Document:

Exhibit

Exhibit 10.1
AIRCRAFT TIME SHARING AGREEMENT
This Aircraft Time Sharing Agreement (“Agreement”) is made and effective as of the 8th day of March, 2016 (“Effective Date”), by and between SUPERVALU INC., a Delaware corporation (“Operator”), and Mark Gross (“Lessee”), who are sometimes also referred to herein individually as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties.”
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, Lessee is an employee of Operator who is required to use the Aircraft for business and personal travel whenever possible;
WHEREAS, Lessee desires to lease the Aircraft, with a flight crew, on a non-exclusive basis, from Operator on a time sharing basis as defined in Section 91.501(c)(1) of the FAR;
WHEREAS, Operator is willing to lease the Aircraft, with a flight crew, on a non-exclusive basis, to Lessee on a time sharing basis; and
WHEREAS, during the Term, the Aircraft will be subject to use by Operator and may be subject to use by one or more other third-parties.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained and other good and valid consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1.    Definitions.  The following terms shall have the following meanings for all purposes of this Agreement:
“Aircraft” means, individually and collectively, as the context requires, the aircraft listed on Exhibit A, including each aircraft’s respective airframe, engines, appliances, components, parts, instruments, appurtenances, accessories, furnishings or other equipment attached thereto or incorporated therein and Aircraft Documents.  
“Aircraft Documents” means all flight records, maintenance records, historical records, modification records, overhaul records, manuals, logbooks, authorizations, drawings and data relating to the Aircraft or any part thereof, or that are required by Applicable Law to be created or maintained with respect to the maintenance and/or operation of the Aircraft.
“Applicable Law” means, without limitation, all applicable laws, treaties, international agreements, decisions and orders of any court, arbitration or governmental agency or authority and rules, regulations, orders, directives, licenses and permits of any governmental body, instrumentality, agency or authority, including, without limitation, the FAR and 49 U.S.C. § 41101, et seq., as amended.
“Claims” is defined in Section 18.

“DOT” means the United States Department of Transportation or any successor agency.
“FAA” means the Federal Aviation Administration or any successor agency.
“FAR” means collectively the Aeronautics Regulations of the FAA and the DOT, as codified at Title 14, Parts 1 to 399 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations.
“flight” is defined in Section 6.
“flight-related expenses” is defined in Section 7.
“Operating Base” means Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  
“Operational Control” has the same meaning given the term in Section 1.1 of the FAR.
“Owner” is defined in Section 9.
“Pilot in Command” has the same meaning given the term in Section 1.1 of the FAR.
“Taxes” means all taxes of every kind (excluding any tax measured by or assessed against a taxpayer’s income, including, without limitation, any income tax, gross income tax, net income tax, or capital gains tax, and any tax measured by or assessed against the Aircraft’s value, including, without limitation, any personal property or ad valorem tax) assessed or levied by any federal, state, county, local, airport, district, foreign, or other governmental authority, including, without limitation, sales taxes, use taxes, retailer taxes, federal air transportation excise taxes, federal aviation fuel excise taxes, and other similar duties, fees, and excise taxes.
“Term” is defined in Section 3.
2.    Agreement to Lease.  Operator agrees to lease the Aircraft to Lessee from time to time on an “as needed and as available” basis, and to provide a fully qualified flight crew for all Lessee’s flights, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.  Nothing contained herein shall obligate or entitle Lessee to any minimum usage of the Aircraft.
3.    Term and Termination.  The initial term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and continue for a period of one year.  Thereafter, this Agreement shall renew for additional and successive one year periods, until terminated as provided below.  For purposes of this Agreement “Term” means the initial term and all successive one year renewal periods until this Agreement is terminated as provided below.  This Agreement shall terminate automatically: (i) upon a final determination that there has been a total loss of all of the Aircraft or that Supervalu no longer owns the aircraft;  (ii) on the date that Lessee ceases to be employed  as CEO of SUPERVALU INC. whether as a result of resignation, retirement, death or other termination, or (iii) may be terminated 

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in any event as required by law or upon applicable changes to the Employment Agreement with Lessee dated February 2, 2016 and as approved by the Supervalu Board of Directors.
4.    Applicable Regulations.  The Parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall constitute, and this Agreement shall be interpreted as, a Time Sharing Agreement as defined in Section 91.501(c)(1) of the FAR.  The Parties agree that for all flights under this Agreement, the Aircraft shall be operated under the pertinent provisions of Subpart F of Part 91 of the FAR.  If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be inconsistent with any of the requirements of the provisions of Subpart F of Part 91 of the FAR, such provision shall be deemed amended in any respect necessary to bring it into compliance with such requirements.
5.    Non-Exclusivity.  Lessee acknowledges that the Aircraft is leased to Lessee hereunder on a non-exclusive basis, and that the Aircraft will also be subject to use by Operator, and may also be subject to non-exclusive leases and lease to others during the Term.
6.    Flight Charges.  For each flight (as defined below) conducted under this Agreement, Operator shall keep a log of the flight, and Lessee shall pay Operator the sum of the expenses of operating such flight to the extent prescribed by FAR 91.501(d) or any successor provision (i.e. which shall not exceed the sum of the expenses set forth in subsections 6.1 - 6.10 below).  For purposes of this Agreement, “flight” means a flight from a departure point to a single destination.
6.1    fuel, oil, lubricants, and other additives;
6.2    travel expenses of the crew, including food, lodging and ground transportation;
6.3    hangar and tie down costs away from the Aircraft’s Operating Base;
6.4    insurance obtained for the specific flight;
6.5    landing fees, airport taxes and similar assessments;
6.6    customs, foreign permit, and similar fees directly related to the flight;
6.7    in-flight food and beverages;
6.8    passenger ground transportation;
6.9    flight planning and weather contract services; and
6.10    an additional charge equal to 100% of the expenses listed in Section 6.1.
All flights that are conducted solely to reposition the Aircraft for the purposes of, or are related to, conducting a flight for the benefit of Lessee hereunder shall be deemed to be flights, and as such all expenses of said repositioning flights will be included on the invoice related to the associated passenger-carrying flight.

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	7.
	Invoices and Payment of Flight-Related Expenses.  Operator will initially pay all expenses related to the operation of the Aircraft when and as such expenses are incurred.  Within thirty (30) days after the last day of any calendar month during which any flight for the account of Lessee has been conducted, Operator shall provide an invoice to Lessee for an amount determined in accordance with Section 6 above and including any applicable Taxes under Section 8 (the “flight related expenses”).  Lessee hereby voluntarily authorizes Operator, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law and after any other legally authorized or required deductions or withholdings have been deducted from Lessee’s regular payroll payment, to deduct from the first regular payroll payment after the invoice date, or as soon as administratively feasible, to be issued by Operator to Lessee according to Operator’s payroll practices the flight-related expenses; provided that with regard to any such flight-related expenses that exceed the amount of wages due Lessee that may be legally deducted or that remain indeterminable as of such payroll date, such flight-related expenses will be deducted from each of Lessee’s subsequent regular payroll payments to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law until such flight-related expenses have been fully recovered by Operator. Lessee may revoke the wage deductions voluntarily authorized by this Section 7 at any time by providing at least ten (10) business days’ notice of such revocation; provided however that upon any such revocation the balance of any flight-related expenses owed by Lessee under this Agreement will become immediately due and owing to Operator and Operator may thereafter deny Lessee further use of the Aircraft until a new payment arrangement is agreed to by Lessee and Operator.  Upon termination of Lessee’s employment with Operator for any reason, the full amount of any flight-related expenses owed by Lessee to Operator under this Agreement and not yet recovered under the terms of this Section will become immediately due and owing to Operator on Lessee’s final day of employment with the Operator.  With respect to any amount of flight-related expenses that Lessee is required to remit directly to Operator under this Section 7, Lessee shall remit the full amount, together with any applicable Taxes under Section 8, by payment made in the form of a check payable to “SUPERVALU INC.” at the following address:

SUPERVALU INC.
11840 Valley View Road
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
Attn: General Counsel

Or to such other address as Operator may direct from time-to-time.

8.    Taxes.  Lessee shall be responsible for, shall indemnify and hold harmless Operator against, any Taxes which may be assessed or levied as a result of the lease of the Aircraft to Lessee, or the use of the Aircraft by Lessee, including without limitation, any “federal excise tax” or “FET” imposed under Internal Revenue Code §4261 resulting from Lessee’s (or his guests’) use of the Aircraft under this Agreement.  Lessee shall remit to Operator all such Taxes together with each payment made pursuant to Section 7.
9.    Scheduling Flights.  

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9.1    Lessee shall submit requests for flight time and proposed flight schedules to the Operator as far in advance of any given flight as reasonably possible.  Lessee shall provide at least the following information for each proposed flight as far in advance as reasonably possible prior to scheduled departure: departure airport; destination airport; date and time of departure; the names of all passengers; the nature and extent of luggage and/or cargo to be carried; the date and time of return flight, if any; and any other information concerning the proposed flight that may be pertinent or required by Operator or Operator’s flight crew.
9.2    Each use of the Aircraft by Lessee shall be subject to Operator’s prior approval, and for each term of the agreement the maximum number of hours for use under this agreement shall be determined by Supervalu’s Board of Directors. Operator will use reasonable efforts to accommodate Lessee’s needs and avoid conflicts in scheduling; provided however, that Operator shall not be liable to Lessee or any other person for loss, injury, or damage occasioned by any delay or failure to furnish the Aircraft, with a flight crew, pursuant to this Agreement for any reason. Operator shall not be obligated to retain or contract for additional flight crew or maintenance personnel or equipment in order to accommodate a flight request submitted by Lessee.
9.3    Lessee’s rights to schedule the use of the Aircraft shall at all times be subordinate to the Aircraft use requirements of Operator and TTSJ Aviation, Inc., as owner of the Aircraft (“Owner”).
10.    Title and Registration.  Owner has exclusive legal and equitable title to the Aircraft.  Lessee acknowledges that title to the Aircraft shall remain vested in Owner.  Lessee undertakes, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, to do all such further acts, deeds, assurances or things as may be necessary or desirable, in Operator’s reasonable opinion, to protect or preserve Operator’s lease interest and Owner’s title to the Aircraft.
11.    Aircraft Maintenance.  Operator shall be solely responsible for maintenance, preventive maintenance and required or otherwise necessary inspections of the Aircraft, and shall take such requirements into account in scheduling the Aircraft.  No period of maintenance, preventative maintenance, or inspection shall be delayed or postponed for the purpose of scheduling the Aircraft, unless said maintenance or inspection can be safely conducted at a later time in compliance with all Applicable Law, and within the sound discretion of the Pilot in Command.
12.    Flight Crews.  Operator shall provide, at its sole cost, to Lessee a qualified flight crew for each flight conducted in accordance with this Agreement.  The members of the flight crew may be either employees or independent contractors of Operator.  In either event, the flight crew shall be and remain under the exclusive command and control of Operator in all phases of all flights conducted hereunder.
13.    OPERATIONAL CONTROL.  THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT OPERATOR SHALL HAVE AND MAINTAIN SOLE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND EXCLUSIVE POSSESSION, COMMAND AND CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR ALL FLIGHTS OPERATED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, AND THAT THE INTENT OF THE PARTIES IS THAT THIS AGREEMENT CONSTITUTE A “TIME SHARING AGREEMENT” 

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AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION 91.501(C)(1) OF THE FAR.  OPERATOR SHALL EXERCISE EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY OVER INITIATING, CONDUCTING, OR TERMINATING ANY FLIGHT CONDUCTED ON BEHALF OF LESSEE PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT.
14.    Authority of Pilot In Command.  Notwithstanding that Operator shall have Operational Control of the Aircraft during any flight conducted pursuant to this Agreement, Operator and Lessee expressly agree that the Pilot in Command, in his or her sole discretion, may terminate any flight, refuse to commence any flight, or take any other flight-related action which in the judgment of the Pilot in Command is necessary to ensure the safety of the Aircraft, the flight crew, the passengers, and persons and property on the ground. The Pilot in Command shall have final and complete authority to postpone or cancel any flight for any reason or condition that in his or her judgment would compromise the safety of the flight.  No such action of the Pilot in Command shall create or support any liability of Operator to Lessee for loss, injury, damage or delay.
15.    Passengers and Baggage.  Lessee may carry on the Aircraft on all flights under this Agreement such passengers and baggage/cargo as Lessee in its sole but reasonable discretion shall determine; provided, however, that the passengers to be carried on such flights shall be limited to those permitted under the pertinent provisions of Part 91 of the FAR, and that the number of such passengers shall in no event exceed the number of passenger seats legally available in the Aircraft and the total load, including fuel and oil in such quantities as the Pilot in Command shall determine to be required, shall not exceed the maximum allowable load for the Aircraft.
16.    Prohibited Items.  Lessee shall not cause or permit to be carried on board the Aircraft, and shall not cause or permit any passenger to carry on board the Aircraft, any contraband, prohibited dangerous goods, or prohibited controlled substances on the Aircraft at any time.
17.    Force Majeure.  Operator shall not be liable for delay or failure to furnish the Aircraft and/or flight crew pursuant to this Agreement when such failure is caused by government regulation or authority, mechanical difficulty, war, civil commotion, strikes or labor disputes, weather conditions, acts of God or other unforeseen or unanticipated circumstances.
18.    Insurance and Limitation of Liability. 
18.1    At all times during the term of this Agreement, Operator shall cause to be carried and maintained, at Operator’s cost and expense, aircraft public and passenger legal liability coverage, commercial general liability covering bodily injury, property damage and personal injury liability, and all risk hull insurance in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as Operator shall determine in its sole discretion.  Operator shall also bear the cost of paying any deductible amount on any policy of insurance in the event of a claim or loss.
18.2    Any policies of insurance carried in accordance with this Agreement: (i) shall name Lessee as an additional insured; (ii) shall contain a waiver by the underwriter thereof of any right of subrogation against Lessee; and (iii) shall require the insurers to provide at least 30 days’ prior written notice (or at least seven days’ in the case of any war-risk 

