gbx-ex1032_668.htm



 

Exhibit 10.32

 

FIRST AMENDMENT TO
AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of August 27, 2021 (this “Amendment”), is entered into among GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC, an Oregon limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Lenders party hereto and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement (as defined below).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent are parties to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 26, 2018 (as amended or modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the parties hereto have agreed to amend the Existing Credit Agreement as provided herein (the Existing Credit Agreement, as so amended by this Amendment, the “Credit Agreement”).

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

1.Amendments.  Effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2 below:

(a)the Existing Credit Agreement (but not the schedules and exhibits thereto) is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in Annex A attached hereto; and

(b)Schedule 2.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in Schedule 2.01 attached hereto.

2.Effectiveness; Conditions Precedent.  This Amendment shall be effective on the date on which all the conditions set forth in this Section 2 have been satisfied (such date, the “First Amendment Effective Date”):

(a)receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent:

(i)executed counterparts of this Amendment, each executed by the Borrower and each Lender;

(ii)favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date; and

(iii)(A) copies of the Organization Documents of the Borrower certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to be true and correct as of the First 

 



 

Amendment Effective Date; (B) 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 Amendment and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party; and (C) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that the Borrower is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation;

(b)the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received (i) at least five Business Days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, all documentation and other information that is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the USA PATRIOT Act and (ii) at least five Business Days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, if the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower;

(c)the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all accrued fees and expenses required to be paid on the First Amendment Effective Date; and

(d)the Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced prior to or on the First Amendment Effective Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements 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).

3.Ratification of Credit Agreement and other Loan Documents. Except as specifically amended herein, all Loan Documents shall continue to be in full force and effect and are hereby in all respects ratified and confirmed.  The Borrower acknowledges and consents to the terms set forth herein and agree that the execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any Lender or the Administrative Agent under any of the Loan Documents, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents or in any way impair, reduce or limit any of the obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents, as amended hereby.  This Amendment is a Loan Document.

4.Authority/Enforceability.  The Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

(a)it has taken all necessary corporate or other organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment;

(b)this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable Debtor Relief Laws and general principles of equity;

(c)the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment by the Borrower does not conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any (x) with respect to the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens), Contractual Obligation or (y) with respect to any conflict, breach or contravention or payment, Contractual Obligation, in each case, to which the Borrower is a party or affecting the Borrower or the properties of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except to the 

2

 



 

extent as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) any material order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which the Borrower or its property is subject; and

(d)the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Amendment does not (i) contravene the terms of its Organization Documents or (ii) violate any material Law.

5.Waiver of Breakage Costs.  Inasmuch as the Term Loan is outstanding under the Credit Agreement immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, the Borrower must make prepayments and adjustments on such Loan as are necessary to give effect to the Term Loan of the Lenders set forth on Schedule 2.01 attached hereto.  The Borrower, in consultation with the Administrative Agent, has endeavored to manage the allocation of the Term Loan and the selection of Interest Periods with respect to outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loans in such a manner as to minimize breakage costs.  Nonetheless, such prepayments of such Loans under the Credit Agreement likely will cause breakage costs.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.05 of the Credit Agreement, each of the Lenders party hereto hereby waives its right to receive compensation or reimbursement for such breakage costs (a) in connection with the reallocation of the Term Loan on the First Amendment Effective Date and (b) in connection with any resetting of the Interest Period for the Term Loan outstanding as of the First Amendment Effective Date.

6.Reallocation.  The Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders hereby acknowledge and agree that the Term Loan of each Lender as set forth on Schedule 2.01 attached hereto is the Term Loan of such Lender as of the First Amendment Effective Date, with the reallocation of the outstanding Term Loan of the Lenders as they existed immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date having been made per instructions from the Administrative Agent, and neither any Assignment and Acceptance nor any other action of any Person is required to give effect to the Term Loans as set forth on Schedule 2.01 attached hereto.

7.Representations and Warranties of the Borrower.  The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that after giving effect to this Amendment (a) the representations and warranties contained in Article V of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the First Amendment Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date, and (b) no Default exists or would result from the Credit Extensions contemplated by this Amendment or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

8.Amendments; Counterparts/Facsimile.  This Amendment shall not be construed as a waiver of or consent to any further or future action on the part of the Borrower that would require a waiver or consent of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent.  This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment and execution using an Electronic Signature, or in the form of an Electronic Record shall be permitted in accordance with Section 10.19 of the Credit Agreement.

9.GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AMENDMENT AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AMENDMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

3

 



 

10.Successors and Assigns.  This Amendment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

11.Headings.  The headings of the sections hereof are provided for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of any provision of this Amendment.

12.Severability.  If any provision of this Amendment is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Amendment 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.

 

4

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the date first above written.


		
	
BORROWER:
	
GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC,

 

 

By: /s Justin M. Roberts

Name: Justin M. Roberts

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

 

	
 
	
 







GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 

 


		
	
 
	
 

 

	

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:
	
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

 

By: /s Anthea Del Bianco

Name: Anthea Del Bianco

Title: Vice President

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
LENDERS
	
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender

 

 

By: /s Michael Snook

Name: Michael Snook

Title: Senior Vice President 

 

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
MUFG UNION BANK, N.A., 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Steve Sloan

Name: Steve Sloan 

Title: Director 

 

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
BANK OF THE WEST, 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Gisel Hillner

Name: Gisel Hillner

Title: Director, Senior Lead Relationship Manager

 

 




 





GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Shane Johnson

Name: Shane Johnson

Title: Executive Director

 

 

	
 
	
 




 

GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 

 


		
	
 
	
Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale, 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Alec A. Tasooji

Name: Alec A. Tasooji

Title: Senior Vice President 

 

 

By: /s Andre Avakov

Name: Andre Avakov

Title: Vice President 

 

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
CREDIT INDUSTRIEL ET COMMERCIAL, NEW YORK BRANCH 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Adrienne Molloy

Name: Adrienne Molloy

Title: Managing Director 

 

 

By: /s Andrew McKuin

Name: Andrew McKuin

Title: Managing Director 

 

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
COMERICA BANK, 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Liz V Hulley

Name: Liz V Hulley

Title: Vice President

 

 

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
UMPQUA BANK, 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Daniel O’Dell

Name: Daniel O’Dell 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

 

 











GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 


		
		
	
 
	
COLUMBIA STATE BANK, 

as a Lender

 

 

By: /s Matt Hrdlicka

Name: Matt Hrdlicka

Title: Vice President

 

 

 




 

 

 

GREENBRIER LEASING COMPANY LLC

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 



 

ANNEX A

CONFORMED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

 

 

 





 

CUSIP NO. 39366XAG8 (deal)

39366XAH6 (term loan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of September 26, 2018

among

Greenbrier Leasing COMPANY LLC,

as the Borrower,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.,

as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner,

 

and

 

MUFG UNION BANK, N.A., 

as Syndication Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





TABLE OF CONTENTS

SectionPage


	
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
	
1
	
 





	
 
	
1.01
	
Defined Terms.1
	
 





	
 
	
1.02
	
Other Interpretive Provisions.24
	
 





	
 
	
1.03
	
Accounting Terms.25
	
 





	
 
	
1.04
	
Times of Day; Rates.26
	
 





	
 
	
1.05
	
Divisions.26
	
 





	
ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
	
26
	
 





	
 
	
2.01
	
Term Loan.26
	
 





	
 
	
2.02
	
Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations.26
	
 





	
 
	
2.03
	
[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]28
	
 





	
 
	
2.04
	
[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]28
	
 





	
 
	
2.05
	
Security.28
	
 





	
 
	
2.06
	
Prepayments.28
	
 





	
 
	
2.07
	
[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]29
	
 





	
 
	
2.08
	
Repayment of Loans.29
	
 





	
 
	
2.09
	
Interest.29
	
 





	
 
	
2.10
	
Fees.30
	
 





	
 
	
2.11
	
Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate.30
	
 





	
 
	
2.12
	
Evidence of Debt.31
	
 





	
 
	
2.13
	
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.31
	
 





	
 
	
2.14
	
Sharing of Payments by Lenders.33
	
 





	
 
	
2.15
	
Increase to Term Loan.33
	
 





	
 
	
2.16
	
Defaulting Lenders.34
	
 





	
ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
	
35
	
 





	
 
	
3.01
	
Taxes.35
	
 





	
 
	
3.02
	
Illegality.40
	
 





	
 
	
3.03
	
Inability to Determine Rates.40
	
 





	
 
	
3.04
	
Increased Costs.42
	
 





	
 
	
3.05
	
Compensation for Losses.44
	
 





	
 
	
3.06
	
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.44
	
 





	
 
	
3.07
	
Survival.45
	
 





	
ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
	
45
	
 





	
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
	
47
	
 





	
 
	
5.01
	
Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws.47
	
 





	
 
	
5.02
	
Authorization; No Contravention.47
	
 





	
 
	
5.03
	
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.47
	
 





	
 
	
5.04
	
Binding Effect.47
	
 





	
 
	
5.05
	
Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.48
	
 





	
 
	
5.06
	
Litigation.48
	
 





	
 
	
5.07
	
No Default.48
	
 





	
 
	
5.08
	
Ownership of Property; Liens.48
	
 





	
 
	
5.09
	
Environmental Compliance.49
	
 





	
 
	
5.10
	
Insurance.49
	
 




 

 






	
 
	
5.11
	
Taxes.49
	
 





	
 
	
5.12
	
ERISA Compliance.49
	
 





	
 
	
5.13
	
Subsidiaries; Equity Interests.50
	
 





	
 
	
5.14
	
Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.50
	
 





	
 
	
5.15
	
Disclosure.50
	
 





	
 
	
5.16
	
Compliance with Laws.51
	
 





	
 
	
5.17
	
Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.51
	
 





	
 
	
5.18
	
OFAC.51
	
 





	
 
	
5.19
	
No Affected Financial Institution.51
	
 





	
ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
	
51
	
 





	
 
	
6.01
	
Financial Statements.52
	
 





	
 
	
6.02
	
Certificates; Other Information.52
	
 





	
 
	
6.03
	
Notices.  Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:54
	
 





	
 
	
6.04
	
Payment of Tax Obligations.55
	
 





	
 
	
6.05
	
Preservation of Existence, Etc.55
	
 





	
 
	
6.06
	
Maintenance of Properties.55
	
 





	
 
	
6.07
	
Maintenance of Insurance.55
	
 





	
 
	
6.08
	
Compliance with Laws.56
	
 





	
 
	
6.09
	
Books and Records.56
	
 





	
 
	
6.10
	
Inspection Rights.56
	
 





	
 
	
6.11
	
Use of Proceeds.57
	
 





	
 
	
6.12
	
Pledged Railcars.57
	
 





	
 
	
6.13
	
Pledged Assets.57
	
 





	
 
	
6.14
	
Anti-Corruption Laws.58
	
 





	
ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS
	
58
	
 





	
 
	
7.01
	
Liens.58
	
 





	
 
	
7.02
	
Investments.61
	
 





	
 
	
7.03
	
Indebtedness.62
	
 





	
 
	
7.04
	
Fundamental Changes.64
	
 





	
 
	
7.05
	
Dispositions.65
	
 





	
 
	
7.06
	
Change in Nature of Business.66
	
 





	
 
	
7.07
	
Transactions with Affiliates.66
	
 





	
 
	
7.08
	
Burdensome Agreements.66
	
 





	
 
	
7.09
	
Use of Proceeds.68
	
 





	
 
	
7.10
	
Financial Covenants.68
	
 





	
 
	
7.11
	
Sanctions; Anti-Corruption Laws.68
	
 





	
ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
	
68
	
 





	
 
	
8.01
	
Events of Default.68
	
 





	
 
	
8.02
	
Remedies Upon Event of Default.70
	
 





	
 
	
8.03
	
Application of Funds.71
	
 





	
ARTICLE IX ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
	
72
	
 





	
 
	
9.01
	
Appointment and Authority.72
	
 





