Exhibit 4.1
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MULTI-YEAR
$350,000,000
CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of September 11, 2003
among
ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.,
as the Borrower,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lender,
THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI, LTD.
and
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.,
as Co-Syndication Agents
BANK ONE, N.A.
and
▇▇▇▇▇ FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Documentation Agents
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as
Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
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ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS.....................................1
1.01 Defined Terms............................................................1
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions...........................................17
1.03 Accounting Terms........................................................18
1.04 Rounding................................................................18
1.05 References to Agreements and Laws.......................................18
1.06 Times of Day............................................................18
1.07 Letter of Credit Amounts................................................19
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS...............................19
2.01 Loans...................................................................19
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans......................19
2.03 Letters of Credit.......................................................20
2.04 Prepayments.............................................................27
2.05 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.................................27
2.06 Repayment of Loans......................................................28
2.07 Interest................................................................28
2.08 Fees....................................................................28
2.09 Computation of Interest and Fees........................................29
2.10 Evidence of Debt........................................................29
2.11 Payments Generally......................................................30
2.12 Sharing of Payments.....................................................31
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY..............................32
3.01 Taxes...................................................................32
3.02 Illegality..............................................................33
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates............................................33
3.04 Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.....................34
3.05 Funding Losses..........................................................35
3.06 Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation.....................35
3.07 Survival................................................................35
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS...........................36
4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension..................................36
4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions.....................................37
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES......................................38
5.01 Corporate Existence and Power...........................................38
5.02 Corporate Authorization; No Contravention...............................38
5.03 Governmental Authorization..............................................38
5.04 Binding Effect..........................................................39
5.05 Litigation..............................................................39
5.06 No Default..............................................................39
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5.07 ERISA Compliance........................................................39
5.08 Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations.....................................40
5.09 Title to Properties.....................................................40
5.10 Taxes...................................................................40
5.11 Financial Condition.....................................................41
5.12 Environmental Matters...................................................41
5.13 Regulated Entities......................................................41
5.14 No Burdensome Restrictions..............................................41
5.15 Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks and Licenses, etc.......................41
5.16 Subsidiaries............................................................42
5.17 Insurance...............................................................42
5.18 Full Disclosure.........................................................42
5.19 Tax Shelter Regulations.................................................42
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS...............................................42
6.01 Financial Statements....................................................42
6.02 Certificates; Other Information.........................................43
6.03 Notices.................................................................44
6.04 Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc................................45
6.05 Maintenance of Property.................................................45
6.06 Insurance...............................................................45
6.07 Payment of Obligations..................................................46
6.08 Compliance with Laws....................................................46
6.09 Inspection of Property and Books and Records............................46
6.10 Environmental Laws......................................................47
6.11 Use of Proceeds.........................................................47
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS..................................................47
7.01 Limitation on Liens.....................................................47
7.02 Disposition of Assets...................................................49
7.03 Consolidations and Mergers..............................................49
7.04 Loans and Investments...................................................50
7.05 Limitation on Subsidiary Indebtedness...................................51
7.06 Transactions with Affiliates............................................51
7.07 Use of Proceeds; Regulation U...........................................51
7.08 Limitation on Subsidiary Dividends......................................52
7.09 Joint Ventures..........................................................52
7.10 Restricted Payments.....................................................52
7.11 Change in Business......................................................52
7.12 Accounting Changes......................................................52
7.13 Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio....................................52
7.14 Consolidated Leverage Ratio.............................................52
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES......................................53
8.01 Events of Default.......................................................53
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default..........................................55
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8.03 Application of Funds....................................................55
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT................................................56
9.01 Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent...................56
9.02 Delegation of Duties....................................................57
9.03 Liability of Administrative Agent.......................................57
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent........................................57
9.05 Notice of Default.......................................................58
9.06 Credit Decision; Disclosure of Information by Administrative Agent......58
9.07 Indemnification of Administrative Agent.................................59
9.08 Administrative Agent in its Individual Capacity.........................59
9.09 Successor Administrative Agent..........................................60
9.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim...........................60
9.11 Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers....................................61
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS.......................................................61
10.01 Amendments, Etc.........................................................61
10.02 Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies......................62
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies..........................................63
10.04 Attorney Costs, Expenses and Taxes......................................64
10.05 Indemnification by the Borrower.........................................64
10.06 Payments Set Aside......................................................65
10.07 Successors and Assigns..................................................65
10.08 Confidentiality.........................................................69
10.09 Set-off.................................................................69
10.10 Interest Rate Limitation................................................70
10.11 Counterparts............................................................70
10.12 Integration.............................................................70
10.13 Survival of Representations and Warranties..............................70
10.14 Severability............................................................71
10.15 Tax Forms...............................................................71
10.16 Replacement of Lenders..................................................72
10.17 Governing Law...........................................................73
10.18 Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury........................................73
SIGNATURES...............................................................................S-1
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SCHEDULES
1.01 Excluded Subsidiaries
2.01 Commitments and Pro Rata Shares
5.05 Litigation
5.07 ERISA Matters
5.10 Taxes
5.11 Material Indebtedness
5.12 Environmental Matters
5.16 Subsidiaries
6.06 Insurance Coverage
7.01 Existing Liens
7.04(a) Investment Policy
7.05 Existing Indebtedness
10.02 Administrative Agent's Office, Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS
FORM OF
A Loan Notice
B Note
C Compliance Certificate
D Assignment and Assumption
E Opinion Matters
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MULTI-YEAR $350,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT
This MULTI-YEAR $350,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is entered
into as of September 11, 2003, among ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC., a Minnesota
corporation (the "Borrower"), each lender from time to time party hereto
(collectively, the "Lenders" and individually, a "Lender"), and BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A., as Administrative Agent, LC Issuer and Lender.
The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a multi-year
revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and
conditions set forth herein.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 DEFINED TERMS. As used in this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the meanings set forth below:
"Acquisition" means any transaction or series of related transactions
for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition
of all or substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of any business or
division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the capital
stock, partnership interests or equity of any Person or otherwise causing any
Person, to become a Subsidiary, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other
combination with another Person (other than a Person that is a Subsidiary)
provided that such Company or a Subsidiary is the surviving entity.
"Administrative Agent" means Bank of America in its capacity as
administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor
administrative agent.
"Administrative Agent's Office" means the Administrative Agent's
address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such
other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time
notify the Borrower and the Lenders.
"Administrative Questionnaire" means an Administrative Questionnaire in
a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any 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. "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. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if
such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 20% or more
of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors,
managing general partners or the equivalent.
"Agent-Related Persons" means the Administrative Agent, together with
its Affiliates (including, in the case of Bank of America in its capacity as the
Administrative Agent, the Arranger), and the officers, directors, employees,
agents and attorneys-in-fact of such Persons and Affiliates.
"Aggregate Commitments" means the Commitments of all the Lenders, which
on the Closing Date equal the sum of $350,000,000.
"Agreement" means this Credit Agreement.
"Applicable Rate" means, from time to time, the following percentages
per annum, based upon the Debt Rating as set forth below:
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APPLICABLE MARGIN LETTER OF CREDIT
LEVEL DEBT RATING FACILITY FEE FOR LIBOR LOANS FEE
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I A / A2 or higher .100 .400 .400
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II A- / A3 .125 .500 .500
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III BBB+ / Baa1 .150 .600 .600
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IV BBB / ▇▇▇▇ .▇▇▇ .▇▇▇ .▇▇▇
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▇ ▇▇▇- / ▇▇▇▇ .200 .850 .850
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VI BB+/Bal or lower .300 .950 1.250
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"Debt Rating" means, as of any date of determination, the
rating as determined by either S&P or ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ (collectively, the "Debt
Ratings") of the Borrower's non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured
long-term debt; provided that if a Debt Rating is issued by each of the
foregoing rating agencies, then the higher of such Debt Ratings shall
apply (with the Debt Rating for Pricing Level I being the highest and
the Debt Rating for Pricing Level VI being the lowest), unless there is
a split in Debt Ratings of more than one level, in which case the
Pricing Level that is one level lower than the Pricing Level of the
higher Debt Rating shall apply.
Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be determined based upon the Debt Rating
specified in the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(vii).
Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly
announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective, in the case of an
upgrade, during the period commencing on the date of delivery by the Borrower to
the Administrative Agent of notice thereof pursuant to Section 6.02(e) and
ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such
change and, in the case of a downgrade, during the period commencing on the date
of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding
the effective date of the next such change.
"Arranger" means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as
sole lead arranger and sole book manager.
"Assignment and Assumption" means an Assignment and Assumption
substantially in the form of Exhibit D.
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"Attorney Costs" means and includes all reasonable fees, expenses and
disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel and, without
duplication, the allocated cost of internal legal services and all expenses and
disbursements of internal counsel.
"Attributable Indebtedness" means, on any date, (a) in respect of any
capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on
a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP,
and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of
the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a
balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if
such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.
"Audited Financial Statements" means the audited consolidated balance
sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2002, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations,
shareholders' equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
"Availability Period" means the period from and including the Closing
Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of
the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05, and (c) the date of
termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation
of the of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.
"Bank of America" means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
"Base Rate" means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the
higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest
in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of
America as its "prime rate." The "prime rate" is a rate set by Bank of America
based upon various factors including Bank of America's costs and desired return,
general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point
for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced
rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at
the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such
change.
"Base Rate Loan" means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base
Rate.
"Borrower" has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph
hereto.
"Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the
same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest
Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day
on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in
fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent's Office is located
and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on
which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the
London interbank eurodollar market.
"Cash Collateralize" has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(g).
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"Change of Control" means, with respect to any Person, an event or
series of events by which:
(a) any "person" or "group" (as such terms are used in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but
excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries,
and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or
other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be
deemed to have "beneficial ownership" of all securities that such
person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an "option
right"), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after
the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the
equity securities of such Person entitled to vote for members of the
board of directors or equivalent governing body of such Person on a
fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that
such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option
right); or
(b) during any period of 24 consecutive months, a
majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent
governing body of such Person cease to be composed of individuals (i)
who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the
first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that
board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred
to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or
nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing
body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other
equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in
clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or
nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing
body (excluding, in the case of both clause (ii) and clause (iii), any
individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a
member of that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of
an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the
election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group
other than a solicitation for the election of one or more directors by
or on behalf of the board of directors).
"Closing Date" means the first date all the conditions precedent in
Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 4.01 (or, in the
case of Section 4.01(b), waived by the Person entitled to receive the applicable
payment).
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
"Commitment" means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Loans
to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, and (b) purchase participations in L/C
Obligations in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to
exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender's name on Schedule 2.01 or in
the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party
hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in
accordance with this Agreement.
"Compliance Certificate" means a certificate substantially in the form
of Exhibit C.
4
"Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any period, for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income
for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating
such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period,
(ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) the amount of
depreciation and amortization expense deducted in determining such Consolidated
Net Income and (iv) other expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reducing
such Consolidated Net Income which do not represent a cash item in such period
or any future period and minus (b) all non-cash items increasing Consolidated
Net Income for such period.
"Consolidated Funded Indebtedness" means, as of any date of
determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis,
the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether
current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations hereunder) and
all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other
similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all direct
obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial),
bankers' acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (d)
all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or
services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business),
(e) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease
Obligations, (f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding
Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons
other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types
referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture
(other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability
company) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint
venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the
Borrower or such Subsidiary.
"Consolidated Interest Charges" means, for any period, for the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest,
premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including
capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of
assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP,
and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with
respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in
accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio" means, as of any date of
determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four
prior fiscal quarters ending on such date TO (b) Consolidated Interest Charges
for such period.
"Consolidated Leverage Ratio" means, as of any date of determination,
the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date TO (b)
Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently
ended for which the Borrower has delivered financial statements pursuant to
Section 6.01(a) or (b).
"Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, for the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries (excluding extraordinary gains but including extraordinary losses)
for that period.
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"Consolidated Tangible Net Worth" means, as of any date of
determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis,
Shareholders' Equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on that date minus the
Intangible Assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on that date.
"Contractual Obligation" means, as to any Person, any provision of any
security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other
undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its
property is bound.
"Control" has the meaning specified in the definition of "Affiliate."
"Credit Extension" means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b)
an L/C Credit Extension.
"Debt Rating" has the meaning set forth in the definition of
"Applicable Rate."
"Debtor Relief Laws" means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States,
and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency,
reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other
applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of
creditors generally.
"Default" means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of
Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both,
would be an Event of Default.
"Default Rate" means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus
(b) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2% per
annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the
Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any
Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, in each
case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
"Defaulting Lender" means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any
portion of the Loans or participations in L/C Obligations required to be funded
by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it
hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or
any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one
Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute,
or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or
insolvency proceeding.
"Dollar" and "$" mean lawful money of the United States.
"Eligible Assignee" has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(g).
"Environmental Laws" means any and all Federal, state, local, and
foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders,
decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or
governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the
environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including
6
those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to
waste or public systems.
"Environmental Liability" means any liability, contingent or otherwise
(including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines,
penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries directly
or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental
Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials,
(d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the
environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement
pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
"ERISA Affiliate" means any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of
Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for
purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
"ERISA Event" means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension
Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension
Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a
substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation
of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of
ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is
in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the
treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of
ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension
Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds
under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a
trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the
imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC
premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower
or any ERISA Affiliate.