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insurance) to Lessee if the insurers cancel insurance for any reason whatsoever, provided that the insurers shall provide at least 10 days prior written notice if the same is allowed to lapse for non-payment of premium. Each liability policy shall be primary without right of contribution from any other insurance which is carried by Lessee or Operator and shall expressly provide that all of the provisions thereof, except the limits of liability, shall operate in the same manner as if there were a separate policy covering each insured.
18.3    Operator shall obtain the approval of this Agreement by the insurance carrier for each policy of insurance on the Aircraft.  If requested by Lessee, Operator shall arrange for a certificate of insurance evidencing the insurance coverage with respect to the Aircraft maintained by Operator to be given by its insurance carriers to Lessee or will provide Lessee with a copy of such insurance policies.  Operator will give Lessee reasonable advance notice of any material modifications to insurance coverage relating to the Aircraft.
18.4    Lessee agrees that the insurance specified in this Section 18 provides its sole recourse for all claims, losses, liabilities, obligations, demands, suits, judgments or causes of action, penalties, fines, costs and expenses of any nature whatsoever, including attorneys’ fees and expenses for or on account of or arising out of, or in any way connected with the use of the Aircraft by Lessee or its guests, including injury to or death of any persons, including Lessee and its guests which may result from or arise out of the use or operation of the Aircraft during the term of this Agreement (“Claims”), regardless of whether such Claims arise out of or are caused by, in whole or in part, the negligence, gross negligence, or strict liability of Operator or Owner.
19.    Lessee Representations and Warranties.  Lessee represents and warrants that:
19.1    Lessee will use the Aircraft solely for and on account of his own personal use, and will not use the Aircraft for the purpose of providing transportation of passengers or cargo for compensation or hire.
19.2    Lessee shall refrain from incurring any mechanic’s or other lien in connection with inspection, preventative maintenance, maintenance or storage of the Aircraft, whether permissible or impermissible under this Agreement, nor shall there be any attempt by Lessee to convey, mortgage, assign, lease, sublease, or any way alienate the Aircraft or create any kind of lien or security interest involving the Aircraft or do anything or take any action that might mature into such a lien.
19.3    During the Term of this Agreement, Lessee will abide by and conform to all Applicable Laws, governmental and airport orders, rules and regulations, as shall from time to time be in effect relating in any way to the use of the Aircraft by a time sharing lessee.
20.    No Assignments. Neither this Agreement nor any Party’s interest herein shall be assignable to any other party whatsoever.

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21.    Modification.  Except with respect to Lessee’s right to revoke the voluntary wage deduction authorization under Section 7 above), this Agreement may not be modified, altered, or amended except by written agreement executed by both Parties.
22.    Notices.  All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing (except as otherwise permitted herein) and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt or refusal to accept receipt) by personal delivery, by first class mail properly addressed and postage prepaid or by a reputable overnight courier service, addressed as follows:
If to Lessee:        Mark Gross
________________
________________
            
If to Operator:        SUPERVALU INC.
11840 Valley View Road
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
Attn: General Counsel

or to such other person or address as either party shall from time to time designate in writing to the other party.
            
23.    Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, the Lessee’s Employment Agreement dated February 2, 2016, and any Supervalu Board resolution setting forth maximum hours of personal Aircraft use constitute the entire agreement of the Parties regarding personal use of the Aircraft as of the Effective Date and supersede all prior or independent, oral or written agreements, understandings, statements, representations, commitments, promises, and warranties made with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.
24.    Prohibited or Unenforceable Provisions.  Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibitions or unenforceability in any jurisdiction.  To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, each of Operator and Lessee hereby waives any provision of Applicable Law which renders any provision hereof prohibited or unenforceable in any respect.
25.    Governing Law.  This Agreement has been negotiated and delivered in the State of Minnesota and shall in all respects be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Minnesota, including all matters of construction, validity and performance, without giving effect to its conflict of laws provisions.
26.    DISCLAIMER.  THE AIRCRAFT IS BEING LEASED BY THE OPERATOR TO THE LESSEE HEREUNDER ON A COMPLETELY “AS IS, WHERE IS,” BASIS, WHICH IS ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED TO BY THE LESSEE.  THE WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND OPERATOR HAS NOT MADE AND SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED OR 

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DEEMED TO HAVE MADE (WHETHER BY VIRTUE OF HAVING LEASED THE AIRCRAFT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, OR HAVING ACQUIRED THE AIRCRAFT, OR HAVING DONE OR FAILED TO DO ANY ACT, OR HAVING ACQUIRED OR FAILED TO ACQUIRE ANY STATUS UNDER OR IN RELATION TO THIS AGREEMENT OR OTHERWISE) ANY OTHER REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRCRAFT OR TO ANY PART THEREOF, AND SPECIFICALLY, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IN THIS RESPECT OPERATOR DISCLAIMS ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE TITLE, AIRWORTHINESS, VALUE, CONDITION, DESIGN, MERCHANTABILITY, COMPLIANCE WITH SPECIFICATIONS, CONSTRUCTION AND CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND AS TO THE ABSENCE OF LATENT AND OTHER DEFECTS, WHETHER OR NOT DISCOVERABLE, AND AS TO THE ABSENCE OF ANY INFRINGEMENT OR THE LIKE, HEREUNDER OF ANY PATENT, TRADEMARK OR COPYRIGHT, AND AS TO THE ABSENCE OF OBLIGATIONS BASED ON STRICT LIABILITY IN TORT, OR AS TO THE QUALITY OF THE MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ANY PART THEREOF OR ANY OTHER REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED (INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY ARISING FROM A COURSE OF PERFORMANCE OR DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE), WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRCRAFT OR ANY PART THEREOF. LESSEE HEREBY WAIVES, RELEASES, DISCLAIMS AND RENOUNCES ALL EXPECTATION OF OR RELIANCE UPON ANY SUCH AND OTHER WARRANTIES, OBLIGATIONS AND LIABILITIES OF OPERATOR AND RIGHTS, CLAIMS AND REMEDIES OF LESSEE AGAINST OPERATOR, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARISING BY LAW OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO (I) ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR USE, (II) ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY ARISING FROM COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE, (III) ANY OBLIGATION, LIABILITY, RIGHT, CLAIM OR REMEDY IN TORT, WHETHER OR NOT ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF OPERATOR, ACTUAL OR IMPUTED, AND (IV) ANY OBLIGATION, LIABILITY, RIGHT, CLAIM OR REMEDY FOR LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, FOR LOSS OF USE, REVENUE OR PROFIT WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRCRAFT, OR FOR ANY OTHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
27.    COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed by the Parties hereto in two (2) or more separate counterparts, each and all of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, and all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
28.    TRUTH IN LEASING.
OPERATOR HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT, DURING THE TWELVE (12) MONTH PERIOD PRECEDING THE DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF PART 91 OF FAR.

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THE PARTIES HERETO CERTIFY THAT DURING THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR OPERATIONS CONDUCTED HEREUNDER, THE AIRCRAFT WILL BE MAINTAINED AND INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF PART 91 OF FAR.
OPERATOR, WHOSE ADDRESS APPEARS IN PARAGRAPH 22 ABOVE AND WHOSE AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE APPEARS BELOW, ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WHEN IT OPERATES THE AIRCRAFT ON BEHALF OF LESSEE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, OPERATOR SHALL BE KNOWN AS, CONSIDERED, AND IN FACT WILL BE THE OPERATOR OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.  EACH PARTY HERETO CERTIFIES THAT IT UNDERSTANDS THE EXTENT OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES, SET FORTH HEREIN, FOR COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS.
AN EXPLANATION OF FACTORS BEARING ON OPERATIONAL CONTROL AND PERTINENT FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE NEAREST FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE.
THE PARTIES HERETO CERTIFY THAT A TRUE COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CARRIED ON THE AIRCRAFT AT ALL TIMES, AND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST BY AN APPROPRIATELY CONSTITUTED IDENTIFIED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FAA.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Aircraft Time Sharing Agreement as of the date and year first written above.
	
		
	OPERATOR:

	SUPERVALU INC.

	 
	 

	By:
	/s/ Karla C. Robertson

	Printed:
	Karla C. Robertson

	Title:
	Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

	 
	 

	 
	 

	LESSEE:

	Mark Gross

	 
	 

	/s/ Mark Gross

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Exhibit A

Aircraft

	
			
	Type of Aircraft
	U.S. Registration Number
	Manufacturer Serial Number

	2007 Gulfstream 200
	N135FT
	155

Exhibit A, Page 1

“TRUTH IN LEASING” REQUIREMENTS
FAR §91.23(c)
(1)    The Lessee or Operator must mail a copy of the Lease within 24 hours of its execution, to the Aircraft Registration Branch, Attn:  Technical Section, P.O. Box 25724, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125.
(2)    A copy of the Lease must be carried in the Aircraft.  The copy of the Lease shall be made available for review upon request by the Administrator.
(3)     The Lessee or Operator must notify by telephone or in person the FAA Flight Standards district office nearest the airport where the flight will originate.  Unless otherwise authorized by that office, the notification shall be given at least 48 hours before takeoff in the case of the first flight of that aircraft under the Lease or contract and inform the FAA of:
(i) The location of the airport of departure;
(ii) The departure time; and
(iii) The registration number of the aircraft involved.
(4)     The copy of the Lease furnished to the FAA is commercial or financial information obtained from a person. It is, therefore, privileged and confidential and will not be made available by the FAA for public inspection or copying under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) unless recorded with the FAA under Part 49 of the U.S. Code.

2ex10-1.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

Deal CUSIP: 53700DAG8

Revolver CUSIP: 53700DAH6

Term CUSIP: 53700DAJ2

  

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of March 4, 2016 among

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
as the Company,

 

CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY IDENTIFIED HEREIN,

as the Designated Borrowers,

 

CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY IDENTIFIED HEREIN,

as the Guarantors,

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., 
as Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer

 

and

 

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., 
as Syndication Agent

 

BMO Harris Bank, N.A., 
PNC Bank, National Association
and 
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, 
as Co-Documentation Agents

 

  

MERRILL, LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, 
as Sole Bookrunner and Joint Lead Arranger

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Joint Lead Arranger

 

 

 

 

 

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
 
	 	 	Page
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS 
	1
	 	 	 	 
	
1.01 
	 	Defined Terms 	1
	
1.02 
	 	Other Interpretive Provisions 	25
	
1.03 
	 	Accounting Terms 	25
	
1.04 
	 	Rounding 	26
	
1.05 
	 	References to Agreements and Laws 	26
	
1.06 
	 	Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents 	27
	
1.07 
	 	Additional Alternative Currencies 	27
	
1.08 
	 	Change of Currency 	28
	
1.09 
	 	Letter of Credit Amounts 	 28
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS 
	29
	 	 	 	 
	
2.01 
	 	Commitments 	29
	
2.02 
	 	Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans 	29
	
2.03 
	 	Letters of Credit 	31
	
2.04 
	 	Swing Line Loans 	40
	
2.05 
	 	Prepayments 	43
	
2.06 
	 	Reduction or Termination of Commitments 	44
	
2.07 
	 	Repayment and Amortization of Loans 	44
	
2.08 
	 	Interest 	45
	
2.09 
	 	Fees 	46
	
2.10 
	 	Computation of Interest and Fees 	46
	
2.11 
	 	Evidence of Debt 	46
	
2.12 
	 	Payments Generally 	47
	
2.13 
	 	Sharing of Payments 	48
	
2.14 
	 	Expansion Option 	49
	
2.15 
	 	Defaulting Lenders 	50
	
2.16 
	 	Designated Borrowers 	52
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY 
	54
	 	 	 	 
	
3.01 
	 	Taxes 	54
	
3.02 
	 	Illegality 	57
	
3.03 
	 	Inability to Determine Rates 	58
	
3.04 
	 	Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurocurrency Rate Loans 	59
	
3.05 
	 	Funding Losses 	60
	
3.06 
	 	Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation 	61
	
3.07 
	 	Survival 	61
	
3.08 
	 	Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders 	61
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS 
	62
	 	 	 	 
	
4.01 
	 	Conditions of Initial Credit Extension 	62
	
4.02 
	 	Conditions to all Credit Extensions and Conversions and Continuations 	 63

 

 

 

 

 

 

