Exhibit




Exhibit 10.2


Execution Version




J.P.Morgan
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
November 2, 2015
among
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.
The Lenders Party Hereto
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. 
as Administrative Agent 
_______________________________
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC 
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger







ACTIVE 210117563v.15


TABLE OF CONTENTS




	
							
	ARTICLE I Definitions
	1
	


	 
	SECTION
	1.01
	 
	Defined Terms
	1
	


	 
	SECTION
	1.02
	 
	Classification of Loans and Borrowings
	22
	


	 
	SECTION
	1.03
	 
	Terms Generally
	22
	


	 
	SECTION
	1.04
	 
	Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations
	22
	


	 
	SECTION
	1.05
	 
	Status of Obligations
	23
	


	ARTICLE II The Credits
	23
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.01
	 
	Commitments
	24
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.02
	 
	Loans and Borrowings
	24
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.03
	 
	Requests for Revolving Borrowings
	24
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.04
	 
	Intentionally Omitted
	25
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.05
	 
	Swingline Loans
	25
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.06
	 
	Letters of Credit
	26
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.07
	 
	Funding of Borrowings
	30
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.08
	 
	Interest Elections
	30
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.09
	 
	Termination and Reduction of Commitments
	31
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.10
	 
	Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt
	32
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.11
	 
	Prepayment of Loans
	32
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.12
	 
	Fees
	33
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.13
	 
	Interest
	34
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.14
	 
	Alternate Rate of Interest
	34
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.15
	 
	Increased Costs
	35
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.16
	 
	Break Funding Payments
	36
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.17
	 
	Taxes
	36
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.18
	 
	Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatement; Sharing of Set-offs
	40
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.19
	 
	Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders
	42
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.20
	 
	Expansion Option
	42
	


	 
	SECTION
	2.21
	 
	Defaulting Lenders
	43
	


	ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties
	45
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.01
	 
	Organization; Powers; Subsidiaries
	45
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.02
	 
	Authorization; Enforceability
	45
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.03
	 
	Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts
	45
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.04
	 
	Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change
	46
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.05
	 
	Properties
	46
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.06
	 
	Litigation, Environmental and Labor Matters
	46
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.07
	 
	Compliance with Laws and Agreements
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.08
	 
	Investment Company Status
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.09
	 
	Taxes
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.10
	 
	ERISA
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.11
	 
	Disclosure
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.12
	 
	Federal Reserve Regulations
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.13
	 
	Liens
	47
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.14
	 
	No Default
	48
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.15
	 
	No Burdensome Restrictions
	48
	


	 
	SECTION
	3.16
	 
	Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions
	48
	


	ARTICLE IV Conditions
	48
	


	 
	SECTION
	4.01
	 
	Effective Date
	48
	


	 
	SECTION
	4.02
	 
	Each Credit Event
	49
	






i


Table of Contents 
(continued)




	
							
	ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants
	49
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.01
	 
	Financial Statements and Other Information
	50
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.02
	 
	Notices of Material Events
	51
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.03
	 
	Existence; Conduct of Business
	51
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.04
	 
	Payment of Obligations
	51
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.05
	 
	Maintenance of Properties; Insurance
	51
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.06
	 
	Books and Records; Inspection Rights
	52
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.07
	 
	Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations
	52
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.08
	 
	Use of Proceeds
	52
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.09
	 
	Subsidiary Guaranty
	53
	


	 
	SECTION
	5.10
	 
	Further Assurances
	53
	


	ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants
	53
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.01
	 
	Indebtedness
	53
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.02
	 
	Liens
	55
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.03
	 
	Contingent Obligations
	56
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.04
	 
	Fundamental Changes and Asset Sales
	56
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.05
	 
	Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions
	57
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.06
	 
	Swap Agreements
	58
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.07
	 
	Transactions with Affiliates
	58
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.08
	 
	Restricted Payments
	58
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.09
	 
	Restrictive Agreements
	58
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.10
	 
	Subordinated Indebtedness and Amendments to Subordinated Indebtedness Documents
	59
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.11
	 
	Change in Accounting Model
	60
	


	 
	SECTION
	6.12
	 
	Financial Covenants
	60
	


	ARTICLE VII Events of Default
	60
	


	ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent
	62
	


	ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous
	65
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.01
	 
	Notices
	65
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.02
	 
	Waivers; Amendments
	66
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.03
	 
	Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver
	68
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.04
	 
	Successors and Assigns
	70
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.05
	 
	Survival
	73
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.06
	 
	Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution
	73
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.07
	 
	Severability
	74
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.08
	 
	Right of Setoff
	74
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.09
	 
	Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process
	74
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.10
	 
	WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
	75
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.11
	 
	Headings
	75
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.12
	 
	Confidentiality
	75
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.13
	 
	USA PATRIOT Act
	76
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.14
	 
	Releases of Subsidiary Guarantors
	76
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.15
	 
	Interest Rate Limitation
	77
	


	 
	SECTION
	9.16
	 
	No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility
	77
	


	ARTICLE X Borrower's Keepwell Agreement
	77
	










ii


Table of Contents 
(continued)






	
	
	SCHEDULES:

	 

	Schedule 2.01 – Commitments

	Schedule 3.01 – Subsidiaries

	Schedule 6.01 – Existing Indebtedness

	Schedule 6.02 – Existing Liens

	 

	EXHIBITS:

	 

	Exhibit A – Form of Assignment and Assumption

	Exhibit B – Form of Opinion of Loan Parties’ Counsel

	Exhibit C – Form of Increasing Lender Supplement

	Exhibit D – Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

	Exhibit E – List of Closing Documents

	Exhibit F – Form of Subsidiary Guaranty

	Exhibit G-1 – Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships)

	Exhibit G-2 – Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships)

	Exhibit G-3 – Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships)

	Exhibit G-4 – Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships)

	Exhibit H-1 – Form of Borrowing Request

	Exhibit H-2 – Form of Interest Election Request

	Exhibit I – Form of Note











iii




CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated as of November 2, 2015 among WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., the LENDERS from time to time party hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01    Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“ABR” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Agent Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01(d).
“Aggregate Commitment” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all of the Lenders, as reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof.  As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Commitment is $500,000,000.
“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the FRBNY Rate in effect on such day plus 1⁄2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day, subject to the interest rate floors set forth therein.  Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the FRBNY Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the FRBNY Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Alternate Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

1




“Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Commitment represented by such Lender’s Commitment; provided that, in the case of Section 2.21 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the Aggregate Commitment (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment.  If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan or any ABR Loan or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Eurodollar Spread”, “ABR Spread” or “Commitment Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Leverage Ratio applicable on such date:
	
					
	 
	Leverage Ratio:
	Eurodollar Spread
	ABR Spread
	Commitment Fee Rate

	Category 1:
	< 1.25 to 1.00
	1.125%
	0.125%
	0.125%

	Category 2:
	> 1.25 to 1.00 but  
< 1.5 to 1.00
	1.250%
	0.250%
	0.150%

	Category 3:
	> 1.5 to 1.00 but  
< 2.0 to 1.00
	1.375%
	0.375%
	0.200%

	Category 4:


	> 2.0 to 1.00 but  
< 2.5 to 1.00
	1.500%
	0.500%
	0.250%

	Category 5:
	> 2.5 to 1.00
	1.750%
	0.750%
	0.300%






For purposes of the foregoing, 
(i) if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver the Financials on or before the date the Financials are due pursuant to Section 5.01, Category 5 shall be deemed applicable for the period commencing three (3) Business Days after the required date of delivery and ending on the date which is three (3) Business Days after the Financials are actually delivered, after which the Category shall be determined in accordance with the table above as applicable;
(ii) adjustments, if any, to the Category then in effect shall be effective three (3) Business Days after the Administrative Agent has received the applicable Financials (it being understood and agreed that each change in Category shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change); and
(iii) notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the Effective Date, Category 1 shall be applicable and adjustments to the Category then in effect shall be effected in accordance with the preceding paragraphs.
“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

2




“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption agreement entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Augmenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.
 “Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to the Borrower or any Subsidiary by any Lender or any of its Affiliates:  (a) credit cards for commercial customers (including, without limitation, commercial credit cards and purchasing cards), (b) stored value cards, (c) merchant processing services and (d) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, any direct debit scheme or arrangement, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).
“Banking Services Agreement” means any agreement entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with Banking Services.
“Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Borrower” means Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation.
“Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect or (b) a Swingline Loan.
“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03 in the form attached hereto as Exhibit H-1.
“Burdensome Restrictions” means any consensual encumbrance or restriction of the type described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.09.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when 

3




used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in Dollars in the London interbank market.
“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital lease obligations on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Issuing Bank and the Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), as cash collateral for the LC Exposure, an amount equal to 105% of the amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon.  “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support. 
“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated, appointed or approved by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated, appointed or approved; (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group; or (d) the occurrence of a change in control, or other similar provision, as defined in any agreement or instrument evidencing any Material Indebtedness (triggering a default or mandatory prepayment, which default or mandatory prepayment has not been waived in writing). 
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement (or with respect to any Lender, if later, the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender), of any of the following:  (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority, or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rules, guideline, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided however, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder, issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof, and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and 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, issued or implemented.
“Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure 

4




hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.20 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.  The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation contemplated hereby pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.
“Commodities Program” means a program of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries consisting of forward contracts, futures, and other similar short term and long term commodity purchase agreements for the purpose of hedging price and assuring availability of food commodities and agricultural products that are used or useful in connection with their business.
“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
“Communications” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01(d).
“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditures for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset which would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated EBIT” means, with reference to any period, Consolidated Net Income plus, without duplication and to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) expense for income taxes paid or accrued, (iii) extraordinary or non-recurring non-cash expenses or losses incurred other than in the ordinary course of business (and any unusual non-cash losses in excess of $1,000,000 arising in or outside of the ordinary course of business not included in extraordinary losses (determined in accordance with GAAP) that have been included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income), (iv) any non-cash expenses related to stock based compensation, (v) any non-cash increase in deferred rent for such period minus, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, (1) interest income, (2) income tax credits and refunds (to the extent not netted from tax expense), (3) any cash payments made during such period in respect of items described in clauses (iii) or (iv) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which the relevant non-cash expenses or losses were incurred and (4) extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring income or gains realized other than in the ordinary course of business, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis.  For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBIT for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (each such period, a “Reference Period”), (i) if at any time during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made any Material Disposition, the Consolidated EBIT for such Reference Period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBIT (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Material Disposition for such Reference Period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBIT (if negative) attributable thereto for such Reference Period, and (ii) if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made a Material Acquisition, Consolidated EBIT for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving effect thereto on a pro forma basis as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such Reference Period.  As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes (i) assets comprising all or substantially all or any significant portion of a business or operating unit of a business, or (ii) all or substantially all of the common stock or other Equity Interests of a Person, and (b) involves the payment of consideration by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000; and “Material 

5




Disposition” means any sale, transfer or disposition of property or series of related sales, transfers, or dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, with reference to any period, Consolidated Net Income plus, without duplication and to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) expense for income taxes paid or accrued, (iii) depreciation, (iv) amortization, (v) extraordinary or non-recurring non-cash expenses or losses incurred other than in the ordinary course of business (and any unusual non-cash losses in excess of $1,000,000 arising in or outside of the ordinary course of business not included in extraordinary losses (determined in accordance with GAAP) that have been included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income), (vi) any non-cash expenses related to stock based compensation, (vii) any non-cash increase in deferred rent for such period minus, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, (1) interest income, (2) income tax credits and refunds (to the extent not netted from tax expense), (3) any cash payments made during such period in respect of items described in clauses (v) or (vi) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which the relevant non-cash expenses or losses were incurred and (4) extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring income or gains realized other than in the ordinary course of business, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis.  For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (each such period, a “Reference Period”), (i) if at any time during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made any Material Disposition, the Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Material Disposition for such Reference Period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) attributable thereto for such Reference Period, and (ii) if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made a Material Acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving effect thereto on a pro forma basis as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such Reference Period.  As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes (i) assets comprising all or substantially all or any significant portion of a business or operating unit of a business, or (ii) all or substantially all of the common stock or other Equity Interests of a Person, and (b) involves the payment of consideration by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000; and “Material Disposition” means any sale, transfer or disposition of property or series of related sales, transfers, or dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with reference to any period, the interest expense (including without limitation interest expense under Capital Lease Obligations that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP (including, without limitation, all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers acceptance financing and net costs under interest rate Swap Agreements to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP).  In the event that the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have completed a Material Acquisition or a Material Disposition since the beginning of the relevant period, Consolidated Interest Expense shall be determined for such period on a pro forma basis as if such acquisition or disposition, and any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, had occurred at the beginning of such period.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with reference to any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis (without duplication) for such period; provided that there shall be excluded any income (or loss) of any Person other 

6




than the Borrower or a Subsidiary, but any such income so excluded may be included in such period or any later period to the extent of any cash dividends or distributions actually paid in the relevant period to the Borrower or any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.
 “Consolidated Rental Expense” means, with reference to any period, the aggregate rental expense (including any contingent or percentage rental expense) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis for such period (excluding real estate taxes and common area maintenance charges) in respect of all rent obligations under all operating leases for real or personal property minus any rental income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis for such period, all as determined in conformity with GAAP. 
“Consolidated Tangible Assets” means, to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis, the aggregate amount of assets (less depreciation and valuation reserves and other reserves and items deductible from gross book value of specific asset accounts under GAAP) which under GAAP would be included on a balance sheet after deducting therefrom all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, which would be so included on such balance sheet.
“Contingent Obligations” as to any Person, without duplication, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing or intended to guarantee the payment or performance of any Indebtedness, leases, dividends or other obligations (collectively "primary obligations") of any other Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including without limitation, any obligation of the Person for whom Contingent Obligations is being determined, whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such primary obligation or other property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (b) assume or contingently agree to become or be secondarily liable in respect of any such primary obligation, (c) to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (ii) to maintain working capital or equity capital for the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (d) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation, or (e) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof; provided, however, that the term "Contingent Obligations" shall not include (x) endorsements of checks or other negotiable instruments in the ordinary course of business, (y) performance or payment guarantees by the Borrower of any Indebtedness of any of its Subsidiaries of the type permitted in Section 6.01(m), and (z) the obligations and liabilities of each Subsidiary Guarantor to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the Subsidiary Guarantees. The amount of any Contingent Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Contingent Obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming the Person for whom Contingent Obligations is being determined is required to perform thereunder) as determined by the Administrative Agent in good faith.
“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.  The terms “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
“Coverage Ratio” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(b).
“Credit Event” means a Borrowing, the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit, an LC Disbursement or any of the foregoing.

7




“Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.
“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a Loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of a Bankruptcy Event.
“Dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the United States of America.
“DQ List” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
“ECP” means an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1(a)(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and the applicable rules issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or the SEC.
“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
“Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.
“Electronic System” means any electronic system, including e-mail, e-fax, Intralinks®, ClearPar®, Debt Domain, Syndtrak and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank and any of its respective Related Parties or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

8




“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
 “Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any of the foregoing.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the failure to satisfy the “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“Eurodollar” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, means that such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.



9




“Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Loan Party, any Specified Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Contingent Obligation of such Loan Party of, or the grant by such Loan Party of a security interest to secure, such Specified Swap Obligation (or any Contingent Obligation thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Loan Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an ECP at the time the Contingent Obligation of such Loan Party or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Specified Swap Obligation.  If a Specified Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Specified Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Contingent Obligation or security interest is or becomes illegal.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(f) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, and any intergovernmental agreement to implement such Sections of the Code entered into between any relevant authorities on behalf of the United States and such jurisdiction.
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the FRBNY based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the FRBNY shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the FRBNY as the federal funds effective rate.
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
“Financials” means the annual or quarterly financial statements, and accompanying certificates and other documents, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b).
“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes.