"Eurodollar Base Rate" has the meaning set forth in the definition of
Eurodollar Rate.
"Eurodollar Rate" means for any Interest Period with respect to any
Eurodollar Rate Loan, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent
pursuant to the following formula:
Eurodollar Base Rate
Eurodollar Rate = -----------------------------------------------
1.00 - Eurodollar Reserve Percentage
Where,
"Eurodollar Base Rate" means, for such Interest Period:
(a) the rate per annum equal to the rate determined by
the Administrative Agent to be the offered rate that appears on the
page of the Telerate screen (or any
7
successor thereto) that displays an average British Bankers Association
Interest Settlement Rate for deposits in Dollars (for delivery on the
first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such
Interest Period, determined as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London
time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period,
or
(b) if the rate referenced in the preceding clause (a)
does not appear on such page or service or such page or service shall
not be available, the rate per annum equal to the rate determined by
the Administrative Agent to be the offered rate on such other page or
other service that displays an average British Bankers Association
Interest Settlement Rate for deposits in Dollars (for delivery on the
first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such
Interest Period, determined as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London
time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period,
or
(c) if the rates referenced in the preceding clauses (a)
and (b) are not available, the rate per annum determined by the
Administrative Agent as the rate of interest at which deposits in
Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same
day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being
made, continued or converted by Bank of America and with a term
equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of
America's London Branch to major banks in the London interbank
eurodollar market at their request at approximately 4:00 p.m. (London
time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period.
"Eurodollar Rate Loan" means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based
on the Eurodollar Rate.
"Eurodollar Reserve Percentage" means, for any day during any Interest
Period, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five
decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender,
under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the
maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other
marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently
referred to as "Eurocurrency liabilities"). The Eurodollar Rate for each
outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be adjusted automatically as of the
effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.
"Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
"Excluded Subsidiary" means each Subsidiary listed on Schedule 1.01 by
reason that such Subsidiary no longer actively conducts any business or
operations, including as a holding or investment company, and has been, will be,
or likely will be, liquidated after the Closing Date, and in the event that any
such Subsidiary shall after the Closing Date conduct any business or operations,
including as a holding or investment company, such that after three consecutive
fiscal quarters of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, such Subsidiary has income
equal to or greater than 1% of Consolidated Net Income determined for the same
such period, then such Subsidiary shall no longer be an Excluded Subsidiary as
of the date of delivery, or date delivery is required (whichever is earlier), of
the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries pursuant to
8
Section 6.01(a) or (b) with respect to the third such consecutive fiscal quarter
and a Responsible Officer shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof.
"Existing Credit Agreement" means that certain Letter Loan Agreement
dated as of July 25, 2003 among the Borrower and Bank of America, as the lender.
"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to
the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with
members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such
day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank on the Business Day next
succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the
Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the
next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day,
and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day,
the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward,
if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on
such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
"Fee Letter" means the letter agreement, dated July 25, 2003, among the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.
"Foreign Lender" has the meaning specified in Section 10.15(a)(i).
"FRB" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the
United States.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles
Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements
and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other
principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting
profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of
the date of determination, consistently applied.
"Governmental Authority" means any nation or government, any state or
other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality,
regulatory body, court, administrative tribunal, central bank or other entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or
administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
"Granting Lender" has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(h).
"Guarantee" means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent
or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of
guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by
another Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i)
to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of)
such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property,
securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of
such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such
Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity
capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of
income or
9
cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such
Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of
assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or
other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such
obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien
on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of
any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is
assumed by such Person. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an
amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary
obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or,
if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in
respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term
"Guarantee" as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
"Hazardous Materials" means all explosive or radioactive substances or
wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants,
including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing
materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes
and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any
Environmental Law.
"Indebtedness" means, as to any Person at a particular time, without
duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or
liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and
all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes,
loan agreements or other similar instruments;
(b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person
arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial),
bankers' acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar
instruments;
(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap
Contract;
(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred
purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts
payable in the ordinary course of business);
(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon)
secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person
(including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title
retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been
assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations; and
(g) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of
the foregoing.
For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include
the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture
that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person
is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly
made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation
10
under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination
Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic
Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable
Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.
"Indemnified Liabilities" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.05.
"Indemnitees" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.05.
"Independent Auditor" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(a).
"Intangible Assets" means assets that are considered to be intangible
assets under GAAP, including customer lists, goodwill, computer software,
copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized
deferred charges, unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and
development costs.
"Interest Payment Date" means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base
Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the
Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar
Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three
months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest
Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each
March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
"Interest Period" means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period
commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or
continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or
six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided
that:
(i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day
that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding
Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month,
in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding
Business Day;
(ii) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business
Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically
corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest
Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the
end of such Interest Period; and
(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity
Date.
"Investment" means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect
acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase
or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b)
a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of,
or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or
interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest
in such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that
constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of
any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for
subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.
11
"Investment Transaction" has the meaning set forth in Section 7.04.
"IRS" means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
"Joint Venture" means a corporation, partnership, joint venture or
other similar legal arrangement (whether created by contract or conducted
through a separate legal entity) now or hereafter formed by the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries with another Person in order to conduct a common venture or
enterprise with such Person.
"Laws" means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state
and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes
and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the
interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged
with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all
applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority,
in each case whether or not having the force of law.
"L/C Advance" means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender's funding
of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Pro Rata Share.
"L/C Borrowing" means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing
under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made
or refinanced as a Borrowing.
"L/C Credit Extension" means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the
issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the renewal or
increase of the amount thereof.
"L/C Issuer" means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters
of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
"L/C Obligations" means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate
undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all
Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings.
"Lender" has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto
and, as the context requires, includes the L/C Issuer.
"Lending Office" means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such
Lender described as such in such Lender's Administrative Questionnaire, or such
other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent.
"Letter of Credit" means any letter of credit issued hereunder. A
Letter of Credit may only be a standby letter of credit.
"Letter of Credit Application" means an application and agreement for
the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in
use by the L/C Issuer.
"Letter of Credit Expiration Date" means the day that is seven days
prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business
Day, the next preceding Business Day).
12
"Letter of Credit Sublimit" means an amount equal to $25,000,000. The
Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate
Commitments.
"Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit
arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference,
priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or
nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect
as any of the foregoing).
"Loan" has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
"Loan Documents" means this Agreement, each Note, and the Fee Letter.
"Loan Notice" means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of
Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate
Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially
in the form of Exhibit A.
"Margin Stock" means "margin stock" as such term is defined in
Regulation F, U or X of the FRB.
"Material Adverse Effect" means (a) a material adverse change in, or a
material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities
(actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the
ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to
which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality,
validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of any Loan
Document to which it is a party.
"Maturity Date" means September 11, 2008.
"Moody's" means ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investors Service, Inc. and any successor
thereto.
"Multiemployer Plan" means any employee benefit plan of the type
described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding
five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
"Note" means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a
Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of
Exhibit B.
"Obligations" means all advances to, and debts, liabilities,
obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower arising under any Loan
Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether
direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or
contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and
including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the
Borrower or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws
naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such
interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
13
"Organization Documents" means, (a) with respect to any corporation,
the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or
comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction);
(b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles
of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to
any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the
partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or
organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect
thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the
applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or
organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or
organization of such entity.
"Other Taxes" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).
"Outstanding Amount" means (i) with respect to Loans on any date, the
aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any
borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date; and
(ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C
Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension
occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C
Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of
outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit or any reductions in the
maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on
such date.
"Participant" has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(d).
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
"Pension Plan" means any "employee pension benefit plan" (as such term
is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is
subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or
any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes
or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or
other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any
time during the immediately preceding five plan years.
"Permitted Liens" has the meaning specified in Section 7.01.
"Permitted Receivables Facility" means one or more accounts receivable
securitization arrangements which provide for (a) the sale of accounts
receivable and any related property by the Borrower and/or any of its
Subsidiaries to a financing party or a special purpose vehicle and (b) if a
special purpose vehicle is used in any such arrangements, the granting of a
security interest in accounts receivables and any related property by such
special purpose vehicle and/or the granting of a security interest by the
Borrower or such Subsidiary in any such related property; provided however, that
the sum of the aggregate net unrecovered investment and the aggregate
outstanding advances from the financing parties under such accounts receivable
securitization arrangements shall not exceed $150,000,000.
"Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited liability
company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.
14
"Plan" means any "employee benefit plan" (as such term is defined in
Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such
plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA
Affiliate.
"Pro Rata Share" means, with respect to each Lender at any time, a
fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place),
the numerator of which is the amount of the Commitment of such Lender at such
time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Commitments at
such time; provided that if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the
obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated
pursuant to Section 8.02, then the Pro Rata Share of each Lender shall be
determined based on the Pro Rata Share of such Lender immediately prior to such
termination and after giving effect to any subsequent assignments made pursuant
to the terms hereof. The initial Pro Rata Share of each Lender is set forth
opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and
Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
"Register" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.07(c).
"Reportable Event" means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c)
of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.
"Request for Credit Extension" means (a) with respect to a Borrowing,
conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice, and (b) with respect to an
L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application.
"Required Lenders" means, as of any date of determination, Lenders
having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each
Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit
Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, Lenders holding in the
aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of
each Lender's risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations
being deemed "held" by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided
that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed
held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a
determination of Required Lenders.
"Responsible Officer" means the chief executive officer, president,
chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of the Borrower. Any
document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary
corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of the Borrower and such
Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of
the Borrower.
"Restricted Payment" means any dividend or other distribution (whether
in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or
other equity interest of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether
in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar
deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition,
cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other equity
15
interest or of any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such capital
stock or other equity interest.
"S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of The
▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.
"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental
Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
"Shareholders' Equity" means, as of any date of determination,
consolidated shareholders' equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of
that date determined in accordance with GAAP.
"SPC" has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(h).
"Subsidiary" of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority
of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for
the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or
interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency)
are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise
controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both,
by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a
"Subsidiary" or to "Subsidiaries" shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of
the Borrower.
"Swap Contract" means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis
swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity
swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index
swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward
bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate
options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor
transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency
rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar
transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options
to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is
governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions
of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and
conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the
International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign
Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master
agreement, together with any related schedules, a "Master Agreement"), including
any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
"Swap Termination Value" means, in respect of any one or more Swap
Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable
netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after
the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s)
determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any
date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the
▇▇▇▇-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or
more mid-market or
16
other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such
Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
"Synthetic Lease Obligation" means the monetary obligation of a Person
under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or
(b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that
do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency
or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such
Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
"364-Day Agreement" means that certain 364-Day Credit Agreement dated
as of the date hereof (as amended, modified, supplemented or amended and
restated) by and among the Borrower, Bank of America as administrative agent,
and the lenders from time to time party thereto.
"Taxes" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).
"Total Outstandings" means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all
Loans and all L/C Obligations.
"Type" means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan
or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
"Unfunded Pension Liability" means the excess of a Pension Plan's
benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value
of that Pension Plan's assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions
used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the
applicable plan year.
"United States" and "U.S." mean the United States of America.
"Unreimbursed Amount" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(i).
1.02 OTHER INTERPRETIVE PROVISIONS. With reference to this
Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in
such other Loan Document:
(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the
singular and plural forms of the defined terms.
(b) (i) The words "herein," "hereto," "hereof" and
"hereunder" and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall
refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision
thereof.
(ii) Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are
to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.
(iii) The term "including" is by way of example and not
limitation.
17
(iv) The term "documents" includes any and all
instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports,
financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in
physical or electronic form.
(c) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to
a later specified date, the word "from" means "from and including"; the words
"to" and "until" each mean "to but excluding"; and the word "through" means "to
and including."
(d) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are
included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the
interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
1.03 ACCOUNTING TERMS. (a) All accounting terms not specifically
or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all
financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations)
required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in
conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to
time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited
Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.
(b) If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation
of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either
the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent,
the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio
or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change
in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until
so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in
accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall
provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and
other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested
hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or
requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.
1.04 ROUNDING. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by
the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the
appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place
more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and
rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if
there is no nearest number).
1.05 REFERENCES TO AGREEMENTS AND LAWS. Unless otherwise expressly
provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including
the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include
all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other
modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments,
restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited
by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory
and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or
interpreting such Law.
1.06 TIMES OF DAY. Unless otherwise specified, all references
herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or
standard, as applicable).
18
1.07 LETTER OF CREDIT AMOUNTS. Unless otherwise specified, all
references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be
deemed to mean the maximum face amount of such Letter of Credit after giving
effect to all increases thereof contemplated by such Letter of Credit or the
Letter of Credit Application therefor, whether or not such maximum face amount
is in effect at such time.
ARTICLE II.