	
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
	64
	 	 	 	 
	
5.01 
	 	Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws 	64
	
5.02 
	 	Authorization; No Contravention 	64
	
5.03 
	 	Governmental Authorization 	64
	
5.04 
	 	Binding Effect 	64
	
5.05 
	 	Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect 	64
	
5.06 
	 	Litigation 	65
	
5.07 
	 	No Default 	65
	
5.08 
	 	Ownership of Property; Liens 	65
	
5.09 
	 	Environmental Compliance 	65
	
5.10 
	 	Insurance 	65
	
5.11 
	 	Taxes 	66
	
5.12 
	 	ERISA Compliance 	66
	
5.13 
	 	Subsidiaries 	66
	
5.14 
	 	Disclosure 	66
	
5.15 
	 	Compliance with Laws 	67 
	
5.16 
	 	Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act 	67
	
5.17 
	 	Taxpayer Identification Number; Other Identifying Information 	67
	
5.18 
	 	Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc 	67
	
5.19 
	 	OFAC 	 67
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 
	68
	 	 	 	 
	
6.01 
	 	Financial Statements 	68
	
6.02 
	 	Certificates; Other Information 	68
	
6.03 
	 	Notices 	70
	
6.04 
	 	Payment of Obligations 	70
	
6.05 
	 	Preservation of Existence, Etc 	70
	
6.06 
	 	Maintenance of Properties 	71
	
6.07 
	 	Maintenance of Insurance 	71
	
6.08 
	 	Compliance with Laws 	71
	
6.09 
	 	Books and Records 	71
	
6.10 
	 	Inspection Rights 	71
	
6.11 
	 	Use of Proceeds 	71
	
6.12 
	 	Guarantors 	71
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS 
	72
	 	 	 	 
	
7.01 
	 	Liens 	72
	
7.02 
	 	Investments 	73
	
7.03 
	 	Indebtedness 	74
	
7.04 
	 	Fundamental Changes 	75
	
7.05 
	 	Dispositions 	75
	
7.06 
	 	Restricted Payments 	76
	
7.07 
	 	Change in Nature of Business 	76
	
7.08 
	 	Transactions with Affiliates 	77
	
7.09 
	 	Burdensome Agreements 	77
	
7.10 
	 	Margin Regulations 	77

 

 

 

 

 

 

	
7.11
	 	[Reserved] 	77
	
7.12 
	 	Financial Covenants 	77
	
7.13 
	 	Sanctions 	77
	
7.14 
	 	Anti-Corruption Laws 	77
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES 
	78
	 	 	 	 
	
8.01 
	 	Events of Default 	78
	
8.02 
	 	Remedies Upon Event of Default 	79
	
8.03 
	 	Application of Funds 	80
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE IX. AGENT 
	81
	 	 	 	 
	
9.01 
	 	Appointment and Authorization of the Agent 	81
	
9.02 
	 	Rights as a Lender 	81
	
9.03 
	 	Exculpatory Provisions 	81
	
9.04 
	 	Reliance by the Agent 	82
	
9.05 
	 	Delegation of Duties 	82
	
9.06 
	 	Resignation of the Agent 	82
	
9.07 
	 	Non-Reliance on the Agent and Other Lenders 	84
	
9.09 
	 	Agent May File Proofs of Claim 	84
	
9.10 
	 	Guaranty Matters 	85
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS 
	85
	 	 	 	 
	
10.01 
	 	Amendments, Etc 	85
	
10.02 
	 	Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication 	87
	
10.03 
	 	No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies 	89
	
10.04 
	 	Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver 	89
	
10.05 
	 	Payments Set Aside 	91
	
10.06 
	 	Successors and Assigns 	91
	
10.07 
	 	Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality 	96
	
10.08 
	 	Right of Set off 	97
	
10.09 
	 	Interest Rate Limitation 	98
	
10.10 
	 	Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness 	98
	
10.11 
	 	Survival of Representations and Warranties 	98
	
10.12 
	 	Severability 	98
	
10.13 
	 	Replacement of Lenders 	98
	
10.14 
	 	Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc 	99
	
10.15 
	 	Waiver of Jury Trial 	100
	
10.16 
	 	No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility 	100
	 	 	 	 
	
10.17 USA PATRIOT Act Notice 
	101
	 	 	 	 
	
10.18 
	 	Time of the Essence 	101
	
10.19 
	 	Judgment Currency 	101
	
10.20 
	 	Electronic Execution of Assignments 	101
	
10.21 
	 	Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions 	102
	 	 	 	 
	
ARTICLE XI. GUARANTY 
	102
	 	 	 	 
	
11.01 
	 	The Guaranty 	102
	
11.02 
	 	Obligations Unconditional 	 103

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	
11.03 
	 	Reinstatement 	104
	
11.04 
	 	Certain Additional Waivers 	104
	
11.05 
	 	Remedies 	104
	
11.06 
	 	Rights of Contribution 	104
	
11.07 
	 	Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee 	105

 

 

 

 

 

 

	
SCHEDULES
	 	 
	 	 	 
	
2.01
	 	Commitments
	
2.03
	 	Existing Letters of Credit
	
5.13
	 	Subsidiaries
	
7.01
	 	Existing Liens
	
7.03
	 	Existing Indebtedness
	
10.02
	 	Addresses for Notices
	  	  	  
	
EXHIBITS
	  	  
	  	  	  
	
 
	 	Form of
	
A
	 	Loan Notice
	
B
	 	Swing Loan Notice
	
C-1
	 	Revolving Loan Note
	
C-2
	 	Term Loan Note
	
D
	 	Compliance Certificate
	
E
	 	Assignment and Assumption
	
F
	 	Joinder Agreement
	
G
	 	[Reserved]
	
H
	 	Increasing Lender Supplement
	
I
	 	Augmenting Lender Supplement
	
J
	 	Designated Borrower Request
	
K
	 	Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement
	
L
	 	Notice of Loan Prepayment
	
M
	 	U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

  

 

 

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of March 4, 2016, among LITTELFUSE, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), certain Subsidiaries of the Company party hereto pursuant to Section 2.16 (each a “Designated Borrower” and, together with the Company, the “Borrowers” and, each a “Borrower”), the Guarantors party hereto, each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.

 

The Company has requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility and a term loan facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

Article I.

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

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

 

“Acquired Business” means any Person or assets, as the case may be, acquired through an Acquisition.

 

“Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of any business or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or equity of any Person, or otherwise causing any Person to become a Subsidiary, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person (other than a Person that is a Subsidiary before giving effect to such merger or consolidation, provided that the Company or the Subsidiary is the surviving entity).

 

“Adjusted Eurocurrency Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(a).

 

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

 

“Affected Domestic Subsidiary” means any Domestic Subsidiary that is owned, directly or indirectly, by a controlled foreign corporation within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code (other than a Domestic Subsidiary that is treated as a C-corporation for federal income tax purposes).

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, or is Controlled by or is under common Control with, the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or equivalent governing body of such Person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Agent” means Bank of America (including its branches and affiliates) in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor Agent.

 

“Agent’s Office” means the Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as specified from time to time by the Agent to the Company and the Lenders.

 

“Agreed Currency” means Dollars and each Alternative Currency.

 

“Aggregate Revolving Commitments” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitments of all Revolving Lenders at such time. The initial amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments on the Closing Date is $575,000,000.

 

“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.

 

“Alternative Currency” means each of Euro, Sterling, Yen, Swiss Franc and each other currency (other than Dollars) that is approved in accordance with Section 1.07.

 

“Alternative Currency Equivalent” means, at any time, with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the equivalent amount thereof in the applicable Alternative Currency as determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date) for the purchase of such Alternative Currency with Dollars.

 

“Alternative Currency Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and $175,000,000. The Alternative Currency Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

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

 

	
Pricing Level
	
Consolidated Leverage
Ratio
	
Applicable Rate
for Commitment
Fee
	
Applicable Rate
for Eurocurrency
Rate Loans and
Letters of Credit
	
Applicable Rate
for Base Rate
Loans

	
1
	
<1.00:1
	
0.15%
	
1.00%
	
0.00%

	
2
	
>1.00:1 but <1.50:1
	
0.20%
	
1.25%
	
0.25%

	
3
	
>1.50:1 but <2.00:1
	
0.225%
	
1.50%
	
0.50%

	
4
	
>2.00:1 but <2.50:1
	
0.25%
	
1.75%
	
0.75%

	
5
	
>2.50:1
	
0.30%
	
2.00%
	
1.00%

 

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective commencing on the 5th Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b); provided, however, that if no Compliance Certificate is delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then Pricing Level 5 shall apply commencing on the 5th Business Day following the date such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered. The Applicable Rate in effect from the Closing Date through the date which is the 5th Business Day immediately following the date the Compliance Certificate is delivered (or required to be delivered, as applicable) pursuant to Section 6.02(b) for the Company’s fiscal quarter ending on or about March 31, 2016 shall be determined based upon Pricing Level 3 (or, if such Compliance Certificate demonstrates that Pricing Levels 4 or 5 should be applicable during such period, such other Pricing Level shall be applicable).

 

 

 

2

 

 

“Applicable Time” means, with respect to any borrowings and payments in any Alternative Currency, the local time in the place of settlement for such Agreed Currency as may be determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be necessary for timely settlement on the relevant date in accordance with normal banking procedures in the place of payment.

 

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

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

 

“Attorney Costs” means and includes all reasonable, out-of-pocket fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel and, without duplication, the allocated cost of internal legal services and all expenses and disbursements of internal counsel.

 

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.

 

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2016, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Company and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

 

“Augmenting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

 

“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.

 

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

 

“Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

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

 

 

 

3

 

 

“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 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, provided, further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

 

“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) the Eurocurrency Rate plus 1.0%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such “prime rate” announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate. All Base Rate Loans shall be denominated in Dollars.

 

“Bookrunner” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, in its capacity as sole bookrunner and joint lead arranger.

 

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

 

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

 

“Borrowing” means a Revolving Borrowing, a Term Loan Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

 

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Agent’s Office with respect to Obligations denominated in Dollars is located and: (a) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in Dollars, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in Dollars in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or any other dealings in Dollars to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market; (b) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in Euro, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in Euro in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or any other dealings in Euro to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means a TARGET Day; (c) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a currency other than Dollars or Euro, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in the relevant currency are conducted by and between banks in the London or other applicable offshore interbank market for such currency; and (d) if such day relates to any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in a currency other than Dollars or Euro in respect of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a currency other than Dollars or Euro, or any other dealings in any currency other than Dollars or Euro to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan (other than any interest rate settings), means any such day on which banks are open for foreign exchange business in the principal financial center of the country of such currency.

 

 

 

4

 

 

“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the L/C Issuer or the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Agent and the L/C Issuer shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and the L/C Issuer.

 

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation 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.

 

“Change of Control” means, with respect to any Person, an event or series of events by which:

 

(a)     any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the equity securities of such Person entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of such Person on a fully diluted basis (and, taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); 

 

(b)     during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of such Person cease to be composed of individuals: (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body; or

 

(c)     the Company fails to own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the Equity Interests of each Designated Borrower.

 

“Closing Date” means March 4, 2016.

 

 

 

5

 

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

“Commitment” means a Revolving Commitment and/or Term Loan Commitment, as the context may require.

 

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

 

“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D.

 

“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter for any period, the capital expenditures of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, as the same are (or would in accordance with GAAP be) set forth in the consolidated statement of changes in financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period.

 

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and without duplication: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) the amount of depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) other expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) of the Company and its Subsidiaries reducing such Consolidated Net Income which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period, (v) non-cash U.S. Pension wind-up and settlement costs of $30,800,000 incurred during the quarter ended September 26, 2015, (vi) reed switch manufacturing transfer costs for the four consecutive fiscal quarter period ended December 31, 2016 in an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,000,000, and (vii) expenses, including for professional services, integration and restructuring, incurred by the Company in connection with its acquisition of the TE Connectivity Circuit Protection Business between the Closing Date and April 1, 2017, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $20,000,000 and minus (b) all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period.

 

 

 

6

 

 

“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations hereunder) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (e) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other than the Company or any Subsidiary, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which the Company or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Company or such Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” shall exclude (i) any Indebtedness with respect to that certain Loan Entrustment Agreement, dated as of November 17, 2014, by and among Littelfuse Semiconductor (Wuxi) Co., Ltd., Bank of America, N.A., Shanghai Branch, and Suzhou Littelfuse Ovs Co., Ltd., as amended, restated, supplement or otherwise modified from time to time as well as any future Entrustment Loans that are for economic purposes intercompany in nature and (ii) obligations in an aggregate Dollar Equivalent amount not to exceed $10,000,000 evidenced by the UK Pension Guaranty.

 

“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of the end of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four consecutive fiscal quarters then ending to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges paid or required to be paid during such period.

 

“Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of the end of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of the end of such fiscal quarter to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four consecutive fiscal quarters then ending.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries (excluding extraordinary gains but including extraordinary losses) for that period.

 

“Consolidated Net Worth” means, as of any date of determination, for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, Shareholders’ Equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries on that date.

 

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

 

“Control” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate”.

 

“Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing, and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

“Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

 

 

7

 

 

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(d), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Agent and the Company in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Company, the Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Agent or the Company, to confirm in writing to the Agent and the Company that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Agent and the Company), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-in Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(d)) as of the date established therefor by the Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Agent to the Company, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

 

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

 

“Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Designated Borrower Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Designated Borrower Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and $150,000,000. The Designated Borrower Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. 

 

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

 

“Designated Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.17.

 

 

 

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“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

 

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

 

“Dollar Equivalent” means, at any time, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, such amount, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in any Alternative Currency, the equivalent amount thereof in Dollars as determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date) for the purchase of Dollars with such Alternative Currency.

 

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

 

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

 

 

 

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“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

 

“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which might reasonably be expected to constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Company or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

“Euro” and “€” mean the single currency of the Participating Member States.