10




“Foreign Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“FRBNY” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
“FRBNY Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day; provided that if both such rates are not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “FRBNY Rate” means the rate quoted for such day for a federal funds transaction at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a Federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
 “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.
“Hostile Acquisition” means (a) the acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such Equity Interests which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by the board of directors (or any other applicable governing body) of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation and (b) any such acquisition as to which such approval has been withdrawn. “Impacted Interest Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “LIBO Rate”.
“Immaterial Entity” means any direct or indirect subsidiary (as defined herein) of the Borrower whose equity interests are not traded on any U.S. national securities exchange and that is a subject of the Borrower’s Strategic Investment Program and in which Borrower or a Subsidiary has acquired an equity interest, other than any such entity that (a) is directly or indirectly wholly-owned by the Borrower or (b) if it were a Subsidiary, would qualify as a Material Domestic Subsidiary.
“Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20.
“Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20.
“Incremental Term Loan Amendment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20.
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, 

11




contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Contingent Obligations by such Person, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, and (k) all obligations of such Person under Sale and Leaseback Transactions.  The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a) hereof, Other Taxes.
“Ineligible Institution” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08 in the form attached hereto as Exhibit H-2.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and the Maturity Date and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid and the Maturity Date.
“Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Interpolated Rate” means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBOR Screen Rate for the longest period (for which the LIBOR Screen Rate is available for the applicable currency) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period and (b) the LIBOR Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which the LIBOR Screen Rate is available for the applicable currency) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time. 
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

12




“Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i) and such other Lender as the Borrower may from time to time select as an Issuing Bank; provided that (i) such Lender has agreed to be an Issuing Bank and (ii) the Borrower has designated such Lender as an Issuing Bank by notice to, and with the prior written consent of, the Administrative Agent.  The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
“LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(j).
“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
“LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time.  The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
“Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.
“Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereunder pursuant to Section 2.20 or pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or other documentation contemplated hereby, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or other documentation contemplated hereby.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank.
“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.
“Letter of Credit Application” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(b).
“Letter of Credit Documents” means, collectively, any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Application and all other Letter of Credit agreements (including agreements with respect to reimbursement obligations relating to Letters of Credit) and any agreements between the Borrower and the Issuing Bank regarding the respective rights and obligations between the Borrower and the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit.
“Leverage Ratio” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.12(a).
“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any applicable Interest Period, 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 as displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen or, in the event such rate does not appear on either of such Reuters pages, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate as shall be selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time in its reasonable discretion (in each case the “LIBOR Screen Rate”) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that, if the LIBOR Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement; provided, further, that if a LIBOR Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (the “Impacted Interest Period”), then the LIBO Rate 

13




for such Interest Period shall be the Interpolated Rate; provided, that, if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.  It is understood and agreed that all of the terms and conditions of this definition of “LIBO Rate” shall be subject to Section 2.14.
“LIBOR Screen Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “LIBO Rate”.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any promissory notes issued pursuant to Section 2.10(e), the Subsidiary Guaranty, any Letter of Credit Document, and any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral.  Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to this Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on the validity or enforceability of any material provision of the Loan Documents, on the ability of the Borrower to consummate the Transactions, on the financial condition of the Borrower (either individually or taken as a whole with its Subsidiaries), or on the property, business, operations or liabilities of the Borrower (either individually or taken as a whole with its Subsidiaries).
“Material Agreement” means any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor involving aggregate consideration payable by or to such Person equal to at least $50,000,000 annually or otherwise material to the business, operations or liabilities of the Borrower (either individually or taken as a whole with its Subsidiaries).
“Material Domestic Subsidiary” means each Domestic Subsidiary which, as of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower, for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters then ended, for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) (or, if prior to the date of the delivery of the first financial statements to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), the most recent financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a)), contributed greater than five percent (5%) of Consolidated EBITDA for such period; provided that, if at any time the aggregate amount of Consolidated EBITDA attributable to all such Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Guarantors exceeds twenty percent (20%) of Consolidated EBITDA for any such period, the Borrower (or, in the event the Borrower has failed to do so within ten (10) Business Days, the Administrative Agent) shall designate sufficient additional Domestic Subsidiaries as “Material Domestic Subsidiaries” to eliminate such excess, and such designated Subsidiaries shall for all purposes of this Agreement constitute Material Domestic Subsidiaries.  
“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $100,000,000.  For purposes of determining Material 

14




Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time. 
“Maturity Date” means November 2, 2020.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and indebtedness (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding), obligations and liabilities of any of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to any of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any indemnified party, individually or collectively, existing on the Effective Date or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint or several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise, arising or incurred under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or to the Lenders or any of their Affiliates under any Swap Agreement or any Banking Services Agreement or in respect of any of the Loans made or reimbursement or other obligations incurred or any of the Letters of Credit or other instruments at any time evidencing any thereof; provided that the definition of “Obligations” shall not create or include any guarantee by any Loan Party of (or grant of security interest by any Loan Party to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Party for purposes of determining any obligations of any Loan Party.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or Loan Document).
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.19).
“Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.–managed banking offices of depository institutions (as such composite rate shall be determined by the FRBNY as set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the FRBNY as an overnight bank funding rate (from and after such date as the FRBNY shall commence to publish such composite rate).
“Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

15




“Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).
“Patriot Act” means the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
“Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise but excluding in any event a Hostile Acquisition) or series of related acquisitions by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of (i) all or substantially all the assets of or (ii) all or substantially all the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line of business of a Person, if, at the time of and immediately after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect (including giving effect on a pro forma basis) thereto, (b) such Person or division or line of business is engaged (1) in the same or a similar lines of business or in support of such lines of business as the Borrower and the Subsidiaries or business reasonably related thereto; or (2) in an unrelated line or lines of business as the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, provided that the aggregate amount of investments, for all such acquisitions in this clause (b)(2), shall not exceed $100,000,000 during the period from and including the Effective Date until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, terminated or been Cash-Collateralized, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, (c) all actions required to be taken with respect to such acquired or newly formed Subsidiary under Section 5.09 shall have been taken, (d) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis, with the covenants contained in Section 6.12 recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, as if such acquisition (and any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, with any new Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in accordance with its terms) had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such compliance and, if the aggregate consideration paid in respect of such acquisition exceeds $200,000,000, the Borrower shall  deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower to such effect, together with all relevant financial information, statements and projections reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent at the time the acquisition is publicly disclosed; and (e) in the case of an acquisition, merger or consolidation involving the Borrower or a Subsidiary, the Borrower or such Subsidiary is the surviving entity of such merger and/or consolidation. 
“Permitted Encumbrances” means:
(a)    Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b)    carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(c)    pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(d)    deposits not in excess of $50,000,000 at any time to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

16




(e)    judgment Liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII;
(f)    easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; 
(g)    bankers’ liens arising by operation of law; 
(h)    rights of lessees and sublessees in assets leased by the Borrower or any Subsidiary not prohibited elsewhere herein; and 
(i)    Liens in favor of landlords or lessors under leases of real property. 
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness. 
“Permitted Investments” means:
(a)    direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b)    investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;
(c)    investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;
(d)    fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than thirty (30) days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; 
(e)    money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000;
(f)    any other investments held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to the Borrower’s internal investment policy statement in effect as of the Effective Date, as such investment policy statement may be modified by the Borrower from time to time with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); and
(g)    any options acquired or purchased by the Borrower or any Subsidiary as a part of a call spread or capped call strategy of the Borrower or in connection with Indebtedness of the Borrower convertible into Equity Interests of the Borrower.

17




“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
“Platform” means Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
“Projections” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(e). 
“Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) the Issuing Bank, as applicable.
“Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means, subject to Section 2.21, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Total Revolving Credit Exposure and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, as long as there is more than one Lender, Required Lenders shall mean at least two Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and Unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Total Revolving Credit Exposure and unused Commitments at such time; provided further, for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII or the Commitments expire or terminate, then, as to each Lender, clause (a) of the definition of Swingline Exposure shall only be applicable for purposes of determining its Revolving Credit Exposure to the extent such Lender shall have funded its participation in the outstanding Swingline Loans.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in 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 Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

18




“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans, its LC Exposure and its Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.
“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means any sale or other transfer of any property or asset by any Person with the intent to lease such property or asset as lessee.
“Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).
“Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any European Union member state, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).
“Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933.
“Specified Account” means the deposit account identified as follows:
Bank Name: JPMorgan Chase Bank, 
Bank Address:  700 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX 78789 
ABA/Swift Code: 111000614 
Bank Account Number: 09917010802
provided that if such deposit account is closed for any reason, the Specified Account shall be any deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.
“Specified Ancillary Obligations” means all obligations and liabilities (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) of any of the Subsidiaries, existing on the Effective Date or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint or several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise, to the Lenders or any of their Affiliates under any Swap Agreement or any Banking Services Agreement.

19




“Specified Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Loan Party, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.
 “Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board).  Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D of the Board.  Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D of the Board or any comparable regulation.  The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
“Strategic Investment Program” means Borrower’s program to lend to, and invest in, vendors and suppliers of niche products that are used or useful in the business of the Borrower or of any Subsidiary.
“Subordinated Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the obligations under the Loan Documents.
“Subordinated Indebtedness Documents” means any document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Subordinated Indebtedness or entered into in connection with any Subordinated Indebtedness.
“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, Controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower other than any Immaterial Entity.
“Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Material Domestic Subsidiary that is a party to the Subsidiary Guaranty.  The Subsidiary Guarantors on the Effective Date are identified as such in Schedule 3.01 hereto.  
“Subsidiary Guaranty” means that certain Guaranty dated as of the Effective Date (or such later date solely in the case of a Guaranty entered into pursuant to Section 5.10) in the form of Exhibit F (including any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.  

20




“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
“Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time.  The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be the sum of (a) its Applicable Percentage of the total  Swingline Exposure at such time other than with respect to any Swingline Loans made by such Lender in its capacity as a Swingline Lender and (b) the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans made by such Lender as a Swingline Lender outstanding at such time (less the amount of participations funded by the other Lenders in such Swingline Loans).
“Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.
“Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Total Funded Indebtedness” means at any date the sum, without duplication, of (a) the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such date in accordance with GAAP which by its terms matures more than one year after the applicable date of calculation of Total Funded Indebtedness (including, without limitation, current maturities or scheduled principal payments of Total Funded Indebtedness for the applicable period for which Funded Indebtedness is being calculated), and any Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis maturing within one year from such date and (b) Capital Lease Obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.  
“Total Revolving Credit Exposure” means the sum of the outstanding principal amount of all Lenders’ Revolving Loans, their LC Exposure and their Swingline Exposure at such time; provided, that, clause (a) of the definition of Swingline Exposure shall only be applicable to the extent Lenders shall have funded their respective participations in the outstanding Swingline Loans. 
“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans and other credit extensions, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.
“Unsecured Borrowed Debt” means all Indebtedness resulting from borrowings of the Borrower (exclusive of intercompany borrowings) from time to time owing to Persons which is not secured by any Liens (other than borrowings from trade creditors in the ordinary course of business).

21




“U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(B)(3).
“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02    Classification of Loans and Borrowings.  For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”).  Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).
SECTION 1.03    Terms Generally.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.  The word “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply), and all judgments, orders and decrees, of all Governmental Authorities.  Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (f) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 1.04    Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations.  (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time.  If either the Borrower or the Required Lenders notifies the Administrative Agent that (i) any change in accounting principles from those used in the preparation of the financial statements of the Company referred to in Section 5.01 is hereafter occasioned by the promulgation of rules, regulations, pronouncements and opinions by or required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (or successors thereto or agencies with similar functions), and such change affects the calculation of any component of any financial covenant, standard or term found in this Agreement, or (ii) there is a change in United States federal, state, local or foreign Tax laws which affects the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ability to comply with the 

22




financial covenants, standards or terms found in this Agreement, then the Borrowers and the Lenders agree to enter into negotiations in order to amend such provisions (with the agreement of the Required Lenders or, if required by Section 9.02(b), all of the Lenders) so as to equitably reflect such changes with the desired result that the criteria for evaluating any of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ financial condition shall be the same after such changes as if such changes had not been made.  Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.
(b)    All pro forma computations required to be made hereunder giving effect to any acquisition or disposition, or issuance, incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness, or other transaction shall in each case be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto (and, in the case of any pro forma computation made hereunder to determine whether such acquisition or disposition, or issuance, incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness, or other transaction is permitted to be consummated hereunder, to any other such transaction consummated since the first day of the period covered by any component of such pro forma computation and on or prior to the date of such computation) as if such transaction had occurred on the first day of the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements shall have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, ending with the last fiscal quarter included in the financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a)), and, to the extent applicable, to the historical earnings and cash flows associated with the assets acquired or disposed of (but without giving effect to any synergies or cost savings) and any related incurrence or reduction of Indebtedness, all in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.  If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Swap Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness).
SECTION 1.05    Status of Obligations.  In the event that the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have outstanding any Subordinated Indebtedness, the Borrower shall take or cause such other Loan Party to take all such actions as shall be necessary to cause the Obligations to constitute senior indebtedness (however denominated) in respect of such Subordinated Indebtedness and to enable the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Obligations are hereby designated as “senior indebtedness” and as “designated senior indebtedness” and words of similar import under and in respect of any indenture or other agreement or instrument under which such Subordinated Indebtedness is outstanding and are further given all such other designations as shall be required under the terms of any such Subordinated Indebtedness in order that the Lenders may have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness.
ARTICLE II
The Credits

23




SECTION 2.01    Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender (severally and not jointly) agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding the Aggregate Commitment.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.
SECTION 2.02    Loans and Borrowings.  (a) Each Revolving Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.  Any Swingline Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05.
(b)    Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith.  Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.  Each Lender at its option may make any Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan (and in the case of an Affiliate, the provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 shall apply to such Affiliate to the same extent as to such Lender); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c)    At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000.  At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Aggregate Commitment or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e).  Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000.  Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of five (5) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.
(d)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.03    Requests for Revolving Borrowings.  To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one (1) Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing.  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request signed by the Borrower.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

24




(i)    the aggregate principal amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii)    the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii)    whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
(iv)    in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and
(v)    the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.
If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04    Intentionally Omitted.
SECTION 2.05    Swingline Loans.  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the Availability Period the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in Dollars to the Borrower in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $50,000,000, (ii) the Swingline Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding its Commitment, or (iii) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding the Aggregate Commitment; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.
(b)    To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan.  The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower.  The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit account of the Borrower with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.
(c)    The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding.  Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each  Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance 

25




whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.  Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender.  Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.
SECTION 2.06    Letters of Credit.  (a) General.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars as the applicant thereof for the support of its or its Subsidiaries’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Issuing Bank shall have no obligation hereunder to issue, and shall not issue, any Letter of Credit the proceeds of which would be made available to any Person (i) to fund any activity or business of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of any Sanctions or (ii) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement.  The Borrower unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that, in connection with any Letter of Credit issued for the support of any Subsidiary’s obligations as provided in the first sentence of this paragraph, the Borrower will be fully responsible for the reimbursement of LC Disbursements in accordance with the terms hereof, the payment of interest thereon and the payment of fees due under Section 2.12(b) to the same extent as if it were the sole account party in respect of such Letter of Credit (the Borrower hereby irrevocably waiving any defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of the obligations of such a Subsidiary that is an account party in respect of any such Letter of Credit).
(b)    Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.  If requested by 

26




the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit (a “Letter of Credit Application”).  A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the amount of the LC Exposure shall not exceed $250,000,000, (ii) no Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure shall exceed its Commitment, and (iii) the Total Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitment.
(c)    Expiration Date.  Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.
(d)    Participations.  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.
(e)    Reimbursement.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent in Dollars the amount equal to such LC Disbursement, calculated as of the date the Issuing Bank made such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that, if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000, the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount of such LC Disbursement and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan.  If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative 

27




Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.
(f)    Obligations Absolute.  The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.  Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof.  The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.  In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(g)    Disbursement Procedures.  The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit.  The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(h)    Interim Interest.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement 

28




is made to but excluding the date that the reimbursement is due and payable, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is payable; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(c) shall apply.  Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(i)    Replacement of Issuing Bank.  The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank.  At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b).  From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require.  After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit then outstanding and issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
(j)    Cash Collateralization.  If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of Cash Collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the LC Exposure; provided that the obligation to deposit such Cash Collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII.  Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Obligations.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such Cash Collateral, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such Cash Collateral shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure  representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Obligations.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of Cash Collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.
(k)    Existing Letters of Credit.  The parties hereto acknowledge that JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. has issued, prior to the Effective Date, and may issue, after the Effective Date, on a bilateral basis letters of credit on behalf of the Borrower or the Subsidiary Guarantors.  Subject to the terms and conditions relating to the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, upon request of the Borrower, any such letter of credit may be deemed upon three Business Days’ prior notice to the Administrative Agent to constitute 

29




a Letter of Credit issued hereunder, and on the designated Business Day and thereafter the Issuing Bank shall be deemed the Issuing Bank for such Letter of Credit pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.  Effective as of each date that such a letter of credit becomes a Letter of Credit hereunder, each Lender under this Agreement will be deemed to have purchased and received, without further action on the part of any party, an undivided interest and participation in each such Letter of Credit, equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.
SECTION 2.07    Funding of Borrowings.  (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05.  The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City or Chicago and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.
(b)    Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans.  If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.08    Interest Elections.  (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request.  Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section.  The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.  This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
(b)    To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election.  Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request signed by the Borrower.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision herein, this Section shall not be construed to permit the Borrower to elect an Interest Period for Eurodollar Loans that does not comply with Section 2.02(d).