	
 
	
9.02
	
Rights as a Lender.72
	
 





	
 
	
9.03
	
Exculpatory Provisions.72
	
 





	
 
	
9.04
	
Reliance by Administrative Agent.73
	
 





	
 
	
9.05
	
Delegation of Duties.74
	
 





	
 
	
9.06
	
Resignation of Administrative Agent.74
	
 




ii

 






	
 
	
9.07
	
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.75
	
 





	
 
	
9.08
	
No Other Duties, Etc.75
	
 





	
 
	
9.09
	
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding.75
	
 





	
 
	
9.10
	
Collateral.77
	
 





	
 
	
9.11
	
Secured Hedge Agreements.77
	
 





	
 
	
9.12
	
ERISA Matters.78
	
 





	
 
	
9.13
	
Recovery of Erroneous Payments.79
	
 





	
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS
	
79
	
 





	
 
	
10.01
	
Amendments, Etc.79
	
 





	
 
	
10.02
	
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.80
	
 





	
 
	
10.03
	
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.82
	
 





	
 
	
10.04
	
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.83
	
 





	
 
	
10.05
	
Payments Set Aside.85
	
 





	
 
	
10.06
	
Successors and Assigns.85
	
 





	
 
	
10.07
	
Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.88
	
 





	
 
	
10.08
	
Right of Setoff.89
	
 





	
 
	
10.09
	
Interest Rate Limitation.90
	
 





	
 
	
10.10
	
Integration; Effectiveness.90
	
 





	
 
	
10.11
	
Survival of Representations and Warranties.90
	
 





	
 
	
10.12
	
Severability.90
	
 





	
 
	
10.13
	
Replacement of Lenders.91
	
 





	
 
	
10.14
	
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.92
	
 





	
 
	
10.15
	
Waiver of Jury Trial.93
	
 





	
 
	
10.16
	
USA PATRIOT Act Notice.93
	
 





	
 
	
10.17
	
Statutory Notice.93
	
 





	
 
	
10.18
	
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.94
	
 





	
 
	
10.19
	
Electronic Execution.94
	
 





	
 
	
10.20
	
Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions.95
	
 





	
 
	
10.21
	
Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs.96
	
 







iii

 





SCHEDULES

1.01Pledged Railcars

2.01Commitments and Applicable Percentages

5.03Governmental Authorizations; Other Consents

5.10Insurance

5.13Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments

7.01Existing Liens

7.02Existing Investments

7.03Existing Indebtedness

7.08Burdensome Agreements

10.02Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

 

 

EXHIBITS

Form of

1.01Form of Secured Party Designation Notice

2.02Loan Notice

2.06Notice of Prepayment

2.12Note

3.01U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

6.02(a)Borrowing Base Certificate

6.02(b)Compliance Certificate

10.06Assignment and Assumption

 

iv

 



 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of September 26, 2018, among Greenbrier LEASING COMPANY LLC, an Oregon limited liability company (the “Borrower”), each Lender (defined herein) from time to time a party hereto and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

The Borrower is a party to a certain Credit Agreement dated as of March 20, 2014 with certain Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent for such Lenders (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time until (but not including) the date of this Agreement, the “Existing Credit Agreement”).

The parties to this Agreement desire to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement.

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

1.01Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, acting as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.

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

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

“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.

“Agreement” means this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan held by such Lender at such time.  The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption (or other document contemplated by this Agreement) pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

 



 

“Applicable Rate” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Capitalization Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(b):

 


					
	
Applicable Rate

	
Pricing Level
	
Consolidated Capitalization Ratio
	
Eurocurrency Rate Loans
	
Base Rate
Loans
	
	
1
	
Greater than 0.40 to 1.0
	
1.875%
	
0.875%
	
	
2
	
Greater than 0.20 to 1.0 and less than or equal to 0.40 to 1.0
	
1.625%
	
0.625%
	
	
3
	
Less than or equal to 0.20 to 1.0
	
1.375%
	
0.375%
	



 

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Capitalization Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b); provided, however, that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then upon request of the Required Lenders, Pricing Level 1 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and Pricing Level 1 shall remain in effect until the first Business Day immediately following the date on which such Compliance Certificate has been delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b).  The Applicable Rate in effect from the First Amendment Effective Date through delivery of the Compliance Certificate for the fiscal year ending on August 31, 2021 shall be determined based upon Pricing Level 2.

“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.

“Arranger” means BofA Securities, Inc., in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner.

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit 10.06 or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

“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, in each case (a) and (b) if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.





 

“Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, as applicable, pursuant to this Agreement as of such date.

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

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

“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1⁄2 of 1%, (ii) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (iii) the Eurocurrency Rate plus 1.0%; provided that if the Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.  The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including its costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such “prime rate” announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

“Benchmark” means, initially, LIBOR; provided that if a replacement of the Benchmark has occurred pursuant to Section 3.03(c) then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate. Any reference to “Benchmark” shall include, as applicable, the published component used in the calculation thereof.

“Benchmark Replacement” means:

(1)For purposes of Section 3.03(c)(i), the first alternative set forth below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent:


	
 
	
(a)
	
the sum of: (i) Term SOFR and (ii) 0.11448% (11.448 basis points) for an Available Tenor of one-month’s duration, 0.26161% (26.161 basis points) for an Available Tenor of three-months’ duration, 0.42826% (42.826 basis points) for an Available Tenor of six-months’ duration, and 0.71513% (71.513 basis points) for an Available Tenor of twelve-months’ duration , or





	
 
	
(b)
	
the sum of: (i) Daily Simple SOFR and (ii) 0.26161% (26.161 basis points); 




provided  that, if initially LIBOR is replaced with the rate contained in clause (b) above (Daily Simple SOFR plus the applicable spread adjustment) and subsequent to such replacement, the Administrative Agent determines that Term SOFR has become available and is administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, and the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and 





 

each Lender of such availability, then from and after the beginning of the Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, in each case, commencing no less than thirty (30) days after the date of such notice, the Benchmark Replacement shall be as set forth in clause (a) above; and

(2)For purposes of Section 3.03(c)(ii), the sum of (a) the alternate benchmark rate and (b) an adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero), in each case, that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement Benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then-prevailing market convention, including any applicable recommendations made by a Relevant Governmental Body, for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time; 

provided that, if the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above would be less than 0%, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be 0% for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. 

Any Benchmark Replacement shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such Benchmark Replacement shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent.

“Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

“Benchmark Transition Event” means, with respect to any then-current Benchmark other than LIBOR, the occurrence of a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of the then-current Benchmark or a Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such administrator announcing or stating that all Available Tenors are or will no longer be representative, or made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans, or shall or will otherwise cease, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that will continue to provide any representative tenors of such Benchmark after such specific date.

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

“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

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

“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.





 

“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

“Borrowing Base” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the net book value of the Pledged Railcars on the books of the Borrower as of such date.

“Borrowing Base Certificate” means a certificate in a form attached as Exhibit 6.02(a) or other form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which calculates the Borrowing Base as of any date of determination.

“Borrowing Base Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan as of such date minus the amount of all Cash Collateral as of such date to (b) the Borrowing Base in effect for such date.

“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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

“Cash Collateral” means cash that has been deposited in a deposit account maintained at Bank of America and is subject to a first-priority perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent.

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

(a)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 Equity Interests 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 35% or more of the Equity Interests of the Parent entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Parent 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);

(b)during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of the Parent 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; or

(c)the failure of the Parent to own and control (directly or indirectly) at least 75% of the outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower.

“Closing Date” means September 26, 2018.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

“Collateral” means any and all assets and rights and interests in or to property of the Borrower, whether tangible or intangible, in which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to the Loan Documents to secure any of the Obligations.

“Collateral Documents” means a collective reference to the Security Agreement and the other security documents as may be executed and delivered by the Borrower pursuant to the terms of Section 6.13.

“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make its portion of the Term Loan to the Borrower on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 2.01, in an aggregate principal amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 (as in effect on the Closing Date).

“Communication” means this Agreement, any Loan Document and any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice, certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to any Loan Document.

“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 6.02(b).

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

“Consolidated Adjusted Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA plus rent expense for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such date to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges (excluding (i) any non-cash impact associated with any equity or equity-linked securities and (ii) any prepayment premiums or penalties associated with the voluntary prepayment or redemption of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 paid in cash by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) plus rent expense for such period.  Solely for purposes of this definition, “rent expense” shall include operating lease expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the aggregate amount of prepayment premiums excluded from Consolidated Interest Charges pursuant to the parenthetical  in clause (b) of the preceding sentence, together with the aggregate amount of consent fees added back to Consolidated Net Income for purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (a)(vi) of such definition, shall not exceed 3% of the outstanding principal amount of the applicable Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 so prepaid or redeemed.  In addition, solely for purposes of this definition and in the sole discretion of the Borrower, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Charges shall include pro-forma adjustments to incorporate the financial results of any entity acquired during the subject period by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries. 

“Consolidated Capitalization Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness plus Stockholders’ Equity as of such date.





 

“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 (except in the case of clause (vii)) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) income tax expense or benefit (net of income tax credits) as reported on the consolidated statement of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iv) other extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring charges,  expenses or losses 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, (v) non-cash stock compensation expenses for such period which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period, (vi) consent fees (excluding fees to waive existing defaults) paid to holders of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03, (vii) to the extent not already included in Consolidated EBITDA, (A) any costs (including fees and expenses) incurred to the extent indemnified or otherwise covered by a third party (to the extent received by the Borrower during such period), (B) any costs incurred with respect to liability or casualty events, to the extent covered by insurance and received during such period, and  (C) proceeds of business interruption insurance received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (viii) costs, fees, expenses, charges and any one-time payments made related to (A) the Borrower’s negotiation and entry into the Loan Documents (including the First Amendment) or (B) any Permitted Acquisition or any debt or equity offering (whether or not consummated), including, without limitation, amendments, waivers or forbearances of the Parent Credit Facility and (ix) all unrealized non-cash losses under interest rate Swap Contracts during such period and minus (b) to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, (i) extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring income or gains of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries increasing such Consolidated Net Income which does not represent a cash item in such period or any future period and (ii) all unrealized non-cash gains under interest rate Swap Contracts during such period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the aggregate amount of consent fees added back to Consolidated Net Income for purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (a)(vi) of the preceding sentence, together with the aggregate amount of prepayment premiums excluded from Consolidated Interest Charges pursuant to the parenthetical in clause (b) of the first sentence of the definition of Consolidated Adjusted Interest Coverage Ratio, shall not exceed 3% of the outstanding principal amount of the applicable Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 so repaid or the holders of which have been so compensated.  For purposes of clarification, gains or losses on purchases or sales of equipment in the ordinary course of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ business shall not constitute non-recurring income or expenses for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA.

“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum of:  (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 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, advisory fees and any earn-out obligation until such earn-out obligation is required to become a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP); (c) 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; provided, however, that if such Indebtedness is limited in recourse to the property encumbered thereby, such Indebtedness shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of the (i) fair market value of such asset at such date of determination and (ii) the amount of such Indebtedness; (d) capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations; (e) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Disqualified Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; (f) all Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of another Person; 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 any Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, except to the extent that Indebtedness 





 

is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for so long as neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is designated as a “borrower” or an “issuer” under the Parent Credit Facility, all Indebtedness and other obligations (whether consisting of guarantees or otherwise) in respect of the Parent Credit Facility shall be excluded from the definition of Consolidated Funded Indebtedness.

“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 (other than fees that are capitalized and amortized over the life of a loan), prepayment fees, Swap Contract expenses or breakage 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 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 items) for that period; provided, however, that, without duplication, Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated without giving effect to (a) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles, (b) any write-off of deferred financing costs incurred as a result of the refinancing of Indebtedness, (c) purchase accounting adjustments required or permitted by GAAP, (d) any non-cash net after-tax income or loss from operating results of discontinued operations as determined by GAAP, and any after-tax gains or losses from sales of discontinued operations, (e) any non-cash impairment, charges or asset write-downs or write-offs (other than write-downs or write-offs of current assets), and (f) the net income (or loss) for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be increased by the amount of dividends, distributions and other payments based on equity ownership that are actually paid in cash to the Borrower or a Subsidiary in respect of such period, in each case pursuant to GAAP.