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 LOANS. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,
each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a "Loan") to the
Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period,
in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such
Lender's Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any
Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate
Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of any
Lender, plus such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C
Obligations shall not exceed such Lender's Commitment. Within the limits of each
Lender's Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the
Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.04, and
reborrow under this Section 2.01. Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar
Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
2.02 BORROWINGS, CONVERSIONS AND CONTINUATIONS OF LOANS.
(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the
other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the
Borrower's irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by
telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not
later than 12:00 noon. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of
any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of
any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the
requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by
the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(b) must be confirmed promptly by
delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately
completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing
of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a
principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess
thereof. Except as provided in Section 2.03(c), each Borrowing of or conversion
to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole
multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or
written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a
conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar
Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or
continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the
principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type
of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v)
if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the
Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower
fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the
applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such
automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of
the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar
Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or
continuation
19
of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an
Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one
month.
(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent
shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the
applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is
provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of
the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the
preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the
amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately
available funds at the Administrative Agent's Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on
the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of
the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is
the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make
all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the
Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the
books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of
such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and
reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided,
however, that if, on the date the Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is
given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds
of such Borrowing shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C
Borrowings.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan
may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for
such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be
requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the
consent of the Required Lenders.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower
and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for
Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The
determination of the Eurodollar Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be
conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time that Base Rate Loans
are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the
Lenders of any change in Bank of America's prime rate used in determining the
Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.
(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of
Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same
Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect
to Loans.
2.03 LETTERS OF CREDIT.
(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.
(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,
(A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other
Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any
Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter
of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account
of the Borrower, and to amend Letters of Credit previously issued by
it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drafts
under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the
20
Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for
the account of the Borrower; provided that the L/C Issuer shall not be
obligated to make any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter
of Credit, and no Lender shall be obligated to participate in any
Letter of Credit if as of the date of such L/C Credit Extension, (x)
the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the
aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of any Lender, plus such
Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C
Obligations would exceed such Lender's Commitment, or (z) the
Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations would exceed the Letter of
Credit Sublimit. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms
and conditions hereof, the Borrower's ability to obtain Letters of
Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may,
during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace
Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and
reimbursed.
(ii) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to issue
any Letter of Credit if:
(A) any order, judgment or decree of any
Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms
purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such
Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or
any request or directive (whether or not having the force of
law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over
the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer
refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or
such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the
L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any
restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C
Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect
on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any
unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on
the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
material to it;
(B) the expiry date of such requested Letter of
Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of
issuance, unless the Required Lenders have approved such
expiry date;
(C) the expiry date of such requested Letter of
Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date,
unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date;
(D) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would
violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer; or
(E) such Letter of Credit is in an initial
amount less than $500,000 or is to be denominated in a
currency other than Dollars.
(iii) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend
any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at
such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the
terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not
accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.
21
(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit.
(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as
the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C
Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a
Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a
Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application
must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not
later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date
and time as the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in its
sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of
amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial
issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall
specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the
proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall
be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date
thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the
documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing
thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by
such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other
matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an
amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit
Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C
Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of
amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of
the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer
may require.
(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit
Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent
(by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received
a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if
not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy
thereof. Upon receipt by the L/C Issuer of confirmation from the
Administrative Agent that the requested issuance or amendment is
permitted in accordance with the terms hereof, then, subject to the
terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested
date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter
into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in
accordance with the L/C Issuer's usual and customary business
practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each
Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such
Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender's Pro
Rata Share times the amount of such Letter of Credit.
(iii) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit
or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect
thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver
to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy
of such Letter of Credit or amendment.
(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.
(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of
Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C
Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof.
Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by
22
the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an "Honor
Date"), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the
Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing.
If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor
Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the "Unreimbursed
Amount"), and the amount of such Lender's Pro Rata Share thereof. In
such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing
of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal
to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples
specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans,
but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate
Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than
the delivery of a Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or
the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be
given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that
the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the
conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.
(ii) Each Lender (including the Lender acting as L/C
Issuer) shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds
available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer
at the Administrative Agent's Office in an amount equal to its Pro Rata
Share of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the
Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent,
whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each
Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a
Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent
shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.
(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not
fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the
conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any
other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the
L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount
that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable
on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the
Default Rate. In such event, each Lender's payment to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to
Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its
participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance
from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under
this Section 2.03.
(iv) Until each Lender funds its Loan or L/C Advance
pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any
amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such
Lender's Pro Rata Share of such amount shall be solely for the account
of the L/C Issuer.
(v) Each Lender's obligation to make Loans or L/C
Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of
Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and
unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including
(A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which
such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other
Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of
a Default, or (C) any other
23
occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender's obligation to make
Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set
forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan
Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise
impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for
the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of
Credit, together with interest as provided herein.
(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount
required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii),
the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting
through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest
thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the
date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer
at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time
in effect. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender
(through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing
under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) Repayment of Participations.
(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment
under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such
Lender's L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with
Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account
of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed
Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or
otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the
Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such
Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case
of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such
Lender's L/C Advance was outstanding) in the same funds as those
received by the Administrative Agent.
(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent
for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is
required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in
Section 10.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the
L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Pro Rata
Share thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest
thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is
returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds
Rate from time to time in effect.
(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to
reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to
repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and
shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all
circumstances, including the following:
24
(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter
of Credit, this Agreement, or any other agreement or instrument
relating thereto;
(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, set-off,
defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against
any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any
Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be
acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with
this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter
of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any
unrelated transaction;
(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document
presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent,
invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being
untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the
transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a
drawing under such Letter of Credit;
(iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of
Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not
strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment
made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person
purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession,
assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other
representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of
such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or
(v) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever,
whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other
circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or
a discharge of, the Borrower.
The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and
each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of
noncompliance with the Borrower's instructions or other irregularity, the
Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall be
conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its
correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that,
in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have
any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft,
certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to
ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the
authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the
L/C Issuer, any Agent-Related Person nor any of the respective correspondents,
participants or assignees of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for
(i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with
the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any
action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful
misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or
enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or
Letter of Credit Application. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts
or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any
Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to,
and
25
shall not, preclude the Borrower's pursuing such rights and remedies as it may
have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement.
None of the L/C Issuer, any Agent-Related Person, nor any of the respective
correspondents, participants or assignees of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or
responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of
Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the
contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer,
and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the
extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages
suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C
Issuer's willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer's willful
failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the
beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the
terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation
of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face
to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of
any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be
responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or
assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights
or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove
to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.
(g) Cash Collateral. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent,
(i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any
Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if,
as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any Letter of Credit may for any
reason remain outstanding and partially or wholly undrawn, the Borrower shall
immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C
Obligations (in an amount equal to such Outstanding Amount determined as of the
date of such L/C Borrowing or the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, as the case
may be). For purposes hereof, "Cash Collateralize" means to pledge and deposit
with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer
and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account
balances pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to
by the Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. The
Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C
Issuer and the Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts
and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash collateral
shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of
America.
(h) Applicability of ISP98 and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly
agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, the
rules of the "International Standby Practices 1998" published by the Institute
of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be
in effect at the time of issuance) shall apply to each Letter of Credit.
(i) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Pro
Rata Share a Letter of Credit fee for each Letter of Credit equal to the
Applicable Rate times the daily maximum amount available to be drawn under such
Letter of Credit. Such letter of credit fees shall be computed on a quarterly
basis in arrears. Such letter of credit fees shall be due and payable on the
first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December,
commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter
of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and
26
thereafter on demand. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any
quarter, the daily maximum amount of each Letter of Credit shall be computed and
multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter
that such Applicable Rate was in effect.
(j) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to
L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own
account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit in the amounts and
at the times specified in the Fee Letter. In addition, the Borrower shall pay
directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance,
presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and
charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in
effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable
on demand and are nonrefundable.
(k) Conflict with Letter of Credit Application. In the event of
any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Letter of Credit
Application, the terms hereof shall control.
2.04 PREPAYMENTS.
(a) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at
any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part
without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by
the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon; (A) three Business Days
prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of
prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans
shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000
in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a
principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof
or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding.
Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the
Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify
each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such
Lender's Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the
Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount
specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.
Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued
interest thereon, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to
Section 3.05. Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders
in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.
(b) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed
the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay
Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal
to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to
Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.04(b) unless
after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the
Aggregate Commitments then in effect.
2.05 TERMINATION OR REDUCTION OF COMMITMENTS. The Borrower may,
upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or
from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that
(i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than
12:00 noon five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction,
(ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount
27
of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the
Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after
giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total
Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving
effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit
Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit
Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The
Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of
termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the
Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender
according to its Pro Rata Share. All facility and utilization fees accrued until
the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid
on the effective date of such termination.
2.06 REPAYMENT OF LOANS. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on
the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding on such
date.
2.07 INTEREST.
(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each
Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount
thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar
Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate
Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the
applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate.
(b) If any amount payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document
is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether
at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter
bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the
Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Furthermore,
while any Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall pay interest on the
principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating
interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due
amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon
demand.
(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on
each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be
specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with
the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the
commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.08 FEES. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (i)
and (j) of Section 2.03:
(a) Facility Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative
Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share, a
facility fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount of the
Aggregate Commitments (or, if the Aggregate Commitments have terminated, on the
Outstanding Amount of all Loans and L/C Obligations), regardless of usage. The
facility fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period (and
28
thereafter so long as any Loans or L/C Obligations remain outstanding),
including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV
is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last
Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the
first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the Maturity Date (and,
if applicable, thereafter on demand). The facility fee shall be calculated
quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during
any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the
Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such
Applicable Rate was in effect.
(b) Utilization Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative
Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share, a
utilization fee of 0.125% per annum times the Total Outstandings on each day
that the Total Outstandings exceed 50% of the actual daily amount of the
Aggregate Commitments. The utilization fee shall be due and payable quarterly in
arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December,
commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the
Maturity Date. The utilization fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears and
if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily
amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate for each period
during which such Applicable Rate was in effect. The utilization fee shall
accrue at all times, including at any time during which one or more of the
conditions in Article IV is not met.
(c) Other Fees. (i) The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and
the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts
and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned
when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
(ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as
shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the
times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be
refundable for any reason whatsoever.
2.09 COMPUTATION OF INTEREST AND FEES. All computations of interest
for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America's "prime
rate" shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may
be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall
be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in
more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis
of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the
Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the
day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is
repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.11(a),
bear interest for one day.
2.10 EVIDENCE OF DEBT.
(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced
by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the
Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records
maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive
absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders
to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record
or
29
any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the
obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the
Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records
maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative
Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative
Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any
Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and
deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall
evidence such Lender's Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each
Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if
applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in
subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in
accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases
and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit. In the event of
any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative
Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the
accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of
manifest error.
2.11 PAYMENTS GENERALLY.
(a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without
condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower
hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the
respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent's
Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on
the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to
each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of
such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender's Lending
Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall
be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable
interest or fee shall continue to accrue.
(b) If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a
day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following
Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing
interest or fees, as the case may be.
(c) Unless the Borrower or any Lender has notified the
Administrative Agent, prior to the date any payment is required to be made by it
to the Administrative Agent hereunder, that the Borrower or such Lender, as the
case may be, will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume
that the Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, has timely made such
payment and may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance thereon, make
available a corresponding amount to the Person entitled thereto. If and to the
extent that such payment was not in fact made to the Administrative Agent in
immediately available funds, then:
(i) if the Borrower failed to make such payment, each
Lender shall forthwith on demand repay to the Administrative Agent the
portion of such assumed payment that was made available to such Lender
in immediately available funds, together with interest thereon in
respect of each day from and including the date such amount was made
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available by the Administrative Agent to such Lender to the date such
amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in immediately available
funds at the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect; and
(ii) if any Lender failed to make such payment, such
Lender shall forthwith on demand pay to the Administrative Agent the
amount thereof in immediately available funds, together with interest
thereon for the period from the date such amount was made available by
the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date such amount is
recovered by the Administrative Agent (the "Compensation Period") at a
rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in
effect. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent,
then such amount shall constitute such Lender's Loan included in the
applicable Borrowing. If such Lender does not pay such amount forthwith
upon the Administrative Agent's demand therefor, the Administrative
Agent may make a demand therefor upon the Borrower, and the Borrower
shall pay such amount to the Administrative Agent, together with
interest thereon for the Compensation Period at a rate per annum equal
to the rate of interest applicable to the applicable Borrowing. Nothing
herein shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to
fulfill its Commitment or to prejudice any rights which the
Administrative Agent or the Borrower may have against any Lender as a
result of any default by such Lender hereunder.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with
respect to any amount owing under this subsection (c) shall be conclusive,
absent manifest error.
(d) If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent
funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing
provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the
Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable
Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in
accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such
funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without
interest.
(e) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to
fund participations in Letters of Credit are several and not joint. The failure
of any Lender to make any Loan or to fund any such participation on any date
required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding
obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the
failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or purchase its participation.