30




(c)    Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i)    the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii)    the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii)    whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv)    if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which Interest Period shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
(d)    Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.
(e)    If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.09    Termination and Reduction of Commitments.  (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
(b)    The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, the Total Revolving Credit Exposure would exceed the Aggregate Commitment.
(c)    The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof.  Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or other transactions specified therein, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the 

31




specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.  Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent.  Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
SECTION 2.10    Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.  (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or the last day of a calendar month and is at least two (2) Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided however that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding and the proceeds of any such Borrowing shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to repay any Swingline Loans outstanding.
(b)    Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c)    The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(d)    The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the Obligations.
(e)    Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.  In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I.  Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION 2.11    Prepayment of Loans.  The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.11.  The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by written notice (promptly followed by telephonic confirmation of such request) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one (1) Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of 

32




prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02.  Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing.  Prepayments shall be accompanied by (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and (ii) break funding payments pursuant to Section 2.16.  If at any time the sum of the aggregate principal amount of all of the Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Aggregate Commitment, the Borrower shall immediately repay Borrowings or Cash Collateralize the LC Exposure in an account with the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.06(j), as applicable, in an aggregate principal amount sufficient to cause the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Credit Exposures to be less than or equal to the Aggregate Commitment.
SECTION 2.12    Fees.  (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily amount of the undrawn portion of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates.  Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof.  All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(b)    The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure and (ii) to the Issuing Bank for its own account a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) attributable to Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance, amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third (3rd) Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c)    The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

33




(d)    All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders.  Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.13    Interest.  (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b)    The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
(c)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section. 
(d)    Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
(e)    All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.14    Alternate Rate of Interest.  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a)    the Administrative Agent reasonably determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b)    the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and any such Eurodollar Borrowing shall be repaid on the last day of the then 

34




current Interest Period applicable thereto and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.
SECTION 2.15    Increased Costs.  (a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i)    impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank;
(ii)    impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or
(iii)    subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting into or maintaining any Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder, whether of principal, interest or otherwise, then the Borrower will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b)    If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c)    A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) Business Days after receipt thereof.
(d)    Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days 

35




prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION 2.16    Break Funding Payments.  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a result of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11 and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event.  Such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in Dollars of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.  A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) Business Days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.17    Taxes.  (a) Payments Free of Taxes.  Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law.  If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.17) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(b)    Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  Without duplicating the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, the Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(c)    Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority 

36




evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(d)    Indemnification by the Loan Parties.  The Loan Parties shall indemnify each Recipient, within 10 Business Days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority; provided that no indemnification payments shall be due to such Recipient under this subsection (d) to the extent that such payment is duplicative of any payment made by a Loan Party to such Recipient pursuant to subsections (a) or (b) of this Section or pursuant to any Subsidiary Guaranty.  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.
(e)    Indemnification by the Lenders.  Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 Business Days after written demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).
(f)    Status of Lenders.  (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the 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 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii)    Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person:

37




(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), duly completed, valid and executed originals of IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form thereto) 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, duly completed, valid and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or any successor form thereto) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor form thereto), 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, duly completed, valid and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or any successor form thereto) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor form thereto), 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)    in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, duly completed, valid and executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI, or any successor form thereto, certifying that the payments received by such Lender are effectively connected with such Lender’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States;
(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 G-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3) or Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and that no payments in connection with any Loan Document are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by such Lender (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) duly completed, valid and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or any successor form thereto) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor form thereto), as applicable; or
(4)    to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner of payments made under any Loan Document, duly completed, valid and executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, on behalf of itself (or if it is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, on behalf of its owner), or any successor form thereto, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor form thereto), IRS Form W-8BEN (or any successor form thereto) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor 

38




form thereto), as applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2 or Exhibit G-3, IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form thereto), 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 G-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C)    any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the 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), valid and executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. Federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the 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 date of this Agreement.
Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(g)    Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund).  Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would 

39




have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(h)    Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.17 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.
(i)    Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” includes the Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.
SECTION 2.18    Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.  (a) Except as provided in Section 2.17, the Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 10 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars.
(b)    If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.
(c)    At the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder whether made following a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.03 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from the Specified Account.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agrees that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans (including Swingline Loans) and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Sections 2.03 or 2.05, as applicable and (ii) the Administrative Agent to charge the Specified 

40




Account for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.
(d)    If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).  The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(e)    Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(f)    If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(e) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender and for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank to satisfy such Lender’s obligations to it under such Section until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account over which the Administrative Agent shall have exclusive control as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section; in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

41




SECTION 2.19    Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.  (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b)    If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17 or (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under the Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender) as to the identity of the assignee, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will, in the Borrower’s reasonable judgment result in a reduction in such compensation or payments.  A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such  assignment and delegation cease to apply.
SECTION 2.20    Expansion Option.  The Borrower may from time to time elect to increase the Commitments or enter into one or more tranches of term loans (each an “Incremental Term Loan”), in each case in minimum increments of $25,000,000 so long as, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of such increases and all such Incremental Term Loans does not exceed $250,000,000.  The Borrower may arrange for any such increase or tranche to be provided by one or more Lenders (each Lender so agreeing to an increase in its Commitment, or to participate in such Incremental Term Loans, an “Increasing Lender”), or by one or more new banks, financial institutions or other entities (each such new bank, financial institution or other entity, an “Augmenting Lender”; provided that no Ineligible Institution may be an Augmenting Lender), which agree to increase their existing Commitments, or to participate in such Incremental Term Loans, or provide new Commitments, as the case may be; provided that (i) each Augmenting Lender, shall be subject to the approval of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and (ii) (x) in the case of an Increasing Lender, the Borrower and such Increasing Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, and (y) in the case of an Augmenting Lender, the Borrower and such Augmenting Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto.  No consent of any Lender (other than the Lenders participating in the increase or any Incremental Term Loan) shall be required for any increase in Commitments or Incremental Term Loan pursuant to this Section 2.20.  Increases and new Commitments and Incremental Term Loans created pursuant to this Section 2.20 shall become effective on the date agreed by the Borrower, 

42




the Administrative Agent and the relevant Increasing Lenders or Augmenting Lenders, and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender thereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the Commitments (or in the Commitment of any Lender) or tranche of Incremental Term Loans shall become effective under this paragraph unless, (i) on the proposed date of the effectiveness of such increase or Incremental Term Loans, (A) the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 shall be satisfied or waived by the Required Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower and (B) the Borrower shall be in compliance (on a pro forma basis) with the covenants contained in Section 6.12 and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received documents and opinions consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date as to the organizational power and authority of the Borrower to borrow hereunder after giving effect to such increase.  On the effective date of any increase in the Commitments or any Incremental Term Loans being made, (i) each relevant Increasing Lender and Augmenting Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent such amounts in immediately available funds as the Administrative Agent shall determine, for the benefit of the other Lenders, as being required in order to cause, after giving effect to such increase and the use of such amounts to make payments to such other Lenders, each Lender’s portion of the outstanding Revolving Loans of all the Lenders to equal its Applicable Percentage of such outstanding Revolving Loans, and (ii) except in the case of any Incremental Term Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase in the Commitments (with such reborrowing to consist of the Types of Revolving Loans, with related Interest Periods if applicable, specified in a notice delivered by the Borrower, in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.03).  The deemed payments made pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be accompanied by payment of all accrued interest on the amount prepaid and, in respect of each Eurodollar Loan, shall be subject to indemnification by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 if the deemed payment occurs other than on the last day of the related Interest Periods.  The Incremental Term Loans (a) shall rank pari passu in right of payment with the Revolving Loans, (b) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date (but may have amortization prior to such date) and (c) shall be treated substantially the same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the Revolving Loans; provided that (i) the terms and conditions applicable to any tranche of Incremental Term Loans maturing after the Maturity Date may provide for material additional or different financial or other covenants or prepayment requirements applicable only during periods after the Maturity Date and (ii) the Incremental Term Loans may be priced differently than the Revolving Loans.  Incremental Term Loans may be made hereunder pursuant to an amendment or restatement (an “Incremental Term Loan Amendment”) of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrower, each Increasing Lender participating in such tranche, each Augmenting Lender participating in such tranche, if any, and the Administrative Agent.  The Incremental Term Loan Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.20.  Nothing contained in this Section 2.20 shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase its Commitment hereunder, or provide Incremental Term Loans, at any time.
SECTION 2.21    Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:
(a)    fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);
(b)    the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided, 

43




that, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender directly affected thereby;
(c)    if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(i)    all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender (other than the portion of such Swingline Exposure referred to in clause (b) of the definition of such term) shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages  but only to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure to exceed its Commitment;
(ii)    if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;
(iii)    if the Borrower Cash Collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is Cash Collateralized;
(iv)    if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.12(a) and Section 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and
(v)    if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor Cash Collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or Cash Collateralized; and
(d)    so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or Cash Collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.21(c), and participating interests in any such newly made Swingline Loan or any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.21(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).
If (i) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

44




In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders, on the Effective Date and on and as of the date of each Borrowing, or each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit that:
SECTION 3.01    Organization; Powers; Subsidiaries.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.  Schedule 3.01 hereto (as supplemented from time to time) identifies each Subsidiary (other than as disclosed to the Administrative Agent in writing), noting whether such Subsidiary is a Material Domestic Subsidiary, the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, as the case may be, the percentage of issued and outstanding shares of each class of its capital stock or other equity interests owned by the Borrower and the other Subsidiaries and, if such percentage is not 100% (excluding directors’ qualifying shares as required by law), a description of each class issued and outstanding.  All of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity interests of each Subsidiary Guarantor are validly issued and outstanding and fully paid and nonassessable and all such shares and other equity interests indicated on Schedule 3.01 as owned by the Borrower or another Subsidiary Guarantor are owned, beneficially and of record, by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor free and clear of all Liens, other than as permitted under Section 6.02.  There are no outstanding commitments or other obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor to issue, and no options, warrants or other rights of any Person to acquire, any shares of any class of capital stock or other equity interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, other than as permitted under Section 6.02.
SECTION 3.02    Authorization; Enforceability.  The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational actions and, if required, actions by equity holders.  The Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party have been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
SECTION 3.03    Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.  The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) (i) will not violate any applicable law or regulation, or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority; and (ii) will not violate the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Immaterial Entities, (c) will not violate or result in a default 

45




under any Material Agreement binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor.
SECTION 3.04    Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.  (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended September 28, 2014 reported on by Ernst & Young, LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended September 27, 2015, certified by its chief financial officer.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower, its consolidated Subsidiaries and consolidated Immaterial Entities as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
(b)    Since the date of the last audited financial statements of the Borrower, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, operations or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 3.05    Properties.  (a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, (i) except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes and (ii) liens Permitted under Section 6.02.  
(b)    Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.06    Litigation, Environmental and Labor Matters.  (a) There are no actions, suits, proceedings or investigations by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Immaterial Entities (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b)    Except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries or Immaterial Entities (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
(c)    There are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Immaterial Entities pending or, to their knowledge, threatened, except for those that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  During the two (2) years prior to the Effective Date, the hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Borrower and Subsidiary Guarantors have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Federal, state, local or foreign law relating to such matters, except for any violations that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  

46




All material payments due from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or for which any claim may be made against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as liabilities on the books of the Borrower or such Subsidiary.  The consummation of the Transactions will not give rise to any right of termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any collective bargaining agreement in the U.S. under which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is bound.
SECTION 3.07    Compliance with Laws and Agreements.  Each of the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and each of the Immaterial Entities is in compliance with, (i) all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and (ii) all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except (in the case of either (i) or (ii)) where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.08    Investment Company Status.  Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.
SECTION 3.09    Taxes.  Each of the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and the consolidated Immaterial Entities has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are not yet due, (b) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower, such Subsidiary or such consolidated Immaterial Entity, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (c) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.10    ERISA.  No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.11    Disclosure.  The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower, any Subsidiary, or any consolidated Immaterial Entity to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contain any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
SECTION 3.12    Federal Reserve Regulations.  No part of the proceeds of any Loan have been used or will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that  entails a violation of Regulations U, T or X of the Board.   After application of the proceeds of the Loans, the issuance of the Letters of Credit, and any acquisitions permitted hereunder, less than 25% of the assets of each of the Borrower  and its Subsidiaries consists of “margin stock” (as defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).
SECTION 3.13    Liens.  There are no Liens on any of the real or personal properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02.

47




SECTION 3.14    No Default.  No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION 3.15    No Burdensome Restrictions.  The Borrower is not subject to any Burdensome Restrictions except Burdensome Restrictions permitted under Section 6.09.
SECTION 3.16    Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions.  The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, the Immaterial Entities and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, the Immaterial Entities and their respective officers and employees and to the knowledge of the Borrower its directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects.  None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Immaterial Entity or to the knowledge of the Borrower, such Subsidiary, or such Immaterial Entity, any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Immaterial Entity that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person.  No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or other Transactions will violate any Anti-Corruption Law or applicable Sanctions.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01    Effective Date.  The obligations of the Lenders to make the initial Loan hereunder and of the Issuing Bank to issue the initial Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a)    The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy or electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and (ii) duly executed copies of the Loan Documents and such other legal opinions, certificates, documents, instruments and agreements, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, as are described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit E.
(b)    The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.  The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.
(c)    The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the initial Loan Parties, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to such Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions as described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit E, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.  
(d)    The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, certifying (i) that the representations and warranties contained in Article III are true and correct as of such date and (ii) that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing as of such date.