“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

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

“Credit Extension” means a Borrowing.

“Daily Simple SOFR” with respect to any applicable determination date means the secured overnight financing rate (“SOFR”) published on such date by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the administrator of the benchmark (or a successor administrator) on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website (or any successor source).

“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 (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a 





 

Eurocurrency 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.

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.16(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of the Term Loan within two Business Days of the date the Term Loan was required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s reasonable determination (in good faith) that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s reasonable determination (in good faith) that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in a writing reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.16(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.  For purposes of clarification, the use of cash, cash equivalents or money in the ordinary course of business or in a manner not otherwise expressly prohibited by the terms of this Agreement, in each case, shall not constitute a “Disposition” or to “Dispose” under this Agreement.

“Disqualified Equity Interest” means any Equity Interest of any Person that by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof) or upon the happening of any event (a) matures (excluding any maturity as the result of an optional redemption by the issuer thereof or upon a “change of control” (as defined therein) or an asset sale, so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of such “change in control” or asset sale are subject to the prior payment in full in cash of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) 





 

and the termination of this Agreement) or is mandatorily redeemable in cash pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, (b) is redeemable in cash at the option of the holder thereof (unless at the sole option of the issuer thereof or upon a “change of control” (as defined therein) or an asset sale, so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of such “change in control” or asset sale are subject to the prior payment in full in cash of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the termination of this Agreement), or (c) requires or mandates the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance or other similar payment (other than dividends) for cash (other than in connection with or upon a “change of control” (as defined therein) or an asset sale, so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of such “change in control” or asset sale are subject to the prior payment in full in cash of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the termination of this Agreement), in each case, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the Maturity Date.

“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

“Early Opt-in Effective Date” means, with respect to any Early Opt-in Election, the sixth (6th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, written notice of objection to such Early Opt-in Election from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.

“Early Opt-in Election” means the occurrence of:

(a)a determination by the Administrative Agent, or a notification by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent that the Borrower has made a determination, that U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in Section 3.03(c), are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR, and

(b)the joint election by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to replace LIBOR with a Benchmark Replacement and the provision by the Administrative Agent of written notice of such election to the Lenders.

“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

“Electronic Copy” has the meaning specified in Section 10.19(a).

“Electronic Record” and “Electronic Signature” shall have the meanings assigned to them, respectively, by 15 USC §7006, as it may be amended from time to time. 





 

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 10.06(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).

“Environmental Laws” means any and all United States 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 or threatened Release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

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

“Equity Interests” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of, or interest in, (however designated) equity of such Person, including any preferred stock, but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for Equity Interests.

“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.

“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

“Eurocurrency Rate” means:

(a)for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for Dollars for a period equal in length to such Interest Period (“LIBOR”) as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as 





 

may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

(b)for any interest rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR at or about 11:00 a.m. London time, determined two Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Eurocurrency Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

“Eurocurrency Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate”.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient  or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the Laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a Law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 10.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), 3.01(a)(iii) or 3.01(c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

“Existing Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the Introductory Statement hereto.

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any applicable intergovernmental agreements.

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

“Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.

“First Amendment” means that certain First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto.

“First Amendment Effective Date” means August 27, 2021.





 

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

“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary other than a Domestic Subsidiary.

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

“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

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

“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, any (a) any Contractual Obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien).  The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.  The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

“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.

“Hedge Bank” means, with respect to any Swap Contract, any Person that (i) at the time it enters into such Swap Contract, is a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of any such Swap Contract in effect on or prior to the Closing Date, is, as of the Closing Date or within 30 days thereafter, a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent and a party to a Swap Contract or (iii) within 30 days after the time it enters into such Swap Contract, becomes a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender 





 

or the Administrative Agent, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Swap Contract; provided, in the case of a Secured Hedge Agreement with a Person who is no longer a Lender (or Affiliate of a Lender), such Person shall be considered a Hedge Bank only through the stated termination date (without extension or renewal) of such Secured Hedge Agreement.

“Immaterial Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Subsidiary (a) whose total assets, as of that date, are less than $5,000,000 and (b) whose total revenues for the most recent twelve-month period do not exceed $5,000,000.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall any Subsidiary that Guarantees the Parent’s obligations under the Parent Credit Facility be an “Immaterial Subsidiary” for purposes of the Loan Documents.

“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 Guarantees, 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, advisory fees and any earn-out obligation until such earn-out obligation is required to become a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP);

(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; provided, however, that if such indebtedness is limited in recourse to the property encumbered thereby, such indebtedness shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the fair market value of such asset at such date of determination and (ii) the amount of such indebtedness;

(f)capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;

(g)all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Disqualified Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

(h)all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date.  The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.





 

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.

“Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.

“Intercreditor Agreement” means (a) that certain Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Administrative Agent and the administrative agent under the Parent Credit Facility and (b) any other intercreditor agreement contemplated by Section 6.12(d).

“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurocurrency Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Loan and ending on the date that is one, three or six months thereafter or such other period that is twelve months or less requested by the Borrower and consented to by all the Lenders (in each case, subject to availability), 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, 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, 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 all or substantially all of the property of, or a line of business or division of, another Person.  For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment made by any Person shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment less all cash returns, cash dividends and cash distributions (or the fair market value of any non-cash returns, dividends and distributions) received by such Person from such Investment.

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

“Joint Venture” means a Person or other legal arrangement which meets the following criteria: (a) it is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture or other similar legal arrangement (whether created by contract or conducted through a separate legal entity) formed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with another Person in order to conduct a common venture or enterprise with such Person and (b) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly own less than 75% of the Equity Interests.





 

“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, United States 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.

“Lender” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto and each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns.

“Lending Office” means, as to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, the office or offices of such Person described as such in such Person’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as such Person may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

“LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurocurrency Rate.

“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Term Loan.

“Loan Documents” means (a) this Agreement, (b) each Note, (c) the Fee Letter, (d) any Intercreditor Agreement and (e) the Collateral Documents.  Loan Documents shall not include Secured Hedge Agreements.

“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Term Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent  (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

“Managed Person” means any entity for which the Borrower or a Subsidiary provides management or other services but with respect to which neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has any ownership interest.

“Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties or financial condition or results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform its material 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.

“Material Contractual Obligation” means, with respect to any Person, (i) each Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party involving aggregate consideration payable to or by such Person of an amount equal to or greater than the Threshold Amount (other than purchase orders in the ordinary 





 

course of the business of such Person), and (ii) all other contracts or agreements, the loss of which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

“Maturity Date” means August 27, 2027.

“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type subject to and 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.

“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all directly affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.13 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender to the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.12.

“Notice of Loan Prepayment” means a notice of prepayment with respect to a Loan, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.06 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer.

“Obligations” means (a) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan and (b) all obligations of the Borrower owing to a Hedge Bank in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements, in each case identified in clauses (a) and (b), whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including (i) 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 and (ii) all costs and expenses in connection with the enforcement or collection of the obligations that are reimbursable by the Borrower under the terms of any Loan Document.

“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

“Other Rate Early Opt-in” means the Administrative Agent and the Borrower have elected to replace LIBOR with a Benchmark Replacement other than a SOFR-based rate pursuant to (1) an Early Opt-in Election and (2) Section 3.03(c)(ii) and paragraph (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement”.





 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).

“Overnight Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Rate and (ii) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

“Parent” means The Greenbrier Companies, Inc., an Oregon corporation.

“Parent Credit Facility” means that certain Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 26, 2018 among the Parent, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, as administrative agent (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents and other documentation entered into in connection therewith), as any such agreement or facility may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), restated, supplemented, refinanced, replaced (in whole or in part), or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, including any agreement (including any subsequent agreement or agreements) exchanging, extending the maturity of, refinancing, renewing, replacing, substituting or otherwise restructuring, whether in the bank or debt capital markets or otherwise (or combination thereof) (including increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder or adding or removing borrowers or guarantors thereunder) and whether in whole or in part, all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or facility or any successor or replacement agreement or facility (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents and other documentation entered into in connection therewith).

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

 “PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

“Pension 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 Acquisition” means an Investment consisting of the acquisition by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of either (a) all or any substantial portion of the property of, or a line of business or division of, another Person or (b) at least a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person (any such transaction, an “Acquisition”), provided, that (i) the property acquired (or the property of the Person acquired) in such Acquisition is a business, or those assets of a business, of the type that would not result in a violation of Section 7.06, (ii) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of another Person, the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have duly approved such Acquisition, (iii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Acquisition, the Borrower would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.10 on a Pro Forma Basis for the period most recently ended for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01, (iv) the representations and warranties made by the Borrower in each Loan Document shall be true and 





 

correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) at and as if made as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto), except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date, (v) if such transaction involves the purchase of an interest in a partnership between the Borrower as a general partner and entities unaffiliated with the Borrower as the other partners, such transaction shall be effected by having such equity interest acquired by a corporate holding company directly or indirectly wholly‐owned by the Borrower newly formed for the sole purpose of effecting such transaction and (vi) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Borrowing Base Certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Acquisition, the Borrowing Base Ratio does not exceed 0.85 to 1.00.

“Permitted Liens” means, at any time, Liens in respect of property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary permitted to exist at such time pursuant to the terms of Section 7.01.

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

“Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (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.

“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

“Pledged Railcars” means those certain railcars owned by the Borrower and pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents.  As of the Closing Date, the Pledged Railcars are identified by the “reporting mark” (including the “road number”) and the lease number on Schedule 1.01.  Thereafter, Schedule 1.01 shall be deemed to be updated from time to time in connection with Dispositions of or casualty or condemnation events with respect to any such railcars and pledges of additional railcars pursuant to the Collateral Documents, whether as a result of addition, substitution or otherwise.

“Pro Forma Basis” means, for purposes of calculating the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.10 (including for purposes of determining the Applicable Rate) or as otherwise specified by this Agreement, that any adjustments in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted by Section 7.02 that results in a Person becoming a Subsidiary shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recent four fiscal quarter period preceding the date of such transaction for which the Borrower was required to deliver (and has delivered) financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b).  In connection with the foregoing, (a) income statement items attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (i) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement items for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01 and (ii) such items are supported by financial statements or other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (b) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including the Person or property acquired) in connection with such transaction and any Indebtedness of the Person or property acquired which is not retired in connection with such transaction shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period.

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

“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.





 

“Qualified Equity Interests” means the Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).

“Related Indemnified Party” means with respect to any Indemnitee (a) any Controlling Person or Controlled Affiliate of such Indemnitee, (b) the respective directors, officers or employees of such Indemnitee, (c) the respective agents and advisors or other representatives of such Indemnitee, in the case of this clause (c), acting on behalf of or at the instruction of such Indemnitee; provided, that each reference to a Controlled Affiliate or Controlling Person in this definition pertains to a Controlled Affiliate or Controlling Person involved in the negotiation, syndication, administration and enforcement of this Agreement.

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

“Release” means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing or migration into, onto or through the environment.

“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed with or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

“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.

“Required Lenders” means, as at any date of determination, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the outstanding Term Loans.  The outstanding Term Loans of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time.

“Rescindable Amount” has the meaning as defined in Section 2.13(b)(ii).

“Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 9.06.

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

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, vice president, chief financial officer, controller or assistant controller, secretary or assistant secretary, treasurer or assistant treasurer of the Borrower and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the Borrower so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the Borrower designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.  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.  To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate and appropriate authorization documentation, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of the 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 Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s and any Subsidiary’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).

“Sanction(s)” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government, including OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

“Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract that is entered into by and between the Borrower and any Hedge Bank with respect to such Swap Contract for purposes of providing protection against fluctuations in interest rates relating to the Term Loan.  For the avoidance of doubt, a holder of Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements shall be subject to the last paragraph of Section 8.03 and Section 9.11.