 

“Eurocurrency Rate” means:

 

(a)     for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan,

 

(i) denominated in a LIBOR Quoted Currency, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Agent, as published by Bloomberg (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Agent from time to time) (in such case, the “LIBOR Rate”) at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for deposits in the relevant currency (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; or

 

(ii) in the case of any other Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a Non-LIBOR Quoted Currency, the rate designated with respect to such Alternative Currency at the time such Alternative Currency is approved by the Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 1.07; and

 

 

 

10

 

 

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

 

provided that (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Agent, such approved rate shall be applied as otherwise reasonably determined by the Agent and (ii) if the Eurocurrency Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Eurocurrency Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of Eurocurrency Rate. Eurocurrency Rate Loans that are Term Loans may be denominated only in Dollars. All Revolving Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency must be Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

 

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

 

“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income Taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the Laws of which such Recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which such Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Company under Section 10.13), any U.S. federal withholding Tax resulting from any Law in effect on the date such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.01(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from such Borrower with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a) and (d) any United States Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

“Existing Credit Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(a)(ix).

 

“Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit described on Schedule 2.03 hereto, including all renewals, extensions and amendments thereto.

 

“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous 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 applicable intergovernmental agreements implementing the foregoing.

 

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Agent.

 

 

 

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“Fee Letter” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(b).

 

“Foreign Lender” means with respect to any Borrower (a) if such Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if such 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 such Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

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

 

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

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

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

“Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank) and any group or body charged with setting financial accounting or regulatory capital rules or standards (including, without limitation, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing)..

 

“Guarantors” means collectively, (i) with respect to all Obligations, the Domestic Subsidiaries (present and future) of the Company, other than any Affected Domestic Subsidiary and (ii) for purposes of Article XI with respect to the Obligations of the Designated Borrowers, the Company. 

 

“Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Agent on behalf of the Lenders pursuant to Article XI.

 

 

 

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

 

“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

“Honor Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c).

 

“IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.

 

“Increasing Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

 

“Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

 

“Incremental Term Loan Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14.

 

“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)     all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

 

(b)     all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

 

(c)     net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

 

(d)     all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);

 

 

 

13

 

 

(e)     indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)     capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04.

 

“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes that are imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Parties under this Agreement or any Loan Document other than Excluded Taxes.

 

“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04.

 

“Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender, (c) the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its Affiliates, or (d) a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof.

 

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

 

“Interest Period” means as to each Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurocurrency Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the applicable Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:

 

(a)     any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

 

 

 

14

 

 

(b)     any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

 

(c)     no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

 

“Internal Restructuring” means, collectively, (a) (i) the Disposition of foreign branches of Domestic Subsidiaries and foreign assets of Domestic Subsidiaries to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (whether or not any such Subsidiary is a Guarantor) and (ii) the establishment of additional U.S. or foreign branches of Persons, in each case, as part of the implementation of international tax planning by the Company and its Subsidiaries or (b) the Disposition of Littelfuse SA de CV, Productos Electromecanicos BAC, S de RL de CV, and Cole Hersee S de RL de CV that operate as maquiladoras (collectively, the “Maquiladoras”), through which the Company performs manufacturing operations in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, as described in greater detail herein. Pursuant to the Disposition described in (b), the Company will continue to own substantially the same interests in the Maquiladoras, but through a number of wholly-owned or more than 98%-owned Subsidiaries, including Littlelfuse Mexico Manufacturing B.V., a Netherlands entity (the “Dutch Principal”). Ownership of the remaining interest in each of the Maquiladoras will transfer from being held by a current Subsidiary of the Company or officer of the Company to the Dutch Principal. The Maquiladoras will perform services for a Mexican-registered branch of the Dutch Principal.

 

“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

“Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Company (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

 

“Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit F executed and delivered by a Domestic Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.12 or any other documents as the Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose.

 

“Judgment Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 10.19.

 

“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

 

 

 

15

 

 

“L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Revolving Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Pro Rata Share. All L/C Advances shall be denominated in Dollars.

 

“L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Revolving Borrowing. All L/C Borrowings shall be denominated in Dollars.

 

“L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

 

“L/C Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn Outstanding Amount of Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate Outstanding of all Unreimbursed Amounts. The L/C Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Pro Rata Share of the total L/C Exposure at such time.

 

“L/C Issuer” means Bank of America (through itself or one of its designated affiliates or branch offices) in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

“L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.09. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

“Lenders” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swing Line Lender. The term “Lender” shall include any Designated Lender.

 

“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Company and the Agent, which office may include any Affiliate of such Lender or any domestic or foreign branch of such Lender or such Affiliate. Unless the context otherwise requires each reference to a Lender shall include its applicable Lending Office.

 

“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued hereunder providing for the payment of cash upon the honoring of a presentation thereunder. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial letter of credit or a standby letter of credit. Letters of Credit may be issued in Dollars or in an Alternative Currency.

 

“Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

 

“Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

 

 

16

 

 

“Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

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

 

“LIBOR Quoted Currency” means Dollars, Euro, Sterling, Yen and Swiss Franc, in each case as long as there is a published LIBOR rate with respect thereto.

 

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

 

“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to a Borrower under Article II in the form of a Revolving Loan, a Term Loan, an Incremental Term Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

 

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, the Fee Letter, each Issuer Document, each Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement, and the Guaranty.

 

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

 

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, each Borrower and each Person (other than the Agent or any Lender) executing a Loan Document. The term Loan Party shall include, without limitation, each Guarantor.

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual and contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

 

“Maturity Date” means (a) with respect to the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the earlier of (i) March 4, 2021 and (ii) the date upon which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments are terminated in accordance with the terms hereof and (b) with respect to the Term Loan Facility, March 4, 2021.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

“Note” means a Revolving Loan Note or a Term Loan Note, as the context may require.

 

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

 

 

 

17

 

 

“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

 

“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

“Non-LIBOR Quoted Currency” means any currency other than a LIBOR Quoted Currency.

 

“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

 

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

 

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

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

“Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Revolving Loans on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of such Revolving Loans occurring on such date; (ii) with respect to Term Loans on any date, the amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of such Term Loans occurring on such date, (iii) with respect to Swing Line Loans on any date, the amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of such Swing Line Loans occurring on such date; and (iv) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

 

 

 

18

 

 

“Overnight Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Rate and (ii) an overnight rate determined by the Agent, the L/C Issuer, or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in an Alternative Currency, the rate of interest per annum at which overnight deposits in the applicable Alternative Currency, in an amount approximately equal to the amount with respect to which such rate is being determined, would be offered for such day by a branch or Affiliate of Bank of America in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency to major banks in such interbank market.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

“Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

 

“Permitted Acquisition” means an Acquisition which meets each of the following conditions: (i) the prior, effective written consent or approval to such Acquisition of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Acquired Business (and/or its parent entity) is obtained; (ii) the Acquired Business represents a line of business substantially the same, similar or, complimentary to the lines of business carried on by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof; (iii) immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition, no Default shall exist, (iv) immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition, the Company shall be in compliance with the financial tests set forth in Section 7.12 (for this purpose the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall be determined on a pro forma basis as if the Acquisition had been consummated at the beginning of the period of the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company then most recently ended), (v) the Company shall have forwarded to the Agent such additional information regarding such Acquisition or the Acquired Business as the Agent shall have requested, and (vi) the Company shall have furnished to the Agent a certificate of its chief financial officer to the effect that the foregoing conditions are satisfied (such certificate to be accompanied by a computation of the financial tests set forth in Section 7.12 and to be satisfactory to the Agent in all respects).

 

“Person” means any individual, trustee, corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, bank, business association, firm, joint venture or Governmental Authority.

 

“Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Company or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

 

“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

 

 

19

 

 

“Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to each Lender, at any time, (a) with respect to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time; provided that if the commitment of each Revolving Lender to make Revolving Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, or if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have expired, then the Pro Rata Share of each Lender shall be determined based on the Pro Rata Share of such Revolving Lender immediately prior to such termination and after giving effect to any subsequent assignments made pursuant to Section 10.06 and (b) with respect to such Lender’s portion of the outstanding Term Loans, a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans held by such Lender at such time and the denominator of which is the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans held by all the Term Loan Lenders at such time. The Pro Rata Shares shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15.

 

“Recipient” means (a) the Agent, (b) any Lender, (c) the L/C Issuer and (d) any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder, as applicable.

 

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

 

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

 

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

 

“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

 

“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of (a) the unfunded Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein or (b) if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein. The unfunded Revolving Commitments of, and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders; provided that the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swing Line Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination. 

 

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of a Loan Party (and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Agent). Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party. To the extent reasonably requested by the Agent, each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate and appropriate authorization documentation, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

 

 

 

20

 

 

“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Company’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).

 

“Revaluation Date” means (a) with respect to any Loan, each of the following: (i) each date of a Borrowing of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of a continuation of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency pursuant to Section 2.02, and (iii) such additional dates as the Agent shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require; and (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit, each of the following: (i) each date of issuance, amendment and/or extension of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, and (iii) such additional dates as the Agent or the L/C Issuer shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require.

 

“Revolving Borrowing” means Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

 

“Revolving Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 under the heading “Revolving Commitment”, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

 

“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 and its L/C Exposure and Swing Line Exposure at such time.

 

“Revolving Lender” means, as of any date of determination, each Lender that has a Revolving Commitment or, if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Credit Exposure.

 

“Revolving Loan” means the revolving loans made by the Revolving Lenders to the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

 

“Revolving Loan Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrowers in favor of a Revolving Lender evidencing Revolving Loans made by such Revolving Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1.

 

“Same Day Funds” means (a) with respect to disbursements and payments in Dollars, immediately available funds, and (b) with respect to disbursements and payments in an Alternative Currency, same day or other funds as may be determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be customary in the place of disbursement or payment for the settlement of international banking transactions in the relevant Alternative Currency.

 

 

 

21

 

 

“Sanction(s)” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

 

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

 

“Shareholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, shareholders’ equity as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

“SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(h).

 

“Special Notice Currency” means at any time an Alternative Currency, other than the currency of a country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development at such time located in North America or Europe.

 

“Spot Rate” for a currency means the rate determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, to be the rate quoted by the Person acting in such capacity as the spot rate for the purchase by such Person of such currency with another currency through its principal foreign exchange trading office at approximately 11:00 a.m. on the date two Business Days prior to the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made; provided that the Agent or the L/C Issuer may obtain such spot rate from another financial institution designated by the Agent or the L/C Issuer if the Person acting in such capacity does not have as of the date of determination a spot buying rate for any such currency; and provided further that the L/C Issuer may use such spot rate quoted on the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made in the case of any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency.

 

“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 reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on any day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities”). The Eurocurrency Rate for each outstanding LIBOR Loan shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

“Sterling” and “£” mean the lawful currency of the United Kingdom.

 

“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Company.

 

 

 

22

 

 

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

 

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

“Swing Line” means the uncommitted and discretionary revolving credit facility made available by the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

“Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

“Swing Line Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swing Line Loans outstanding at such time. The Swing Line Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Pro Rate Share of the total Swing Line Exposure at such time.

 

“Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans hereunder.

 

“Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

 

“Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B or such other form as approved by the Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Agent pursuant), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company.

 

“Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $30,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

“Swiss Franc” means the lawful currency of Switzerland.

 

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

 

 

 

23

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Term Loan Borrowing” means Term Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

 

“Term Loan Commitment” means, as to each Term Loan Lender, its obligation to make a Term Loan to the Company pursuant to Section 2.01(b) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 under the heading “Term Loan Commitment”, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Term Loan Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The aggregate amount of the Term Loan Lenders’ Term Loan Commitments on the Closing Date is $125,000,000.

 

“Term Loan Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans of all Term Loan Lenders at such time.

 

“Term Loan Lender” means, as of any date of determination, each Lender having a Term Loan Commitment or that holds Term Loans.

 

“Term Loans” means the term loans made by the Term Loan Lenders to the Company pursuant to Section 2.01(b).

 

“Term Loan Note” means a promissory note made by the Company in favor of a Term Loan Lender evidencing Term Loans made by such Term Loan Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2.

 

“Threshold Amount” means $25,000,000.

 

“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

“Total Revolving Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans, all Swing Line Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

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

 

 

 

24

 

 

“UCP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

“UK Pension Guaranty” means a Guarantee of potential future funding obligations with respect to pension plans maintained by Hamlin Electronics Europe Limited.

 

“Unfunded Pension Liability” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

 

“United States,” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

 

“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(i).

 

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

 

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

 

“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

“Yen” and “¥” mean the lawful currency of Japan.

 

1.02     Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

(a)     The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

(b)     (i) The words “herein”, “hereto”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof; (ii) Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Loan Document in which such reference appears; (iii) the term “including” is by way of example and not limitation; and (iv) the term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

 

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

 

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

 

1.03     Accounting Terms.

 

(a)     All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

 

 

 

25

 

 

(b)     If at any time any change in GAAP (including the adoption of IFRS) would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Company or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Agent, the Lenders and the Company shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Company shall provide to the Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the Audited Financial Statements for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.

 

(c)     Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities. All references herein to consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that the Company is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB ASC 810 as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.

 

(d)     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 FASB ASC 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 Company 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 FASB ASC 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.

 

1.04     Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by any Loan Party pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

1.05     References to Agreements and Laws. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

 

 

 

26

 

 

1.06     Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents.