48




(e)    The Administrative Agent shall have received at least five Business Days prior to the Effective Date all documentation and other information about each Loan Party (including their direct and indirect equity owners) as has been reasonably requested in writing at least 10 Business Days prior to the Effective Date by the Administrative Agent that it (on behalf of itself and the Lenders) reasonably determines is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the Patriot Act, which shall not include personal information relating to officers of the Borrower or any Subsidiary except, in each case, to the extent required by Applicable Law.
(f)    The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received (i) satisfactory audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the two most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Effective Date as to which such financial statements are available, (ii) satisfactory unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available and (iii) satisfactory Projections through and including the Borrower’s fiscal year ending September 27, 2020, together with such information as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall reasonably request (including, without limitation, a detailed description of the assumptions used in preparing such Projections).
(g)    The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.
SECTION 4.02    Each Credit Event.  The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a)    The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable.
(b)    At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, terminated or been Cash-Collateralized, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that: 

49




SECTION 5.01    Financial Statements and Other Information.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a)    within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (or, if earlier, by the date that the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Borrower for such fiscal year would be required to be filed under the rules and regulations of the SEC, giving effect to any automatic extension available thereunder for the filing of such form), its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, in each case accompanied by an opinion of Ernst & Young, LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower, its consolidated Subsidiaries and consolidated Immaterial Entities on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(b)    within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower (or, if earlier, by the date that the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Borrower for such fiscal quarter would be required to be filed under the rules and regulations of the SEC, giving effect to any automatic extension available thereunder for the filing of such form), its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries and consolidated Immaterial Entities on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; 
(c)    concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(d)    as soon as available, but in any event not more than thirty (30) days prior to the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and funds flow statement) (collectively, the “Projections”) of the Borrower for each quarter of the upcoming fiscal year in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(e)    promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and
(f)    promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

50




(g)    Documents required to be delivered pursuant to clauses (a) (b), and (e) of this Section 5.01 may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which such documents are filed for public availability on the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval System.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the compliance certificates required by clause (c) of this Section 5.01 to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 5.02    Notices of Material Events.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following: 
(a)    the occurrence of any Default;
(b)    the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower, any Subsidiary or Immaterial Entity thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c)    the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and
(d)    any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.03    Existence; Conduct of Business.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to (a) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, governmental authorizations and intellectual property rights material to the conduct of its business, and (b) maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted except, solely with respect to this clause (b), to the extent that the failure to so maintain, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.04; provided further that neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve any right, qualification, license, permit, privilege, franchise, governmental authorization or intellectual property right if a responsible officer of the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Borrower, such Subsidiary or the Lenders.
SECTION 5.04    Payment of Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP.  
SECTION 5.05    Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) subject to Sections 6.04(a)(iii) and (v) and Section 6.04(d), keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and 

51




tear excepted, except to the extent that the failure to so keep and maintain would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION 5.06    Books and Records; Inspection Rights.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all transactions in relation to its business and activities required to be recorded therein in accordance with GAAP.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon three (3) Business Days prior notice, unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, in which case upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, at such reasonable times during the Business Day and as often as reasonably requested; provided that such inspections shall not occur more than two (2) times a year unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.  The principal financial officer of the Company and/or his or her designee shall be afforded the opportunity to be present at any meeting of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders and such accountants.  The Administrative Agent agrees to use reasonable efforts to minimize, to the extent practicable, the number of separate requests from the Lenders to exercise their rights under this Section 5.06 and to coordinate the exercise by the Lenders of such rights.  The Borrower acknowledges that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain reports pertaining to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries’ and Immaterial Entities’ assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.
SECTION 5.07     Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property (including without limitation Environmental Laws) and (ii) perform in all material respects its obligations under material agreements to which it is a party, in each case except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and Immaterial Entities and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with  Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.
SECTION 5.08    Use of Proceeds.  The proceeds of the Loans will be used only to finance the working capital needs, and for general corporate purposes, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including, but not limited to, the repurchase of capital stock issued by Borrower, and for acquisitions and investments.  No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of Regulations U, T or X of the Board.  After application of the proceeds of the Loans, the issuance of the Letters of Credit, and any acquisitions permitted hereunder, less than 25% of the assets of each of the Borrower  and its Subsidiaries consists of “margin stock” (as defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System). The Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall ensure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States 

52




or in a European Union member state or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of  any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.
SECTION 5.09    Subsidiary Guaranty.  As promptly as possible but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such later date as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent) after any Person becomes a Subsidiary or any Subsidiary qualifies independently as, or is designated by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as, a Material Domestic Subsidiary pursuant to the definition of “Material Domestic Subsidiary”, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing the material assets of such Person and shall cause each such Subsidiary which also qualifies as a Material Domestic Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent a joinder to the Subsidiary Guaranty (in the form contemplated thereby) pursuant to which such Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, such Subsidiary Guaranty to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation and legal opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel. 
SECTION 5.10    Further Assurances. If, after the Effective Date, any Subsidiary that is not already a Subsidiary Guarantor guarantees any Unsecured Borrowed Debt, that Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor by executing a Subsidiary Guaranty, such Subsidiary Guaranty to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation and legal opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel. 
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees  payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired,  terminated, or have been Cash Collateralized, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that it will not, and will not suffer or permit any of its Subsidiaries to, do any of the following:
SECTION 6.01    Indebtedness.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a)    the Obligations (including the Obligations with respect to the Letters of Credit);
(b)    the Subsidiary Guarantees and any other Indebtedness pursuant to any other Loan Document;
(c)    Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness with Indebtedness of a similar type that does not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(d)    (i) in the case of the Borrower only, Unsecured Borrowed Debt; provided that, immediately before and immediately after the incurrence of such Unsecured Borrowed Debt, (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (B) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12 and (ii) Contingent Obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors in the form of guaranties of Unsecured Borrowed Debt of the Borrower permitted by clause (i) above;
(e)    Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 6.02;
(f)    in addition to and cumulative of all other Indebtedness permitted under this Section 6.01, secured Indebtedness of the Borrower and Indebtedness (whether or not secured) of any one or more 

53




of the Borrower's Subsidiaries; provided, that the aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness permitted by this Section 6.01 (f) outstanding at any time may not exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Assets;  
(g)    Indebtedness under derivatives under a call spread and Indebtedness under Swap Agreements permitted under Section 6.06;
(h)    current accounts payable and unsecured current liabilities, not the result of borrowings, to vendors, suppliers and persons providing services, for expenditures on ordinary trade terms for goods and services normally required by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; 
(i)    agreements of intent to acquire a Person issued by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in anticipation of acquiring such Person if such acquisition is permitted under the terms and conditions of this Agreement; 
(j)    the Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower by reason of loans made to them permitted under Section 6.05(d);
(k)    (i) guarantees (in addition to guarantees permitted by 6.01(p)) by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of the Indebtedness of any of their respective Subsidiaries permitted to be incurred, created or existing pursuant to Section 6.03, provided, that such guarantees are not secured by any Liens and (ii) other Contingent Obligations permitted under Section 6.03;
(l)    current and deferred Taxes and Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(m)    any obligation under or in respect of outstanding letters of credit (excluding the Letters of Credit), acceptances and similar obligations created for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and entered into by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, provided the sum of (a) the aggregate amount of Contingent Obligations outstanding at any time for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than Contingent Obligations permitted by Sections 6.01(a), 6.01 (b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d), 6.01(f), 6.01(g), 6.01(o), or 6.01(p) hereof) and (b) the aggregate amount of outstanding Indebtedness permitted by this Section 6.01(m), on a consolidated basis, at such time may not exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Assets; 
(n)    Indebtedness or other obligations of the Borrower under Capital Lease Obligations for real estate or equipment for use in new or existing locations operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such Indebtedness or other obligations (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12; 
(o)    any obligation under or in respect of outstanding letters of credit (excluding the Letters of Credit) or other workers' compensation coverage payment or reimbursement obligations secured by cash or cash equivalents created for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as fiscal security for, or otherwise in connection with, workers' compensation coverage secured for the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries (it being agreed that any letters of credit or other such payment or reimbursement obligations issued in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.01(o) shall not be included within letters of credit for purposes of determining compliance with Section 6.01(m) or included within Contingent Obligations for purposes of determining compliance with Section 6.03); and 

54




(p)    Guarantees by the Borrower of the obligations of any Subsidiaries under leases of real property or facilities.
SECTION 6.02    Liens.  Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(a)    any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(b)    Liens securing any Indebtedness otherwise permitted pursuant to Sections 6.01(f) or (m); provided that the aggregate amount of all such secured Indebtedness outstanding at any time may not exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Assets;
(c)    Permitted Encumbrances;
(d)    purchase money security interests and Liens in equipment and/or real property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in favor of the seller or sellers of such equipment and/or real property or their successors and assigns, or purchase money security interests and Liens in favor of any third-party lender which loaned the money to purchase any such equipment and/or real property to the Borrower or such Subsidiary, provided, that neither the sales price of, nor the amount of any loan made to acquire any of, such equipment and/or real property is greater than the fair value of such equipment and/ or real property so acquired;
(e)    Liens in favor of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor securing any Indebtedness owed by a Subsidiary of the Borrower pursuant to Section 6.01(j); 
(f)    informational filings of financing statements against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by consignors under consignment arrangements or by lessors under any operating lease or any permitted Capital Lease Obligation now or hereafter entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with any consignor or any lessor, and related security interest language contained in any such consignment agreement, operating lease, or permitted Capital Lease Obligation so long as the applicable financing statement (and security interest) covers only the asset or assets leased pursuant to the applicable consignment agreement, operating lease or Capital Lease Obligation;
(g)    any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; 
(h)    (i) Liens consisting of any team member stock purchase plan and any team member stock option plan and (ii) Liens (if any) associated with Borrower’s Commodities Program; provided that, in the case of clause (ii), the obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries secured by such Liens shall not exceed $100,000,000 in the aggregate at any time; 
(i)    Liens consisting of cash or cash equivalents pledged to collateralize (i) letters of credit permitted to be issued pursuant to Section 6.01(m) or (ii) letters of credit or other obligations permitted by Section 6.01(o); and

55




(j)    in addition to and cumulative of all other Liens permitted under this Section 6.02, Liens on assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries  so long as the aggregate principal amount of the Indebtedness and other obligations subject to such Liens does not at any time exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Assets.
SECTION 6.03    Contingent Obligations. Other than Contingent Obligations of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries which are permitted by Sections 6.01(a), 6.01(b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d), 6.01(f), 6.01(g), 6.01(o) or 6.01(p), create, incur, suffer or permit to exist, directly or indirectly, any Contingent Obligation if such Contingent Obligation would cause the sum of (a) the aggregate amount of such Contingent Obligations outstanding at any time for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding Contingent Obligations permitted by Sections 6.01(a), 6.01(b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d), 6.01(f), 6.01(g), 6.01(o) or 6.01(p))  and (b) the aggregate amount of outstanding Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(m), on a consolidated basis, to exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Assets.
SECTION 6.04    Fundamental Changes and Asset Sales.  (a)    Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) any of its assets (including pursuant to a Sale and Leaseback Transaction), or any of the Equity Interests of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing:
(i)    any Person may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation;
(ii)    any Subsidiary may merge into a Loan Party in a transaction in which the surviving entity is such Loan Party (provided that any such merger involving the Borrower must result in the Borrower as the surviving entity);
(iii)    any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to a Loan Party;
(iv)    any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; and 
(v)    Borrower and any Subsidiary may make any other sales, transfers, leases or dispositions that, together with all other property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries previously leased, sold or disposed of as permitted by this subsection (v) during any fiscal year of the Borrower, does not exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Assets; 
provided that any such merger or consolidation involving a Person that is not a Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger or consolidation shall not be permitted unless it is also permitted by Section 6.05.
(b)    Except as otherwise permitted in the definition of Permitted Acquisition, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the types conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.

56




(c)    Change its fiscal year from ending on the last Sunday of each September, without giving the Administrative Agent prior notice; provided that only one such change to its fiscal year shall be permitted hereunder with prior notice to the Administrative Agent.
(d)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may at any time (A) sell inventory in the ordinary course of business, (B) effect sales, trade-ins or dispositions of used equipment for value (or scrap) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and dispose of real property not necessary to or used in the business for value, and (C) enter into licenses of technology in the ordinary course of business.
SECTION 6.05    Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.  Purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger or consolidation with any Person that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger or consolidation) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, create any Contingent Obligation of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any Person or any assets of any other Person constituting a division or line of business of such Person, except:
(a)    Permitted Investments;
(b)    Permitted Acquisitions;
(c)    investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the capital stock of their respective subsidiaries, so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such investment (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12; 
(d)    investments, loans or advances made by the Borrower in or to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary in or to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such investment, loan or advance (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12;
(e)    Contingent Obligations permitted by Section 6.01 and Section 6.03; 
(f)    capital stock received in the settlement of debts (created in the ordinary course of business);
(g)    travel advances in the ordinary course of business to officers and employees;
(h)    customer obligations and receivables owing to the Borrower and arising out of sales or leases made or the rendering of services by the Borrower in the ordinary course of business; 
(i)    loans to any Person which is not a Subsidiary of the Borrower or of any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries, so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such loans (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12; 

57




(j)    investments by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor in internet strategy lines of business, so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such investment (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12; 
(k)    investments by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in Immaterial Entities, which investments are made or entered into during the period from and including the Effective Date until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, terminated or been Cash-Collateralized, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed; provided that the aggregate amount of such investments made or entered into during such period shall not exceed $100,000,000; and
(l)    any other investment, loan or advance, so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such investment, loan or advance (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12. 
SECTION 6.06    Swap Agreements.  Enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into and intended to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
SECTION 6.07    Transactions with Affiliates.  Sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, and (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08.
SECTION 6.08    Restricted Payments.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (b) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (d) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make any other Restricted Payment so long as immediately prior to and after giving effect to such Restricted Payments (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12.  
SECTION 6.09    Restrictive Agreements.  Directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to holders of its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to 

58




create any Contingent Obligations in the form of a guarantee of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions determined by the Borrower in good faith contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof, (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to Unsecured Borrowed Debt permitted by Section 6.01(d) provided that the restrictions and conditions set forth in such agreement shall not prohibit, restrict or impose any condition (other than a condition or requirement that the Indebtedness under such agreement be secured equally and ratably with the Obligations on the same property or assets as any Lien securing the Obligations) upon the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets to secure the Obligations; and (vi) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions in any agreement in effect at the time any Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, which agreement was not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Borrower, and on the condition that such restrictions or conditions are not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired, and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, extensions, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancing thereof; provided, that the amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, extensions, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such conditions or restrictions than the agreements in effect at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, determined by the Borrower in good faith.   
SECTION 6.10    Subordinated Indebtedness and Amendments to Subordinated Indebtedness Documents.  Directly or indirectly voluntarily prepay, defease or in substance defease, purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire, any Subordinated Indebtedness or any Indebtedness from time to time outstanding under the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents.  Furthermore, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or any document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents (or any replacements, substitutions, extensions or renewals thereof) or pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued where such amendment, modification or supplement provides for the following or which has any of the following effects:
(a)    increases the overall principal amount of any such Indebtedness or increases the amount of any single scheduled installment of principal or interest;
(b)    shortens or accelerates the date upon which any installment of principal or interest becomes due or adds any additional mandatory redemption provisions;
(c)    shortens the final maturity date of such Indebtedness or otherwise accelerates the amortization schedule with respect to such Indebtedness;
(d)    increases the rate of interest accruing on such Indebtedness;
(e)    provides for the payment of additional fees or increases existing fees;

59




(f)    amends or modifies any financial or negative covenant (or covenant which prohibits or restricts the Borrower or any Subsidiary from taking certain actions) in a manner which is more onerous or more restrictive in any material respect to the Borrower or such Subsidiary or which is otherwise materially adverse to the Borrower, any Subsidiary and/or the Lenders or, in the case of any such covenant, which places material additional restrictions on the Borrower or such Subsidiary or which requires the Borrower or such Subsidiary to comply with more restrictive financial ratios or which requires the Borrower to better its financial performance, in each case from that set forth in the existing applicable covenants in the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or the applicable covenants in this Agreement; or
(g)    amends, modifies or adds any affirmative covenant in a manner which (i) when taken as a whole, is materially adverse to the Borrower, any Subsidiary and/or the Lenders or (ii) is more onerous than the existing applicable covenant in the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or the applicable covenant in this Agreement.
SECTION 6.11    Change in Accounting Method.  Make any material change in accounting method (i) except as may be required by GAAP or (ii) unless an alternative accounting method in accordance with GAAP is found to be preferable and a preferability letter is issued in accordance with GAAP.    
SECTION 6.12    Financial Covenants.  
(a)    Maximum Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the ratio (the “Leverage Ratio”), determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters ending on and after September 27, 2015, of (i)  Total Funded Indebtedness to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, to be greater than 3.00 to 1.00.
(b)    Minimum Coverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the ratio (the “Coverage Ratio”), determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters ending on and after September 27, 2015, of (i) Consolidated EBIT plus Consolidated Rental Expense to (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense plus Consolidated Rental Expense, in each case for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:
(a)    the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b)    the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of (i) three (3) Business Days, solely in the case of interest and (ii) five (5) Business Days, solely in the case of any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement; 

