Company acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. The Company agrees that it will not claim that any Lender has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

SECTION 9.20. Certain ERISA Matters

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

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

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

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

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

(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants,

 

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from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Company, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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

 

WESTLAKE CORPORATION, as Company
    By:  

/s/ Albert Chao

 

Name: Albert Chao

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Lender, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender
    By:  

/s/ Peter S. Predun

 

Name: Peter S. Predun

Title: Executive Director

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Pace Doherty

 

Name: Pace Doherty

Title: Director

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Daniel K. Kinasz

 

Name: Daniel K. Kinasz

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Westlake Revolving Credit Agreement]


DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Ming K. Chu

 

Name: Ming K. Chu

Title: Director

    By:  

/s/ Annie Chung

 

Name: Annie Chung

Title: Director

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Madison Langman

 

Name: Madison Langman

Title: Vice President

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Sinan Tarlan

 

Name: Sinan Tarlan

Title: Authorized Signatory

BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Sydney G. Dennis

 

Name: Sydney G. Dennis

Title: Director

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Victoria Roberts

 

Name: Victoria Roberts

Title: Managing Director


CITIBANK N.A., as Lender
    By:  

/s/ David Jaffe

 

Name: David Jaffe

Title: Vice President

GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Andrew B. Vernon

 

Name: Andrew B. Vernon

Title: Authorized Signatory

TRUIST BANK, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Alexander Harrison

 

Name: Alexander Harrison

Title: Vice President

INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA LIMITED, NEW YORK BRANCH, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Christine Cai

 

Name: Christine Cai

Title: Vice President

    By:  

/s/ Pinyen Shih

 

Name: Pinyen Shih

Title: Executive Director

SANTANDER BANK, N.A., as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Jennifer Baydian

 

Name: Jennifer Baydian

Title: Senior Vice President


CAPITAL ONE, N.A., as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Madeline Cassidy

 

Name: Madeline Cassidy

Title: Duly Authorized Signatory

THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, as Lender
    By:  

/s/ Greg Ryan

 

Name: Greg Ryan

Title: Managing Director


SCHEDULE 2.01A

Commitments

 

Lender

   Commitment      Applicable Percentage  

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 150,000,000.00        10.000000000

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 150,000,000.00        10.000000000

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 150,000,000.00        10.000000000

Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch

   $ 125,000,000.00        8 ###-###-####

PNC Bank, National Association

   $ 125,000,000.00        8 ###-###-####

Royal Bank of Canada

   $ 125,000,000.00        8 ###-###-####

Barclays Bank PLC

   $ 95,000,000.00        6 ###-###-####

The Toronto-Dominion Bank, New York Branch

   $ 95,000,000.00        6 ###-###-####

Citibank, N.A.

   $ 95,000,000.00        6 ###-###-####

Goldman Sachs Bank USA

   $ 95,000,000.00        6 ###-###-####

Truist Bank

   $ 95,000,000.00        6 ###-###-####

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, New York Branch

   $ 50,000,000.00        3 ###-###-####

Santander Bank NA

   $ 50,000,000.00        3 ###-###-####

Capital One, National Association

   $ 50,000,000.00        3 ###-###-####

The Huntington National Bank

   $ 50,000,000.00        3 ###-###-####
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL

   $ 1,500,000,000        100.000000000
  

 

 

    

 

 

 


SCHEDULE 2.01B

Swingline Commitments

 

Swingline Lender

   Swingline Commitment  

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 50,000,000  
  

 

 

 

TOTAL

   $ 50,000,000  
  

 

 

 


SCHEDULE 2.01C

Letter of Credit Commitments

 

Issuing Bank

   Letter of Credit Commitment  

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 75,000,000  

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 37,500,000  

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 37,500,000  
  

 

 

 

TOTAL

   $ 150,000,000  
  

 

 

 


SCHEDULE 2.06

Existing Letters of Credit

None.