(f) Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to
obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute
a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for
any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.12 SHARING OF PAYMENTS. If, other than as expressly provided
elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain on account of the Loans made by it, or
the participations in L/C Obligations held by it, any payment (whether
voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or
otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated
hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (a) notify the Administrative
Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase from the other Lenders such participations
in the Loans made by them and/or such
31
subparticipations in the participations in L/C Obligations held by them, as the
case may be, as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the
excess payment in respect of such Loans or such participations, as the case may
be, pro rata with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion of
such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any
of the circumstances described in Section 10.06 (including pursuant to any
settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such
purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to
the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount
equal to such paying Lender's ratable share (according to the proportion of (i)
the amount of such paying Lender's required repayment to (ii) the total amount
so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or
payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered,
without further interest thereon. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so
purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of
set-off, but subject to Section 10.09) with respect to such participation as
fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount
of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall
be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations
purchased under this Section and will in each case notify the Lenders following
any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation
pursuant to this Section shall from and after such purchase have the right to
give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under
this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the
same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the
Obligations purchased.
ARTICLE III.
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 TAXES.
(a) Any and all payments by the Borrower to or for the account of
the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document shall be made
free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes,
duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar
charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding, in the case of the
Administrative Agent and each Lender, taxes imposed on or measured by its
overall net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income
taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the
Laws of which the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, is
organized or maintains a lending office (all such non-excluded taxes, duties,
levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges,
and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as "Taxes"). If the Borrower shall
be required by any Laws to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum
payable under any Loan Document to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (i)
the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all
required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable
under this Section), each of the Administrative Agent and such Lender receives
an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been
made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions, (iii) the Borrower shall pay
the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority
in accordance with applicable Laws, and (iv) within 30 days after the date of
such payment, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative
32
Agent (which shall forward the same to such Lender) the original or a certified
copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof.
(b) In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay any and all present or
future stamp, court or documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes
or charges or similar levies which arise from any payment made under any Loan
Document or from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or
registration of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document (hereinafter
referred to as "Other Taxes").
(c) If the Borrower shall be required to deduct or pay any Taxes
or Other Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document to
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, the Borrower shall also pay to the
Administrative Agent or to such Lender, as the case may be, at the time interest
is paid, such additional amount that the Administrative Agent or such Lender
specifies is necessary to preserve the after-tax yield (after factoring in all
taxes, including taxes imposed on or measured by net income) that the
Administrative Agent or such Lender would have received if such Taxes or Other
Taxes had not been imposed.
(d) The Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and
each Lender for (i) the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes (including any
Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable
under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent and such Lender, (ii)
amounts payable under Section 3.01(c) and (iii) any liability (including
additions to tax, penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with
respect thereto, in each case whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were
correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.
Payment under this subsection (d) shall be made within 30 days after the date
the Lender or the Administrative Agent makes a demand therefor.
3.02 ILLEGALITY. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it
unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful,
for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund
Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the
Eurodollar Rate, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through
the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue
Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans
shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the
Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer
exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, upon demand from such
Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable,
convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on
the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully
continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if
such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans.
Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued
interest on the amount so prepaid or converted. Each Lender agrees to designate
a different Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for such
notice and will not, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, otherwise be
materially disadvantageous to such Lender.
3.03 INABILITY TO DETERMINE RATES. If the Required Lenders
determine that for any reason adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
determining the Eurodollar Rate for any
33
requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan, or
that the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a
proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to
such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so
notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders
to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the
Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such
notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request
for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or,
failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a
Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
3.04 INCREASED COST AND REDUCED RETURN; CAPITAL ADEQUACY.
(a) If any Lender determines that as a result of the introduction
of or any change in or in the interpretation of any Law, or such Lender's
compliance therewith, there shall be any increase in the cost to such Lender of
agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Loans or (as
the case may be) issuing or participating in Letters of Credit, or a reduction
in the amount received or receivable by such Lender in connection with any of
the foregoing (excluding for purposes of this subsection (a) any such increased
costs or reduction in amount resulting from (i) Taxes or Other Taxes (as to
which Section 3.01 shall govern), (ii) changes in the basis of taxation of
overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or any foreign
jurisdiction or any political subdivision of either thereof under the Laws of
which such Lender is organized or has its Lending Office, and (iii) reserve
requirements utilized in the determination of the Eurodollar Rate, then from
time to time upon demand of such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the
Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional
amounts as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduction.
(b) If any Lender determines that the introduction of any Law
regarding capital adequacy or any change therein or in the interpretation
thereof, or compliance by such Lender (or its Lending Office) therewith, has the
effect of reducing the rate of return on the capital of such Lender or any
corporation controlling such Lender as a consequence of such Lender's
obligations hereunder (taking into consideration its policies with respect to
capital adequacy and such Lender's desired return on capital), then from time to
time upon demand of such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the
Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional
amounts as will compensate such Lender for such reduction.
(c) If any Lender makes demand under either Section 3.04(a) or (b)
more than ninety (90) days after it obtains knowledge of an event giving rise to
its right to make such demand, such Lender shall, with respect to compensation
payable pursuant to Section 3.04(a) or (b), only be entitled to payment
thereunder as a result of any such event for the period from and after the date
ninety (90) days prior to the date that such Lender does make demand. Each
demand shall be accompanied by a certificate stating the amount demanded and
stating in reasonable detail the basis for the charges and the method of
computation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3.04, no Lender
shall demand compensation for any increased cost, charge or reduction referred
to in Section 3.04(a) or (b) if it shall not at the time be the general policy
of such Lender to demand such compensation in similar circumstances under
comparable provisions of other credit agreements, and each Lender shall in good
faith endeavor to allocate
34
increased costs or reductions fairly among all of its affected commitments and
credit extensions (whether or not it seeks compensation from all affected
borrowers).
3.05 FUNDING LOSSES. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the
Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate
such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense
incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any
Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the
Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by
reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the
failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert
any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by
the Borrower; or
(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than
the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the
Borrower pursuant to Section 10.16;
including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from
the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or
from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.
The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such
Lender for services actually performed in connection with the foregoing.
For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under
this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar
Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Base Rate used in determining the
Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the
London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable
period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
3.06 MATTERS APPLICABLE TO ALL REQUESTS FOR COMPENSATION.
(a) A certificate of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
claiming compensation under this Article III and setting forth the additional
amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder shall be conclusive in the absence
of manifest error. In determining such amount, the Administrative Agent or such
Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.
(b) Upon any Lender's making a claim for compensation under
Section 3.01 or 3.04, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with
Section 10.16.
3.07 SURVIVAL. All of the Borrower's obligations under this Article
III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all
other Obligations hereunder.
35
ARTICLE IV.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
4.01 CONDITIONS OF INITIAL CREDIT EXTENSION. The obligation of each
Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction
of the following conditions precedent:
(a) The Administrative Agent's receipt of the following, each of
which shall be originals or facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless
otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of
governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form
and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:
(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement, sufficient
in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and
the Borrower;
(ii) a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each
Lender;
(iii) such certificates of resolutions or other action,
incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible
Officers of the Borrower as the Administrative Agent may require
evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible
Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in
connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(iv) such documents and certifications as the
Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that the
Borrower is duly organized or formed, and that the Borrower is validly
existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each
jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or
the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the
extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect;
(v) a favorable opinions of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇'▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel to
the Borrower, and an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Whitney, LLP, special counsel
to the Borrower, each addressed to the Administrative Agent and each
Lender, as to the matters set forth in Exhibit E and such other matters
concerning the Borrower and the Loan Documents as the Required Lenders
may reasonably request; (vi) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of
the Borrower either (A) attaching copies of all consents, licenses and
approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and
performance by the Borrower and the validity against the Borrower of
the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses
and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no
such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;
(vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections
4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, and (B) that there has been no
event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial
36
Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and (C)
the current Debt Ratings;
(viii) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained
pursuant to the Loan Documents has been obtained and is in effect;
(ix) evidence that the Existing Credit Agreement has been
or concurrently with the Closing Date is being terminated, all
indebtedness and obligations of the Borrower incurred thereunder, and
under all other documents executed and delivered in connection
therewith, have been, or with the initial Credit Extension hereunder on
the Closing Date will be, repaid and the Borrower released from all
liability thereunder except such as by their express term survive such
repayment and termination;
(x) a Compliance Certificate for the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, prepared as of the last day of the fiscal quarter thereof
ended most recently prior to the Closing Date, pro forma for all
Borrowings and repayments of Indebtedness to occur on the Closing Date;
and
(xi) such other assurances, certificates, documents,
consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer or
the Required Lenders reasonably may require.
(b) Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date
shall have been paid.
(c) Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall
have paid all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced
prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs
as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be
incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate
shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent).
(d) The Closing Date shall have occurred on or before October 31,
2003.
4.02 CONDITIONS TO ALL CREDIT EXTENSIONS. The obligation of each
Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice
requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of
Eurodollar Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained
in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document
furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be
true and correct on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the
extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier
date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, and
except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and
warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.11 shall be deemed
to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and
(b), respectively, of Section 6.01.
(b) No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed
Credit Extension.
37
(c) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer
shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the
requirements hereof.
Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting
only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar
Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and
warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been
satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE V.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders that:
5.01 CORPORATE EXISTENCE AND POWER. The Borrower and each of its
Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries):
(a) is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation;
(b) has the power and authority and all governmental licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals to own its assets, carry on its business
and to execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents;
(c) is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is licensed and
in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease
or operation of property or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification or license; and
(d) is in compliance with all Laws; except, in each case referred
to in clause (b), (c) or clause (d), to the extent that the failure to do so
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.02 CORPORATE AUTHORIZATION; NO CONTRAVENTION. The execution,
delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and each other Loan
Document have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not
and will not:
(a) contravene the terms of any of the Borrower's Organization
Documents;
(b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or
the creation of any Lien under, any document evidencing any Contractual
Obligation to which the Borrower is a party or any order, injunction, writ or
decree of any Governmental Authority to which the Borrower or its property is
subject; or
(c) violate any Laws.
5.03 GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATION. No approval, consent, exemption,
authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any
Governmental Authority is necessary or
38
required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or
enforcement against, the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.04 BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement and each other Loan Document to
which the Borrower is a party constitute the legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with
their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors'
rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.
5.05 LITIGATION. Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.05,
there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending, or to the
best knowledge of the Borrower, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity,
in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, against the Borrower or its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties which:
(a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other
Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby; or
(b) if determined adversely to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries,
would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No injunction,
writ, temporary restraining order or any order of any nature has been issued by
any court or other Governmental Authority purporting to enjoin or restrain the
execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other Loan Document,
or directing that the transactions provided for herein or therein not be
consummated as herein or therein provided.
5.06 NO DEFAULT. No Default or Event of Default exists or would
result from the incurring of any Obligations by the Borrower. As of the Closing
Date, neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with
respect to any Contractual Obligation in any respect which, individually or
together with all such defaults, could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect, or that would, if such default had occurred after the Closing
Date, create an Event of Default under Section 8.01(e).
5.07 ERISA COMPLIANCE.
(a) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.07, each Plan
is in substantial compliance in all material respects with the applicable
provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state law. Each Plan which is
intended to qualify under Section 401 (a) of the Code has received a favorable
determination letter from the IRS and to the best knowledge of the Borrower,
nothing has occurred which would if not remedied (the time for such remedy not
having yet expired) cause the loss of such qualification.
(b) There are no pending, or to the best knowledge of the
Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental
Authority, with respect to any Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited
transaction or other violation of the fiduciary responsibility rule under ERISA
with respect to any Plan which could reasonably result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.07, no ERISA
Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
Pension Plan.
39
(d) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.07, no Pension
Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability.
(e) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.07, the
Borrower has not incurred, nor does it reasonably expect to incur, any liability
under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums
due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA).
(f) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.07, the
Borrower has not transferred any Unfunded Pension Liability to any Person or to
the knowledge of the Borrower otherwise engaged in a transaction subject to
Section 4069 of ERISA.
(g) No trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under
common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m)
or (o) of the Code maintains or contributes to any Pension Plan or other Plan
subject to Section 412 of the Code. During the five year period ending on the
Closing Date, neither the Borrower nor any Person under common control with the
Borrower (as defined in the preceding sentence) has ever contributed to any
multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
5.08 USE OF PROCEEDS; MARGIN REGULATIONS. The proceeds of the Loans
are to be used solely for the purposes set forth in and permitted by Section
6.11 and Section 7.07. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is generally
engaged in the business of purchasing or selling Margin Stock or extending
credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock.
5.09 TITLE TO PROPERTIES. The Borrower and each Subsidiary have
good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests
in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of their
respective businesses, except for such defects in title as could not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. As of the
Closing Date, the property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than
Excluded Subsidiaries) is subject to no Liens, other than Permitted Liens.
5.10 TAXES. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than Excluded
Subsidiaries) have filed all federal and other material tax returns and reports
required to be filed, and have paid all federal and other material taxes,
assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or
their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which
are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no
proposed tax assessment against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if
made, have a Material Adverse Effect or that is not disclosed on Schedule 5.10.
40
5.11 FINANCIAL CONDITION.
(a) The audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries dated December 31, 2002, and the unaudited consolidated
financial statements dated June 30, 2003, and the related consolidated
statements of income or operations, shareholders' equity and cash flows for the
fiscal year or the fiscal quarter, respectively, ended on such dates:
(i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise
expressly noted therein, subject to ordinary, good faith year end audit
adjustments in the case of such unaudited statements;
(ii) fairly present the financial condition of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and results of
operations for the period covered thereby; and
(iii) except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.11,
show all material Indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or
contingent, of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the
date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and
Contingent Obligations.