60




(c)    any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made; 
(d)    the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence), 5.08 or 5.09, in Article VI or in Article X;
(e)    the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f)    the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any grace period applicable to such failure);
(g)    any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or swaps terminated by reason other than the Borrower’s default thereunder;
(h)    an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any  Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i)    the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(j)    the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

61




(k)    one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $75,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment; provided that any such judgment shall not be an Event of Default under this Section 7.01(k) if and for so long as (i) the amount of such judgment or order is covered by a valid and binding policy of insurance between the defendant and the insurer covering payment thereof and (ii) such insurer, which shall be rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of, and has not disputed the claim made for payment of, the amount of such judgment or order; 
(l)    an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred since the Effective Date, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(m)    a Change in Control shall occur; or
(n)    any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction based on any such assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms); 
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times:  (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other Obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and (iii) require Cash Collateral for the LC Exposure in accordance with Section 2.06(j) hereof; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding and Cash Collateral for the LC Exposure, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other Obligations accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf, including execution of the other Loan Documents, and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental 

62




thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (including the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank), and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” as used herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any 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 independent contracting parties.
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.  The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection with any Loan Document, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

63




The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower.  Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, subject to the approval of the Borrower, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, to appoint a successor; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such appointment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof.  If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, subject to the approval of the Borrower, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank; 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).  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and letters of credit and not investments in a business enterprise or securities.  Each Lender further represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and  has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder.  Each Lender shall, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder and in deciding whether or to the extent to which it will continue as a Lender or assign or otherwise transfer its rights, interests and obligations hereunder.
None of the Lenders, if any, identified in this Agreement as a “Syndication Agent” shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender.  Each Lender hereby makes the same 

64




acknowledgments with respect to the relevant Lenders in their respective capacities as Syndication Agent as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.
The Lenders are not partners or co-venturers, and no Lender shall be liable for the acts or omissions of, or (except as otherwise set forth herein in case of the Administrative Agent) authorized to act for, any other Lender.  The Administrative Agent shall have the exclusive right on behalf of the Lenders to enforce the payment of the principal of and interest on any Loan after the date such principal or interest has become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01    Notices.  (a)    Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(i)    if to the Borrower, to it at Whole Foods Market, Inc., 550 Bowie Street, Austin, TX 78703, Attention of Sam Ferguson, Global Vice President, Accounting/Controller (Telecopy No. 512-482-7249; Telephone No. 512-542-0249); email sam.ferguson@wholefoods.com;
with a copy to Baker Botts, LLP, 98 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX, 78701, Attention of Bill Stutts (Telecopy No. 512-322-8338; Telephone No. 512-322-2542; email william.stutts@bakerbotts.com;
(ii)    if to the Administrative Agent, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, Attention of Dustin Thompson (Telecopy No. (844) 490-5663);
(iii)    if to the Issuing Bank, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 420 West Van Buren Street, Floor 02, Attention of Fiore Petrassi (Telecopy No. (312) 954-5303); 
(iv)    (iii)    if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, Attention of Dustin Thompson (Telecopy No. (844) 490-5663); and
(v)    if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices delivered through Electronic Systems, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).
(b)    Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Electronic Systems pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

65




Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(c)    Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.
(d)    Electronic Systems.
(i)    The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar Electronic System.  The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the DQ List shall be deemed suitable for posting and may be posted by the Administrative Agent on the Platform.
(ii)    Any Electronic System used by the Administrative Agent is provided “as is” and “as available.”  The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of such Electronic Systems and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications.  No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or any Electronic System.  Except to the extent of direct or actual damages as are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent, in no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Loan Party, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Communications through an Electronic System.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no Agent Party shall have any liability to any Loan Party, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other Person or entity for indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Person’s transmission of Communications through an Electronic System.  “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Electronic System.
SECTION 9.02    Waivers; Amendments.  (a)    No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power.  The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents 

66




are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b)    Except as provided in Section 2.20 with respect to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment and subject to clauses (c) and (e) below, neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase  the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (except that any amendment or modification of the financial covenants in this Agreement (or defined terms used in the financial covenants in this Agreement) shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees for purposes of this clause (ii)), (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (it being understood that, solely with the consent of the parties prescribed by Section 2.20 to be parties to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, Incremental Term Loans may be included in the determination of Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Commitments and the Revolving Loans are included on the Effective Date) or (vi) (x) release the Borrower from its obligations under Article X or (y) release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty, in each case, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be (it being understood that any change to Section 2.21 shall require the consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no consent with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement shall be required of any Defaulting Lender, except with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the first proviso of this paragraph and then only in the event such Defaulting Lender shall be directly affected by such amendment, waiver or other modification. 
(c)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (x) to add one or more credit facilities (in addition to the Incremental Term Loans pursuant to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment) to this Agreement and to permit extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Revolving Loans, Incremental Term Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (y) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders and Lenders.

67




(d)    If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent  requiring the consent of “each Lender” or “each Lender directly affected thereby,” the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but not obtained being referred to herein as a “Non-Consenting Lender”), then the Borrower may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrower shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) the outstanding principal amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non-Consenting Lender by the Borrower hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender.
(e)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.
SECTION 9.03    Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.  (a)    The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through a service such as Intralinks) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and any other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during  any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b)    The Borrower shall, without duplication, indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of any Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials 

68




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 or not such claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or its or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.  Each Indemnitee agrees to contest any indemnified claim (other than any indemnified claim brought by the Borrower or any Loan Party or its or their respective equity holders or Affiliates (each such indemnified claim, a “Loan Party Claim”)) if reasonably requested by the Borrower and in a manner reasonably acceptable to such Indemnitee; provided that the Borrower shall indemnify each such Indemnitee against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of contesting any such indemnified claim.  Any Indemnitee that proposes or intends to settle or compromise any such indemnified claim (other than a Loan Party Claim) shall give the Borrower written notice of the terms of such settlement or compromise reasonably in advance of settling or compromising such claim or proceeding and shall obtain the Borrower's prior written consent thereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided that the Indemnitee shall not be restricted from settling or compromising any such claim if (i) the Indemnitee waives its right to indemnity from the Borrower in respect of such claim and such settlement, (ii) compromise does not materially increase the Borrower’s liability pursuant to this Section 9.03 to any related party of such Indemnitee or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.  This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c)    To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount (it being understood that the Borrower’s failure to pay any such amount shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof); provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.
(d)    To the extent permitted by applicable law, (i) no party to this Agreement shall assert, and each hereby waives, any claim against any other party to this Agreement for any damages arising from (i) the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), or (ii) 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 or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e)    All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than fifteen (15) days after written demand therefor.

69




SECTION 9.04    Successors and Assigns.  (a)    The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section.  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit),  Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b)    (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A)    the Borrower (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 five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof);  provided, further, that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;
(B)    the Administrative Agent;
(C)    the Issuing Bank; and
(D)    the Swingline Lender.
(ii)    Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A)    except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
(B)    each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;
(C)    the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an 

70




agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, such fee to be paid by either the assigning Lender or the assignee Lender or shared between such Lenders; and
(D)    the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its Affiliates and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms “Approved Fund” and “Ineligible Institution” have the following meanings:
“Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
“Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Lender Parent, (c) the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its Affiliates, (d) a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof or (e) any competitor in the core business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (each such competitor, a “DQ Entity”), which DQ Entity has been designated on the DQ List by the Borrower as an “Ineligible Institution” by written notice to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (including by posting the DQ List on the Platform) not less than 3 Business Days prior to the date of assignment; provided that “Ineligible Institutions” shall exclude any Person that the Borrower has designated as no longer being an “Ineligible Institution” by written notice delivered to the Administrative Agent from time to time.
(iii)    Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03).  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv)    The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register 

71




shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(v)    Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(e) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon.  No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(vi)    The Administrative Agent shall have the right, and the Borrower hereby expressly authorizes the Administrative Agent, to (A) post the list of DQ Entities provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 9.04(b) and any updates thereto from time to time (collectively, the “DQ List”) on the Platform and/or (B) provide the DQ List to each Lender requesting the same.
(c)    Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”), other than an Ineligible Institution, in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.  The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (X) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (Y) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a 

72




Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(d) 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.
(d)    Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 9.05    Survival.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.
SECTION 9.06    Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to 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 Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy, e-

73




mailed .pdf or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.  The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any  document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
SECTION 9.07    Severability.  Any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08    Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final and in whatever currency denominated) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor against any of and all of the Obligations held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be unmatured.  The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
SECTION 9.09    Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.  (a)This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
(b)    The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Document, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c)    The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, 

74




to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(d)    Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, 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 PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11    Headings.  Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
SECTION 9.12    Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any suit, 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 those of this Section, to (1) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (2) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) on a confidential basis to (1) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (1) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (2) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received 

75




from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING PARAGRAPH FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND  ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWER, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES.  ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.
SECTION 9.13    USA PATRIOT Act.  Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the Patriot Act hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the Patriot Act.
SECTION 9.14    Releases of Subsidiary Guarantors.  (a) A Subsidiary Guarantor shall automatically be released from its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary; provided that, if so required by this Agreement, the Required Lenders shall have consented to such transaction, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and the terms of such consent shall not have provided otherwise.  In connection with any termination or release pursuant to this Section, the Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender to) execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release.  Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.
(b)    Further, the Administrative Agent may (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender to), upon the request of the Borrower, release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty if such Subsidiary Guarantor is no longer a Material Domestic Subsidiary.
(c)    At such time as the principal and interest on the Loans, all LC Disbursements, the fees, expenses and other amounts payable under the Loan Documents and the other Obligations (other than 

76




obligations under any Swap Agreement or any Banking Services Agreement, and other Obligations expressly stated to survive such payment and termination) shall have been paid in full in cash, the Commitments shall have been terminated and no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding except for Letters of Credit that have been Cash Collateralized, the Subsidiary Guaranty and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of each Subsidiary Guarantor thereunder shall automatically terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person.
SECTION 9.15    Interest Rate Limitation.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
SECTION 9.16    No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.  In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that:  (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Lenders and their Affiliates, 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) each of the Lenders and their Affiliates 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 its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) no Lender or any of its Affiliates has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except, in the case of a Lender, those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) each of 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 its Affiliates, and no Lender or any of its Affiliates has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against each of the Lenders and their Affiliates with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE X
Borrower’s Keepwell Agreement
The Borrower hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each Subsidiary Guarantor to honor all of its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty in respect of Specified Swap Obligations (provided, however, that the Borrower shall only be liable under this paragraph for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this paragraph or otherwise under this Article X voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any 

77




greater amount).  The Borrower intends that this paragraph constitute, and this paragraph shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each Subsidiary Guarantor for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
[Signature Pages Follow] 



78




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


WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., a Texas corporation
 
By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer



Signature Page to Whole Foods Credit Agreement 





JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually as a Lender, as the Swingline Lender, as the Issuing Bank and as Administrative Agent
By              
    Name: 
    Title:



Signature Page to Whole Foods Credit Agreement 





SCHEDULE 2.01
COMMITMENTS
	
		
	LENDER
	COMMITMENT

	 
	 

	JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
	$500,000,000

	 
	 

	AGGREGATE COMMITMENT
	$500,000,000





2






	
		
	 
	 




SCHEDULE 3.01
SUBSIDIARIES


	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	186 Third Street Brooklyn NY, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	190-220 Third Street Store Brooklyn NY, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	2118 Abrams Road, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	2118 Abrams Road, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	376/384 3rd Avenue Parcel Brooklyn NY, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	601 North Lamar and Sixth Street, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	601 North Lamar and Sixth Street, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	6000 N Cicero Avenue Chicago IL, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Allegro Coffee Company (CO)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	 
	 

	Alton Road Miami FL, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette LA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Austin Lamar Partners, LLC (DE)


	Old Tree Holdings, LLC
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%





3




	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	Bowie Strategic Investments, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Claiborne Parkway Ashburn VA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Delk Road Braselton GA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Franklin & Somerset Portland ME, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Fresh and Wild Holdings Limited (England and Wales)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Ordinary shares
	9,646,167
	100%

	Fresh & Wild Holdings Limited (England and Wales)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Redeemable Convertible Preferred Ordinary Shares
	1,200,000
	100%

	Fresh & Wild Limited (England and Wales)
	Fresh & Wild Holdings Limited
	Ordinary Shares
	70,084
	66%

	GBD Properties, Inc. (DE)
	WFM Properties Holdings, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Hydraulic Road Charlottesville VA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Lake Pointe Village Sugar Land, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	Lake Pointe Village Sugar Land, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	Ledge Road Darien CT, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Main Street Royal Oak MI, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Mopac and Braker, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%





4




	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	Mopac and Braker, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets, Inc. (CA)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Nature’s Heartland, Inc. (MA)
	Whole Foods Market Group, Inc.
	Common Stock
	2,000
	100%

	Old Tree Holdings, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Old Tree, LLC (DE)
	Old Tree Holdings, LLC
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Pacific Boulevard Vernon CA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Preston Road and Forest Lane, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	Preston Road and Forest Lane, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	Ray Road Chandler AZ, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Route 222 and Krocks Road Allentown PA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Sea View Avenue Conch Key FL, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Sharon Road Charlotte NC, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Springfield Avenue Millburn NJ, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest


	100%
	100%





5




	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	The Sourdough, A European Bakery, Inc. (TX)
	Whole Foods Market Southwest Investments, Inc.
	Common Stock
	999
	100%

	Tunnel Road Asheville NC, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks CA, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Beverage Corp. (TX)
	WFM Beverage Holding Company
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Beverage Holding Company (TX)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Cobb Property Investments, LLC (DE)
	Whole Foods Market Group, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Gift Card, LLC (Virginia)
	Whole Foods Market Group, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Hawaii, LLC (Hawaii)
	Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Intermediary New England Energy, LLC (DE)
	Whole Foods Market Group, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM IP Investments, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM IP Management, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Kansas, LLC (KS)
	Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/ Southwest, L.P.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Medical and Wellness Centers, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Nebraska, LLC (DE)
	Whole Foods Market Group, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Northern Nevada, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market California, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%





6




	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	WFM Online, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Private Label Management, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market Procurement, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Private Label, L.P. (DE)
	WFM Private Label Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	WFM Private Label, L.P. (DE)
	WFM Procurement Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	WFM Procurement Investments, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market Procurement, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Properties Cheshire, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Properties Glendale, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Properties Holdings, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Properties Investments, Inc. (DE)
	WFM Properties Holdings, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Properties Management, Inc. (DE)
	WFM Properties Holdings, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Properties San Jose, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Properties Scottsdale, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	WFM Properties, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	WFM Properties, L.P. (TX)
	WFM Properties Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	WFM Purchasing Management, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market Procurement, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%





7




	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	WFM Purchasing, L.P. (DE)
	WFM Procurement Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	WFM Purchasing, L.P. (DE)
	WFM Purchasing Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	WFM Select Fish, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM Southern Nevada, Inc. (DE)
	Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	WFM-WO (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Food Company, Inc. (Louisiana)
	Whole Foods Market Southwest Investments, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market – WO, Inc. (British Columbia, Canada)
	WFM-WO, Inc.
	Common Shares
	262,801
	100%

	Whole Foods Market California, Inc. (CA)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market Canada, Inc. (Canada)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Shares
	6,600
	66%

	Whole Foods Market Distribution, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market Group, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock


	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market IP, L.P. (DE)
	WFM IP Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99.99%
	99.99%

	Whole Foods Market IP, L.P. (DE)
	WFM IP Management, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	0.01%
	0.01%

	Whole Foods Market Lusher Court Frisco CO, LLC (DE)
	GBD Properties, Inc.
	LLC Membership Interest
	100%
	100%

	Whole Foods Market Pacific Northwest, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market Procurement, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%





8




	
					
	Subsidiary Name
	Equity Holder
	Class of Equity Interest
	Number 
of Shares
	Percentage 
of 
Outstanding 
Shares of the Same Class of Equity Interest

	Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/ Southwest I, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/Southwest , L.P. (TX)
	Whole Foods Market Southwest Investments, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	99%
	99%

	Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/Southwest, L.P. (TX)
	Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/Southwest I, Inc.
	Limited Partnership Interest
	1%
	1%

	Whole Foods Market Services, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%

	Whole Foods Market Southwest Investments, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	500
	100%

	Whole Journeys, Inc. (DE)
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.
	Common Stock
	1,000
	100%









9




SCHEDULE 6.01


EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS




1.     Capital Lease Obligations in existence on the date of this Agreement not exceeding $65,000,000.


		
	2.
	Sale and Leaseback Transactions in existence on the date of this Agreement not exceeding $86,000,000 in aggregate base rent.   