“Secured Party Designation Notice” shall mean a notice from any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01.

“Security Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

“SOFR Early Opt-in” means the Administrative Agent and the Borrower have elected to replace LIBOR pursuant to (1) an Early Opt-in Election and (2) Section 3.03(c)(i) and paragraph (1) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement”.

“SPE” means any Person that is a direct or indirect, special purpose subsidiary of the Borrower that engages in no activities other than those reasonably related to or in connection with the entering into of transactions described in Section 7.05, including lease securitization, structured finance or syndication transactions, and/or in acquiring, managing, marketing, remarketing, leasing and/or selling rail cars and which is designated by the governing body of the Borrower as an SPE; provided (a) that neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary (i) shall provide any Guarantee or other credit support to such Person, (ii) shall have any contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding with such Person other than on terms that are fair and reasonable and that are no less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained from an unrelated Person (other than representations, warranties and covenants (including those relating to servicing) entered into in the ordinary course of business in connection with a transactions contemplated by Section 7.05(f), including lease securitization, structured finance or syndication transactions) and (iii) shall have any obligation to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve certain levels of operating results and (b) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of such Person shall be recourse to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries (other than representations, warranties and covenants (including those relating to servicing) entered into in the ordinary course of business in connection with a transactions contemplated by Section 7.05(f), including lease securitization, structured finance or syndication transactions).

“Stockholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP but excluding any non-cash impact of (i) goodwill impairment charges, (ii) increases (or decreases) from accumulated other comprehensive income (or loss) and (iii) the issuance of any equity or equity-linked securities.

“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.  For purposes of the Loan Documents, the term “Subsidiary” shall not include any “SPE”, any “Managed Person” or any “Joint Venture”.

 

“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 mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

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

“Term Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.  The aggregate outstanding amount of the Term Loan on the First Amendment Effective Date is $200,000,000.

“Term SOFR” means, for the applicable corresponding tenor (or if any Available Tenor of a Benchmark does not correspond to an Available Tenor for the applicable Benchmark Replacement, the closest corresponding Available Tenor and if such Available Tenor corresponds equally to two Available Tenors of the applicable Benchmark Replacement, the corresponding tenor of the shorter duration shall be applied), the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.

“Threshold Amount” means $15,000,000.

“Treasury Management Services” means treasury or cash management services related to deposit accounts, funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, 





 

controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services, credit cards, credit card processing services, debit cards, stored value cards, purchase cards (including so-called “procurement cards” or “P-cards”) and other cash management services.  

“Type” means, with respect to a Term Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurocurrency Rate Loan.

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

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

“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.

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).

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

1.02Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a)The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.”  Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed 





 

to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof,” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

(b)In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(c)Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

1.03Accounting Terms.

(a)Generally.  All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP 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)Changes in GAAP.  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.

(c)Calculations; Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities.  Notwithstanding the above, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that all calculations of the financial covenants in Section 7.10 (including for purposes of determining the Applicable Rate) shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis.  All references herein to consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity (other than any such entity that is an SPE) that the Borrower is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB Interpretation No. 46 – Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities: an interpretation of ARB No. 51 (January 2003) as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, any change in GAAP requiring leases which were previously classified as operating leases to be treated as 





 

capitalized leases shall be ignored for the purpose of determining Indebtedness hereunder and such leases shall continue to be treated as operating leases for such purpose consistent with GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date.

1.04Times of Day; Rates.

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Pacific time (daylight or standard, as applicable).  The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate” or with respect to any rate that is an alternative or replacement for or successor to any such rate (including, without limitation, any Replacement Benchmark) or the effect of any of the foregoing, or of any Benchmark Conforming Changes

1.05Divisions.

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

Article II

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

2.01Term Loan.

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make its portion (which shall equal such Lender’s Commitment) of a $225,000,000 term loan (the “Term Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars on the Closing Date; provided that each Lender’s portion of the outstanding Term Loan under (and as defined in) the Existing Credit Agreement shall be deemed to have been advanced to the Borrower by such Lender on the Closing Date and shall be applied to reduce such Lender’s Commitment.  Amounts repaid on the Term Loan may not be reborrowed.  The Term Loan may consist of Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein, provided, however, the Borrowing made on the Closing Date shall be made as a Base Rate Loan unless the Borrower has delivered a funding indemnity letter in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

2.02Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations.

(a)Each Borrowing, each conversion of Term Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent which may be given by: (A) telephone or (B) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice.  Each Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans or of any conversion of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the Closing Date for the Borrowing of Term Loans that are Base Rate Loans.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Borrower wishes to request Eurocurrency Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than seven (7) days, one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) four Business 





 

Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them.  Not later than 11:00 a.m., on the applicable Business Day specified in the immediately preceding sentence for which a request for such a Borrowing, conversion or continuation must be received, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders.  Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof.  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 shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Term Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurocurrency 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 Term Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Term Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Term 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 Term Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Term Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans.  Any 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a conversion to, or continuation of Eurocurrency 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 Applicable Percentage of the applicable Term 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 or continuation of Term Loans, as described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Term Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 11:00 a.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, 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.

(c)Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan.  During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. 

(e)After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Term Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Term Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than five Interest Periods in effect with respect to Term Loans.

2.03[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]





 

2.04[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]

2.05Security.

All Obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and all other Loan Documents shall be secured by the Collateral in accordance with the Loan Documents.

2.06Prepayments.

(a)Voluntary Prepayments.  The Borrower may, upon delivery of a Notice of Loan Prepayment from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay the Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans and (ii) on the requested date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans.  Any prepayment shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurocurrency Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.  Subject to Section 2.16, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.  Any prepayment shall be applied ratably to the remaining principal amortization payments of the Term Loan, including, without limitation, the final principal repayment installment on the Maturity Date.

(b)Mandatory Prepayments.  (i)  Within ten Business Days following any Disposition of or casualty or condemnation event with respect to any Pledged Railcars that causes the Unremedied Railcar Value to equal or exceed $5,000,000, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans as provided in clause (iii) below, pledge additional railcars pursuant to the Collateral Documents and/or provide Cash Collateral to the extent necessary to cause the Unremedied Railcar Value to be less than $5,000,000.  For purposes hereof, “Unremedied Railcar Value” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the sum of (A) the aggregate book value on the books of the Borrower of all Pledged Railcars that have been subject to a Disposition or a casualty or condemnation event (in each case valued at the time of such Disposition or casualty or condemnation event) minus (B) the aggregate amount of all prepayments of the Loans made pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(i) minus (C) the aggregate book value on the books of the Borrower of all additional railcars pledged pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(i) minus (D) all Cash Collateral pledged pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(i) and subject to the Lien of the Administrative Agent on such date.

(ii)If at any time the Borrowing Base Ratio, as reflected on the most recently delivered Borrowing Base Certificate exceeds 0.85 to 1.00, the Borrower shall within five Business Days following such determination, prepay the Loans as provided in clause (iii) below, pledge additional railcars pursuant to the Collateral Documents and/or provide Cash Collateral to the extent necessary to cause the Borrowing Base Ratio (as calculated after giving effect to any such prepayment of Loans, pledge of additional railcars and/or provision of Cash Collateral) to be less than or equal to the Borrowing Base Ratio as reflected on the most recently delivered Borrowing Base Certificate which evidenced a Borrowing Base Ratio that did not exceed 0.85 to 1.00.





 

(iii)All amounts prepaid pursuant to this Section 2.06(b) shall be applied ratably to the remaining principal amortization payments including, without limitation, the final principal repayment installment on the Maturity Date.  Within the parameters of the foregoing application, prepayments shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurocurrency Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.  All prepayments under this Section 2.06(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.

2.07[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]

2.08Repayment of Loans.

The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan in equal installments of $1,750,000 on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December (commencing September 30, 2021) with the remaining outstanding balance to be payable on the Maturity Date (as such installments may hereafter be adjusted as a result of prepayments made pursuant to Section 2.06), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 8.02.

2.09Interest.

(a)Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurocurrency 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 plus the Applicable Rate.  To the extent that any calculation of interest or any fee required to be paid under this Agreement shall be based on (or result in) a calculation that is less than zero, such calculation shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

(b)(i)If any amount of principal of any Loan 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.

(ii)If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) 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, then upon the request of the Required Lenders 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.

(iii)Upon the written request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), 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.

(iv)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.

2.10Fees.

(a)The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts, the 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.

(b)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.

2.11Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate.

(a)All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurocurrency 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 2.12, bear interest for one day.  Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(b)If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Borrower or for any other reason, the Borrower or the Lenders determine that (i) the Consolidated Capitalization Ratio as calculated by the Borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Consolidated Capitalization Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrower shall promptly and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent or any Lender), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period.  This paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under Section 2.09(b) or under Article VIII.

2.12Evidence of Debt.

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 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 to the Borrower 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 to the Borrower in addition to such accounts or records.  Each Lender may attach schedules to a Note and endorse 





 

thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount, currency and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

2.13Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

(a)General.  All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) 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 1:00 p.m. on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 1:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.  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.

(b)(i)Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the Overnight Rate and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii)Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders, the amount due.  With respect to any payment that the Administrative Agent makes for the account of the Lenders hereunder as to which the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that any of the following applies (such payment referred to as the “Rescindable Amount”) : (1) the Borrower has not in fact made such payment; (2) the 





 

Administrative Agent has made a payment in excess of the amount so paid by the Borrower (whether or not then owed); or (3) the Administrative agent has for any reason otherwise erroneously made such payment; then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the Rescindable Amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the Overnight Rate.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(c)Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.  If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the 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.

(d)Obligations of Lenders Several.  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).

(e)Funding Source.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

2.14Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

(i)if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

(ii)the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender) or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).





 

The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

2.15Increase to Term Loan.

(a)Request for Increase.  Provided there exists no Default, upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time, request an increase to the Term Loan by an amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $100,000,000; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $20,000,000.  At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).

(b)Lender Elections to Increase.  Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its portion of the Term Loan and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase.  Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its portion of the Term Loan.

(c)Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder.  To achieve the full amount of a requested increase and subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Borrower may also invite additional Persons that qualify as Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(d)Effective Date and Allocations.  If the Term Loan is increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the date of funding of such increase (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.

(e)Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase.  As a condition precedent to the Borrowing of such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate dated as of the Increase Effective Date signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by the Borrower approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.15, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (B) no Default exists.

(f)Conflicting Provisions.  This Section shall supersede any provisions in Sections 2.14 or 10.01 to the contrary.





 

(g)Beginning with the date of the next principal amortization payment, occurring after the date of such increase, the amount of each principal amortization payment on the Term Loan, shall be increased by the minimum amount that, when allocated ratably (based on outstandings) among all of the Lenders, immediately after giving effect to such increase, would provide (assuming all other things to be equal) for each of the Lenders holding the Term Loan immediately prior to giving effect to such increase, to receive in connection with such principal amortization payment an amount at least equal to the amount that such Lender would have received had such increase in the Term Loan (and the corresponding adjustment to such principal amortization payment pursuant to this Section 2.15(g)) not taken place.

2.16Defaulting Lenders.

(a)Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(i)Waivers and Amendments.  Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 10.01.

(ii)Defaulting Lender Waterfall.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08) shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released in order to satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement; fourth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and fifth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section 2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(b)Defaulting Lender Cure.  If the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein, that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages, whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.





 

Article III

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01Taxes.

(a)Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

(i)Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws.  If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, then the Administrative Agent or the Borrower shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.

(ii)If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any such required withholding or the making of all such required deductions (including such deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(iii)If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(b)Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(c)Tax Indemnifications.  (i) The Borrower shall, and does hereby indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or 





 

attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall, and does hereby indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below.

(ii)Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, (x) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).