 

(a)     The Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall determine the Spot Rates as of each Revaluation Date to be used for calculating Dollar Equivalent amounts of Credit Extensions and Outstanding Amounts denominated in Alternative Currencies. Such Spot Rates shall become effective as of such Revaluation Date and shall be the Spot Rates employed in converting any amounts between the applicable currencies until the next Revaluation Date to occur. Except for purposes of financial statements delivered by Loan Parties hereunder or calculating financial covenants hereunder or except as otherwise provided herein, the applicable amount of any currency (other than Dollars) for purposes of the Loan Documents shall be such Dollar Equivalent amount as so determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable.

 

(b)     Wherever in this Agreement in connection with a Revolving Borrowing, conversion, continuation or prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or the issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit, an amount, such as a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but such Borrowing, Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit is denominated in an Alternative Currency, such amount shall be the relevant Alternative Currency Equivalent of such Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest unit of such Alternative Currency, with 0.5 of a unit being rounded upward), as determined by the Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.

 

1.07     Additional Alternative Currencies.

 

(a)     The Company may from time to time request that Eurocurrency Rate Loans be made and/or Letters of Credit be issued in a currency other than those specifically listed in the definition of “Alternative Currency;” provided that such requested currency is a lawful currency (other than Dollars) that is readily available and freely transferable and convertible into Dollars. In the case of any such request with respect to the making of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Agent and the Lenders obligated to make credit extensions in such currency; and in the case of any such request with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Agent and the L/C Issuer.

 

(b)     Any such request shall be made to the Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. 20 Business Days prior to the date of the desired Credit Extension (or such other time or date as may be agreed by the Agent and, in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the L/C Issuer, in its or their sole discretion). In the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, the Agent shall promptly notify each affected Lender thereof; and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the Agent shall promptly notify the L/C Issuer thereof. Each Lender (in the case of any such request pertaining to Eurocurrency Rate Loans) or the L/C Issuer (in the case of a request pertaining to Letters of Credit) shall notify the Agent, not later than 10:00 a.m. ten Business Days after receipt of such request whether it consents, in its sole discretion, to the making of Eurocurrency Rate Loans or the issuance of Letters of Credit, as the case may be, in such requested currency.

 

(c)     Any failure by a Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to respond to such request within the time period specified in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be a refusal by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to permit Eurocurrency Rate Loans to be made or Letters of Credit to be issued in such requested currency. If the Agent and all Lenders obligated to make credit extensions in such currency consent to making Eurocurrency Rate Loans in such requested currency and the Agent and such Lenders reasonably determine that an appropriate interest rate is available to be used for such requested currency, the Agent shall so notify the Company and (i) the Agent and such Lenders may amend the definition of Eurocurrency Rate for any Non-LIBOR Quoted Currency to the extent necessary to add the applicable Eurocurrency Rate for such currency and (ii) to the extent the definition of Eurocurrency Rate reflects the appropriate interest rate for such currency or has been amended to reflect the appropriate rate for such currency, such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency hereunder for purposes of any Revolving Borrowings of Eurocurrency Rate Loans. If the Agent and the L/C Issuer consent to the issuance of Letters of Credit in such requested currency, the Agent shall so notify the Company and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency hereunder, for purposes of any Letter of Credit issuances. If the Agent shall fail to obtain consent to any request for an additional currency under this Section 1.07, the Agent shall promptly so notify the Company.

 

 

 

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1.08     Change of Currency.

 

(a)     Each obligation of a Borrower to make a payment denominated in the national currency unit of any member state of the European Union that adopts the Euro as its lawful currency after the date hereof shall be redenominated into Euro at the time of such adoption. If, in relation to the currency of any such member state, the basis of accrual of interest expressed in this Agreement in respect of that currency shall be inconsistent with any convention or practice in the London interbank market for the basis of accrual of interest in respect of the Euro, such expressed basis shall be replaced by such convention or practice with effect from the date on which such member state adopts the Euro as its lawful currency; provided that if any Revolving Borrowing in the currency of such member state is outstanding immediately prior to such date, such replacement shall take effect, with respect to such Revolving Borrowing, at the end of the then current Interest Period.

 

(b)     Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect the adoption of the Euro by any member state of the European Union and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the Euro.

 

(c)     Each provision of this Agreement also shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect a change in currency of any other country and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the change in currency.

 

1.09     Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

1.10     Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

 

 

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Article II.

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

2.01     Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (a) each Revolving Lender severally agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Revolving Borrowing, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Revolving Lender, plus such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (iii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies shall not exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit and (iv) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans made to the Designated Borrowers shall not exceed the Designated Borrower Sublimit, and (b) each Term Loan Lender severally agrees to make a Term Loan to the Borrower in Dollars on the Closing Date, in an amount equal to such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment, by making immediately available funds available to Agent’s designated account, not later than the time specified by Agent. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Company may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans. Amounts repaid or prepaid in respect of Term Loans may not be reborrowed. Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein. Term Loans may only be denominated in Dollars.

 

2.02     Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

 

(a)     Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be made upon the applicable Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Agent, which may be given by: (A) telephone or (B) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Agent of a Loan Notice. Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Agent (i) not later than 10:00 a.m. three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars or of any conversion of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars to Base Rate Loans, (ii) not later than 10:00 a.m., Applicable Time, four (4) Business Days (or five (5) Business Days in the case of a Special Notice Currency) prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies, and (iii) not later than 12:00 noon on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 (or, if such Borrowing is denominated in (x) Yen, ¥100,000,000 or (y) an Alternative Currency other than Yen, 1,000,000 units of such currency) or a whole multiple of $500,000 (or, if such Borrowing is denominated in (x) Yen, ¥50,000,000 or (y) an Alternative Currency other than Yen, 500,000 units of such currency) in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the applicable Borrower is requesting a Revolving Borrowing, a Term Loan Borrowing, a conversion of Revolving Loans or Term Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Revolving Loans or Term Loans are to be converted, (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto, (vi) the currency of the Loans to be borrowed and (vii) if applicable, the Designated Borrower. If a Borrower fails to specify a currency in a Loan Notice requesting a Borrowing, then the Loans so requested shall be made in Dollars. If a Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if a Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans; provided, however, that in the case of a failure to timely request a continuation of Revolving Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, such Loans shall be continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans in their original currency with an Interest Period of one month. Any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans. If a Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month. No Loan may be converted into or continued as a Loan denominated in a different currency, but instead must be prepaid in the original currency of such Loan and reborrowed in the other currency. 

 

 

 

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(b)     Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Agent shall promptly notify each applicable Lender of the amount (and currency) of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by a Borrower, the Agent shall notify each applicable Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or continuation of Loans denominated in a currency other than Dollars, in each case as described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each applicable Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Agent in Same Day Funds at the Agent’s Office for the applicable currency not later than 1:00 p.m. in the case of any Loan denominated in Dollars, and not later than the Applicable Time specified by the Agent in the case of any Revolving Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency, in each case on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Agent shall make all funds so received available to the applicable Borrower in like funds as received by the Agent either by (i) crediting the account of such Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Agent by such Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date of the Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing denominated in Dollars is given by a Borrower there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing shall be applied, first, to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, to such Borrower as provided above.

 

(c)     Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans (whether in Dollars or any Alternative Currency) without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the then outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency be prepaid, or redenominated into Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof, on the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto.

 

(d)     The Agent shall promptly notify the Company and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurocurrency Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurocurrency Rate by the Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

 

 

 

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

 

(f)     This Section 2.02 shall not apply to Swing Line Loans.

 

2.03     Letters of Credit

 

(a)     The Letter of Credit Commitment.

 

(i)     Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03: (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies for the account of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Revolving Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Company or its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (w) the Total Revolving Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (x) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Revolving Lender, plus such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans would exceed such Revolving Lender’s Commitment, or (y) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Company for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Company that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Company’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Company may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. The Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to be “Letters of Credit” issued on the Closing Date for all purposes of the Loan Documents.

 

(ii)     The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)     subject to Section 2.03(b)(iv), the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

 

(B)     the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, that a Letter of Credit may expire up to one year beyond the Maturity Date so long as the Company Cash Collateralizes such Letter of Credit (on terms reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer and in an amount equal to 105% of the face amount of such Letter of Credit) no later than seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

 

 

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(iii)     The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)     any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

 

(B)     the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer;

 

(C)     unless otherwise agreed to by the Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial amount less than $100,000, in the case of a commercial Letter of Credit, or $500,000, in the case of a standby Letter of Credit, or is to be used for a purpose other than those specified in Section 6.11;

 

(D)     the L/C Issuer does not as of the issuance date of such requested Letter of Credit issue Letters of Credit in the requested currency; or

 

(E)     such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars or an Alternative Currency, unless the Agent and the L/C Issuer have consented thereto.

 

(F)     any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Company or such Defaulting Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential L/C Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(b)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion; or

 

(G)     such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder.

 

(iv)     The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

 

 

 

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(v)     The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

(b)     Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

 

(i)     Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Company delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company. Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. at least two (2) Business Days (or such later date and time as the Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount and currency thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Company shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Agent may require.

 

(ii)     Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Company and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Company or the applicable Subsidiary or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

 

 

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(iii)     If the Company so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Company shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its extended form under the terms hereof (by reason of Section 2.03(a)(ii), Section 2.03(a)(iii) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) at least seven (7) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Agent, any Revolving Lender or the Company that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the L/C Issuer shall have no obligation to permit the extension of any Auto-Extension Letter of Credit at any time.

 

(iv)     Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the Agent will also deliver to the Company a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

(c)     Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

 

(i)     Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Company and the Agent thereof. In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Company shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in such Alternative Currency, unless (A) the L/C Issuer (at its option) shall have specified in such notice that it will require reimbursement in Dollars, or (B) in the absence of any such requirement for reimbursement in Dollars, the Company shall have notified the L/C Issuer promptly following receipt of the notice of drawing that the Company will reimburse the L/C Issuer in Dollars. In the case of any such reimbursement in Dollars of a drawing under a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Company of the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of the drawing promptly following the determination thereof. Not later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in Dollars, or the Applicable Time on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in an Alternative Currency (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Company shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing and in the applicable currency. If the Company fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer on the Honor Date, the Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (expressed in Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency) (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share thereof. In such event, the Company shall be deemed to have requested a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such a prompt confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

 

 

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(ii)     Each Revolving Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer, in Dollars, at the Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 12:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Revolving Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Revolving Loan to the Company in such amount. The Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer in Dollars. 

 

(iii)     With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Company shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Revolving Lender’s payment to the Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Revolving Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

 

(iv)     Until each Revolving Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

 

(v)     Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Revolving Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Company or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default; or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing. No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Company to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

 

 

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(vi)     If any Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Revolving Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Lender (acting through the Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Revolving Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Revolving Lender (through the Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)     Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)     At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Revolving Lender such Revolving Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Company or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Agent), the Agent will distribute to such Revolving Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Revolving Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in Dollars and in the same funds as those received by the Agent.

 

(ii)     If any payment received by the Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Pro Rata Share thereof on demand of the Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Revolving Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Revolving Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)     Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Company to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit, and to repay each L/C Borrowing, shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

 

(i)     any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto;

 

 

 

36

 

 

(ii)     the existence of any claim, counterclaim, set-off, defense or other right that the Company or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

(iii)     any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

 

(iv)     waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Company or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Company;

 

(v)     honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;

 

(vi)     any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable;

 

(vii)     any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

 

(viii)     any adverse change in the relevant exchange rates or in the availability of the relevant Alternative Currency to the Company or in the relevant currency markets generally; or

 

(ix)     any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

No payment by the Company to the Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer of any reimbursement obligation or L/C Borrowing shall constitute a waiver by the Company of any of its rights under Section 2.03(f). The Company shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Company’s instructions or other irregularity, the Company will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Company shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

 

 

 

37

 

 

(f)     Role of the L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Company agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by such Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Agent, any of their Related Parties nor any correspondents, participants or assignees of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Company hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Company’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Agent, any of their Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (ix) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Company, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Company which the Company proves (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction) were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s unlawful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of such Letter of Credit. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the L/C Issuer (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the L/C Issuer shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason. The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

 

(g)     Cash Collateral. If (i) the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, (ii) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (iii) the Company shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 8.02(c) or (iv) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Company shall immediately (in the case of clause (iii) above) or within one Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Agent or the L/C Issuer provide Cash Collateral in an amount equal to 105% of such Outstanding Amount determined as of the date of such L/C Borrowing or the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, as the case may be (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iv) above, after giving effect to Section 2.15(b) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender). The Company hereby grants to Agent, for the benefit of the Agent, the L/C Issuer and Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash Collateral shall be maintained in blocked, non interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America. Additionally, if the Agent notifies the Company at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations at such time exceeds 105% of the Letter of Credit Sublimit then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Company shall provide Cash Collateral for the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations in an amount not less than the amount by which the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations exceeds the Letter of Credit Sublimit.

 

 

 

38

 

 

(h)     Applicability of ISP and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Company when a Letter of Credit is issued, (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the UCP shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Company for, and the L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Company shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required under any Law, order, or practice that is required to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice.

 

(i)     Letter of Credit Fees. The Company shall pay to the Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender in accordance, subject to Section 2.15, with its Pro Rata Share, in Dollars, a letter of credit fee for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the Dollar Equivalent of the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.09. Such Letter of Credit fees shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such Letter of Credit fees shall be due and payable on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

 

(j)     Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to the L/C Issuer. The Company shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit in the amount specified in the Fee Letter, payable on the Dollar Equivalent of the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit, due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.09. In addition, the Company shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

 

(k)     Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Documents, the terms hereof shall control.