10




SCHEDULE 6.02


EXISTING LIENS


1.  Lessor’s interest in Capital Lease Obligations, Sale and Leaseback Transactions, and operating leases (to the extent constituting Liens) permitted under this Agreement.













EXHIBIT A
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee.  The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit, guarantees, and swingline loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”).  Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.
	
				
	1.
	Assignor:
	_________________________________
	 

	2.
	Assignee:
	_________________________________
	 

	 
	 
	is not an Ineligible Institution
[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1]

	3.
	Borrower(s):
	Whole Foods Market, Inc.   
	 

	4.
	Administrative Agent:
	JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement








________________________________
1 Select as applicable







	
			
	5.
	Credit Agreement:
	The Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 among Whole Foods Market, Inc., the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto






6.    Assigned Interest:
	
			
	Aggregate Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders
	Amount of
Commitment/ 
Loans Assigned
	Percentage Assigned
of 
Commitment/Loans2

	$
	$
	%

	$
	$
	%

	$
	$
	%






Effective Date:  _____________ ___, 20___ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:             
    Title:
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:             
    Title:
Consented to and Accepted:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as  
Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender
By:             
    Title:


________________________
2 Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder

2




[Consented to:]3 
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., as  
the Borrower
By:             
    Title:








































________________________
3 To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement



3






ANNEX I
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1.    Representations and Warranties.
1.1    Assignor.  The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2.    Assignee.  The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
2.    Payments.  From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
3.    General Provisions.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument.  Acceptance and adoption of the terms of this Assignment and Assumption by the Assignee and the Assignor by Electronic Signature or delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and 







Assumption by any Electronic System shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.



2




EXHIBIT B
OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE LOAN PARTIES


[Separately attached.]







EXHIBIT C
FORM OF INCREASING LENDER SUPPLEMENT
INCREASING LENDER SUPPLEMENT, dated __________, 20___ (this “Supplement”), by and among each of the signatories hereto, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.20 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower has the right, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, to effectuate from time to time an increase in the Aggregate Commitment and/or one or more tranches of Incremental Term Loans under the Credit Agreement by requesting one or more Lenders to increase the amount of its Commitment and/or to participate in such a tranche;
WHEREAS, the Borrower has given notice to the Administrative Agent of its intention to [increase the Aggregate Commitment] [and] [enter into a tranche of Incremental Term Loans] pursuant to such Section 2.20; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.20 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned Increasing Lender now desires to [increase the amount of its Commitment] [and] [participate in a tranche of Incremental Term Loans] under the Credit Agreement by executing and delivering to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent this Supplement;
NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto hereby agrees as follows:
1.    The undersigned Increasing Lender agrees, subject to the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, that on the date of this Supplement it shall [have its Commitment increased by $[__________], thereby making the aggregate amount of its total Commitments equal to $[__________]] [and] [participate in a tranche of Incremental Term Loans with a commitment amount equal to $[__________] with respect thereto].
2.    The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.
3.    Terms defined in the Credit Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used herein.
4.    This Supplement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
5.    This Supplement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same document.







IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Supplement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on the date first above written.
[INSERT NAME OF INCREASING LENDER]
By:              
    Name: 
    Title:
Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above:
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.
By:             
Name: 
Title:
Acknowledged as of the date first written above:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. 
as Administrative Agent
By:             
Name: 
Title:



2




EXHIBIT D
FORM OF AUGMENTING LENDER SUPPLEMENT
AUGMENTING LENDER SUPPLEMENT, dated __________, 20___ (this “Supplement”), by and among each of the signatories hereto, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Credit Agreement provides in Section 2.20 thereof that any bank, financial institution or other entity may [extend Commitments] [and] [participate in tranches of Incremental Term Loans] under the Credit Agreement subject to the approval of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, by executing and delivering to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a supplement to the Credit Agreement in substantially the form of this Supplement; and
WHEREAS, the undersigned Augmenting Lender was not an original party to the Credit Agreement but now desires to become a party thereto;
NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto hereby agrees as follows:
1.    The undersigned Augmenting Lender agrees to be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and agrees that it shall, on the date of this Supplement, become a Lender for all purposes of the Credit Agreement to the same extent as if originally a party thereto, with a [Commitment with respect to Revolving Loans of $[__________]] [and] [a commitment with respect to Incremental Term Loans of $[__________]].
2.    The undersigned Augmenting Lender (a) represents and warrants that it is legally authorized to enter into this Supplement; (b) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and has reviewed such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Supplement; (c) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (d) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are incidental thereto; and (e) agrees that it will be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and will perform in accordance with its terms all the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
3.    The undersigned’s address for notices for the purposes of the Credit Agreement is as follows:
[___________]
4.    The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.







5.    Terms defined in the Credit Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used herein.
6.    This Supplement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
7.    This Supplement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same document.
[remainder of this page intentionally left blank]

2




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Supplement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on the date first above written.
[INSERT NAME OF AUGMENTING LENDER]
By:              
    Name: 
    Title:
Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above:
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.
By:             
Name: 
Title:
Acknowledged as of the date first written above:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. 
as Administrative Agent
By:             
Name: 
Title:



3




EXHIBIT E
LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.
CREDIT FACILITIES
November 2, 2015
LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS1 
A.   LOAN DOCUMENTS
		
	1.
	Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) by and among Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), the institutions from time to time parties thereto as Lenders (the “Lenders”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for itself and the other Lenders (the “Administrative Agent”), evidencing a revolving credit facility to the Borrower from the Lenders in an initial aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000.


SCHEDULES
	
			
	Schedule 2.01
	--
	Commitments

	Schedule 3.01
	--
	Subsidiaries

	Schedule 6.01
	--
	Existing Indebtedness

	Schedule 6.02
	--
	Existing Liens

	 
	 
	 




EXHIBITS
	
			
	Exhibit A
	--
	Form of Assignment and Assumption

	Exhibit B
	--
	Form of Opinion of Loan Parties’ Counsel

	Exhibit C
	--
	Form of Increasing Lender Supplement

	Exhibit D
	--
	Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

	Exhibit E
	--
	List of Closing Documents

	Exhibit F
	--
	Form of Subsidiary Guaranty

	Exhibit G-1
	--
	Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships)

	Exhibit G-2
	--
	Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships)

	Exhibit G-3
	--
	Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships)

	Exhibit G-4
	--
	Form of U.S. Tax Certificate (Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships)

	Exhibit H-1
	--
	Form of Borrowing Request

	Exhibit H-2
	--
	Form of Interest Election Request

	Exhibit I
	--
	Form of Note






_____________________________
1 Each capitalized term used herein and not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the above-defined Credit Agreement.  Items appearing in bold and italics shall be prepared and/or provided by the Borrower and/or Borrower’s counsel.









		
	2.
	Notes executed by the Borrower in favor of each of the Lenders, if any, which has requested a note pursuant to Section 2.10(e) of the Credit Agreement.


		
	3.
	Guaranty executed by the initial Subsidiary Guarantors (collectively with the Borrower, the “Loan Parties”) in favor of the Administrative Agent


B.   CORPORATE DOCUMENTS
		
	4.  
	Certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Loan Party certifying (i) that there have been no changes in the Certificate of Incorporation or other charter document of such Loan Party, as attached thereto and as certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State (or analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization, since the date of the certification thereof by such governmental entity, (ii) the By-Laws or other applicable organizational document, as attached thereto, of such Loan Party as in effect on the date of such certification, (iii) resolutions of the Board of Directors or other governing body of such Loan Party authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of each Loan Document to which it is a party, and (iv) the names and true signatures of the incumbent officers of each Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (in the case of the Borrower) authorized to request a Borrowing or the issuance of a Letter of Credit under the Credit Agreement.


		
	5.
	Good Standing Certificate for each Loan Party from the Secretary of State of the jurisdiction of its organization.


C.   OPINIONS
		
	6.
	Opinion of Baker Botts, counsel for the Loan Parties.


		
	7.
	Opinion of Case Lombardi & Pettit, Hawaii counsel for the Loan Parties.


		
	8.
	Opinion of Foulston Siefkin LLP, Kansas counsel for the Loan Parties.


D.   CLOSING CERTIFICATES AND MISCELLANEOUS
		
	7.
	A Certificate signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower certifying the following:  (i) that all of the representations and warranties contained in Article III of the Credit Agreement are true and correct and (ii) that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing.


		
	8.
	A description of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ insurance coverage as of the Effective Date. 


		
	9. 
	A copy of the Borrower’s investment policy statement in effect as of the Effective Date.


		
	10.
	A copy of the DQ List.







2




EXHIBIT F
FORM OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY
GUARANTY
THIS GUARANTY (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Guaranty”) is made as of November 2, 2015, by and among each of the undersigned (the “Initial Guarantors” and along with any additional Subsidiaries of the Borrower which become parties to this Guaranty by executing a supplement hereto in the form attached as Annex I, the “Guarantors”) in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations (as defined below), under the Credit Agreement referred to below.
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), the institutions from time to time parties thereto as lenders (the “Lenders”), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent (the “Administrative Agent”), have entered into a certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented and/or restated, and as in effect from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), providing, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, for extensions of credit and other financial accommodations to be made by the Lenders to the Borrower;
WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the extensions of credit by the Lenders under the Credit Agreement that each of the Guarantors (constituting all of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower required to execute this Guaranty pursuant to Section 5.09 of the Credit Agreement) execute and deliver this Guaranty, whereby each of the Guarantors shall guarantee the payment when due of all Obligations; and
WHEREAS, in consideration of the direct and indirect financial and other support that the Borrower has provided, and such direct and indirect financial and other support as the Borrower may in the future provide, to the Guarantors, and in order to induce the Lenders and the Administrative Agent to enter into the Credit Agreement, each of the Guarantors is willing to guarantee the Obligations of the Borrower;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1.Definitions.  Terms defined in the Credit Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have, as used herein, the respective meanings provided for therein.
SECTION 2.    Representations, Warranties and Covenants.  Each of the Guarantors represents and warrants as of the Effective Date and at the time of the making, conversion or continuation of any Loan or issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit that:
(A)    It is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company duly and properly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, validly existing and (to the extent such concept applies to such entity) in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation and has all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted, except to the extent that the failure to have such authority could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







(B)    It (to the extent applicable) has the requisite power and authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Guaranty and to perform its obligations hereunder.  The execution and delivery by each Guarantor of this Guaranty and the performance by each of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by proper proceedings, and this Guaranty constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Guarantor, respectively, enforceable against such Guarantor, respectively, in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.
(C)    Neither the execution and delivery by it of this Guaranty, nor the consummation by it of the transactions herein contemplated, nor compliance by it with the provisions hereof will (i) violate any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award binding on it or its articles or certificate of incorporation (or equivalent charter documents), limited liability company or partnership agreement, certificate of partnership, articles or certificate of organization, by-laws, or operating agreement or other management agreement, as the case may be, or the provisions of any Material Agreement to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is subject, or by which it, or its property, is bound, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default under, or result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien in, of or on its property pursuant to the terms of, any Material Agreement (other than any Loan Document).  No order, consent, adjudication, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by, or other action in respect of any governmental or public body or authority, or any subdivision thereof, which has not been obtained by it, is required to be obtained by it in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by it of, or the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against it of, this Guaranty.
In addition to the foregoing, each of the Guarantors covenants that, so long as any Lender has any Commitment outstanding under the Credit Agreement or any amount payable under the Credit Agreement or any other Guaranteed Obligations shall remain unpaid, it will, and, if necessary, will enable the Borrower to, fully comply with those covenants and agreements of the Borrower applicable to such Guarantor set forth in the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 3.    The Guaranty.  Each of the Guarantors hereby unconditionally guarantees, jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, the full and punctual payment and performance when due (whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise) of the Obligations, including, without limitation, (i) the principal of and interest on each Loan made to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, (ii) any obligations of the Borrower to reimburse LC Disbursements (“Reimbursement Obligations”), (iii) all obligations of the Borrower owing to any Lender or any affiliate of any Lender under any Swap Agreement or Banking Services Agreement, (iv) all other amounts payable by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (v) the punctual and faithful performance, keeping, observance, and fulfillment by the Borrower of all of the agreements, conditions, covenants, and obligations of the Borrower contained in the Loan Documents (all of the foregoing being referred to collectively as the “Guaranteed Obligations” and the holders from time to time of the Guaranteed Obligations being referred to collectively as the “Holders of Guaranteed Obligations”).  Upon (x) the failure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, to pay punctually any such amount or perform such obligation, and (y) such failure continuing beyond any applicable grace or notice and cure period, each of the Guarantors agrees that it shall forthwith on demand pay such amount or perform such obligation at the place and in the manner specified in the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or the relevant Loan Document, as the case may be.  Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that this Guaranty is an absolute, irrevocable and unconditional guaranty of payment and is not a guaranty of collection.