(d)Evidence of Payments.  Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

(e)Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

(i)Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), 





 

3.01(e)(ii)(B) and 3.01(e)(ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii)Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A)any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding Tax;

(B)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(1)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(2)executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-A to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable); or

(4)to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-B or Exhibit 3.01-C, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender 





 

may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-D on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies (or originals, as required) of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D)if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by Law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Closing Date.

(iii)Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(f)Treatment of Certain Refunds.  Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender, as the case may be.  If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Borrower pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such 





 

Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

(g)Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

3.02Illegality.

If any Lender reasonably determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or to make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to any Loan, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Loan or continue Eurocurrency Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, shall be suspended and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case 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, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all such Eurocurrency Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based on the Eurocurrency Rate.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

3.03Inability to Determine Rates.

(a)If in connection with any request for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan or, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (i), “Impacted Loans”), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine in good faith that for any reason the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent 





 

will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurocurrency Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

(b)Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in clause (a)(i) of this Section and the Borrower shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the affected Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate” and other applicable provisions to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change; provided that, until so amended, such Impacted Loans will be handled as otherwise provided  pursuant to the terms of this Section.  

(c)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document:

(i)On March 5, 2021 the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), the regulatory supervisor of LIBOR’s administrator (“IBA”), announced in a public statement the future cessation or loss of representativeness of overnight/Spot Next, 1-week, 1-month, 2-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12- month Dollar LIBOR tenor settings. On the earliest of (A) the date that all Available Tenors of Dollar LIBOR have permanently or indefinitely ceased to be provided by IBA or have been announced by the FCA pursuant to public statement or publication of information to be no longer representative, (B) June 30, 2023 and (C) the Early Opt-in Effective Date in respect of a SOFR Early Opt-in, if the then-current Benchmark is LIBOR, the Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any setting of such Benchmark on such day and all subsequent settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document. If the Benchmark Replacement is Daily Simple SOFR, all interest payments will be payable on a quarterly basis.

(ii)(x)  Upon (A) the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event or (B) a determination by the Administrative Agent that neither of the alternatives under clause (1) of the definition of Benchmark Replacement are available, the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders (and any such objection shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error); provided that solely in the event that the then-current Benchmark at the time of such Benchmark Transition Event is not a SOFR-based rate, the Benchmark Replacement therefor shall be determined in accordance with clause (1) of the definition of Benchmark Replacement unless the Administrative Agent determines that neither of such alternative rates is available. 





 

(y) On the Early Opt-in Effective Date in respect of an Other Rate Early Opt-in, the Benchmark Replacement will replace LIBOR for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any setting of such Benchmark on such day and all subsequent settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.   

(iii)At any time that the administrator of the then-current Benchmark has permanently or indefinitely ceased to provide such Benchmark or such Benchmark has been announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark pursuant to public statement or publication of information to be no longer representative of the underlying market and economic reality that such Benchmark is intended to measure and that representativeness will not be restored, the Borrower may revoke any request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Loans to be made, converted or continued that would bear interest by reference to such Benchmark until the Borrower’s receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced such Benchmark, and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans. During the period referenced in the foregoing sentence, the component of Base Rate based upon the Benchmark will not be used in any determination of Base Rate.

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

(v)The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (A) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement and (B) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 3.03(c), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its  sole discretion and without consent from any other party hereto, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 3.03(c).  

(vi)At any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (A) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including Term SOFR or LIBOR), then the Administrative Agent may remove any tenor of such Benchmark that is unavailable or non-representative for Benchmark (including Benchmark Replacement) settings and (B) the Administrative Agent may reinstate any such previously removed tenor for Benchmark (including Benchmark Replacement) settings.

3.04Increased Costs.

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

(i)impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e));





 

(ii)subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

(iii)impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Rate Loans made by such Lender;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b)Capital Requirements.  If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c)Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay to such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

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

(e)Additional Reserve Requirements.  The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to comply with any reserve ratio requirement or analogous requirement of any other central banking or financial regulatory authority imposed in respect of the maintenance of the Commitments or the funding of the Eurocurrency Rate Loans, such additional costs (expressed as a percentage per annum and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest five decimal places) equal to the actual costs allocated to such Commitment or Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive, absent manifest error), which in each case shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to 





 

the Administrative Agent) of such additional costs from such Lender.  If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional costs shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.

3.05Compensation for 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 Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower;

(c)any assignment of a Eurocurrency 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 10.13;

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, 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 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan made by it at the Eurocurrency 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 Eurocurrency Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Lender hereby waives any claims it has pursuant to this Section 3.05 solely to the extent arising on the Closing Date as a result of any reallocation of the outstanding Term Loan on the Closing Date to reflect the Applicable Percentages set forth on Schedule 2.01 as of the Closing Date.

3.06Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a)Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower, such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.





 

(b)Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02 (which has not been revoked) and, in each case, the Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a) which results in the elimination of the amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 and Section 3.04, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.

3.07Survival.

All of the obligations of the Borrower under this Article III shall survive termination of the Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent.

Article IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

The obligation of each Lender to make its portion of the Term Loan hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a)The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (where applicable), each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:

(i)executed counterparts of this Agreement, the Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Agreement;

(ii)Notes executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting Notes;

(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 reasonably 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 to which the Borrower is a party;

(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, as applicable in their respective jurisdictions of formation;

(v)such executed documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to perfect (to the extent then required pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents) the Lenders’ first priority (except as otherwise provided in any Intercreditor Agreement) security interest in the Collateral, including filings with the United States Surface Transportation Board;

(vi)evidence that the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, shall have a perfected (to the extent then required pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents) security interest in the Collateral;

(vii)favorable opinions of Paul Hastings LLP and Tonkon Torp LLP, counsel to the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender;





 

(viii)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, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that, except as otherwise provided in Section 5.03, no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;

(ix)a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) that no Default exists, (B) that the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished by the Borrower at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, are true and correct in all material respects and (C) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(x)a Borrowing Base Certificate as of the Closing Date, which shall demonstrate that the Borrowing Base equals or exceeds $ 264,705,882; and

(xi)evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents has been obtained and is in effect.

 (b)At least five days prior to the Closing Date, if the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, it shall deliver a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower.

(c)Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.

(d)Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements 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), in each case, to the extent invoiced at least 1 day prior to the Closing Date.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Article IV, 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.

Article V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower, represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

5.01Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws.

The Borrower and each Subsidiary thereof (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) 





 

own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except with respect to clause (a) (as to any Subsidiary only), clause (b)(i) and/or clause (c), in each case, only to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.02Authorization; No Contravention.

The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to which the Borrower is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do 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, or require any payment to be made under (i) any (x) with respect to the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens), Contractual Obligation or (y) with respect to any conflict, breach or contravention or payment, Contractual Obligation, in each case, to which the Borrower is a party or affecting the Borrower or the properties of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) any material order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any material Law.

5.03Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.

No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document except (a) as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) for the authorizations, approvals, actions, notices and filings listed on Schedule 5.03, (c) filings and recordings with respect to the Collateral to be made, or otherwise delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing or recordation and (d) notices and filings required by law in connection with the exercise of remedies pursuant to the Loan Documents.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to which the Borrower is a party do not require any approval of the Borrower’s equity holders or any approval or consent of any Person under any Contractual Obligation of the Borrower, other than consents or approvals that have been obtained and that are still in force and effect and except, in the case of Contractual Obligations, for consents or approvals, the failure to obtain could not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.04Binding Effect.

This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by the Borrower.  This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity.

5.05Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a)The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities 





 

required to be shown under GAAP, direct or contingent, of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(b)The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated May 31, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

(c)Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or is reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.06Litigation.

There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties that either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.07No Default.

Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

5.08Ownership of Property; Liens.

Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Borrower has good and marketable title to all Pledged Railcars, subject to (a) Permitted Liens that do not secure Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) and (b) leases entered into in the ordinary course of the Borrower’s business.  The property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Permitted Liens.

5.09Environmental Compliance.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Borrower has reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.10Insurance.

The properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies that are not Affiliates (except as permitted below) of the Borrower, in such amounts, and 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 the applicable Subsidiary operates; provided, however, that the Borrower may reduce the amount of insurance required to 





 

be maintained above to the extent that the Borrower maintains a self-insurance program providing insurance coverage in lieu thereof and in a manner consistent with past practices or otherwise in accordance with sound business practices by companies in similar businesses similarly situated and located.  The property and general liability insurance coverage of the Borrower as in effect on the Closing Date is outlined as to carrier, policy number, expiration date and type on Schedule 5.10.

5.11Taxes.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all United States federal and state income Taxes and other material Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all United States federal and state income Taxes 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 (a) those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP and (b) those (other than United States federal income Taxes) where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in liability in a Material Adverse Effect.  There is no proposed Tax assessment against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary thereof is party to any formal Tax sharing agreement.

5.12ERISA Compliance.

(a)Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other United States federal or state Laws.  Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received an opinion letter or a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification.  The Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan.

(b)There are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of the Threshold Amount, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability; (iii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects 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); (iv) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (v) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

 





 

5.13Subsidiaries; Equity Interests.

As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13.  As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part (b) of Schedule 5.13.

5.14Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a)The Borrower is not engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.

(b)None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

5.15Disclosure.

No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not  materially misleading; it being understood that for purposes of this Section 5.15, such reports, financial statements, certificates and other information shall not include any financial projections, budgets, forecasts, pro forma data and other forward looking statements (“Projections”) or any information of a general economic or general industry nature.  All Projections provided by the Borrower have been prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time provided (it being understood that such Projections are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Borrower’s control, and that the Projections are not a guarantee of financial performance which may differ and such differences may be material).  As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.

5.16Compliance with Laws.

Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, is not expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.17Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries own, or possess the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, without, to the knowledge of the Borrower, conflict (except for conflicts that either individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect) with the rights of any other Person.  To the 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 infringes upon any valid rights held by any other Person, except for conflicts that either individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  





 

No claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, is reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.18OFAC.

Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance in all material respects with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote compliance in all material respects with such laws.

5.19No Affected Financial Institution.

The Borrower is not an Affected Financial Institution.

Article VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied (other than contingent amounts not yet due), the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, and 6.03) cause each Subsidiary to:

6.01Financial Statements.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a)as soon as available, but in any event no later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Parent (commencing with the fiscal year ended August 31, 2018), a consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ 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 accordance with GAAP in all material respects, such consolidated statements to be audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of KPMG or any other independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (except for qualifications resulting from the Obligations being classified as short term Indebtedness during the year prior to the applicable maturity date); and

(b)as soon as available, but in any event no later than 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2018) and within 90 days of the end of the Borrower’s fourth fiscal quarter, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in 





 

comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, such consolidated statements to be certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP in all material respects, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; and

(c)as soon as available, but in any event not later than 75 days after the beginning of each fiscal year of the Borrower, forecasts prepared by management of the Borrower of consolidated balance sheets and statements of income or operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a quarterly basis for such fiscal year (including the fiscal year in which the Maturity Date occurs).

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 clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.

6.02Certificates; Other Information.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent (for further distribution to the Lenders), in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a)(i) within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter (including the fourth fiscal quarter) a Borrowing Base Certificate as of the last day of such fiscal quarter and (ii) within 5 Business Days following any individual or series of related Dispositions (other than leases) of, or casualty or condemnation events with respect to, any Pledged Railcars having an aggregate book value on the books of the Borrower in excess of $1,000,000, an updated Borrowing Base Certificate after giving effect to such event;

(b)concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b) (commencing with the fiscal quarter ending August 31, 2018), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent or a Lender requests an executed original, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes);

(c)promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) (or the audit committee of the board of directors (or other comparable governing body)) of the Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;

(d)promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to all of the stockholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower may file or be required to file, if any, with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

(e)promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statement or material report furnished to any holder of debt securities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof pursuant 





 

to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or any other clause of this Section 6.02;

(f)promptly, and in any event within ten Business Days after receipt thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each material notice or other material correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof;

(g)promptly following any request therefor, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act, the Beneficial Ownership Regulation or other applicable anti-money laundering laws; and

(h)promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the 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 an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) 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.  The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arranger will make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities.  The Borrower hereby agrees that so long as the Borrower is the issuer of any outstanding debt or equity securities that are registered or issued pursuant to a private offering or is actively contemplating issuing any such securities (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion 





 

of the Platform designated as “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger and any Affiliate of the Administrative Agent or the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform that is not designated as “Public Side Information.”  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall not be under any obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”

6.03Notices.  Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a)of the occurrence of any Default;

(b)of any matter that has resulted or is reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(c)of the occurrence of any ERISA Event that has resulted or is reasonably expected to result in liability in excess of the Threshold Amount; and

(d)of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.  Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

6.04Payment of Tax Obligations.

Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligations and liabilities, including all tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, (a) unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary or (b) except to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.05Preservation of Existence, Etc.

(a) With respect to the Borrower, preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05; (b) except for Immaterial Subsidiaries, take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) except for Immaterial Subsidiaries, 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.

6.06Maintenance of Properties.

(a)Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its material facilities, in each of the foregoing clauses (a), (b) and (c) except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.





 

6.07Maintenance of Insurance.

(a)Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies that are not Affiliates of the Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.  The Administrative Agent and Lenders acknowledge and agree that the insurance set forth on Schedule 5.10 as of the Closing Date satisfies the requirements of this Section 6.07(a) as of the Closing Date.

(b)Cause the Administrative Agent to be named as lender loss payee or mortgagee, as its interest may appear, and/or additional insured with respect to any such insurance providing liability coverage or coverage in respect of any Collateral.  All certificates of property and general liability insurance are to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, with the loss payable (but only in respect of Collateral) and additional insured endorsements in favor of the Administrative Agent and shall provide for not less than 30 days (10 days in the case of non-payment) prior written notice to the Administrative Agent of the exercise of any right of cancellation.

(c)So long as one or more of the following conditions is true (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (ii) (A) the loss covered by such insurance involves a potential claim of less than $2,500,000 and (B) no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a)(i), 8.01(a)(ii), 8.01(f) or 8.01(g) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have the sole right to file claims under any property and general liability insurance policies, to receive, receipt and give acquittance for any payments that may be payable thereunder, and to execute any and all endorsements, receipts, releases, assignments, reassignments or other documents that may be necessary to effect the collection, compromise or settlement of any claims under any such insurance policies.  Otherwise, the Administrative Agent shall have the sole right to file claims involving losses under any property and general liability insurance policies in respect of the Collateral, to receive, receipt and give acquittance for any payments that may be payable thereunder, and to execute any and all endorsements, receipts, releases, assignments, reassignments or other documents that may be necessary to effect the collection, compromise or settlement of any claims under any such insurance policies.

6.08Compliance with Laws.

Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.09Books and Records.

(a)Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP in all material respects consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.





 

6.10Inspection Rights.

(a)Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent (who may be accompanied by the Lenders at the sole expense of such Lenders) to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its Responsible Officers, and independent public accountants, 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, that excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuance of an Event of Default, none of the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders may exercise rights under this Section 6.10(a) more often than two (2) times during any calendar year and only one (1) such visit by Administrative Agent (and no visits by any Lenders) shall be at the Borrower’s expense; provided, further, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent (or any of its respective representatives or independent contractors) (and any Lender may accompany Administrative Agent at its own expense) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.

(b)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Administrative Agent may conduct annual appraisals of the Borrower’s rail car Collateral.  Such appraisals shall be done at the expense of the Borrower (provided that Borrower shall only be responsible for the actual charges paid or incurred by Administrative Agent in connection with the performance of such appraisal) and shall be performed by an appraiser reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

6.11Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions for general corporate purposes (including to finance leased railcars and to repay existing Indebtedness of the Borrower) not in contravention of any applicable Law or of any Loan Document.

6.12Pledged Railcars.

(a)Cause its lease agreements, taken as a whole, to restrict the use of the Pledged Railcars in Mexico in such a manner that the aggregate net book value of all Pledged Railcars subject to leases that allow the lessees thereof predominate use of their leased Pledged Railcars in Mexico does not exceed an amount equal to 5% of the sum of (i) the Borrowing Base plus (ii) the Cash Collateral.  The Borrower shall be entitled to cure any breach of this Section 6.12(a) by pledging additional railcars and/or providing additional Cash Collateral, in each case, within five Business Days following the Borrower becoming aware of such breach.

(b)Concurrently with the delivery of the Compliance Certificates required pursuant to Section 6.02(b), deliver to the Administrative Agent a report identifying changes to the “reporting marks” (including the “road numbers”) of any Pledged Railcars since the Closing Date (or, if later, the most recent such report delivered to the Administrative Agent).

(c)Not permit its leases with respect to the Pledged Railcars to prohibit the grant of a security interest or other collateral pledge in such leases to the Administrative Agent as Collateral to secure the Obligations.

(d)Not permit non-Pledged Railcars owned by the Borrower that are subject to the same lease as any Pledged Railcars to be pledged to secure any obligations other than the Obligations unless the holders of such other obligations (or their representative or agent) have executed and delivered an intercreditor agreement with the Administrative Agent (which shall be 





 

in form and substance substantially similar to the Intercreditor Agreement executed and delivered on the Closing Date or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent).

6.13Pledged Assets.

Cause the Collateral to be subject at all times to first priority (except as otherwise provided in any Intercreditor Agreement), perfected Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent to secure the Obligations to the extent required by and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents, subject in any case to Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and (ii) deliver such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the foregoing, including, without limitation, appropriate UCC‐1 financing statements, filings with the Surface Transportation Board of the United States, certified resolutions and other organizational and authorizing documents of such Person, favorable opinions of counsel (which shall cover, among other things, the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the documentation referred to above and the perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Liens thereunder) and other items as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.  The Borrower shall also pledge additional owned railcars as required by Section 2.06.  Anything in any Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, any reference made to a first priority perfected Lien or security interest in any Loan Document (excluding any Intercreditor Agreement) shall be deemed to include any Collateral that is subject to security interests in favor of both the holders of the Obligations and the holders of Indebtedness under any Parent Credit Facility or Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(p), as applicable, and, pursuant to an Intercreditor Agreement, such creditors have agreed that their respective security interests in such common Collateral shall have equal priority.

6.14Anti-Corruption Laws.

Conduct its businesses in compliance in all material respects with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote compliance in all material respects with such laws.

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 (other than contingent amounts not yet due), the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

7.01Liens.

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a)Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b)Liens existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not increased other than after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into such property and proceeds and products of such property, (ii) the principal amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased (except by an amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on the obligations secured thereby, and a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid in connection with such refinancing or extension, fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection therewith, and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder), (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto 





 

is not changed, and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is permitted by Section 7.03(b);

(c)Liens for taxes, fees, assessments and other governmental charges and levies (i) which are not individually, or in the aggregate, in excess of $1,000,000, (ii) which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or (iii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(d)landlords’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business (i) which are not individually, or in the aggregate, in excess of $1,000,000, (ii) which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or (iii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;

(e)pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA or applicable Environmental Law;

(f)(i) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than in connection with the borrowing of money), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, and/or (ii) Liens on rail cars (the “transferred rail cars”) or other personal property (“transferred personal property”) that are transferred to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by customers as consideration for the future delivery by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to such customer of (1) existing rail car assets or other existing assets, (2) to-be-refurbished rail car assets or other to-be-refurbished assets or (3) to-be-constructed rail car assets or other to-be-constructed assets, so long as in either case (x) no Default exists or would result from the creation of such Liens, (y) such Liens (A) secure only the performance obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to deliver the assets described in items (1), (2) or (3) of this clause (f) to such customer, (B) extend to no property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries other than the transferred rail cars or other transferred personal property, (C) are released upon completion of performance by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (z) the transferred rail cars or other transferred personal property shall not be included in the Borrowing Base while they are subject to such Liens;

(g)any zoning restrictions, easements, rights-of-way, encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and title defects affecting real property which, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person, or the use of the property for the intended purpose;

(h)Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);

(i)Liens (other than Liens on the Pledged Railcars or, unless such shared Collateral is contemplated by and subject to an Intercreditor Agreement, any other Collateral) securing (i) Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03(p) and (ii) any Swap Contracts relating thereto;

(j)Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness or the proceeds thereof and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition (other than by the amount of premiums paid thereon and the fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith); provided, further, that 





 

individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross-collateralized to other individual financings of equipment provided by such lender.

(k)Liens on assets of Foreign Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(f);

(l)Liens in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of Law or under customary general terms and conditions encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with such banking or other financial institution (including the right of set off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

(m)any right of a licensor under any license agreement for the use of intellectual property or other intangible assets as to which the Borrower or such Subsidiary is the licensee;

(n)any leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others (i) in the ordinary course of business not interfering in any material respect, alone or in the aggregate, with the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) permitted pursuant to Section 7.05;

(o)Liens in favor of owners or purchasers of goods (including materials and/or components used in connection with the manufacture thereof) being manufactured or serviced in the ordinary course of business; provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the goods being manufactured or serviced (and such owned or purchased materials and/or components used in connection with the manufacture or service thereof) for such purchaser or owner, (ii) such purchaser or owner shall have paid for the materials being used to manufacture or service such goods through the making of progress payments or similar advances and (iii) such goods are excluded from the Borrowing Base;

(p)Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or other Investments permitted under Section 7.02 or Dispositions permitted under Section 7.05;

(q)deposits in the ordinary course to secure liability insurance carriers and Liens on premium refunds and insurance proceeds securing the financing of insurance premiums permitted hereunder;

(r)Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03(m) on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or otherwise becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided, that such Liens were not created in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or Investment and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or such Subsidiary or acquired by the Borrower or such Subsidiary;

(s)customary negative pledges on assets being sold or Disposed of, including customary restrictions on distributions by a Subsidiary of the Borrower to be sold, pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Equity Interests or assets of such Subsidiary; provided, that such Disposition is permitted by Section 7.05;

(t)Liens on cash and cash equivalents deposited with a third-party trustee that arise in connection with the defeasance, discharge or redemption of Indebtedness;

(u)Liens in favor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(i), other than any such Liens on assets of Borrower;





 

(v)Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(w)Liens on assets leased to the Borrower or any Subsidiary under operating leases (including Liens on any subleases of such assets by the Borrower or such Subsidiary to third parties), which Liens (i) are granted in favor of the lessor with respect to the lease granting the Borrower or such Subsidiary rights in such assets as the lessee and (ii) secure the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations to the lessor under such lease; 

(x)Liens (other than Liens on the Pledged Railcars or, unless such shared Collateral is contemplated by and subject to an Intercreditor Agreement, any other Collateral) that secure any liability, obligation or Indebtedness in connection with any Parent Credit Facility or any Guarantee thereof;

(y)Liens (other than Liens on the Pledged Railcars or, unless such shared Collateral is contemplated by and subject to an Intercreditor Agreement, any other Collateral) securing (i) Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(o) and/or (ii) obligations, liabilities or Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts and/or Treasury Management Services of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that are party to the Parent Credit Facility; and

(z)Liens not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.01, provided that the obligations secured thereby shall not exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding.

The foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower shall not be permitted to grant a Lien on the Pledged Railcars or any other Collateral to secure any Indebtedness, liabilities or other obligations under or in respect of or secured by the Parent Credit Facility, except, in the case of Collateral (other than Pledged Railcars), to the extent such shared Collateral is contemplated by and is the subject of an Intercreditor Agreement with the holders of such Indebtedness, liabilities or other obligations.

 

7.02Investments.