(b) Since December 31, 2002, there has been no Material Adverse
Effect.
5.12 ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Except as specifically disclosed in
Schedule 5.12, existing Environmental Laws and existing Environmental Claims
could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
5.13 REGULATED ENTITIES. Neither the Borrower, any Person
controlling the Borrower, nor any Subsidiary, is an "Investment Company" within
the meaning of the Investment Companies Act of 1940. The Borrower is not subject
to any other federal or state statute or regulation limiting its ability to
incur Indebtedness.
5.14 NO BURDENSOME RESTRICTIONS. Neither the Borrower nor any
Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any Contractual Obligation, or subject to
any restriction in any Organization Document, or any Requirement of Law, which
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.15 COPYRIGHTS, PATENTS, TRADEMARKS AND LICENSES, ETC. The
Borrower and its Subsidiaries own or are licensed or otherwise have the right to
use all of the patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights,
contractual franchises, authorizations and other rights that are reasonably
necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, without conflict
with the rights of any other Person. To the best knowledge of the Borrower, no
slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance, part or
other material now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by the Borrower
or any Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) infringes upon any rights
held by any other Person. Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.05, no
claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or threatened, and
no patent, invention, device, application, principle or any statute, law, rule,
regulation, standard or code is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower,
proposed, which, in either case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
41
5.16 SUBSIDIARIES. As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no
Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in part (a) of Schedule
5.16 hereto and has no equity investments in any other corporation or entity
other than those specifically disclosed in part (b) of Schedule 5.16.
5.17 INSURANCE. The properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
(other than Excluded Subsidiaries) are insured either with financially sound and
reputable insurance companies or under legitimate and responsible self-insurance
programs, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are
customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning
similar properties in localities where the Borrower or its Subsidiaries (other
than Excluded Subsidiaries) operate.
5.18 FULL DISCLOSURE. None of the representations or warranties
made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the Loan Documents as of the date such
representations and warranties are made or deemed made, and none of the
statements contained in any exhibit, report, statement or certificate furnished
by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with the Loan
Documents (including the offering and disclosure materials delivered by or on
behalf of the Borrower to the Lenders prior to the Closing Date), contains any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not misleading as of the time when made
or delivered.
5.19 TAX SHELTER REGULATIONS. The Borrower does not intend to treat
the Loans and related transactions as being a "reportable transaction" (within
the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4). In the event the Borrower
determines to take any action inconsistent with such intention, it will promptly
notify the Lender thereof. If the Borrower so notifies the Lender, the Borrower
acknowledges that the Lender may treat the Loans as part of a transaction that
is subject to Treasury Regulation Section 301.6112-1, and the Lender will
maintain the lists and other records required by such Treasury Regulation.
ARTICLE VI.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or
other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of
Credit shall remain outstanding, the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the
case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.03 and 6.11) cause
each Subsidiary (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) to:
6.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Deliver to the Administrative Agent, in
form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required
Lenders, with sufficient copies for each Lender:
(a) as soon as available, but not later than 90 days after the end
of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the audited consolidated balance
sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year and
the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders'
equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in
comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable
detail and prepared in
42
accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by the opinion of Ernst & Young
LLP or another nationally-recognized independent public accounting firm
("Independent Auditor") which report shall state that such consolidated
financial statements present fairly the financial position for the periods
indicated in conformity with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with prior
years. Such opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted
auditing standards and shall not be subject to any "going concern" or like
qualification or be qualified or limited because of a restricted or limited
examination by the Independent Auditor of any material portion of the Borrower
or any Subsidiary's records; and
(b) as soon as available, but not later than 45 days after the end
of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, a copy of the
unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of
the end of such fiscal quarter and the related consolidated statements of income
and cash flows for the period commencing on the first day and ending on the last
day of such fiscal quarter, and certified by a Responsible Officer as fairly
presenting, in accordance with GAAP (subject to ordinary, good faith year-end
audit adjustments), the financial position and the results of operations of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries. As to any information contained in materials
furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(d), the Borrower shall not be separately
required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the
foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to
furnish the information and materials described in subsections (a) and (b) above
at the times specified therein.
6.02 CERTIFICATES; OTHER INFORMATION. Deliver to the Administrative
Agent with sufficient copies for each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to
the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) (i) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements
referred to in subsections 6.01 (a) and (b), a Compliance Certificate, executed
by a Responsible Officer which certifies, among other things, that no Default or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (except as described therein);
(b) promptly, copies of all financial statements and reports that
the Borrower sends to its shareholders, and copies of all financial statements
and regular, periodical or special reports (including Forms 10K, 10Q and 8K)
that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may make to, or file with, the SEC;
(c) promptly, such additional information regarding the business,
financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary as the
Administrative Agent, at the request of any Lender, may from time to time
reasonably request;
(d) promptly after the Borrower has notified the Administrative
Agent of any intention by the Borrower to treat the Loans and/or Letters of
Credit as being a "reportable transaction" (within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.6011-4), a duly completed copy of IRS Form 8886 or any
successor form;
(e) immediately, written notice of the Borrower's receipt of a
Debt Rating or any change in such Debt Rating; and
(f) immediately, written notice of Loans in excess of 50% of the
Total Commitment.
43
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b)
or Section 6.02(b) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials
otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so
delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the
Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower's
website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii)
on which such documents are posted on the Borrower's behalf on
IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender
and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party
website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i)
the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative
Agent upon its request for itself and to each Lender that makes a request to the
Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease
delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent on behalf of itself
or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or
electronic mail) the Administrative Agent and each Lender of the posting of any
such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail
electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Notwithstanding
anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to
provide paper copies of the Compliance Certificates required by Section 6.02(a)
to the Administrative Agent for itself and each of the Lenders. Except for such
Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to
request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above,
and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the
Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely
responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such
documents.
6.03 NOTICES. Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each
Lender:
(a) of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, and of
the occurrence or existence of any event or circumstance that is reasonably
likely to become a Default or Event of Default;
(b) of any matter that has resulted or is reasonably likely to
result in a Material Adverse Effect, including (insofar as the same has resulted
or is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect) (i) breach or
non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of the
Borrower or its Subsidiaries; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation,
proceeding or suspension between the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any
Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material
development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;
(c) of any of the following events affecting the Borrower,
together with a copy of any notice with respect to such event that may be
required to be filed with a Governmental Authority and any notice delivered by a
Governmental Authority to the Borrower with respect to such event:
(i) an ERISA Event;
(ii) if any of the representations and warranties in
Section 5.12 ceases to be true and correct;
44
(iii) the adoption of any new Pension Plan or other Plan
subject to Section 412 of the Code;
(iv) the adoption of any amendment to a Pension Plan or
other Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code that results in a
material increase in contributions or Unfunded Pension Liability; or
(v) the commencement of contributions to any Pension Plan
or other Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code; and
(d) of any material change in accounting policies or financial
reporting practices by the Borrower or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries.
Each notice under this Section shall be accompanied by a written
statement by a Responsible Officer setting forth details of the occurrence
referred to therein, and stating what action the Borrower or any affected
Subsidiary proposes to take with respect thereto and at what time. Each notice
under Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all clauses or
provisions of this Agreement or other Loan Document that have been (or
foreseeably will be) breached or violated.
6.04 PRESERVATION OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE, ETC.
(a) preserve and maintain in full force and effect its corporate
existence and good standing under the laws of its state or jurisdiction of
incorporation;
(b) preserve and maintain in full force and effect all
governmental rights, privileges, qualifications, permits, licenses and
franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business except
in connection with transactions permitted by Section 7.03 and sales of assets
permitted by Section 7.02;
(c) use reasonable efforts, in the ordinary course of business, to
preserve its business organization and goodwill; and
(d) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks,
trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.05 MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTY. Maintain, and preserve all its
property which is used or useful in its business in good working order and
condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and make all necessary repairs
thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower
and each Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) shall use the standard
of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its
facilities.
6.06 INSURANCE. Maintain, either with financially sound and
reputable independent insurers or under legitimate and responsible
self-insurance programs, insurance with respect to its properties and business
against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons
engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as
are
45
customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons; provided
that at all times during the term of this Agreement the Borrower shall maintain
insurance coverage with sound and reputable independent insurers in
substantially the same amounts and covering substantially the same risks as the
coverage existing on the Closing Date which is specifically disclosed in
Schedule 6.06. Upon request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, the
Borrower shall furnish the Agent, with sufficient copies for each Lender, at
reasonable intervals (but not more than once per calendar year) a certificate of
the Borrower's insurance broker setting forth the nature, extent and such other
information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request regarding the
independent insurance maintained by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other
than Excluded Subsidiaries) in accordance with this Section 6.06.
6.07 PAYMENT OF OBLIGATIONS. Pay and discharge as the same shall
become due and payable, all their respective obligations and liabilities with
respect to which the failure to make payment could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect, including (insofar as the same could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect): (a) all tax liabilities,
assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or
assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained
by the Borrower or such Subsidiary;
(b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien
upon its property, unless the same are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being
maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary; and
(c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable.
6.08 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Comply, in all material respects with
all requirements of Law of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over
it or its business (including the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and
Regulation U issued by the FRB), except such as may be contested in good faith
or as to which a bona fide dispute may exist.
6.09 INSPECTION OF PROPERTY AND BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Borrower
shall maintain and shall cause each Subsidiary (other than Excluded
Subsidiaries) to maintain proper books of record and account, in which full,
true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be
made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Borrower shall permit, and shall cause
each Subsidiary (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) to permit, representatives
and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent, at the expense of the
Borrower for one annual visit and inspection and at the expense of the
Administrative Agent for each more frequent visit and inspection, or any Lender,
at such Lender's expense, to visit and inspect any of their respective
properties, to examine their respective corporate, financial and operating
records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss their
respective affairs, finances and accounts with their respective directors,
officers, and independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times
during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon
reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, when an Event of
Default exists
46
the Administrative Agent or any Lender may do any of the foregoing at the
expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without
advance notice at the Borrower's expense.
6.10 ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each
Subsidiary to, conduct its operations and keep and maintain its property in
compliance with all Environmental Laws (except for any noncompliance which has
not resulted or is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Effect).
6.11 USE OF PROCEEDS. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (i)
for working capital, capital expenditures, and other corporate purposes not in
contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document; and (ii) to refinance, or to
provide liquidity to support the Borrower's commercial paper program to be
utilized (among other things) to refinance, all Indebtedness of the Borrower
outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement.
ARTICLE VII.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or
other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of
Credit shall remain outstanding, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any
Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) to, directly or indirectly:
7.01 LIMITATION ON LIENS. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist
any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired, other than the following ("Permitted Liens"):
(a) any Lien existing on property of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary on the Closing Date and set forth in Schedule 7.01 securing
Indebtedness outstanding on such date;
(b) any Lien created under any Loan Document;
(c) Liens for taxes, fees, assessments or other governmental
charges which-are not delinquent or remain payable without penalty, or to the
extent that non-payment thereof is permitted by Section 6.04, provided that no
notice of lien has been filed or recorded under the Code;
(d) carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', landlords',
materialmen's, repairmen's or other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course
of business which are not delinquent or remain payable without penalty or which
are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, which
proceedings have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property
subject thereto;
(e) Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA) consisting of
pledges or deposits required in the ordinary course of business in connection
with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security
legislation;
47
(f) Liens on the property of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries securing (i) the non-delinquent performance of bids, trade
contracts (other than for borrowed money), leases, statutory obligations, (ii)
contingent obligations on surety and appeal bonds, and (iii) other
non-delinquent obligations of a like nature; in each case, incurred in the
ordinary course of business, provided all such Liens in the aggregate would not
(even if enforced) cause a Material Adverse Effect;
(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar
encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business which, in the
aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case
materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or interfere
with the ordinary conduct of the businesses of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries;
(h) Liens on assets of companies which become Subsidiaries after
the date of this Agreement, provided, however, that such Liens existed at the
time the respective companies became Subsidiaries and were not created in
anticipation thereof;
(i) purchase money security interests on any property acquired or
held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business,
securing Indebtedness incurred or assumed for the purpose of financing all or
any part of the cost of acquiring such property; provided that (i) any such Lien
attaches to such property concurrently with or within 20 days after the
acquisition thereof, (ii) such Lien attaches solely to the property so acquired
in such transaction, (iii) the principal amount of the debt secured thereby does
not exceed 100% of the cost of such property, and (iv) the principal amount of
the Indebtedness secured by any and all such purchase money security interests
shall not at any time exceed $75,000,000;
(j) Liens securing obligations in respect of capital leases on
assets subject to such leases, provided that such capital leases are otherwise
permitted hereunder;
(k) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law
provision relating to banker's liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and
remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor
depository institution; provided that (i) such deposit account is not a
dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against
access by either of the Borrower in excess of those set forth by regulations
promulgated by the FRB, and (ii) such deposit account is not intended by either
of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository
institution;
(l) Other Liens on property, provided that the sum of the
aggregate Indebtedness secured by such Liens (exclusive of Indebtedness secured
by Liens permitted by clauses (a) through (k) and (m) and (n) hereof) shall not
exceed an amount equal to 5% of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth as shown on the
Borrower's consolidated balance sheet for its most recent prior fiscal quarter;
and
(m) Liens on accounts receivable and related property of any
Subsidiary of the Borrower and/or on any such related property of the Borrower,
in each case subject to a Permitted Receivables Facility and created in
connection with such Permitted Receivables Facility; and
48
(n) Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition thereof
by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided, such Liens were in existence prior
to such acquisition and were not created in contemplation of such acquisition.