SECTION 4.    Guaranty Unconditional.  The obligations of each of the Guarantors hereunder shall be unconditional and absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall not be released, discharged or otherwise affected by:
(A)    any extension, renewal, settlement, indulgence, compromise, waiver or release of or with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof or any agreement relating thereto, or with respect to any obligation of any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, whether (in any such case) by operation of law or otherwise, or any failure or omission to enforce any right, power or remedy with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof or any agreement relating thereto, or with respect to any obligation of any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(B)    any modification or amendment of or supplement to the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or any other Loan Document, including, without limitation, any such amendment which may increase the amount of, or the interest rates applicable to, any of the Obligations guaranteed hereby;
(C)    any release, surrender, compromise, settlement, waiver, subordination or modification, with or without consideration, of any collateral securing the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof, any other guaranties with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof, or any other obligation of any person or entity with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof, or any nonperfection or invalidity of any direct or indirect security for the Guaranteed Obligations;
(D)    any change in the corporate, partnership or other existence, structure or ownership of the Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting the Borrower or any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any of their respective assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of the Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(E)    the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which the Guarantors may have at any time against the Borrower, any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the Administrative Agent, any Holder of Guaranteed Obligations or any other Person, whether in connection herewith or in connection with any unrelated transactions; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;
(F)    the enforceability or validity of the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof or the genuineness, enforceability or validity of any agreement relating thereto or with respect to any collateral securing the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof, or any other invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against the Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, for any reason related to the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any provision of applicable law, decree, order or regulation of any jurisdiction purporting to prohibit the payment by the Borrower or any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations, of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise affecting any term of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(G)    the failure of the Administrative Agent to take any steps to perfect and maintain any security interest in, or to preserve any rights to, any security or collateral for the Guaranteed Obligations, if any;







(H)    the election by, or on behalf of, any one or more of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations, in any proceeding instituted under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code (11 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) (the “Bankruptcy Code”), of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code;
(I)    any borrowing or grant of a security interest by the Borrower, as debtor-in-possession, under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code;
(J)    the disallowance, under Section 502 of the Bankruptcy Code, of all or any portion of the claims of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations or the Administrative Agent for repayment of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(K)    the failure of any other guarantor to sign or become party to this Guaranty or any amendment, change, or reaffirmation hereof; or
(L)    any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind by the Borrower, any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations, the Administrative Agent, any Holder of Guaranteed Obligations or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but for the provisions of this Section 4, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of any Guarantor’s obligations hereunder except as provided in Section 5.
SECTION 5.    Continuing Guarantee; Discharge Only Upon Payment In Full;  Reinstatement In Certain Circumstances.  Each of the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder shall constitute a continuing and irrevocable guarantee of all Guaranteed Obligations now or hereafter existing and shall remain in full force and effect until all Guaranteed Obligations shall have been paid in full in cash and the Commitments and all Letters of Credit issued under the Credit Agreement shall have terminated or expired, or in the case of the Letters of Credit, Cash Collateralized.  If at any time any payment of the principal of or interest on any Loan, any Reimbursement Obligation or any other amount payable by the Borrower or any other party under the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or any other Loan Document (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff) is rescinded, or is or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower or otherwise (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by a Holder of Guaranteed Obligations in its discretion), each of the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder with respect to such payment shall be reinstated as though such payment had been due but not made at such time.  The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that each of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be due and payable in the same currency as such Guaranteed Obligation is denominated, but if currency control or exchange regulations are imposed in the country which issues such currency with the result that such currency (the “Original Currency”) no longer exists or the relevant Guarantor is not able to make payment in such Original Currency, then all payments to be made by such Guarantor hereunder in such currency shall instead be made when due in Dollars in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount (as of the date of payment) of such payment due, it being the intention of the parties hereto that each Guarantor takes all risks of the imposition of any such currency control or exchange regulations.
SECTION 6.    General Waivers; Additional Waivers.
(A)    General Waivers.  Each of the Guarantors irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand or action on delinquency, protest, the benefit of any statutes of limitations and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against the Borrower, any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any other Person.







(B)    Additional Waivers.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each of the Guarantors hereby absolutely, unconditionally, knowingly, and expressly waives:
(i)    any right it may have to revoke this Guaranty as to future indebtedness or notice of acceptance hereof;
(ii)    (a) notice of acceptance hereof; (b) notice of any loans or other financial accommodations made or extended under the Loan Documents or the creation or existence of any Guaranteed Obligations; (c) notice of the amount of the Guaranteed Obligations, subject, however, to each Guarantor’s right to make inquiry of Administrative Agent and Holders of Guaranteed Obligations to ascertain the amount of the Guaranteed Obligations at any reasonable time; (d) notice of any adverse change in the financial condition of the Borrower or of any other fact that might increase such Guarantor’s risk hereunder; (e) notice of presentment for payment, demand, protest, and notice thereof as to any instruments among the Loan Documents; (f) notice of any Default or Event of Default; and (g) all other notices (except if such notice is specifically required to be given to such Guarantor hereunder or under the Loan Documents) and demands to which each Guarantor might otherwise be entitled;
(iii)    its right, if any, to require the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations to institute suit against, or to exhaust any rights and remedies which the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations has or may have against, the other Guarantors or any third party, or against any collateral provided by the other Guarantors, or any third party; and each Guarantor further waives any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense (other than the defense that the Guaranteed Obligations shall have been fully and finally performed and indefeasibly paid) of the other Guarantors or by reason of the cessation from any cause whatsoever of the liability of the other Guarantors in respect thereof;
(iv)    (a) any rights to assert against the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations any defense (legal or equitable), set-off, counterclaim, or claim which such Guarantor may now or at any time hereafter have against the other Guarantors or any other party liable to the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations; (b) any defense, set-off, counterclaim, or claim, of any kind or nature, arising directly or indirectly from the present or future lack of perfection, sufficiency, validity, or enforceability of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security therefor; (c) any defense (other than, subject to Section 5, payment and performance in full of the Guaranteed Obligations) such Guarantor has to performance hereunder, and any right such Guarantor has to be exonerated, arising by reason of:  the impairment or suspension of the Administrative Agent’s and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations’ rights or remedies against the other Guarantors; the alteration by the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations of the Guaranteed Obligations; any discharge of the other Guarantors’ obligations to the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations by operation of law as a result of the Administrative Agent’s and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations’ intervention or omission; or the acceptance by the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations of anything in partial satisfaction of the Guaranteed Obligations; and (d) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting such Guarantor’s liability hereunder or the enforcement thereof, and any act which shall defer or delay the operation of any statute of limitations applicable to the Guaranteed 







Obligations shall similarly operate to defer or delay the operation of such statute of limitations applicable to such Guarantor’s liability hereunder; and
(v)    any defense arising by reason of or deriving from (a) any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations; or (b) any election by the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations under Section 1111(b) of Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy”, as now and hereafter in effect (or any successor statute), to limit the amount of, or any collateral securing, its claim against the Guarantors.
SECTION 7.    Subordination of Subrogation; Subordination of Intercompany Indebtedness.
(A)    Subordination of Subrogation.  Until the Guaranteed Obligations have been fully and finally performed and indefeasibly paid in full in cash, the Guarantors (i) shall have no right of subrogation with respect to such Guaranteed Obligations, (ii) waive any right to enforce any remedy which the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations, the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent now have or may hereafter have against the Borrower, any endorser or any guarantor of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other Person, and (iii) waive any benefit of, and any right to participate in, any security or collateral given to the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations, the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent to secure the payment or performance of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other liability of the Borrower to the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations or the Issuing Bank.  Should any Guarantor have the right, notwithstanding the foregoing, to exercise its subrogation rights, each Guarantor hereby expressly and irrevocably (A) subordinates any and all rights at law or in equity to subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution, indemnification or set off that such Guarantor may have to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations and (B) waives any and all defenses available to a surety, guarantor or accommodation co-obligor until the Guaranteed Obligations are indefeasibly paid in full in cash.  Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that this subordination is intended to benefit the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations and shall not limit or otherwise affect such Guarantor’s liability hereunder or the enforceability of this Guaranty, and that the Administrative Agent, the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations and their respective successors and assigns are intended third party beneficiaries of the waivers and agreements set forth in this Section 7(A).
(B)    Subordination of Intercompany Indebtedness.  Each Guarantor agrees that any and all claims of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Guarantor hereunder (each an “Obligor”) with respect to any “Intercompany Indebtedness” (as hereinafter defined), any endorser, obligor or any other guarantor of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, or against any of its properties shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment, in full and in cash, of all Guaranteed Obligations; provided that, as long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, such Guarantor may receive payments of principal and interest from any Obligor with respect to Intercompany Indebtedness.  Notwithstanding any right of any Guarantor to ask, demand, sue for, take or receive any payment from any Obligor, all rights, liens and security interests of such Guarantor, whether now or hereafter arising and howsoever existing, in any assets of any other Obligor shall be and are subordinated to the rights of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations and the Administrative Agent in those assets.  No Guarantor shall have any right to possession of any such asset or to foreclose upon any such asset, whether by judicial action or otherwise, unless and until all of the Guaranteed Obligations shall have been fully paid and satisfied (in cash) and all 







financing arrangements pursuant to any Loan Document, any Swap Agreement or any Banking Services Agreement have been terminated.  If all or any part of the assets of any Obligor, or the proceeds thereof, are subject to any distribution, division or application to the creditors of such Obligor, whether partial or complete, voluntary or involuntary, and whether by reason of liquidation, bankruptcy, arrangement, receivership, assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other action or proceeding, or if the business of any such Obligor is dissolved or if substantially all of the assets of any such Obligor are sold, then, and in any such event (such events being herein referred to as an “Insolvency Event”), any payment or distribution of any kind or character, either in cash, securities or other property, which shall be payable or deliverable upon or with respect to any indebtedness of any Obligor to any Guarantor (“Intercompany Indebtedness”) shall be paid or delivered directly to the Administrative Agent for application on any of the Guaranteed Obligations, due or to become due, until such Guaranteed Obligations shall have first been fully paid and satisfied (in cash).  Should any payment, distribution, security or instrument or proceeds thereof be received by the applicable Guarantor upon or with respect to the Intercompany Indebtedness after any Insolvency Event and prior to the satisfaction of all of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of all financing arrangements pursuant to any Loan Document among the Borrower and the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations, such Guarantor shall receive and hold the same in trust, as trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations and shall forthwith deliver the same to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations, in precisely the form received (except for the endorsement or assignment of the Guarantor where necessary), for application to any of the Guaranteed Obligations, due or not due, and, until so delivered, the same shall be held in trust by the Guarantor as the property of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations.  If any such Guarantor fails to make any such endorsement or assignment to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent or any of its officers or employees is irrevocably authorized to make the same.  Each Guarantor agrees that until the Guaranteed Obligations (other than the contingent indemnity obligations) have been paid in full (in cash) and satisfied and all financing arrangements pursuant to any Loan Document among the Borrower and the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations have been terminated, no Guarantor will assign or transfer to any Person (other than the Administrative Agent) any claim any such Guarantor has or may have against any Obligor.
(C)    Reservation of Defenses.  Subject to Section 5 and notwithstanding any other provision of this Guaranty to the contrary, each Guarantor shall be entitled to a good faith defense that the Guaranteed Obligations have been indefeasibly paid or performed in full.  
SECTION 8.    Contribution with Respect to Guaranteed Obligations.
(A)    To the extent that any Guarantor shall make a payment under this Guaranty (a “Guarantor Payment”) which, taking into account all other Guarantor Payments then previously or concurrently made by any other Guarantor, exceeds the amount which otherwise would have been paid by or attributable to such Guarantor if each Guarantor had paid the aggregate Guaranteed Obligations satisfied by such Guarantor Payment in the same proportion as such Guarantor’s “Allocable Amount” (as defined below) (as determined immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment) bore to the aggregate Allocable Amounts of each of the Guarantors as determined immediately prior to the making of such Guarantor Payment, then, following indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations and termination of the Credit Agreement, the Swap Agreements and the Banking Services Agreements, such Guarantor shall be entitled to receive contribution and indemnification payments from, and be reimbursed by, each other Guarantor for the amount of such excess, pro rata based upon their respective Allocable Amounts in effect immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment.







(B)    As of any date of determination, the “Allocable Amount” of any Guarantor shall be equal to the excess of the fair saleable value of the property of such Guarantor over the total liabilities of such Guarantor (including the maximum amount reasonably expected to become due in respect of contingent liabilities, calculated, without duplication, assuming each other Guarantor that is also liable for such contingent liability pays its ratable share thereof), giving effect to all payments made by other Guarantors as of such date in a manner to maximize the amount of such contributions.
(C)    This Section 8 is intended only to define the relative rights of the Guarantors, and nothing set forth in this Section 8 is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, to pay any amounts as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Guaranty.
(D)    The parties hereto acknowledge that the rights of contribution and indemnification hereunder shall constitute assets of the Guarantor or Guarantors to which such contribution and indemnification is owing.
(E)    The rights of the indemnifying Guarantors against other Guarantors under this Section 8 shall be exercisable upon the full and indefeasible payment of the Guaranteed Obligations in cash and the termination of the Credit Agreement, the Swap Agreements and the Banking Services Agreements.
SECTION 9.    Limitation of Guaranty.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Guaranty, the amount guaranteed by each Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the extent, if any, required so that its obligations hereunder shall not be subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or under any applicable state Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act or similar statute or common law.  In determining the limitations, if any, on the amount of any Guarantor’s obligations hereunder pursuant to the preceding sentence, it is the intention of the parties hereto that any rights of subrogation, indemnification or contribution which such Guarantor may have under this Guaranty, any other agreement or applicable law shall be taken into account.
SECTION 10.    Stay of Acceleration.  If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or any other Loan Document is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or any other Loan Document shall nonetheless be payable by each of the Guarantors hereunder forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 11.    Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be given in the manner prescribed in Article IX of the Credit Agreement with respect to the Administrative Agent at its notice address therein and with respect to any Guarantor, in care of the Borrower at the address of the Borrower set forth in the Credit Agreement or such other address or telecopy number as such party may hereafter specify for such purpose by notice to the Administrative Agent in accordance with the provisions of such Article IX.
SECTION 12.    No Waivers.  No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent or any other Holder of Guaranteed Obligations in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.  The rights and remedies provided in this Guaranty, the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.







SECTION 13.    Successors and Assigns.  This Guaranty is for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, that no Guarantor shall have any right to assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the consent of all of the Lenders, and any such assignment in violation of this Section 13 shall be null and void; and in the event of an assignment of any amounts payable under the Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or the other Loan Documents in accordance with the respective terms thereof, the rights hereunder, to the extent applicable to the indebtedness so assigned, may be transferred with such indebtedness.  This Guaranty shall be binding upon each of the Guarantors and their respective successors and assigns.
SECTION 14.    Changes in Writing.  Other than in connection with the addition of additional Subsidiaries, which become parties hereto by executing a supplement hereto in the form attached as Annex I, neither this Guaranty nor any provision hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only in writing signed by each of the Guarantors and the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 15.    GOVERNING LAW.  THIS GUARANTY SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SECTION 16.    CONSENT TO JURISDICTION; SERVICE OF PROCESS; JURY TRIAL; IMMUNITY.
(A)    CONSENT TO JURISDICTION.  EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, 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 GUARANTY, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE OR, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.  NOTHING IN THIS GUARANTY OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE ISSUING BANK OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(B)    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY WAIVES  TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING INVOLVING, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER (WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR CONNECTED WITH THIS GUARANTY OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER AND FURTHER WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO INTERPOSE ANY COUNTERCLAIM RELATED TO THIS GUARANTY OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IN SUCH ACTION.