Make or permit to exist any Investments, except:

 

(a)Investments held by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of cash equivalents or other investments permitted under the Borrower’s cash investment policy as approved by the Borrower’s board of directors, members, managers or equivalent governing body; 

(b)advances to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower and Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000 at any time outstanding, for travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes;

(c)Investments (i) in the Parent and its Domestic Subsidiaries, (ii) in any Foreign Subsidiary of the Parent in an aggregate amount, when combined with the aggregate amount of Dispositions made pursuant to Section 7.05(d)(ii) during such fiscal year, not to exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year, and (iii) by any Foreign Subsidiary of the Parent or in any of its Subsidiaries;

(d)Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;

(e)other Investments not exceeding $15,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year of the Borrower; 





 

(f)Investments in any Person for the purpose of acquiring, managing, marketing, remarketing, leasing and/or selling rail cars in an aggregate amount for all Investments made pursuant to this clause (f) not to exceed $30,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(g)Investments resulting from entering into Treasury Management Services (or Guarantees thereof for Treasury Management Services of the Parent and any of its Subsidiaries that are party to the Parent Credit Facility); 

(h)Permitted Acquisitions, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Investment in any Subsidiary in an amount required to permit such Subsidiary to consummate a Permitted Acquisition, which amount is actually applied by such Subsidiary to consummate such Permitted Acquisition substantially concurrently with the making of such Investment; 

(i)to the extent constituting Investments, (i) the creation of Liens, the incurrence of any Guarantee, the making of fundamental changes and the consummation of Dispositions permitted under Sections 7.01, 7.03, 7.04 and 7.05, respectively and (ii) the making of Restricted Payments;

(j)Swap Contracts permitted by Section 7.03(c); 

(k)Investments held by a Person acquired in a Permitted Acquisition to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such Permitted Acquisition and were in existence on the date of such Permitted Acquisition; and

(l)Investments existing or contemplated on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.02 (and any extensions, modifications or renewals thereof provided that the amount of the original Investment is not increased except as otherwise permitted by this Section 7.02).

7.03Indebtedness.

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a)Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b)Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.03 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 with such refinancing, by an amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on such Indebtedness, and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;

(c)obligations (contingent or otherwise) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing or arising under any Swap Contract (or under any Guarantee of any Swap Contract of the Parent or any Subsidiary of the Parent party to the Parent Credit Facility), provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person (or  Parent or such Subsidiary of the Parent, as applicable) in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Person (or Parent or such Subsidiary of the Parent, as applicable), or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;

(d)Guarantees in respect of any Parent Credit Facility;





 

(e)capital leases (including sale-leaseback transactions) or purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets, within the limitations set forth in Section 7.01(j), and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25,000,000 at any one time outstanding, 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 accrued and unpaid interest on such Indebtedness and a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing;

(f)Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g)earn-out obligations incurred in respect of Permitted Acquisitions;

(h)Guarantees given by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of (i) any Indebtedness of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and/or (ii) other Indebtedness that is otherwise permitted under this Section 7.03;

(i)intercompany Indebtedness resulting from loans and advances permitted by Section 7.02;

(j)obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees or obligations in respect of letters of credit related thereto provided by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(k)Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of its incurrence;

(l)Indebtedness incurred in favor of insurance companies (or their financing affiliates) in connection with the financing of insurance premiums; provided, that the total of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed the aggregate amount of such unpaid insurance premiums;

(m)Indebtedness of a Person of the type described in Section 7.03(e) existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or otherwise becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower; which Indebtedness was not incurred in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or Investment and is non-recourse to the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than such Person, and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the property securing such Indebtedness is not increased, (ii) the principal amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on such Indebtedness and a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect to such Indebtedness is not changed;

(n)Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the extent the net proceeds thereof are promptly deposited to defease or satisfy and discharge any other Indebtedness of such obligor not prohibited by this Section 7.03; provided that:  (i) the amount of such new Indebtedness does not exceed the outstanding amount of the Indebtedness to be defeased or satisfied and discharged except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such defeasance or satisfaction and discharge, (ii) the terms relating to principal amount, amortization, maturity, 





 

collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such new Indebtedness are no less favorable in any material respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being defeased or satisfied and discharged and the interest rate applicable to any such new Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate and (iii) upon such defeasance, discharge or satisfaction, such new Indebtedness must otherwise be permitted under another subsection of this Section 7.03 and shall thereafter not be permitted under this subsection (n); 

(o)to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations in respect of Treasury Management Services provided to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business (and Guarantees thereof for Treasury Management Services of the Parent and any Subsidiary of the Parent party to the Parent Credit Facility); 

(p)term loan Indebtedness, debt securities, or other long term Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed (together with the outstanding unpaid principal amount of the Loans) $250,000,000; and

(q)other Indebtedness, on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000 at any one time outstanding; provided that if such Indebtedness is secured, the aggregate amount of such Indebtedness incurred in reliance on this clause (q) that is secured shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any one time outstanding.

 

7.04Fundamental Changes.

Merge, dissolve, divide, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom:

(a)(i) any Subsidiary may merge with (y) the Borrower, provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (z) any one or more other Subsidiaries or (ii) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge with any Person in order to effect any Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02, provided that (1) if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person and (2) if a Subsidiary is a party to such transaction, a Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving Person; and

(b)the Borrower may merge or consolidate with another corporation or entity which merger or consolidation merely effects the form or domicile of the Borrower without changing the respective holdings of Equity Interests in the Borrower (or in the surviving entity) by equity holders and pursuant to which all obligations of the Borrower in respect of this Agreement are and remain obligations of the surviving; provided that the surviving entity shall be organized under the laws of a political subdivision of the United States; 

(c)any Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation, dissolution or otherwise) to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary; and

(d)any Subsidiary may divide. 

7.05Dispositions.

Make any Disposition, except:





 

(a)Dispositions of obsolete, damaged, destroyed or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;

(b)Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business or equipment on or held for lease in the ordinary course of business, including sales, leases or exchanges of such assets;

(c)Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

(d)Dispositions of property to (i) the Parent or any wholly-owned Domestic Subsidiary of the Parent and (ii) to any Foreign Subsidiary of the Parent in an aggregate amount, when combined with the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(c)(ii) during such fiscal year, not to exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal year;

(e)Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04;

(f)Dispositions of lease assets in lease securitization, structured finance or syndication transactions, provided that the Borrower remains in compliance with its limitations under the Borrowing Base and all other terms and conditions of this Agreement;

(g)Dispositions pursuant to any sale-leaseback transactions under Section 7.03(e);

(h)sales or other Dispositions of assets having a fair market value (as determined by the Borrower in its reasonable discretion) of less than $10,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement;

(i)Dispositions of cash equivalents in the ordinary course of business;

(j)leases or subleases of property, including real property, in each case in the ordinary course of business not materially interfering with the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(k)licenses for the use of intellectual property of the Borrower or a Subsidiary in the ordinary course of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s business;

(l)Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business;

(m)any surrender or waiver of contractual rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contractual rights or other litigation claims in the ordinary course of business;

(n)to the extent constituting a Disposition, (i) Restricted Payments and (ii) Liens, Investments and fundamental changes permitted by Sections 7.01, 7.02 and 7.04, respectively;

(o)casualty events or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceedings of, any property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;

(p)Dispositions of Investments in, and issuances of any Equity Interests in, joint ventures to the extent required by or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements; and





 

 

(q)the assignment, cancellation, abandonment or other Disposition of (i) intellectual property or (ii) real property leases or licenses, that is, in the good faith judgment of Borrower, no longer economically practicable to maintain or useful in the conduct of the business of Borrower and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

provided, however, that (i) any Disposition pursuant to clauses (c), (f) or (g) shall be for fair market value and (ii) if a Disposition involves Pledged Railcars (other than a lease thereof), the Borrower shall, if required by Section 6.02(a), deliver an updated Borrowing Base Certificate and shall comply with Section 2.06.

7.06Change in Nature of Business.

Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date, except for any reasonable extensions or expansions thereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.

7.07Transactions with Affiliates.

Other than (a) transactions not prohibited by this Agreement, (b) payment of reasonable directors fees, (c) any issuance of Qualified Equity Interests of the Borrower to Affiliates of the Borrower and (d) any employment, consulting, service or termination agreement or reasonable and customary indemnification arrangements, entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with directors, officers and employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and the payment of compensation to directors, officers and employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (including amounts paid pursuant to employee benefit plans, employee stock option or similar plans), enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.

7.08Burdensome Agreements.

Enter into any Contractual Obligation that (a) limits the ability of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or to otherwise transfer property to the Borrower, (b) limits the ability of the Borrower to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on the Collateral to secure the Obligations or (c) requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien on the Collateral is granted to secure the Obligations, except:

(i)Contractual Obligations in existence as of the Closing Date and set forth in Schedule 7.08;

(ii)any Parent Credit Facility so long as the encumbrances and restrictions are not materially more restrictive than those set forth in the Parent Credit Facility (as in effect on the Closing Date);

(iii)this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

(iv)in the case of subclause (a), any instrument governing Indebtedness or Equity Interests of a Person and its Subsidiaries acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness was incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person and its Subsidiaries, or the property or assets of the 





 

Person and its Subsidiaries, so acquired, provided that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by Section 7.03;

(v)customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease, contract, or license of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or customary provisions in agreements that restrict the assignment of such agreement or any rights thereunder;

(vi)any agreement for the sale or other Disposition of assets, including customary restrictions on distributions by a Subsidiary of the Borrower to be sold, pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Equity Interests or assets of such Subsidiary; provided, that such Disposition was permitted by Section 7.05;

(vii)in the case of subclause (a), any instrument or agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03(f), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Foreign Subsidiaries obligated in respect of such Indebtedness;

(viii)restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(ix)customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to Joint Ventures permitted under Section 7.02 and applicable solely to such Joint Venture and are entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(x)any agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred subsequent to the Closing Date pursuant to Section 7.03 if the encumbrances and restrictions are not materially more restrictive than those set forth in the Parent Credit Facility (as in effect on the Closing Date) or any Loan Document and do not otherwise materially impair the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

(xi)any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e), 7.03(m) or 7.03(p) solely to the extent any such negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness and such negative pledge does not apply to Pledged Railcars; and

(xii)negative pledges in favor of holders of Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of or encumber the assets financed with such Indebtedness.

7.09Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

7.10Financial Covenants.

Beginning with the fiscal quarter ended August 31, 2018:

(a)Consolidated Adjusted Interest Coverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Adjusted Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 2.00 to 1.00.





 

(b)Consolidated Capitalization Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Capitalization Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than 0.60 to 1.00.

For purposes of the financial ratio calculations in this Section 7.10, no earnings or losses of any Managed Person shall be included.

7.11Sanctions; Anti-Corruption Laws.

Directly or indirectly, use any Loan or the proceeds of any Loan, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Loan or the proceeds of any Loan to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, or otherwise) of Sanctions.  Directly or indirectly use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.

 

Article VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

8.01Events 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, and in the currency required hereunder, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within ten 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 (i) Section 6.01, which failure continues for more than five (5) Business Days after the date specified for performance or compliance with such term or condition or (ii) any of Section 6.02, 6.03, 6.05(a), 6.10, 6.11, 6.12 or 6.13 or Article VII, other than pursuant to Sections 7.02 and 7.03; 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 for 30 days after the earlier of (i) the date upon which a Responsible Officer of the Borrower knew of such failure and (ii) the date upon which written notice thereof is given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent; 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 in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e)Cross-Default.  (i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) 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 Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness or Guarantee 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 Threshold Amount, or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; (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 (iii) the occurrence and continuation of an “Event of Default”, or equivalent term (as defined in the Parent Credit Facility); or

(f)Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.  The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than an Immaterial 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 Immaterial 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 (i) a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (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 the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate 





 

fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

(j)Invalidity of Loan Documents.  Any material provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder, as in accordance with the terms of such Loan Document or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Borrower or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision 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 provision of any Loan Document; or

(k)Change of Control.  There occurs any Change of Control.

Solely for purposes of determining whether an Event of Default has occurred under Section 8.01(f) or 8.01(g), it is understood and agreed that all Immaterial Subsidiaries affected by the applicable event or circumstance shall be considered together, as a single consolidated Person, for purposes of determining whether an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) or 8.01(g) has occurred.