7.02 DISPOSITION OF ASSETS. Sell, assign, lease, convey, transfer
or otherwise dispose of (whether in one or a series of transactions) any
property (including accounts and notes receivable, with or without recourse) or
enter into any agreement to do any of the foregoing, except:
(a) dispositions of inventory, or used, worn-out or surplus
equipment, all in the ordinary course of business;
(b) the sale of equipment to the extent that such equipment is
exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement
equipment, or the proceeds of such sale are reasonably promptly applied to the
purchase price of such replacement equipment;
(c) other dispositions of property during the term of this
Agreement whose net book value in the aggregate shall not exceed 10% of the
total assets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as reflected on
the balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for their
most recent prior fiscal quarter; and
(d) the sale of notes or account receivables (or interests
therein) pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of a Permitted Receivables
Facility by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
7.03 CONSOLIDATIONS AND MERGERS. Merge, consolidate with or into,
or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction
or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether
now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except:
(a) any Subsidiary may merge with the Borrower, provided that the
Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation, or with any one or
more Subsidiaries, provided that if any transaction shall be between a
Subsidiary and a wholly-owned Subsidiary, the wholly-owned Subsidiary shall be
the continuing or surviving corporation;
(b) any Subsidiary may sell all or substantially all of its assets
(upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise), to the Borrower or another
wholly-owned Subsidiary or as otherwise permitted by Section 7.02; and
(c) any Subsidiary may merge with a third party in order to
consummate an Acquisition, including any merger as a result of which the third
party is the surviving entity, so long as such entity upon the consummation of
the merger is a Subsidiary.
49
7.04 LOANS AND INVESTMENTS. Purchase or acquire, or make any
commitment therefor, any capital stock, equity interest, or any obligations or
other securities of, or any interest in, any Person, or make or commit to make
any Acquisitions, or make or commit to make any advance, loan, extension of
credit or capital contribution to or any other investment in, any Person
including any Affiliate of the Borrower, except for:
(a) investments in cash equivalents and short term marketable
securities in accordance with the written investment policy approved from time
to time by the Borrower's board of directors, a current copy of which is set
forth as Schedule 7.04(a) attached hereto and provided further, that the
Borrower shall provide a copy of such policy to any Lender upon written request
given to the Administrative Agent from time to time;
(b) extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or
notes receivable arising from the sale or lease of goods or services in the
ordinary course of business;
(c) extensions of credit by the Borrower to any of its
Subsidiaries or by any of its Subsidiaries to another of its Subsidiaries;
(d) Acquisitions, including investments in a Subsidiary or a third
party incurred in order to consummate Acquisitions, provided that (i) such
Acquisitions are undertaken in accordance with all applicable Laws; and (ii) the
prior, effective written consent or approval to such Acquisition of the board of
directors or equivalent governing body of the acquiree or any owner of any
assets being acquired is obtained if such consent or approval is required to
authorize the same;
(e) minority equity investments or venture capital investments,
provided that such investments are within the healthcare industry;
(f) loans or other advances made during the term of this Agreement
by the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries which in the aggregate do not
exceed 1 % of the total assets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries
as reflected on the balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated
Subsidiaries for the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of
determination;
(g) Advances to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower
and Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time
outstanding, for travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary
business purposes; and
(h) investments in one or more Subsidiaries of the Borrower by the
Borrower.
The Borrower shall not, and shall not suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries
to, use any portion of the Loan proceeds, directly or indirectly, to acquire any
securities in connection with any transaction subject to Section 13(d) (other
than an Investment Transaction) or Section 14 of the Exchange Act, unless, prior
to the time such transaction becomes subject to such Section 13 or 14, the board
of directors or other applicable governing body of the Person that is the issuer
of such securities has adopted a resolution approving such transaction. For
purposes of this Section 7.04, an "Investment Transaction" means a transaction
subject to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, provided that in connection with
such transaction the Borrower or any Subsidiary (as the
50
case may be) has reported and at all times continues to report to the SEC that
such transaction is undertaken for investment purposes or strategic business
purposes.
7.05 LIMITATION ON SUBSIDIARY INDEBTEDNESS. Permit any Subsidiary
to create, incur, assume, suffer to exist, or otherwise become or remain
directly or indirectly liable with respect to, any Indebtedness or Contingent
Obligations, except:
(a) Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on
Schedule 7.05 and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof;
provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of
such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a
reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses
reasonably incurred, in connection therewith and by an amount equal to any
existing commitments unutilized thereunder;
(b) letters of credit, bid bonds, performance guarantees and
overdraft obligations guaranteed by the Borrower so long as the aggregate
Indebtedness and Contingent Obligations under this subsection (b) is not of any
time in excess of $30,000,000;
(c) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course
of business;
(d) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary incurred pursuant to a
Permitted Receivables Facility;
(e) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the 1.019% unsecured private
placement notes issued by ▇▇▇▇ Bros. Co. Ltd. ("▇▇▇▇") in May 2003 in the
original principal amount of 20,864,375,000 Japanese Yen and maturing May 7,
2010, and (ii) all loans and other obligations incurred by ▇▇▇▇ under a
revolving credit facility with Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi in the maximum aggregate
principal amount at any time outstanding of 2,735,625,000 Japanese Yen, and,
with respect to both (i) and (ii), any refinancings, refundings, renewals or
extensions thereof; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not
increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension
except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount
paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection therewith and by
an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder.
(f) other Indebtedness or Contingent Obligations, provided that
the aggregate amount of Indebtedness and Contingent Obligations permitted under
subsections (a) and (f) of this Section 7.05 shall not exceed $125,000,000.
The restrictions contained in this Section shall not include any Indebtedness of
any Subsidiary incurred under this Agreement or under the 364-Day Agreement.
7.06 TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES. Enter into any transaction with
any Affiliate of the Borrower, except upon fair and reasonable terms no less
favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than would obtain in a comparable
arm's-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of the Borrower or such
Subsidiary.
7.07 USE OF PROCEEDS; REGULATION U. Following the application of
proceeds of each Loan, have more than 25% of the value of assets of the
Borrower, which are subject to any
51
arrangement with the Administrative Agent or any Lender (herein or otherwise)
whereby the Borrower's or any Subsidiary's right or ability to sell, pledge or
otherwise dispose of assets is in any way restricted, be Margin Stock.
7.08 LIMITATION ON SUBSIDIARY DIVIDENDS. Permit any Subsidiary
(other than an Excluded Subsidiary) to enter into any agreement with any Person
(other than the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement) which prohibits or limits
the ability of such Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) to declare or
pay any dividends or make other distributions of assets, properties, cash,
rights, obligations or securities on account of any shares of any class of the
capital stock of such Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary).
7.09 JOINT VENTURES. Enter into any Joint Venture which is not in
the healthcare industry.
7.10 RESTRICTED PAYMENTS. Declare or make any dividend payment or
other distribution of assets, properties, cash, rights, obligations or
securities on account of any shares of any class of its capital stock, or
purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for value any shares of its capital stock
or any warrants, rights or options to acquire such shares, now or hereafter
outstanding; except that the Borrower and any wholly-owned Subsidiary may:
(a) declare and make dividend payments or other distributions
payable solely in its common stock;
(b) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares of its common
stock or warrants or options to acquire any such shares with the proceeds
received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its common
stock; and
(c) declare or pay cash dividends to its stockholders and
purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares of its capital stock or warrants,
rights or options to acquire any such shares for cash provided, that, before and
immediately after giving effect to such proposed action, no Default or Event of
Default exists or would exist.
7.11 CHANGE IN BUSINESS. Engage in any material line of business
substantially different from those lines of business carried on by the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof.
7.12 ACCOUNTING CHANGES. Make any significant change in accounting
treatment or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP, or change the
fiscal year of the Borrower or of any Subsidiary.
7.13 CONSOLIDATED INTEREST COVERAGE RATIO. Permit the Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to
be less than 3.5 to 1.0 for the four fiscal quarters ending on such date.
7.14 CONSOLIDATED LEVERAGE RATIO. Permit the Consolidated Leverage
Ratio at any time during any period of four fiscal quarters of the Borrower set
forth below to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0 for the four fiscal quarters ending on
such date.
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ARTICLE VIII.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 EVENTS OF DEFAULT. Any of the following shall constitute an
"Event of Default":
(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as
required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C
Obligation, or (ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest
on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any facility, utilization or other fee
due hereunder, or (iii) within five days after the same becomes due, any other
amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower fails to perform or observe
any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03,
6.09, or 6.11 or Article VII and, with respect to any default under Section 6.01
or 6.02, such default shall remain unremedied for a period of five (5) days; or
(c) Other Defaults. The Borrower fails to perform or observe any
other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above)
contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such
failure continues unremedied for 30 days after the earlier of (i) the date upon
which a Responsible Officer knew or reasonably should have known of such failure
or (ii) the date upon which written notice thereof is given to the Borrower by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or
(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty,
certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the
Borrower herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in
connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or
deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) fails to
make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment,
acceleration, demand, or otherwise) under (I) the 364-Day Credit Agreement or
(II) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness
hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal
amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts
owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of
more than the $25,000,000, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other
agreement or condition (I) contained in the 364-Day Credit Agreement or (II)
relating to any such other Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any
instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other
event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to
permit the lenders under the 364-Day Credit Agreement or any holder or holders
of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a
trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or
beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such
Indebtedness (including without limitation Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the
364-Day Credit Agreement) to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased,
prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to
repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness (including without
limitation Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the 364-Day Credit Agreement) to be
made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash
collateral in respect thereof to be
53
demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date
(as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under
such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting
Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so
defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is
an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination
Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater
than the Threshold Amount; or
(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. The Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) institutes or consents to the
institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an
assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the
appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator,
rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its
property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator,
rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent
of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60
calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any
such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without
the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar
days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Borrower or any
Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) becomes unable or admits in
writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or
(ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued
or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person
and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or
levy; or
(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Borrower or any
Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) (i) a final judgment or order for
the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding $75,000,000 (to the extent
not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does
not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that
have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are
commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period
of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by
reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension
Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to
result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan,
Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000,
or (ii) the commencement or increase of contributions to, or the adoption of or
the amendment of a Pension Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be
expected to result in an increase in Unfunded Pension Liability among all
Pension Plans in an aggregate amount in excess of $75,000,000; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time
after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly
permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be
in full force and effect; or the Borrower or
54
any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any
Loan Document; or the Borrower denies that it has any or further liability or
obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind
any Loan Document; or
(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control with
respect to the Borrower;
(l) Loss of Licenses. (i) The Food and Drug Administration or any
other Governmental Authority revokes or fails to renew any material license,
permit, franchise, patent, trademark, service ▇▇▇▇, trade name, copyright,
authorization or other right of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or the Borrower
or any Subsidiary for any reason loses any material license, permit, franchise,
patent, trademark, service ▇▇▇▇, trade name, copyright, authorization or other
right, or the Borrower or any Subsidiary suffers the imposition of any
restraining order, escrow, suspension or impound of funds in connection with any
proceeding (judicial or administrative) with respect to any material license,
permit, franchise, patent, trademark, service ▇▇▇▇, trade name, copyright,
authorization or other right; and (ii) any event or circumstance described in
clause (i) has resulted or is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
8.02 REMEDIES UPON EVENT OF DEFAULT. If any Event of Default occurs
and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may,
with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following
actions:
(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any
obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated,
whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans,
all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable
hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable,
without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which
are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;
(c) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C
Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and
(d) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and
remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable
law;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an
order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the
United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of
the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the
unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other
amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the
obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as
aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act
of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
8.03 APPLICATION OF FUNDS. After the exercise of remedies provided
for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately
due and payable and the L/C
55
Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set
forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the
Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees,
indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including Attorney Costs and amounts
payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity
as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting
fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable
to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs and amounts payable under Article III),
ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second
payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting
accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the
Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third
payable to them;
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting
unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders in
proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by
them;
Fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer,
to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate
undrawn amount of Letters of Credit; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been
indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate
undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be
applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any
amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have
either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to
the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
ARTICLE IX.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 APPOINTMENT AND AUTHORIZATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT.
(a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints, designates and
authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action on its behalf under the
provisions of this Agreement and each other Loan Document and to exercise such
powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to it by the terms of
this Agreement or any other Loan Document, together with such powers as are
reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary
contained elsewhere herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative
Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set
forth herein, nor shall the Administrative Agent have or be deemed to have any
fiduciary relationship with any Lender or participant, and no implied covenants,
functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities
56
shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist
against the Administrative Agent. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing sentence, the use of the term "agent" herein and in the other Loan
Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote
any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency
doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of
market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative
relationship between independent contracting parties.