(C)    TO THE EXTENT THAT ANY GUARANTOR HAS OR HEREAFTER MAY ACQUIRE ANY IMMUNITY FROM JURISDICTION OF ANY COURT OR FROM ANY LEGAL PROCESS (WHETHER FROM SERVICE OR NOTICE, ATTACHMENT PRIOR TO JUDGMENT, ATTACHMENT IN AID OF EXECUTION OF A JUDGMENT, EXECUTION OR OTHERWISE), EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES SUCH IMMUNITY IN RESPECT OF ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS GUARANTY.
SECTION 17.    No Strict Construction.  The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Guaranty.  In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Guaranty shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this Guaranty.
SECTION 18.    Taxes, Expenses of Enforcement, Etc.
(A)    Taxes.
(i)    Each payment by any Guarantor hereunder or under any promissory note or application for a Letter of Credit shall be made without withholding for any Taxes, unless such withholding is required by any law.  If any Guarantor determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it is so required to withhold Taxes, then such Guarantor may so withhold and shall timely pay the full amount of withheld Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.  If such Taxes are Indemnified Taxes, then the amount payable by the Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that, net of such withholding (including such withholding applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section), the applicable Recipient receives the amount it would have received had no such withholding been made.
(ii)    Without duplicating the provisions of subsection (i) of this Section, such Guarantor shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(iii)    As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes by any Guarantor to a Governmental Authority, such Guarantor shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(iv)    The Guarantors shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient for any Indemnified Taxes that are paid or payable by such Recipient in connection with any Loan Document (including amounts payable under this Section 18(A)) and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority; provided, that no indemnification payments shall be due to such Recipient under this subsection (iv) to the extent that such payment is duplicative of any payment made by a Loan Party to such Recipient pursuant to subsections (i) or (ii) of this Section or Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement.  The indemnity under this Section 18(A) shall be paid within ten (10) Business Days after the Recipient delivers to any Guarantor a certificate stating the amount of any Indemnified Taxes so payable by such Recipient.  Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so payable absent manifest error.  Such Recipient shall deliver a 







copy of such certificate to the Administrative Agent.  In the case of any Lender making a claim under this Section 18(A) on behalf of any of its beneficial owners, an indemnity payment under this Section 18(A) shall be due only to the extent that such Lender is able to establish that, with respect to the applicable Indemnified Taxes, such beneficial owners supplied to the applicable Persons such properly completed and executed documentation necessary to claim any applicable exemption from, or reduction of, such Indemnified Taxes.
(v)    By accepting the benefits hereof, each Lender agrees that it will comply with Section 2.17(f) of the Credit Agreement.
(B)    Expenses of Enforcement, Etc.  The Guarantors agree to reimburse the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations for any reasonable costs and out-of-pocket expenses (including attorneys’ fees) paid or incurred by the Administrative Agent or any other Holder of Guaranteed Obligations in connection with the collection and enforcement of amounts due under the Loan Documents, including without limitation this Guaranty.
SECTION 19.    Setoff.  At any time after all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations have become due and payable (by acceleration or otherwise), each Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent) and its Affiliates may, without notice to any Guarantor and regardless of the acceptance of any security or collateral for the payment hereof, appropriate and apply in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement toward the payment of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations  (i) any indebtedness due or to become due from such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations or the Administrative Agent to any Guarantor, and (ii) any moneys, credits or other property belonging to any Guarantor, at any time held by or coming into the possession of such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent) or any of their respective affiliates.
SECTION 20.    Financial Information.  Each Guarantor hereby assumes responsibility for keeping itself informed of the financial condition of the Borrower and any and all endorsers and/or other Guarantors of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any part thereof, that diligent inquiry would reveal, and each Guarantor hereby agrees that none of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent) shall have any duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to any of them regarding such condition or any such circumstances.  In the event any Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to a Guarantor, such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent) shall be under no obligation (i) to undertake any investigation not a part of its regular business routine, (ii) to disclose any information which such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), pursuant to accepted or reasonable commercial finance or banking practices, wishes to maintain confidential or (iii) to make any other or future disclosures of such information or any other information to such Guarantor.
SECTION 21.    Severability.  Wherever possible, each provision of this Guaranty shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Guaranty shall be prohibited by or invalid under such law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Guaranty.







SECTION 22.    Merger.  This Guaranty represents the final agreement of each of the Guarantors with respect to the matters contained herein and may not be contradicted by evidence of prior or contemporaneous agreements, or subsequent oral agreements, between the Guarantor and any Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent).
SECTION 23.    Headings.  Section headings in this Guaranty are for convenience of reference only and shall not govern the interpretation of any provision of this Guaranty.
SECTION 24.    Judgment Currency.  If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from any Guarantor hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s main New York City office on the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is given.  The obligations of each Guarantor in respect of any sum due hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by any Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), as the case may be, of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), as the case may be, may in accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency.  If the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), as the case may be, in the specified currency, each Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), as the case may be, against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), as the case may be, in the specified currency and (b) amounts shared with other Holders of Guaranteed Obligations as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment to such other Holder of Guaranteed Obligations under Section 2.18 of the Credit Agreement, such Holder of Guaranteed Obligations (including the Administrative Agent), as the case may be, agrees, by accepting the benefits hereof, to remit such excess to such Guarantor.
SECTION 25.    Keepwell.  Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Guarantor to honor all of its obligations under this Guaranty in respect of Specified Swap Obligations (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 25 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 25 or otherwise under this Guaranty voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount).  The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 25 shall remain in full force and effect until a discharge of such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s Guaranteed Obligations in accordance with the terms hereof and the other Loan Documents.  Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 25 constitute, and this Section 25 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Guarantor for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.  As used herein, “Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Specified Swap Obligation, each Guarantor that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guarantee or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Specified Swap Obligation or such other Person as constitutes an ECP and can cause another Person to qualify as an ECP at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.







SECTION 26.    Counterparts.  This Guaranty 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 Guaranty by telecopy, e-mailed .pdf or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Guaranty.  The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any  document to be signed in connection with this Guaranty and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
SECTION 27.    Termination of Guaranty.  The obligations of any Guarantor under this Guaranty shall automatically terminate in accordance with Section 9.14 of the Credit Agreement.
Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank.









IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Initial Guarantors has caused this Guaranty to be duly executed by its authorized officer as of the day and year first above written.




WHOLE FOODS MARKET CALIFORNIA, INC., a California corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary




WHOLE FOODS MARKET PACIFIC NORTHWEST, INC., a Delaware corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary




MRS. GOOCH’S NATURAL FOOD MARKETS, INC., a California corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary




WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/SOUTHWEST, L.P., a Texas limited partnership


By:  WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/ SOUTHWEST I, INC., its general partner 


By:        
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary




WHOLE FOODS MARKET GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary



Signature Page to Whole Foods Guaranty




WFM-WO, Inc., a Delaware corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary


WHOLE FOODS MARKET SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


WFM IP INVESTMENTS, INC., a Delaware corporation


By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary


WHOLE FOODS MARKET IP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership


By: WFM IP MANAGEMENT, INC., its general partner


By:        
Name:  Glenda Flanagan 
Title:  Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer


WFM NORTHERN NEVADA, INC., a Delaware corporation


By:             
    Name: Glenda Flanagan 
    Title: Assistant Secretary




WFM SOUTHERN NEVADA, INC., a Delaware corporation


By:            
Name:  Albert Percival 
Title:  Assistant Secretary



Signature Page to Whole Foods Guaranty




WFM HAWAII, LLC, a Hawaii limited liability company


By:  MRS. GOOCH’S NATURAL FOOD MARKETS, INC., its sole member


By:            
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary




WFM KANSAS, LLC, a Kansas limited liability company


By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/SOUTHWEST, L.P., its sole member


By:  WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/ SOUTHWEST I, INC., its general partner 


By:    
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary




WFM NEBRASKA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company


By:  WHOLE FOODS MARKET GROUP, INC., its sole member


By:            
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Assistant Secretary

Signature Page to Whole Foods Guaranty




Acknowledged and Agreed 
as of the date first written above: 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., 
as Administrative Agent
By:             
    Name: 
    Title:



Signature Page to Whole Foods Guaranty




ANNEX I TO GUARANTY
Reference is hereby made to the Guaranty (the “Guaranty”) made as of November 2, 2015, by and among Whole Foods Market California, Inc., Whole Foods Market Pacific Northwest, Inc., Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets, Inc., Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/Southwest, L.P., Whole Foods Market Group, Inc., WFM-WO Inc., Whole Foods Market Services, Inc., WFM IP Investments, Inc., Whole Foods Market IP L.P., WFM Northern Nevada, Inc., WFM Southern Nevada, Inc., WFM Hawaii, LLC, WFM Kansas, LLC and WFM Nebraska, LLC (the “Initial Guarantors” and along with any additional Subsidiaries of the Borrower, which become parties thereto and together with the undersigned, the “Guarantors”) in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Holders of Guaranteed Obligations, under the Credit Agreement.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Guaranty.  By its execution below, the undersigned [NAME OF NEW GUARANTOR], a [corporation] [partnership] [limited liability company] (the “New Guarantor”), agrees to become, and does hereby become, a Guarantor under the Guaranty and agrees to be bound by such Guaranty as if originally a party thereto.  By its execution below, the undersigned represents and warrants as to itself that all of the representations and warranties contained in Section 2 of the Guaranty are true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, New Guarantor has executed and delivered this Annex I counterpart to the Guaranty as of this __________ day of _________, 20___.
[NAME OF NEW GUARANTOR]
By:             
Its:









EXHIBIT G-1
FORM OF
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE 
(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).  
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of payments made with respect to the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate (or, in the event that it is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “Disregarded Entity”), it is the sole record owner of such payments (as well as any Note(s)), and the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned is the sole beneficial owner of such payments (as well as any Notes(s)), (ii) it (or, in the event that it is a Disregarded Entity, the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) is (a) not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (b) not a 10-percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) or Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (c) not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (iii) no payments made with respect to the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s)) are effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business by the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, by the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned).
The undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN (or appropriate successor form) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or appropriate successor form).  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF LENDER]
By:              
    Name: 
    Title:
Date: __________, 20[__]









EXHIBIT G-2
FORM OF
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE 
(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).  
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate (or, in the event that it is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “Disregarded Entity”), it is the sole record owner of such participation, and the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned is the sole beneficial owner of such participation), (ii) it (or, in the event that it is a Disregarded Entity, the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) is (a) not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (b) not a 10-percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) or Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, (c) not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (iii) no payments made with respect to the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s)) are effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business by the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, by the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned).
The undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN (or appropriate successor form) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or appropriate successor form).  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:             
Name: 
Title:
Date: ________ __, 20[__]









EXHIBIT G-3
FORM OF
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE 
(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).  
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is the sole beneficial owner of such participation (or, in the event that it is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “Disregarded Entity”), the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned is the sole beneficial owner of such participation), (iii) with respect to such participation, the undersigned (or, in the event that it is a Disregarded Entity, the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) is not a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of the direct or indirect partners/members of the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, none of the partners/members of the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) is (a) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (b) a 10-percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B)or Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code or (c)  a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (v) no payments in connection with the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s)) are effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business by the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, by the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned), or by any partners/members of the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, by any partners/members of the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned).  
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, from each of the partners/members of the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption:  (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN (or appropriate successor form) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or appropriate successor form) or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN (or appropriate successor form) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or appropriate successor form) from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.







[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:             
Name: 
Title:
Date: ________ __, 20[__]









EXHIBIT G-4
FORM OF
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE 
(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).  
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of payments made with respect to the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is the sole beneficial owner of such payments (as well as any Note(s)) (or, in the event that it is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “Disregarded Entity”), the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned is the sole beneficial owner of such payments (as well as any Note(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, the undersigned (or, in the event that it is a Disregarded Entity, the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) is not a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of the direct or indirect partners/members of the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, none of the partners/members of the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) is (a) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code , (b) a 10-percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) or Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (c)a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (v) no payments in connection with the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s)) are effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business by the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, by the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned), or by any partners/members of the undersigned (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, by any partners/members of the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned).
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members (or, in the event that the undersigned is a Disregarded Entity, from each of the partners/members of the Person that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as being the sole owner of the undersigned) that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption:  (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN (or appropriate successor form) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or appropriate successor form) or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN (or appropriate successor form) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or appropriate successor form) from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent  in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding each such payment.







Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
[NAME OF LENDER]
By:             
Name: 
Title:
Date: ________ __, 20[__]









EXHIBIT H-1
FORM OF BORROWING REQUEST
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 
as Administrative Agent 
for the Lenders referred to below
[10 South Dearborn 
Chicago, Illinois 60603 
Attention: [__________] 
Facsimile: [__________]]
With a copy to:
[__________] 
[__________] 
Attention: [__________] 
Facsimile: [__________]
Re:  [Borrower]
[Date]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.  The Borrower hereby gives you notice pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Credit Agreement that it requests a Borrowing under the Credit Agreement, and in that connection the Borrower specifies the following information with respect to such Borrowing requested hereby:
		
	1.
	Aggregate principal amount of Borrowing:1  __________


		
	2.
	Date of Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day):  __________


		
	3.
	Type of Borrowing (ABR or Eurodollar):  __________


		
	4.
	Interest Period and the last day thereof (if a Eurodollar Borrowing):2  __________


		
	5.
	Location and number of the Borrower’s account or any other account agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to which proceeds of Borrowing are to be disbursed:  __________


[Signature Page Follows]
____________________________
1 Not less than applicable amounts specified in Section 2.02(c).
2 Which must comply with the definition of “Interest Period” and end not later than the Maturity Date.







The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the conditions to lending specified in Section[s] [4.01 and]1 4.02 of the Credit Agreement are satisfied as of the date hereof.
Very truly yours,
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., 
as the Borrower
By:             
Name:  
Title:
























_________________________________
1 To be included only for Borrowings on the Effective Date.









EXHIBIT H-2
FORM OF INTEREST ELECTION REQUEST
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 
as Administrative Agent 
for the Lenders referred to below
[10 South Dearborn 
Chicago, Illinois 60603 
Attention: [_______] 
Facsimile: ([__]) [__]-[_____]]
Re:  Whole Foods Market, Inc.
[Date]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.  The Borrower hereby gives you notice pursuant to Section 2.08 of the Credit Agreement that it requests to [convert][continue] an existing Borrowing under the Credit Agreement, and in that connection the Borrower specifies the following information with respect to such [conversion][continuation] requested hereby:  
		
	1.
	List date, Type, principal amount and Interest Period (if applicable) of existing Borrowing:  __________


		
	2.
	Aggregate principal amount of resulting Borrowing:  __________


		
	3.
	Effective date of interest election (which shall be a Business Day):  __________


		
	4.
	Type of Borrowing (ABR or Eurodollar):  __________


		
	5.
	Interest Period and the last day thereof (if a Eurodollar Borrowing):1  __________


[Signature Page Follows]






_____________________________
1 Which must comply with the definition of “Interest Period” and end not later than the Maturity Date. 









Very truly yours,
WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., 
as Borrower
By:             
Name:  
Title:









EXHIBIT I
[FORM OF]
NOTE
[__________], 2015
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of [NAME OF LENDER] (the “Lender”) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the “Credit Agreement” (as defined below) on the Maturity Date or on such earlier date as may be required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are as defined in the Credit Agreement.
The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan made to it from the date of such Loan until such principal amount is paid in full at a rate or rates per annum determined in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement.  Interest hereunder is due and payable at such times and on such dates as set forth in the Credit Agreement.
At the time of each Loan, and upon each payment or prepayment of principal of each Loan, the Lender shall make a notation either on the schedule attached hereto and made a part hereof, or in such Lender’s own books and records, in each case specifying the amount of such Loan, the respective Interest Period thereof (in the case of Eurodollar Loans) or the amount of principal paid or prepaid with respect to such Loan, as applicable; provided that the failure of the Lender to make any such recordation or notation shall not affect the Obligations of the Borrower hereunder or under the Credit Agreement.
This Note is one of the notes referred to in, and is entitled to the benefits of, that certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 2, 2015 by and among the Borrower, the financial institutions from time to time parties thereto as Lenders and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”).  The Credit Agreement, among other things, (i) provides for the making of Loans by the Lender to the Borrower from time to time in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding such Lender’s Commitment, the indebtedness of the Borrower resulting from each such Loan to it being evidenced by this Note, and (ii) contains provisions for acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated events and also for prepayments of the principal hereof prior to the maturity hereof upon the terms and conditions therein specified.
Demand, presentment, protest and notice of nonpayment and protest are hereby waived by the Borrower.
Whenever in this Note reference is made to the Administrative Agent, the Lender or the Borrower, such reference shall be deemed to include, as applicable, a reference to their respective successors and assigns.  The provisions of this Note shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of said successors and assigns.  The Borrower’s successors and assigns shall include, without limitation, a receiver, trustee or debtor in possession of or for the Borrower.
This Note shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.







*****



2






WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., a Texas corporation
 
By:                
Name: Glenda Flanagan 
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer



Signature Page to Note




SCHEDULE OF LOANS AND PAYMENTS OR PREPAYMENTS
	
						
	Date
	Amount of Loan
	Interest Period/Rate
	Amount of Principal Paid or Prepaid
	Unpaid Principal Balance
	Notation Made By