 

 

 

39

 

 

(l)     Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit in accordance with the terms hereof, the payment of interest thereon and the payment of fees and expenses due under Sections 2.03(i) and (j) to the same extent as if it were the sole account party in respect of such Letter of Credit (the Company 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). The Company hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Company, and that the Company’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

 

2.04     Swing Line Loans.

 

(a)     The Swing Line. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, may in its sole and absolute discretion make loans in Dollars (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”) to the Company from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Pro Rata Share of Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment in its capacity as a Revolving Lender; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Revolving Lender, plus such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment. The Swing Line is a discretionary, uncommitted facility and the Swing Line Lender may terminate or suspend the Swing Line at any time in its sole discretion upon notice to the Company which notice may be given by the Swing Line Lender before or after the Company requests a Swing Line Loan hereunder. Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Revolving Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

 

(b)     Borrowing Procedures. Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Company’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone or (B) a Swing Line Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice. Each such Swing Line Loan Notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $500,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing of Swing Line Loans (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied or the Swing Line has been or is terminated or suspended by the Swing Line Lender as provided above, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 2:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Company at its office by crediting the account of the Company on the books of the Swing Line Lender in Same Day Funds. The Revolving Lenders agree that the Swing Line Lender may agree to modify the borrowing procedures used in connection with the Swing Line in its discretion and without affecting any of the obligations of the Revolving Lenders hereunder.

 

 

 

40

 

 

(c)     Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

 

(i)     The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion (including if the Swing Line Lender has terminated or suspended the Swing Line as provided above) may request, on behalf of the Company (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Revolving Lender make a Base Rate Revolving Loan in an amount equal to such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02. The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Company with a copy of the applicable Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Agent. Each Revolving Lender shall make an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the amount specified in such Loan Notice available to the Agent in Same Day Funds (and the Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments not later than 12:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Revolving Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Revolving Loan to the Company in such amount. The Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

 

(ii)     If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Revolving Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein, shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Revolving Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Revolving Lender’s payment to the Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

 

(iii)     If any Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Revolving Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Lender (acting through the Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Revolving Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Revolving Lender (through the Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

 

 

41

 

 

(iv)     Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Revolving Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Company or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02. No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Company to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(d)     Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)     At any time after any Revolving Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Revolving Lender its Pro Rata Share of such payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Revolving Lender’s risk participation was funded) in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

 

(ii)     If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof on demand of the Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate. The Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)     Interest for Account of the Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Company for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Revolving Lender funds its Base Rate Revolving Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Pro Rata Share shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

 

(f)     Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender. The Company shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

 

(g)     At any time after the Lender serving as Swing Line Lender ceases to have a Revolving Commitment, such Lender may resign as Swing Line Lender in a manner consistent with Section 10.06(f).

 

 

 

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2.05     Prepayments.

 

(a)     A Borrower may, upon delivery of a Notice of Loan Prepayment to the Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Agent not later than (A) 10:00 a.m. three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, (B) 10:00 a.m., Applicable Time, four (4) Business Days (or five (5), in the case of prepayment of Loans denominated in Special Notice Currencies) prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies, and (C) 1:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof; (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof, or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding and (iv) any prepayment of outstanding Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05 shall be applied to the principal repayment installments thereof in inverse order of maturity. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid, and, if Eurocurrency Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. If such notice is given by a Borrower, such Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the applicable Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

 

(b)     The Company may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Company, the Company shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

 

(c)     If for any reason the Total Revolving Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect, the Borrowers shall immediately prepay their respective Loans and/or the Company shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans the Total Revolving Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect.

 

(d)     If the Agent notifies the Company at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies at such time exceeds an amount equal to the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrowers shall prepay their respective Loans in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Outstanding Amount as of such date of payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect. The Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request that additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange rate fluctuations.

 

 

 

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(e)     If the Agent notifies the Company at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all Loans owing by Designated Borrowers at such time exceeds an amount equal to the Designated Borrower Sublimit then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the applicable Designated Borrowers shall prepay their respective Loans in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Outstanding Amount as of such date of payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the Designated Borrower Sublimit then in effect.

 

2.06     Reduction or Termination of Commitments. Unless previously terminated, (i) the Term Loan Commitments shall terminate at 5:00 p.m. on the Closing Date and (ii) all of the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date. The Company may, upon notice to the Agent, terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Agent at least three Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Company shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Revolving Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Alternative Currency Sublimit, the Designated Borrower Sublimit, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Agent will promptly notify Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in accordance with this Section 2.06 shall be permanent. Each notice delivered by the Company pursuant to this Section 2.06 shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments delivered by the Company 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 Company (by notice to the Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. The amount of any such Aggregate Revolving Commitment reduction shall not be applied to the Alternative Currency Sublimit, Designated Borrower Sublimit, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit unless otherwise specified by the Company. Any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender according to its Pro Rata Share. All commitment fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

2.07     Repayment and Amortization of Loans.

 

(a)     Each Borrower shall repay to the Revolving Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans owing by such Borrower and outstanding on such date.

 

(b)     The Company shall repay to the Swing Line Lender each Swing Line Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first Business Day of the next succeeding calendar month after such Swing Line Loan is made and is at least two (2) Business Days after such Swing Line Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing to the Company is made, the Company shall repay all Swing Line Loans then outstanding.

 

 

 

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(c)     The Company shall repay to the Term Loan Lenders on each date set forth below in the aggregate principal amount set forth opposite such date (which amounts shall be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments of the Term Loans in accordance with the terms of Section 2.05):

 

	
Date
	
Amount

	
June 30, 2016
	
$1,562,500

	
September 30, 2016
	
$1,562,500

	
December 31, 2016
	
$1,562,500

	
March 31, 2017
	
$1,562,500

	
June 30, 2017
	
$1,562,500

	
September 30, 2017
	
$1,562,500

	
December 31, 2017
	
$1,562,500

	
March 31, 2018
	
$1,562,500

	
June 30, 2018
	
$3,125,000

	
September 30, 2018
	
$3,125,000

	
December 31, 2018
	
$3,125,000

	
March 31, 2019
	
$3,125,000

	
June 30, 2019
	
$3,125,000

	
September 30, 2019
	
$3,125,000

	
December 31, 2019
	
$3,125,000

	
March 31, 2020
	
$3,125,000

	
June 30, 2020
	
$3,125,000

	
September 30, 2020
	
$3,125,000

	
December 31, 2020
	
$3,125,000

	
Maturity Date
	
Outstanding Amount of Term Loans

 

provided, however, that the final principal repayment installment of the Term Loans shall be repaid on the Maturity Date and in any event shall be in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans outstanding on such date.

 

2.08     Interest.

 

(a)     Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) (1) the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period multiplied (without duplication of the Borrowers’ obligations under Section 3.04) by (2) the Statutory Reserve Rate (such product, the “Adjusted Eurocurrency Rate”), plus (B) the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(b)     If any amount payable by a Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Furthermore, while any Event of Default exists (or after acceleration), the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

 

 

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(c)     Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

2.09     Fees. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of Section 2.03:

 

(a)     Commitment Fee. The Company shall pay to the Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share, a commitment fee in Dollars equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the Maturity Date. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. The Company acknowledges that Swing Line Loans outstanding from time to time are not considered Revolving Loans in calculating the commitment fee.

 

(b)     Other Fees. The Company shall pay to the Bookrunner and the Agent for their own respective accounts, in Dollars, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the letter agreement, dated November 18, 2015 (the “Fee Letter”), among the Company, Bookrunner and the Agent. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

2.10     Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be and the actual number of days elapsed. All other computations of interest and all fees shall be made on the basis of a year of 360 days and the actual number of days elapsed, (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365 day year), or, in the case of interest in respect of Revolving Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies as to which market practice differs from the foregoing, in accordance with such market practice. Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

2.11     Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)     The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrowers and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrowers hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Agent, the Borrowers shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Agent) a Note, which shall evidence, such Lender’s Loans, in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount, currency and maturity of the applicable Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

 

 

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(b)     In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each applicable Lender and the Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

2.12     Payments Generally.

 

(a)     All payments to be made by the Borrowers shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or set off. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and except with respect to principal of and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder shall be made to the Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Agent’s Office in Dollars and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder with respect to principal and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency shall be made to the Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Agent’s Office in such Alternative Currency and in Same Day Funds not later than the Applicable Time specified by the Agent on the dates specified herein. If, for any reason, a Borrower is prohibited by any Law from making any required payment hereunder in an Alternative Currency, such Borrower shall make such payment in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent of the Alternative Currency payment amount. The Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Agent (i) after 2:00 p.m. in the case of payments in Dollars, or (ii) after the Applicable Time specified by the Agent in the case of payments in an Alternative Currency, shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

 

(b)     If any payment to be made by a Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

(c)     Unless a Borrower or any Lender has notified the Agent, prior to the date any payment is required to be made by it to the Agent hereunder, that such Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, will not make such payment, the Agent may assume that such Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, has timely made such payment and may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance thereon, make available a corresponding amount to the Person entitled thereto. If and to the extent that such payment was not in fact made to the Agent in Same Day Funds, then:

 

(i)     if such Borrower failed to make such payment, each Lender shall forthwith on demand repay to the Agent the portion of such assumed payment that was made available to such Lender in Same Day Funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such amount was made available by the Agent to such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Agent in Same Day Funds, at the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect; and

 

 

 

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(ii)     if any Lender failed to make such payment, such Lender shall forthwith on demand pay to the Agent the amount thereof in Same Day Funds, together with interest thereon for the period from the date such amount was made available by the Agent to such Borrower to the date such amount is recovered by the Agent (the “Compensation Period”) at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. If such Lender pays such amount to the Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the applicable Borrowing. If such Lender does not pay such amount forthwith upon the Agent’s demand therefor, the Agent may make a demand therefor upon the Company, and the Company shall pay (or shall cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) such amount to the Agent, together with interest thereon for the Compensation Period at a rate per annum equal to the rate of interest applicable to the applicable Borrowing. Nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitment or to prejudice any rights which the Agent or a Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

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

 

(d)     If any Lender makes available to the Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the applicable Borrower by the Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

 

(e)     The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10 .04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, purchase its participation or make its payment under Section 10.04(c).

 

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

 

2.13     Sharing of Payments. 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 the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its Pro Rata Share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the applicable Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other similarly-situated Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

2.14     Expansion Option. The Company may from time to time elect to increase the Aggregate Revolving 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 $150,000,000. The Company 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 Revolving 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 Revolving Commitments, or to participate in such Incremental Term Loans, or provide new Revolving Commitments, as the case may be; provided that (i) each Augmenting Lender, shall be subject to the approval of the Company and the Agent and (ii) (x) in the case of an Increasing Lender, the Company and such Increasing Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit H hereto, and (y) in the case of an Augmenting Lender, the Company and such Augmenting Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit I 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 the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or Incremental Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.14. Increases and new Revolving Commitments and Incremental Term Loans created pursuant to this Section 2.14 shall become effective on the date agreed by the Company, the Agent and the relevant Increasing Lenders or Augmenting Lenders, and the Agent shall notify each Lender thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (or in the Revolving Commitment of any Lender) or tranche of Incremental Term Loans shall become effective under this paragraph unless, the Agent shall have received (1) a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the effective date of any increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or any Incremental Term Loans being made signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and, (ii) in the case of the Company, including a Compliance Certificate demonstrating pro forma compliance with Section 7.12 after giving effect to such increase and (iii) certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, the representations and warranties contained in Article V are true and correct on and as of the effective date of any increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or any Incremental Term Loans being made (except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.14, the representation and warranties contained in subsections (a), (b) and (c) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statement furnished pursuant to clauses (a), (b) and (c), respectively, of Section 6.01) and no Default or Event of Default exists and (2) if reasonably requested by the Agent, a favorable opinion of counsel to the Loan Parties acceptable to the Agent, addressed to the Agent and each Lender, as to such matters concerning the Loan Parties with respect to such increase to the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or such Incremental Term Loan, as applicable, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent. On the effective date of any increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or any Incremental Term Loans being made, (i) each relevant Increasing Lender and Augmenting Lender shall make available to the Agent such amounts in immediately available funds as the 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 Pro Rata Share of such outstanding Revolving Loans, and (ii) except in the case of any Incremental Term Loans, the applicable Borrowers shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase in the Aggregate Revolving 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 Borrowers, in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02). 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 Eurocurrency Loan, shall be subject to indemnification by the Borrowers pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.05 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 and the initial Term 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 and the initial Term 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 and the initial Term 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 Borrowers, each Increasing Lender participating in such tranche, each Augmenting Lender participating in such tranche, if any, and the 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 Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.14. Nothing contained in this Section 2.14 shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase its Revolving Commitment hereunder, or provide Incremental Term Loans, at any time. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 10.01 to the contrary.

 

 

 

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2.15     Defaulting Lenders. 

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)     Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.14; fourth, as the Company may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Agent and the Company, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.03(g); sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Company as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Company against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.15(b). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

 

 

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(iii)     Certain Fees.

 

(A)     No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any commitment fee pursuant to Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Company shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

 

(B)     Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Pro Rata Share of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.03(g).

 

(C)     With respect to any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (B) above, the Company shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (b) below, (y) pay to the L/C Issuer the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

 

 

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(b)     Reallocation of Pro Rata Share to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause any Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Loans, L/C Exposure and Swing Line Exposure to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment. Subject to Section 10.21, reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(c)     Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Loans. If the reallocation described in clause (b) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Company shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, (x) first, prepay Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to the Swing Line Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.03(g).