(b) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect
to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith,
and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (i) provided to
the Administrative Agent in this Article IX with respect to any acts taken or
omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued
by it or proposed to be issued by it and the applications and agreements for
letters of credit pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term
"Administrative Agent" as used in this Article IX and in the definition of
"Agent-Related Person" included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or
omissions, and (ii) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C
Issuer.
9.02 DELEGATION OF DUTIES. The Administrative Agent may execute any
of its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document by or through
agents, employees or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of
counsel and other consultants or experts concerning all matters pertaining to
such duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the
negligence or misconduct of any agent or attorney-in-fact that it selects in the
absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
9.03 LIABILITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT. No Agent-Related Person
shall (a) be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any of them
under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the
transactions contemplated hereby (except for its own gross negligence or willful
misconduct in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein), or (b) be
responsible in any manner to any Lender or participant for any recital,
statement, representation or warranty made by the Borrower or any officer
thereof, contained herein or in any other Loan Document, or in any certificate,
report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received
by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any
other Loan Document, or the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability
or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or for any failure
of the Borrower to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. No
Agent-Related Person shall be under any obligation to any Lender or participant
to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the
agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Borrower or any
Affiliate thereof.
9.04 RELIANCE BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT.
(a) The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall
be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, communication, signature,
resolution, representation, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter,
telegram, facsimile, telex or telephone message, electronic mail message,
statement or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and
correct
57
and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons, and upon
advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower),
independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take
any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or
concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so
requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders
against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason
of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall
in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under
this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or
consent of the Required Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be
expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken
or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders.
(b) For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions
specified in Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be
deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each
document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by
or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall
have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date
specifying its objection thereto.
9.05 NOTICE OF DEFAULT. The Administrative Agent shall not be
deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default, except with
respect to defaults in the payment of principal, interest and fees required to
be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, unless the
Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from a Lender or the
Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default and stating that
such notice is a "notice of default." The Administrative Agent will notify the
Lenders of its receipt of any such notice. The Administrative Agent shall take
such action with respect to such Default as may be directed by the Required
Lenders in accordance with Article VIII; provided, however, that unless and
until the Administrative Agent has received any such direction, the
Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or
refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default as it shall deem
advisable or in the best interest of the Lenders.
9.06 CREDIT DECISION; DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION BY ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT. Each Lender acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person has made any
representation or warranty to it, and that no act by the Administrative Agent
hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or
review of the affairs of the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed
to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person to any
Lender as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons have disclosed
material information in their possession. Each Lender represents to the
Administrative Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any
Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it has
deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the
business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and
creditworthiness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank
or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and
made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the
Borrower hereunder. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and
without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such
58
documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to
make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking
action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such
investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business,
prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and
creditworthiness of the Borrower. Except for notices, reports and other
documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the
Administrative Agent herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or
responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information
concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other
condition or creditworthiness of the Borrower or its Affiliates which may come
into the possession of any Agent-Related Person.
9.07 INDEMNIFICATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT. Whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Lenders shall indemnify
upon demand each Agent-Related Person (to the extent not reimbursed by or on
behalf of the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do
so), pro rata, and hold harmless each Agent-Related Person from and against any
and all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by it; provided, however, that no
Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any
portion of such Indemnified Liabilities to the extent determined in a final,
nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted
from such Agent-Related Person's own gross negligence or willful misconduct;
provided, however, that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the
Required Lenders shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful
misconduct for purposes of this Section. Without limitation of the foregoing,
each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable
share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred
by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution,
delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether
through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in
respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan
Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent
that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on
behalf of the Borrower. The undertaking in this Section shall survive
termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations
and the resignation of the Administrative Agent.
9.08 ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY. Bank of
America and its Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the
account of, accept deposits from, acquire equity interests in and generally
engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting or other
business with the Borrower and its Affiliates as though Bank of America were not
the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer hereunder and without notice to or
consent of the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such
activities, Bank of America or its Affiliates may receive information regarding
the Borrower or its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to
confidentiality obligations in favor of the Borrower or such Affiliate) and
acknowledge that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to
provide such information to them. With respect to its Loans, Bank of America
shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Lender
and may exercise such rights and powers as though it were not the Administrative
Agent or the L/C Issuer, and the terms "Lender" and "Lenders" include Bank of
America in its individual capacity.
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9.09 SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT. The Administrative Agent may
resign as Administrative Agent upon 30 days' notice to the Lenders; provided
that any such resignation by Bank of America shall also constitute its
resignation as L/C Issuer. If the Administrative Agent resigns under this
Agreement, the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor
administrative agent for the Lenders, which successor administrative agent shall
be consented to by the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of
an Event of Default (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed). If no successor administrative agent is appointed prior to
the effective date of the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the
Administrative Agent may appoint, after consulting with the Lenders and the
Borrower, a successor administrative agent from among the Lenders. Upon the
acceptance of its appointment as successor administrative agent hereunder, the
Person acting as such successor administrative agent shall succeed to all the
rights, powers and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer
and the respective terms "Administrative Agent" and "L/C Issuer" shall mean such
successor administrative agent and Letter of Credit issuer, and the retiring
Administrative Agent's appointment, powers and duties as Administrative Agent
shall be terminated and the retiring L/C Issuer's rights, powers and duties as
such shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part
of such retiring L/C Issuer or any other Lender, other than the obligation of
the successor L/C Issuer to issue letters of credit in substitution for the
Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or to make
other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume
the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of
Credit. After any retiring Administrative Agent's resignation hereunder as
Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Article IX and Sections 10.04 and
10.05 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken
by it while it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement. If no successor
administrative agent has accepted appointment as Administrative Agent by the
date which is 30 days following a retiring Administrative Agent's notice of
resignation, the retiring Administrative Agent's resignation shall nevertheless
thereupon become effective and the Lenders shall perform all of the duties of
the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required
Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above.
9.10 ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM. In case of the
pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial
proceeding relative to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of
whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and
payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of
whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower)
shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the
principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C
Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to
file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to
have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including
any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and
advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their
respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and
the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.08 and
10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
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(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property
payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or
other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by
each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event
that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments
directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for
the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the
Administrative Agent under Sections 2.08 and 10.04.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the
Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of
any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition
affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the
Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such
proceeding.
9.11 OTHER AGENTS; ARRANGERS AND MANAGERS. None of the Lenders or
other Persons identified on the facing page or signature pages of this Agreement
as a "syndication agent," "documentation agent," "co-agent," "book manager,"
"lead manager," "arranger," "lead arranger" or "co-arranger" shall have any
right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement
other than, in the case of such Lenders, those applicable to all Lenders as
such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so
identified shall have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any
Lender. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on
any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this
Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 AMENDMENTS, ETC. No amendment or waiver of any provision of
this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by
the Borrower therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the
Required Lenders and the Borrower, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent,
and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance
and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such
amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the
written consent of each Lender;
(b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate
any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent
of such Lender;
(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan
Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to
the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without
the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
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(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified
herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second
proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or
under any other Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender
directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the
Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of "Default Rate" or
to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;
(e) change Section 2.12 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would
alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written
consent of each Lender;
(f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of
"Required Lenders" or any other provision hereof specifying the number or
percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights
hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the
written consent of each Lender;
and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in
writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above,
affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Letter
of Credit Application relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by
it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by
the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the
rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document; and (iii) Section 10.07(h) may not be amended, waived or
otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part
of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver
or other modification; and (iv) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or
privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have
any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder,
except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended
without the consent of such Lender.
10.02 NOTICES AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS; FACSIMILE COPIES.
(a) General. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all
notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing
(including by facsimile transmission). All such written notices shall be mailed,
faxed or delivered to the applicable address, facsimile number or (subject to
subsection (c) below) electronic mail address, and all notices and other
communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be
made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the
L/C Issuer, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address
or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02 or to
such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or
telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to
the other parties; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile
number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its
Administrative Questionnaire or to such
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other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone
number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the L/C Issuer.
All such notices and other communications shall be deemed to be given or made
upon the earlier to occur of (i) actual receipt by the relevant party hereto and
(ii) (A) if delivered by hand or by courier, when signed for by or on behalf of
the relevant party hereto; (B) if delivered by mail, four Business Days after
deposit in the mails, postage prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile, when sent
and receipt has been confirmed by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic
mail (which form of delivery is subject to the provisions of subsection (c)
below), when delivered; provided, however, that notices and other communications
to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II shall not
be effective until actually received by such Person. In no event shall a
voicemail message be effective as a notice, communication or confirmation
hereunder.
(b) Effectiveness of Facsimile Documents and Signatures. Loan
Documents may be transmitted and/or signed by facsimile. The effectiveness of
any such documents and signatures shall, subject to applicable Law, have the
same force and effect as manually-signed originals and shall be binding on the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. The Administrative Agent may
also require that any such documents and signatures be confirmed by a
manually-signed original thereof; provided, however, that the failure to request
or deliver the same shall not limit the effectiveness of any facsimile document
or signature.
(c) Limited Use of Electronic Mail. Electronic mail and Internet
and intranet websites may be used only to distribute routine communications,
such as financial statements and other information as provided in Section 6.02,
and to distribute Loan Documents for execution by the parties thereto, and may
not be used for any other purpose.
(d) Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders. The
Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any
notices (including telephonic Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of
the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified
herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of
notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the
recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify
each Agent-Related Person and each Lender from all losses, costs, expenses and
liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice
purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and
other communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the
Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such
recording.
10.03 NO WAIVER; CUMULATIVE REMEDIES. No failure by any Lender or
the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in
exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a
waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy,
power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or
the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights,
remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive
of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
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10.04 ATTORNEY COSTS, EXPENSES AND TAXES. The Borrower agrees (a) to
pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent for all reasonable costs and expenses
incurred in connection with the development, preparation, negotiation and
execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendment,
waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof
(whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby are
consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, including all Attorney Costs, and (b) to pay or
reimburse the Administrative Agent and each Lender for all costs and expenses
incurred in connection with the enforcement, attempted enforcement, or
preservation of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan
Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any "workout"
or restructuring in respect of the Obligations and during any legal proceeding,
including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law), including all reasonable
Attorney Costs. The foregoing costs and expenses shall include all search,
filing, recording, title insurance and appraisal charges and fees and taxes
related thereto, and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative
Agent and the cost of independent public accountants and other outside experts
retained by the Administrative Agent or any Lender. All amounts due under this
Section 10.04 shall be payable within ten Business Days after demand therefor.
The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of the Aggregate
Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations.
10.05 INDEMNIFICATION BY THE BORROWER. Whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Borrower shall indemnify
and hold harmless each Agent-Related Person, each Lender and their respective
Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, counsel, agents and
attorneys-in-fact (collectively the "Indemnitees") from and against any and all
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions,
judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements (including Attorney Costs)
of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred
by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out
of or in connection with (a) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance
or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or
instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (b) any Commitment,
Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom
(including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a
Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do
not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), or (c) any actual
or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property
currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or
any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any
Subsidiary, or (d) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or
proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or
any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of
any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and
regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all the foregoing,
collectively, the "Indemnified Liabilities"), in all cases, whether or not
caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of the negligence of the
Indemnitee; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be
available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or
disbursements are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and
nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of such Indemnitee. No Indemnitee shall be liable for
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any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials
obtained through IntraLinks or other similar information transmission systems in
connection with this Agreement, nor shall any Indemnitee have any liability for
any indirect, consequential, special or punitive damages relating to this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in
connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date). All
amounts due under this Section 10.05 shall be payable within ten Business Days
after demand therefor. The agreements in this Section shall survive the
resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the
termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or
discharge of all the other Obligations.
10.06 PAYMENTS SET ASIDE. To the extent that any payment by or on
behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the
Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of set-off, and such
payment or the proceeds of such set-off or any part thereof is subsequently
invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required
(including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent
or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any
other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or
otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part
thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in
full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such set-off had
not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative
Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid
by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand
to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds
Rate from time to time in effect.
10.07 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, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise
transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written
consent of each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its
rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an Eligible Assignee in accordance
with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of
participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this
Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject
to the restrictions of subsection (f) or (i) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (h) of this Section (and any
other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and
void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to
confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective
successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in
subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby,
the Indemnitees) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by
reason of this Agreement.