8.02Remedies 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 to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated; and

(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; and

(c)exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents and applicable law or equity;

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 (or other applicable Debtor Relief Law), the obligation of each Lender to make Loans 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 without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

8.03Application of Funds.

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be (subject to the provisions of Section 2.16) applied in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may 





 

be employees of any Lender) and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and fees, premiums and scheduled periodic payments, and any interest accrued thereon, due under any Secured Hedge Agreement between the Borrower and any Hedge Bank, ratably among the Lenders (and, in the case of such Secured Hedge Agreements, Hedge Banks) in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third held by them;

Fourth, (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, (b) payment of breakage, termination or other payments, and any interest accrued thereon, due under any Secured Hedge Agreement between the Borrower and any Hedge Bank, ratably among the Lenders (and, in the case of such Secured Hedge Agreements, Hedge Banks) in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received a Secured Party Designation Notice, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Hedge Bank.  Each Hedge Bank not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article IX for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

Article IX

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

9.01Appointment and Authority.

Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including Intercreditor Agreements) and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article (other than Sections 9.06 and 9.10) are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.  It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (in its capacities as a Lender and a potential Hedge Bank) hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto.  In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent, shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX and Article X 





 

(including Section 10.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

9.02Rights as a Lender.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or to provide notice to or consent of the Lenders with respect thereto.

9.03Exculpatory Provisions.

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties:

(a)shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b)shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

(c)shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable to any Lender for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment.  Any such action taken or failure to act pursuant to the foregoing shall be binding on all Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or 





 

representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Loan Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral,  or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

9.04Reliance by Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall be fully protected in relying, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

9.05Delegation of Duties.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub‐agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub‐agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub‐agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub‐agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

9.06Resignation of Administrative Agent.

(a)The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than 





 

during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

(b)If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

(c)With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.07  and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them (i) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including (A) acting as collateral agent or otherwise holding any collateral security on behalf of any of the holders of the Obligations and (B) in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.

9.07Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

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





 

or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

9.08No Other Duties, Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the documentation agents, co-agents, syndication agents, bookrunners or arrangers listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder.

9.09Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding.

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan 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 and all other Obligations arising under the Loan Documents 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 2.09, 2.10 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b)to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender 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 2.09 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.

The holders of the Obligations hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which the Borrower is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law.  In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the holders thereof shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with 





 

respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase).  In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized (A) to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, and (B) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in clauses (a) through (f) of Section 10.01) and (ii) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Lender or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

9.10Collateral.

Without limiting the provisions of Section 9.09, each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Hedge Bank) irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

(a)to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) arising under the Loan Documents, (ii) that is transferred or to be transferred as part of or in connection with any Disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (iii) with respect to any Cash Collateral, so long as the Borrower is in compliance with the Borrowing Base Ratio, (iv) that is owned by a Person other than the Borrower or (v) subject to Section 10.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders; and

(b)to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by clause (ii) of Section 7.01(f) or Section 7.01(j).

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by the Borrower in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

9.11Secured Hedge Agreements.

No Hedge Bank that obtains the benefit of Section 8.03 or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) (or to notice of or to consent to any amendment, 





 

waiver or modification of the provisions hereof or any Collateral Document) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Hedge Agreements except to the extent expressly provided herein and unless the Administrative Agent has received a Secured Party Designation Notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Hedge Bank.  The Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Hedge Agreements in the case of the termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) arising under the Loan Documents.

9.12ERISA Matters.

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

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

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

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

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

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





 

to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that none of the Administrative Agent or the Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto). 

9.13Recovery of Erroneous Payments.

Without limitation of any other provision in this Agreement, if at any time the Administrative Agent makes a payment hereunder in error to any Lender whether or not in respect of an Obligation due and owing by the Borrower at such time, where such payment is a Rescindable Amount, then in any such event, each Lender receiving a Rescindable Amount severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the Rescindable Amount received by such Lender in immediately available funds in the currency so received, with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such Rescindable Amount is received by it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the Overnight Rate. Each Lender irrevocably waives any and all defenses, including any “discharge for value” (under which a creditor might otherwise claim a right to retain funds mistakenly paid by a third party in respect of a debt owed by another) or similar defense to its obligation to return any Rescindable Amount.  The Administrative Agent shall inform each Lender promptly upon determining that any payment made to such Credit Party comprised, in whole or in part, a Rescindable Amount.

 

Article X

MISCELLANEOUS

10.01Amendments, Etc.

(a)Except as provided in subsection (b) below, 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, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(i)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;

(ii)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;

(iii)reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or (subject to clause (y) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01(a)) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (A) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate or (B) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or 





 

any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

(iv)change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

(v)change the definition of “Required Lenders” or change any provision of this Section 10.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; or

(vi)release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are secured by such Collateral;

and, provided further, that 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.  

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Defaulting Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

(b)Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary:  (i) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may jointly amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document to cure or correct administrative errors or omissions, any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or to effect administrative changes, and such amendment shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document so long as (A) such amendment, modification or supplement does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or other holder of Obligations in any material respect and (B) the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment, (ii) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto; and (iii) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement as contemplated by Section 3.03.

 

10.02Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.

(a)Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i)if to the Borrower, or the Administrative Agent, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and





 

(ii)if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient).  Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b)Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail, FpML messaging, and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

(c)The Platform.  THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.”  THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS.  NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY (AS DEFINED BELOW) IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service or through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the 





 

Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(d)Change of Address, Etc.  Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.  In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.  Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities Laws.

(e)Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic or electronic 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 the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice given by or on behalf of the Borrower.  All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

10.03No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.

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 or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder  or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate) preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.  The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Borrower shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.14), or (c) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to the Borrower under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant 





 

to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b) and (c) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.14, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

10.04Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a)Costs and Expenses.  The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out‐of‐pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, enforcement and collection, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), and (ii) all out‐of‐pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such out‐of‐pocket expenses incurred during any collection, enforcement, workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans; provided that pursuant to this clause (a), the Borrower shall not be required to reimburse such fees, charges and disbursements of more than one primary counsel to the Administrative Agent and all the Lenders, taken as a whole, and if necessary, one special counsel and one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction, to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, taken as a whole, unless the representation of one or more Lenders by such counsel would be inappropriate due to the existence of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, in which case, upon prior written notice to the Borrower, the Borrower shall also be required to reimburse the reasonable out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of one additional counsel to such affected Lenders in each relevant jurisdiction.

(b)Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), the Arranger, and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses of counsel, to the fees, charges and disbursements of one primary counsel to the Indemnitees, taken as a whole, and if reasonably necessary, one special counsel and one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction, to the Indemnitees, taken as a whole, unless the representation of one or more Indemnitees by such counsel would be inappropriate due to the existence of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, in which case, upon prior written notice to the Borrower, the Borrower shall also be required to reimburse the reasonable out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of one additional counsel to such affected Indemnitees in each relevant jurisdiction), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby (including, without limitation, the Indemnitee’s reliance on any Communication executed using an Electronic Signature, or in the form of an Electronic Record), the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability 





 

related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee (or any of its Related Indemnified Parties), (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower against an Indemnitee for material breach of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among the Indemnitees other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as Administrative Agent or Arranger or any similar role under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates.  Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 10.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c)Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.13(d).

(d)Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, none of the Borrower, any agent nor any Lender shall assert, and each hereby waives,  and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any other party hereto (or any Indemnitee or the Borrower), on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof (other than in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party and to which such Indemnitee is otherwise entitled to indemnification as provided above).  No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

(e)Payments.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor together with customary invoice supporting reimbursement or payment.

(f)Survival.  The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 10.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.





 

10.05Payments 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 setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect, in the applicable currency of such recovery or payment.  The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

10.06Successors and Assigns.

(a)Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto 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 or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b)Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i)Minimum Amounts.

(A)In the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the related Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds (determined after giving effect to such assignments) that equal at least the amount specified in subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B)in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal 





 

outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

(ii)Proportional Amounts.  Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or Commitment assigned;

(iii)Required Consents.  No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A)the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof; and

(B)the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.

(iv)Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment.  The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(v)No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person).

(vi)Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and 





 

interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment); provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.  Upon request, the 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)Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for Tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement.  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)Participations.  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 a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person), a Defaulting Lender or the 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 owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 10.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.

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 Section 10.01(a) that affects such Participant.  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 (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 10.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive unless the sale of such participation is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.  Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant.  To the extent permitted by Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender, provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.14 as though it were a Lender.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(e)Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note(s), 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.

10.07Treatment of Certain Information; 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 Affiliates, its auditors and to its and its Affiliates’ Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (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 any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as, or at least as restrictive 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 any Eligible Assignee invited to become a Lender pursuant to Section 2.15 or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its Related Parties) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) 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, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Commitments and the Loans.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws.

10.08Right of Setoff.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or its respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch or office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have.  Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.





 

10.09Interest 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.

10.10Integration; Effectiveness.

This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Article IV, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

10.11Survival 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.

10.12Severability.

If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.  The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

10.13Replacement of Lenders.

If (a) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, (b) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (c) any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02 (which has not been revoked), (d) 





 

any Lender is a Non-Consenting Lender or (e) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which Eligible Assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a)the Administrative Agent shall have received the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06(b);

(b)such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the Eligible Assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c)in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d)such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

(e)in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent; 

provided that the failure by such Lender to execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption shall not impair the validity of the removal of such Lender and the mandatory assignment of such Lender’s Commitments and outstanding Loans pursuant to this Section 10.13 shall nevertheless be effective without the execution by such Lender of an Assignment and Assumption.

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

Each party hereto agrees that (a) an assignment required pursuant to this Section 10.13 may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and (b) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to an be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided, further that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

Notwithstanding anything in this Section 10.13 to the contrary,  the Lender that acts as the Administrative Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of Section 9.06.

10.14Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a)GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING 





 

OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b)SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.  THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.

(c)WAIVER OF VENUE.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d)SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.





 

10.15Waiver of Jury Trial.

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

10.16USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.  The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender reasonably requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.

10.17Statutory Notice.

Under Oregon law, most agreements, promises and commitments made by the lenders concerning loans and other credit extensions which are not for personal, family or household purposes or secured solely by the borrower’s residence must be in writing, express consideration and be signed by the lenders to be enforceable.

10.18No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and each Lender each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the 





 

Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower and its Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by Law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and each Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

10.19Electronic Execution.

(a)This Agreement, any Loan Document and any other Communication, including Communications required to be in writing, may be in the form of an Electronic Record and may be executed using Electronic Signatures.  The Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Lender agrees that any Electronic Signature on or associated with any Communication shall be valid and binding on such Person to the same extent as a manual, original signature, and that any Communication entered into by Electronic Signature, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person enforceable against such Person in accordance with the terms thereof to the same extent as if a manually executed original signature was delivered.   Any Communication may be executed in as many counterparts as necessary or convenient, including both paper and electronic counterparts, but all such counterparts are one and the same Communication.  For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this paragraph may include, without limitation, use or acceptance of a manually signed paper Communication which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed Communication converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention. The Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of any Communication in the form of an imaged Electronic Record (“Electronic Copy”), which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document.  All Communications in the form of an Electronic Record, including an Electronic Copy, shall be considered an original for all purposes, and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent, is under no obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by such Person pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (a) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and/or any Lender without further verification and regardless of the appearance or form of such Electronic Signature, and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Communication executed using an Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart.

(b)The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means). The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any Communication (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution or signed using an Electronic Signature) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof). 





 

(c)The Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Lender hereby waives (i) any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other Loan Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement or such other Loan Document, and (ii) waives any claim against the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Related Party for any liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures, including any liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Borrower to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.

10.20Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. 

Solely to the extent any Lender that is an Affected Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

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

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

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

(ii)a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii)the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

 

 

10.21Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs.

To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Swap Contract or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

(a)In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the 





 

same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.  

(b)As used in this Section 10.23, the following terms have the following meanings:

“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:  (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

“QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

 

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