 

(d)     Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Company, the Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Pro Rata Shares (without giving effect to Section 2.15(b)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Company while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

(e)     Notice to Company. If the Agent determines that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Agent shall promptly notify the Company.

 

2.16     Designated Borrowers. 

 

(a)     The Company may at any time, upon not less than 15 Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Agent in its sole discretion), designate any wholly-owned Foreign Subsidiary of the Company (an “Applicant Borrower”) as a Designated Borrower to receive Revolving Loans hereunder by delivering to the Agent (which shall promptly deliver counterparts thereof to each Lender) a duly executed notice in substantially the form of Exhibit J (a “Designated Borrower Request”). If the Agent and each Revolving Lender agree that an Applicant Borrower shall be entitled to receive Revolving Loans hereunder, then the Agent shall send an agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit K (a “Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement”) to the Company and the Revolving Lenders specifying (i) the additional terms and conditions applicable to Revolving Loans to such Applicant Borrower and (ii) the effective date upon which the Applicant Borrower shall constitute a Designated Borrower for purposes hereof, whereupon each of the Revolving Lenders agrees to permit such Designated Borrower to receive Revolving Loans hereunder, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, and each of the parties agrees that such Designated Borrower otherwise shall be a Borrower for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that no Loan Notice may be submitted by or on behalf of such Designated Borrower until the date five Business Days after such effective date. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that prior to any Applicant Borrower becoming entitled to utilize the credit facilities provided for herein the Agent and the Lenders shall have received such supporting resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel and other documents or information, in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, as may be required by the Agent or the Lenders in their reasonable discretion, and Notes signed by such new Borrowers to the extent any Revolving Lenders so require.

 

 

 

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(b)     The Obligations of all Designated Borrowers shall be several in nature. 

 

(c)     Each Subsidiary of the Company that is or becomes a “Designated Borrower” pursuant to this Section 2.16 hereby irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent for all purposes relevant to this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents, including (i) the giving and receipt of notices, (ii) the execution and delivery of all documents, instruments and certificates contemplated herein and all modifications hereto, and (iii) the receipt of the proceeds of any Loans made by the Lenders to any such Designated Borrower hereunder. Any acknowledgment, consent, direction, certification or other action which might otherwise be valid or effective only if given or taken by all Borrowers, or by each Borrower acting singly, shall be valid and effective if given or taken only by the Company, whether or not any such other Borrower joins therein. Any notice, demand, consent, acknowledgement, direction, certification or other communication delivered to the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been delivered to each Designated Borrower.

 

(d)     The Company may from time to time, upon not less than 15 Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Agent in its sole discretion), terminate a Designated Borrower’s status as such, provided that there are no outstanding Loans payable by such Designated Borrower, or other amounts payable by such Designated Borrower on account of any Loans made to it, as of the effective date of such termination. The Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such termination of a Designated Borrower’s status.

 

2.17     Designated Lenders. Each of the Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each Lender at its option may make any Credit Extension or otherwise perform its obligations hereunder through any Lending Office (each, a “Designated Lender”); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay any Credit Extension in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Any Designated Lender shall be considered a Lender; provided that in the case of an Affiliate or branch of a Lender, all provisions applicable to a Lender shall apply to such Affiliate or branch of such Lender to the same extent as such Lender; provided that for the purposes only of voting in connection with any Loan Document, any participation by any Designated Lender in any outstanding Credit Extension shall be deemed a participation of such Lender.

 

 

 

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Article III.

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

3.01     Taxes.

 

(a)     Payments Free of Taxes. (i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Law. 

 

(ii)     Without limiting Section 3.01(a)(i) above, if any Loan Party or the Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) the Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Agent to be required, (B) the Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

 

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

 

(b)     Payment of Other Taxes by Borrowers. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Company shall (or shall cause the applicable Designated Borrowers to) timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

(c)     Indemnification by Borrowers. The Company shall (or shall cause the applicable Designated Borrowers to) indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment by or to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Company by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Agent), or by the Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Company shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(h) below.

 

 

 

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(d)     Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority, the Company shall deliver to the 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 Agent.

 

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

 

(f)     Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do, deliver to the Company and the Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Company or the Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(i)     duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,

 

(ii)     duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,

 

(iii)     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 N to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Company within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E,

 

(iv)     any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding Tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Company or the Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made,

 

 

 

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(v)     Without limiting the foregoing, if a payment made to a Lender under this Agreement would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Company and the Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Company or the Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Company or the Agent as may be necessary for the Company and the Agent to comply with its obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and, as necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this paragraph, “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

Without limiting the obligations of the Lenders set forth above regarding delivery of certain forms and documents to establish each Lender’s status for U.S. withholding Tax purposes, each Lender agrees promptly to deliver to the Agent or the Company, as the Agent or the Company shall reasonably request, on or prior to the Closing Date, and in a timely fashion thereafter, such other documents and forms required by any relevant taxing authorities under the Laws of any other jurisdiction, duly executed and completed by such Lender, as are required under such Laws to confirm such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable withholding Taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Lender outside of the U.S. by a Borrower pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding Tax purposes in such other jurisdiction. Each Lender shall promptly (i) notify the Agent of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any such claimed exemption or reduction, and (ii) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any such jurisdiction that such Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender. Additionally, the applicable Borrower shall promptly deliver to the Agent or any Lender, as the Agent or such Lender shall reasonably request, on or prior to the Closing Date, and in a timely fashion thereafter, such documents and forms required by any relevant taxing authorities under the Laws of any jurisdiction, duly executed and completed by such Borrower, as are required to be furnished by such Lender or the Agent under such Laws in connection with any payment by the Agent or any Lender of Taxes, or otherwise in connection with the Loan Documents, with respect to such jurisdiction.

 

(g)     Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. If the Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by a Loan Party or with respect to which a Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to such Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Loan Party under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of the Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that such Loan Party, upon the request of the Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Agent or such Lender in the event the Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require the Agent or any Lender to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the Company or any other Person.

 

 

 

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(h)     Lender Indemnity. Each Lender shall severally indemnify, (i) the Agent for any Indemnified Taxes (but only to the extent that the Borrowers have not already indemnified the Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrowers to do so) attributable to such Lender, (ii) the Agent and the Borrowers, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.06(e) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) the Agent and the Borrowers, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case that are paid or payable by the Agent or the Borrowers in connection with this Agreement or any Loan Documents and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such amounts were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The indemnity under this Section 3.01(h) shall be paid within 10 days after the Agent delivers to the applicable Lender a certificate stating the amount so paid or payable by the Agent. Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Agent under this paragraph (h).

 

3.02     Illegality. 

 

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

 

 

 

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(b)     If, in any applicable jurisdiction, the Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender or any Designated Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for the Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender or its applicable Designated Lender to (i) perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (ii) to fund or maintain its participation in any Loan or (iii) issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest or fees with respect to any Credit Extension such Person shall promptly notify the Agent, then, upon the Agent notifying the Company, and until such notice by such Person is revoked, any obligation of such Person to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest or fees with respect to any such Credit Extension shall be suspended, and to the extent required by applicable Law, cancelled. Upon receipt of such notice, the Loan Parties shall, (A) repay that Person’s participation in the Loans or other applicable Obligations on the last day of the Interest Period for each Loan or other Obligation occurring after the Agent has notified the Company or, if earlier, the date specified by such Person in the notice delivered to the Agent (being no earlier than the last day of any applicable grace period permitted by applicable Law) and (B) take all reasonable actions requested by such Person to mitigate or avoid such illegality.

 

3.03     Inability to Determine Rates. 

 

(a)     If in connection with any request for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Agent determines that (A) deposits (whether in Dollars or an Alternative Currency) are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan (whether denominated in Dollars or an Alternative Currency) or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan or (C) a fundamental change has occurred in the foreign exchange or interbank markets with respect to such Alternative Currency (including, without limitation, changes in national or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls) (in each case with respect to clause (i), “Impacted Loans”), or (ii) the Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Agent will promptly so notify the Company and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods) and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurocurrency Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders if applicable) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowers may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Revolving Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

 

 

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(b)     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Agent has made the determination described in clause (a)(i) of this Section, the Agent in consultation with the Company and the Required Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause (a)(i) of this Section, (2) the Agent or the Required Lenders notify the Company that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Agent and the Company written notice thereof.

 

3.04     Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

 

(a)     Increased Costs Generally. 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 or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C Issuer;

 

(ii)     subject any Recipient to any Taxes on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer); or

 

(iii)     impose on any Lender, the Agent or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, 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 or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Company will (or will cause the applicable Designated Borrower to) (without duplication of the interest rate components reflected in the rate of interest for Eurocurrency Rate Loans pursuant to Section 2.08(a)) pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

3.05     Funding Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Agent) from time to time, the Company shall (or shall cause the applicable Designated Borrower to) promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

 

(a)     any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise); or

 

 

 

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(b)     any failure by a Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by such Borrower; or

 

(c)     any failure by a Borrower to make payment of any Loan or drawing under any Letter of Credit (or interest due thereon) denominated in an Alternative Currency on its scheduled due date or any payment thereof in a different currency; or

 

(d)     any assignment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Company pursuant to Section 10.13;

 

including any loss of anticipated profits, any foreign exchange losses and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained or from the performance of any foreign exchange contract. The Company shall (or shall cause the applicable Designated Borrower to) also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

 

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by a Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurocurrency Rate Loan made by it at the Eurocurrency Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the interbank market for such currency for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurocurrency Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

 

3.06     Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation. A certificate of the Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender claiming compensation under this Article III and setting forth the calculation of the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, the Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.

 

3.07     Survival. All of the Borrowers’ obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Term Loan Commitments, the termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation or replacement of the Agent.

 

3.08     Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)     Designation of a Different Lending Office. Each Lender may make any Credit Extension to a Borrower through any Lending Office, provided that the exercise of this option shall not affect the obligation of such Borrower to repay the Credit Extension in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or a Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Company hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

 

 

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(b)     Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if a Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the Company may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.

 

Article IV.

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

4.01     Conditions of Initial Credit Extension. The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)     the Agent’s receipt of the following, unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent:

 

(i)     executed counterparts of this Agreement;

 

(ii)     a Note executed by the Company in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;

 

(iii)     such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;

 

(iv)     such documents and certificates as the Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed and that the Company and each Guarantor is, validly existing and in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization;

 

(v)     a favorable opinion of counsel to the Loan Parties acceptable to the Agent, addressed to the Agent and each Lender, as to such matters concerning the Loan Parties and the Loan Documents in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent;

 

(vi)     a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party either (A) attaching copies of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party and the validity against such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;

 

 

 

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(vii)     a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, and (B) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (C) a calculation of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.12 as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Company ended January 2, 2016; and

 

(viii)     evidence that the commitments under the Credit Agreement dated as of May 31, 2013, as amended or modified, among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as agent and a syndicate of lenders (the “Existing Credit Agreement”) have been or concurrently with the Closing Date are being terminated, and that all loans and obligations thereunder have been paid in full (except to the extent being so repaid with the initial Loans) and any and all liens thereunder shall have been terminated.

 

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

 

(c)     Unless waived by the Agent, the Company shall have paid all Attorney Costs of the Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Company and the Agent).

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 9.04, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

4.02     Conditions to all Credit Extensions and Conversions and Continuations. The obligation of each Lender and the L/C Issuer to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)     The representations and warranties of the Company and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith, shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, conversion or continuation, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.

 

(b)     No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension, conversion or continuation.

 

(c)     The Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

 

 

 

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(d)     In the case of a Credit Extension to be denominated in an Alternative Currency, there shall not have occurred any change in national or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls which in the reasonable opinion of the Agent would make it impracticable for such Credit Extension to be denominated in the relevant Alternative Currency.

 

(e)     If the applicable Borrower is a Designated Borrower, then the conditions of Section 2.16 to the designation of such Borrower as a Designated Borrower shall have been met to the satisfaction of the Agent.

 

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans) submitted by a Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

Article V.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Company represents and warrants to the Agent and the Lenders that:

 

5.01     Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or licenses, except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.02     Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.

 

5.03     Governmental Authorization. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

5.04     Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms.

 

5.05     Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

 

(a)     The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein. The Audited Financial Statements and the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2016 show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness as required to be disclosed under the applicable rules and regulations promulgated or approved by the SEC.

 

 

 

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(b)     The unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries dated September 26, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject to the absence of footnotes and to normal yearend audit adjustments.

 

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

 

5.06     Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Company after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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

 

5.08     Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Company and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01.

 

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

 

5.10     Insurance. The properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, in such amounts, after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Company or the applicable Subsidiary operates.

 

 

 

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5.11     Taxes. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all Federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against the Company or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.12     ERISA Compliance.

 

(a)     Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws. Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification. The Company and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan.

 

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

 

(c)     (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (v) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

 

5.13     Subsidiaries. As of the Closing Date, the Company has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 free and clear of all Liens. The Company has no equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part (b) of Schedule 5.13.

 

5.14     Disclosure. The Company has disclosed to the Agent and 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. No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document to the Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

 

 

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

 

5.16     Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

 

(a)     No Borrower is engaged nor will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of such Borrower only or of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 7.01 or Section 7.05 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between such Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(e) will be margin stock.

 

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

 

5.17     Taxpayer Identification Number; Other Identifying Information. The true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number of (i) the Company is set forth on Schedule 10.02 and (ii) each subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary and a Guarantor on the Closing Date is set forth on Schedule 5.13.