(b) Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible
Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for
purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations) at the time
owing to it); provided that (i) except in the case of an assignment of the
entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's Commitment and the Loans at
the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate
of a Lender or an Approved Fund
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(as defined in subsection (g) of this Section) with respect to a Lender, the
aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans
outstanding thereunder) subject to each such assignment, determined as of the
date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered
to the Administrative Agent or, if "Trade Date" is specified in the Assignment
and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless
each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent
not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); (ii) 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 with respect to the Loans or the
Commitment assigned; (iii) any assignment of a Commitment must be approved by
the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer unless the Person that is the
proposed assignee is itself a Lender (whether or not the proposed assignee would
otherwise qualify as an Eligible Assignee); and (iv) the parties to each
assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment
and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant
to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified
in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a
party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such
Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under
this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the
interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and
Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under
this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue
to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, 10.04 and 10.05
with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of
such assignment). Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and
deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of
rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this
subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such
Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with
subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an
agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent's Office a
copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the
recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of,
and principal amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender
pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the "Register"). The entries in
the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register
pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this
Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be
available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time
and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice
to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person
(other than a natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower's Affiliates
or Subsidiaries) (each, a "Participant") in all or a portion of such Lender's
rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of
its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender's participations in L/C
Obligations) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender's obligations under
this Agreement shall
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remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other
parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower,
the Administrative Agent 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, waiver or other modification
described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that directly affects such
Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that
each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and
3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by
assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted
by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.09
as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to
Section 2.12 as though it were a Lender.
(e) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater
payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the applicable Lender would have been
entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant,
unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the
Borrower's prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender
if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section
10.15 as though it were a Lender.
(f) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security
interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including
under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any
pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided
that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender
as a party hereto.
(g) As used herein, the following terms have the following
meanings:
"Eligible Assignee" means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a
Lender; (c) an Approved Fund; and (d) any other Person (other than a
natural person) approved by (i) the Administrative Agent and the L/C
Issuer, and (ii) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, the Borrower (each such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing,
"Eligible Assignee" shall not include the Borrower or any of the
Borrower's Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
"Fund" means any Person (other than a natural person) that is
(or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise
investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the
ordinary course of its business.
"Approved Fund" means any Fund that is administered or managed
by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an
Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
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(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any
Lender (a "Granting Lender") may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle
identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the
Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an "SPC") the option to provide all or
any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to
make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall
constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects
not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such
Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the
terms hereof. Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any
SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or
expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under
this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3.04), (ii) no SPC shall
be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement
for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all
purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification
of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder.
The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the
Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such
Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby
agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that,
prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all
outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not
institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any
bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding
under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but
without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the
payment of a processing fee of $3500, assign all or any portion of its right to
receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii)
disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its
funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of
any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.
(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any
Lender that is a Fund may create a security interest in all or any portion of
the Loans owing to it and the Note, if any, held by it to the trustee for
holders of obligations owed, or securities issued, by such Fund as security for
such obligations or securities, provided that unless and until such trustee
actually becomes a Lender in compliance with the other provisions of this
Section 10.07, (i) no such pledge shall release the pledging Lender from any of
its obligations under the Loan Documents and (ii) such trustee shall not be
entitled to exercise any of the rights of a Lender under the Loan Documents even
though such trustee may have acquired ownership rights with respect to the
pledged interest through foreclosure or otherwise.
(j) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if
at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to
subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, upon 30 days' notice to the Borrower
and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer. In the event of any such resignation as
L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a
successor L/C Issuer hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the
Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of
America as L/C Issuer. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain
all the rights and obligations of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all
Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date
68
of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto
(including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk
participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)).
10.08 CONFIDENTIALITY. Each of the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined
below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates'
directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel
and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure
is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and
instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested
by any regulatory authority (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 hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any
remedies hereunder or under or any other Loan Document or any action or
proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Documents or the
enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement
containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i)
any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant
in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or
prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction
relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the
Borrower, or (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 Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source
other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, "Information" means
all information received from the Borrower relating to it or any of its
businesses, other than any such information that is available to the
Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to
disclosure by the Borrower, provided that, in the case of information received
from the Borrower 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. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, "Information" shall not include, and the
Administrative Agent and each Lender may disclose without limitation of any
kind, any information with respect to the "tax treatment" and "tax structure"
(in each case, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4) of
the transactions contemplated hereby) and all materials of any kind (including
opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Administrative Agent or
such Lender relating to such tax treatment and tax structure; provided that with
respect to any document or similar item that in either case contains information
concerning the tax treatment or tax structure of the transaction as well as
other information, this sentence shall only apply to such portions of the
document or similar item that relate to the tax treatment or tax structure of
the Loans, Letters of Credit and transactions contemplated hereby.
10.09 SET-OFF. In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders
provided by law, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of
Default, each Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time, without
prior notice to the Borrower, any such notice being waived by the Borrower 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 by,
69
and other indebtedness at any time owing by, such Lender to or for the credit or
the account of the Borrower against any and all Obligations owing to such Lender
hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter existing,
irrespective of whether or not the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall
have made demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although
such Obligations may be contingent or unmatured or denominated in a currency
different from that of the applicable deposit or indebtedness. Each Lender
agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any
such set-off and application made by such Lender; provided, however, that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application.
10.10 INTEREST RATE LIMITATION. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid
under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious
interest permitted by applicable Law (the "Maximum Rate"). If the Administrative
Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum
Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if
it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining
whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative
Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent
permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal
as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary
prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and
spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the
contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
10.11 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
10.12 INTEGRATION. This Agreement, together with the other Loan
Documents, comprises the complete and integrated agreement of the parties on the
subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written
or oral, on such subject matter. In the event of any conflict between the
provisions of this Agreement and those of any other Loan Document, the
provisions of this Agreement shall control; provided that the inclusion of
supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Administrative Agent or the
Lenders in any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict with this
Agreement. Each Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation of the
respective parties thereto and shall be construed neither against nor in favor
of any party, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning thereof.
10.13 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. All
representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or
other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or
therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such
representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the
Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding
that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of
any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full
force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall
remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.
70
10.14 SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement or the other
Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the
legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby
and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the
illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic
effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or
unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any
other jurisdiction.
10.15 TAX FORMS.
(a) (i) Each Lender that is not a "United States person" within
the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code (a "Foreign Lender")
shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, prior to receipt of any
payment subject to withholding under the Code (or upon accepting an
assignment of an interest herein), two duly signed completed copies of
either IRS Form W-8BEN or any successor thereto (relating to such
Foreign Lender and entitling it to an exemption from, or reduction of,
withholding tax on all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by
the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or IRS Form W-8ECI or any
successor thereto (relating to all payments to be made to such Foreign
Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or such other
evidence satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that
such Foreign Lender is entitled to an exemption from, or reduction of,
U.S. withholding tax, including any exemption pursuant to Section
881(c) of the Code. Thereafter and from time to time, each such Foreign
Lender shall (A) promptly submit to the Administrative Agent such
additional duly completed and signed copies of one of such forms (or
such successor forms as shall be adopted from time to time by the
relevant United States taxing authorities) as may then be available
under then current United States laws and regulations to avoid, or such
evidence as is satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent of any available exemption from or reduction of, United States
withholding taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Foreign
Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, (B) promptly notify
the Administrative Agent of any change in circumstances which would
modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction, and (C)
take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in
the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably
necessary (including the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid
any requirement of applicable Laws that the Borrower make any deduction
or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Foreign Lender.
(ii) Each Foreign Lender, to the extent it does not act or
ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any
sums paid or payable to such Lender under any of the Loan Documents
(for example, in the case of a typical participation by such Lender),
shall deliver to the Administrative Agent on the date when such Foreign
Lender ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of
any such sums paid or payable, and at such other times as may be
necessary in the determination of the Administrative Agent (in the
reasonable exercise of its discretion), (A) two duly signed completed
copies of the forms or statements required to be provided by such
Lender as set forth above, to establish the portion of any such sums
paid or payable with respect to
71
which such Lender acts for its own account that is not subject to U.S.
withholding tax, and (B) two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form
W-8IMY (or any successor thereto), together with any information such
Lender chooses to transmit with such form, and any other certificate or
statement of exemption required under the Code, to establish that such
Lender is not acting for its own account with respect to a portion of
any such sums payable to such Lender.
(iii) The Borrower shall not be required to pay any
additional amount to any Foreign Lender under Section 3.01 (A) with
respect to any Taxes required to be deducted or withheld on the basis
of the information, certificates or statements of exemption such Lender
transmits with an IRS Form W-8IMY pursuant to this Section 10.15(a) or
(B) if such Lender shall have failed to satisfy the foregoing
provisions of this Section 10.15(a); provided that if such Lender shall
have satisfied the requirement of this Section 10.15(a) on the date
such Lender became a Lender or ceased to act for its own account with
respect to any payment under any of the Loan Documents, nothing in this
Section 10.15(a) shall relieve the Borrower of its obligation to pay
any amounts pursuant to Section 3.01 in the event that, as a result of
any change in any applicable law, treaty or governmental rule,
regulation or order, or any change in the interpretation,
administration or application thereof, such Lender is no longer
properly entitled to deliver forms, certificates or other evidence at a
subsequent date establishing the fact that such Lender or other Person
for the account of which such Lender receives any sums payable under
any of the Loan Documents is not subject to withholding or is subject
to withholding at a reduced rate.
(iv) The Administrative Agent may, without reduction,
withhold any Taxes required to be deducted and withheld from any
payment under any of the Loan Documents with respect to which the
Borrower is not required to pay additional amounts under this Section
10.15(a).
(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, each Lender that
is a "United States person" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the
Code shall deliver to the Administrative Agent two duly signed completed copies
of IRS Form W-9. If such Lender fails to deliver such forms, then the
Administrative Agent may withhold from any interest payment to such Lender an
amount equivalent to the applicable back-up withholding tax imposed by the Code,
without reduction.
(c) If any Governmental Authority asserts that the Administrative
Agent did not properly withhold or backup withhold, as the case may be, any tax
or other amount from payments made to or for the account of any Lender, such
Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent therefor, including all
penalties and interest, any taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on the amounts
payable to the Administrative Agent under this Section, and costs and expenses
(including Attorney Costs) of the Administrative Agent. The obligation of the
Lenders under this Section shall survive the termination of the Aggregate
Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and the resignation of
the Administrative Agent.
10.16 REPLACEMENT OF LENDERS. Under any circumstances set forth
herein providing that the Borrower shall have the right to replace a Lender as a
party to this Agreement, the
72
Borrower may, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, replace
such Lender by causing such Lender to assign its Commitment (with the assignment
fee to be paid by the Borrower in such instance) pursuant to Section 10.07(b) to
one or more other Lenders or Eligible Assignees procured by the Borrower;
provided, however, that if the Borrower elects to exercise such right with
respect to any Lender pursuant to Section 3.06(b), it shall be obligated to
replace all Lenders that have made similar requests for compensation pursuant to
Section 3.01 or 3.04. The Borrower shall (x) pay in full all principal,
interest, fees and other amounts owing to such Lender through the date of
replacement (including any amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.05), (y)
provide appropriate assurances and indemnities (which may include letters of
credit) to the L/C Issuer as each may reasonably require with respect to any
continuing obligation to fund participation interests in any L/C Obligations
then outstanding, and (z) release such Lender from its obligations under the
Loan Documents. Any Lender being replaced shall execute and deliver an
Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender's Commitment and
outstanding Loans and participations in L/C Obligations.
10.17 GOVERNING LAW.
(a) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE
AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE; PROVIDED THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT AND EACH LENDER SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS ARISING UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT
OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT MAY BE BROUGHT IN ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE BORROWER, THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS
PROPERTY, TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. THE BORROWER, THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING
ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON
CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR
PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER
DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO. THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER
WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY SUMMONS, COMPLAINT OR OTHER PROCESS, WHICH MAY BE
MADE BY ANY OTHER MEANS PERMITTED BY THE LAW OF SUCH STATE.
10.18 WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT
HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION
OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH
OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM
WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH
CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN
73
CONTRACT
OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH
CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT
A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR
A COPY OF THIS SECTION WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE
SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
74
IN WITNESS WHEROF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the date first above written.
ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Title: Vice President Finance, CFO
---------------------------
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A, as Administrative
Agent
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------------
Title: Vice President
--------------------------------
S-2
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------
Title: Managing Director
--------------------------
S-3
▇▇▇▇▇ FARGO BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------
Title: Vice President
------------------------
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------
Title: Assistant Vice President
------------------------
S-4
KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a
Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Title: Portfolio Manager
---------------------------
S-5
ABN AMRO BANK, N.V., as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Title: Director
---------------------------
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Title: Assistant Vice President
---------------------------
S-6
BANCO DI ROMA - CHICAGO BRANCH, as a
Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------
Title: Vice President
-----------------------------
By: /s/ Enrico Verdoscia
-----------------------------
Name: Enrico Verdoscia
-----------------------------
Title: Sr. Vice President
-----------------------------
S-7
THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI, LTD.,
CHICAGO BRANCH, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
Title: Vice President & Manager
---------------------------
S-8
KBC BANK N.V., as a Lender
By: /s/ Stefano Snozzi
--------------------
Name: Stefano Snozzi
--------------------
Title: First Vice President
--------------------
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------
Title: First Vice President
--------------------
S-9
BANK ONE, N.A., as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------------------
Title: Director, Banc One Capital Markets, Inc.
----------------------------------------
S-10
BNP PARIBAS, as a Lender
By: /s/ Jo ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Name: Jo ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Title: Managing Director
----------------------
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Title: Central Region Manager
----------------------
S-11
SUNTRUST BANK, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------
Title: Associate
-------------------
S-12
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a
Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------
Title: Vice President
-----------------------------
S-13
FIFTH THIRD BANK, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Title: Vice President
----------------------
S-14