 

5.18     Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.. . To the best knowledge of the Company, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by the Company or any Subsidiary infringes upon any rights held by any other Person. No claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.19     OFAC. None of the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals or HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

 

 

 

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5.20     Anti-Corruption Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in material compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions in which any of them conduct business and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve material compliance with such laws.

 

Article VI.

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Company shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.03 and 6.11) cause each Subsidiary to:

 

6.01     Financial Statements. Deliver to the Agent for distribution by the Agent to each Lender, of the following, in form and detail satisfactory to the Agent and the Required Lenders:

 

(a)     as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and applicable Securities Laws and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit or with respect to the absence of any material misstatement;

 

(b)     as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Company’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; and

 

(c)     as soon as available, but in any event not later than the last Business Day in February of each year, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and funds flow statement) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such year.

 

6.02     Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Agent for distribution to each Lender, of the following, in form and detail satisfactory to the Agent and the Required Lenders:

 

(a)     concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default or, if any such Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event;

 

 

 

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(b)     concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Company’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Company’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Agent); provided that: (i) the Company shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Agent or any Lender that requests the Company to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Company shall notify the Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Company with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the Agent and/or the Bookrunner may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Company hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Company or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”). The Company hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Company shall be deemed to have authorized the Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Bookrunner, and the Lenders to treat Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Company or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Agent and the Bookrunner shall be entitled to treat Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be under any obligation to mark Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”

 

 

 

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6.03     Notices. Promptly notify the Agent and each Lender:

 

(a)     of the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)     of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between the Company or any Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws; and

 

(c)     the occurrence of any ERISA Event;

 

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

 

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

 

6.04     Payment of Obligations. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligations and liabilities, including (a) all tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Company or such Subsidiary; (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property; and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness.

 

6.05     Preservation of Existence, Etc. Preservation of Existence, Etc.. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, except (i) in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05, and (ii) in the case of Subsidiaries (other than Designated Borrowers), where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

 

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

 

6.07     Maintenance of Insurance. Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.

 

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

 

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

 

6.10     Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Company and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Company; provided, however, that when a Default exists the Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Company at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.

 

6.11     Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (i) to finance Permitted Acquisitions; (ii) for working capital, (iii) for capital expenditures, (iv) to refinance certain Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and (v) for other general corporate purposes not in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.

 

6.12     Guarantors. Notify the Agent at the time that any Person becomes a Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Affected Domestic Subsidiary), and promptly thereafter (and in any event within 30 days), cause such Person to (a) become a Guarantor by executing and delivering the Agent a Joinder Agreement or such other document as the Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose, and (b) deliver to the Agent documents of the types referred to in clauses (iii) and (iv) of Section 4.01(a) and favorable opinions of counsel to such Person (which shall cover, among other things, the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the documentation referred to in clause (a)), all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

 

 

 

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

 

Article VII.

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Company shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

 

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

 

(a)     Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

(b)     Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased except as contemplated by Section 7.03(b), (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is permitted by Section 7.03(b);

 

(c)     Liens for taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

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

 

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

 

(f)     deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation), performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)     easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

 

(h)     Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h) or securing appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments;

 

 

 

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(i)     Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition;

 

(j)     Liens on assets of Foreign Subsidiaries (other than Designated Borrowers) securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(f) and any extensions, renewals and replacements thereof; provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased except as contemplated by Section 7.03(f), (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, and (iv) any extension, renewal or replacement of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is permitted by Section 7.03(f); 

 

(k)     any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Company or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Subsidiary that is merged or consolidated with or into a Subsidiary in a transaction permitted hereunder) prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (or is so merged or consolidated) and securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(g); provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary (or such merger or consolidation), as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Company 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 (or is so merged or consolidated), as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof other than as permitted by Section 7.03(g); and

 

(l)     Liens not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.01 securing Indebtedness outstanding in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $5,000,000.

 

7.02     Investments. Make any Investments, except:

 

(a)     Investments held by the Company or such Subsidiary in the form of cash equivalents or short-term marketable debt securities;

 

(b)     (i) Permitted Acquisitions and (ii) Investments in respect of any Internal Restructuring;

 

(c)     Investments of the Company in any Guarantor which is a wholly-owned Domestic Subsidiary and Investments of any Guarantor in the Company or in another Guarantor which is a wholly-owned Subsidiary;

 

(d)     Investments of any Foreign Subsidiary in any other Foreign Subsidiary or in the Company or any wholly-owned Guarantor;

 

(e)     Investments of the Company or any Guarantor in any Foreign Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Investments to the extent made after the Closing Date shall not at any time exceed 50% of Consolidated Net Worth at such time;

 

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

 

 

 

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(g)     Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03; and

 

(h)     any other Investment; provided, however, that the aggregate outstanding amount of all such Investments does not at any time exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Worth (calculated as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and determined at the time of making such Investment by reference to the Company’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b));

 

it being understood that the Guarantee by the Company of obligations of Subsidiaries that are permitted to be incurred under this Agreement shall not be deemed Investments restricted by this Section 7.02.

 

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

 

(a)     Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

 

(b)     Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.03 hereto and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;

 

(c)     Guarantees of the Company or any Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness otherwise permitted hereunder of the Company or any Subsidiary;

 

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

 

(e)     Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations for fixed assets within the limitations set forth in Section 7.01(i); provided, however, that the aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness at any one time outstanding shall not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Worth at such time (calculated as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and determined at the time of incurring such Indebtedness by reference to the Company’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b));

 

(f)     Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $20,000,000 at any one time outstanding and any refinancings, refundings, replacements, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, replacement, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing, refunding, replacement, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;

 

 

 

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(g)     Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Subsidiary that is merged or consolidated with or into a Subsidiary in a transaction permitted hereunder), or Indebtedness of any Person that is assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with an acquisition of property or assets by the Company or such Subsidiary in a Permitted Acquisition, in an aggregate amount for all such Indebtedness not to exceed $50,000,000 at any one time outstanding, and any refinancings, refundings, replacements, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (or is so merged or consolidated) or such property or assets are acquired and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary (or such merger or consolidation) or such property or assets being acquired; provided, further, in the event the aggregate amount of such Indebtedness outstanding at the time of (and after giving pro forma effect to) such acquisition of such Person is less than $50,000,000 (such differential, the “Available Excess”), the amount of Indebtedness of such acquired Person (or the amount of Indebtedness assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of such Person) permitted hereunder may subsequently be increased by up to the amount of the Available Excess (to the extent such Available Excess still exists) so long as the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness outstanding in reliance on this clause (g) does not exceed $50,000,000; and

 

(h)     such additional unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary as would not cause the Consolidated Leverage Ratio to exceed 3.25 to 1.0 as of the date of incurrence (calculated as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and determined, on a pro forma basis, at the time of incurring such Indebtedness by reference to the Company’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b)).

 

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

 

(a)     any Subsidiary may merge with (i) the Company, provided that the Company shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (ii) any one or more other Subsidiaries, provided that when any wholly-owned Subsidiary is merging with another Subsidiary, the wholly-owned Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving Person, and further provided that (A) if a Guarantor is merging with another Subsidiary, the Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving Person and (B) if a Designated Borrower is merging with another Subsidiary, the Designated Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person; and

 

(b)     any Subsidiary may dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation, dissolution or otherwise), to the Company or to another Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, then the transferee must also be a wholly-owned Subsidiary, and further provided that (i) if the transferor of such assets is a Guarantor, the transferee thereof must either be the Company or a Guarantor and (ii) if the transferor of such assets is a Designated Borrower, the transferee thereof must either be the Company, a Guarantor or a Designated Borrower;

 

7.05     Dispositions. Make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:

 

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

 

 

 

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(b)     Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business;

 

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

 

(d)     Dispositions of property by any Subsidiary to the Company or to a wholly-owned Subsidiary, provided that (i) if the transferor of such property is a Guarantor, the transferee thereof must either be the Company or a Guarantor and (ii) if the transferor of such property is a Designated Borrower, the transferee thereof must either be the Company, a Guarantor or a Designated Borrower;

 

(e)     (i) Dispositions in connection with or in order to effect the Internal Restructuring and (ii) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04; and

 

(f)     additional Dispositions provided that (i) such additional Dispositions shall not in any fiscal year exceed 15% of the Company’s consolidated assets as of the beginning of such fiscal year, and (ii) no Default shall exist immediately before or after giving effect thereto;

 

provided, however, that any Disposition pursuant to clauses (a) through (c) and (f) shall be for fair market value.

 

7.06     Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that:

 

(a)     each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Company and to wholly-owned Subsidiaries (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly-owned Subsidiary, to the Company and any Subsidiary and to each other owner of capital stock or other equity interests of such Subsidiary on a pro rata basis based on their relative ownership interests);

 

(b)     the Company and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the common stock or other common equity interests of such Person; and

 

(c)     the Company may declare or pay cash dividends to its stockholders and purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares of its capital stock or warrants, rights or options to acquire any such shares for cash, provided that immediately after giving effect to such proposed action, no Default shall exist.

 

To the extent the Company shall have purchased or otherwise acquired shares of its capital stock pursuant to this Section 7.06, nothing herein shall prohibit the cancellation or retirement by the Company of such shares.

 

7.07     Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof.

 

 

 

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7.08     Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Company, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to transactions between or among the Company and any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries or between and among any wholly-owned Subsidiaries.

 

7.09     Burdensome Agreements. Enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that (a) limits the ability (i) of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to the Company or any Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to the Company or any Guarantor, (ii) of any Subsidiary to Guarantee the Indebtedness of the Company or (iii) of the Company or any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person; provided, however, that this clause (iii) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e) so long as such negative pledge is on then-market terms and otherwise customary for such Indebtedness; or (b) requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien is granted to secure another obligation of such Person.

 

7.10     Margin Regulations. Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

 

7.11     [Reserved]. 

 

7.12     Financial Covenants.

 

(a)     Consolidated Leverage Ratio. Permit its Consolidated Leverage Ratio at the end of any fiscal quarter to exceed 3.25:1.0. The Consolidated Leverage Ratio will be calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter for which this Agreement requires the Company to deliver financial statements, using the results of the twelve month period ending with that fiscal quarter, it being understood that to the extent any Acquisition shall have occurred during such period, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall be calculated as if such Acquisition occurred at the beginning of such period.

 

(b)     Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit its Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio at the end of any fiscal quarter to be less than 3.00:1.0. The Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio will be calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter for which this Agreement requires the Company to deliver financial statements, using the results of the twelve month period ending with that fiscal quarter.

 

7.13     Sanctions. Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Bookrunner, Agent, L/C Issuer, Swing Line Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

 

7.14     Anti-Corruption Laws. Directly or indirectly use the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.

 

 

 

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Article VIII.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

8.01     Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

(a)     Non-Payment. Any Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, and in the currency required hereunder, any amount of principal of any Loan, or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any commitment or other fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

 

(b)     Specific Covenants. The Company fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03, 6.05, 6.10, 6.11 or Article VII; or

 

(c)     Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days or any default or event of default occurs under any other Loan Document; or

 

(d)     Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of a Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

 

(e)     Cross-Default. (i) The Company or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Company or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Company or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Company or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

 

 

 

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(f)     Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

 

(g)     Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Company or any Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or

 

(h)     Judgments. There is entered against the Company or any Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

(i)     ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Company under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

 

(j)     Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

 

(k)     Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control with respect to the Company.

 

8.02     Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

 

(a)     declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

 

 

 

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(b)     declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers;

 

(c)     require that the Company Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and

 

(d)     exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents or applicable law;

 

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to a Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Company to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Agent or any Lender.

 

8.03     Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Agent in the following order:

 

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

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including Attorney Costs and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit fees and interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings and (b) Cash Collateralize that portion of the L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

 

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

 

Subject to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

 

 

 

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Article IX.

AGENT

 

9.01     Appointment and Authorization of the Agent. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer and no Loan Party shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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Neither the Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be responsible for or have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Agent.

 

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

 

9.05     Delegation of Duties. The Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Agent. The Agent shall also be permitted from time to time to designate one of its Affiliates to perform the duties to be performed by the Agent hereunder with respect to Loans and Borrowings denominated in Alternative Currency. The Agent and any such sub agent or Affiliate may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and Affiliate and to the Related Parties of the Agent and any such sub agent and Affiliate, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as the Agent. The Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non appealable judgment that the Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

 

9.06     Resignation of the Agent. 

 

(a)     The Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Company. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Company, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above, provided that in no event shall any such successor Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

 

 

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(b)     If the Person serving as Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Company and such Person remove such Person as Agent and, in consultation with the Company, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

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

 

 

 

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(d)     Any resignation by Bank of America as Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. If Bank of America resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Revolving Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Revolving Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment by the Company of a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, (ii) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents and (iii) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

9.07     Non-Reliance on the Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

9.08     No Other Duties, Etc.. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

 

9.09     Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Agent shall have made any demand on a Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise.

 

(a)     to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

 

 

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

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Agent and, in the event that the Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.

 

9.10     Guaranty Matters. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder. Upon request by the Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10.

 

Article X.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

10.01     Amendments, Etc. Except as provided in Section 2.14 with respect to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Company or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(a)     waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender; provided, however, in the sole discretion of the Agent, only a waiver by the Agent shall be required with respect to immaterial matters or items specified in Section 4.01(a)(iii) or (iv) with respect to which the Company has given assurances satisfactory to the Agent that such items shall be delivered promptly following the Closing Date;

 

(b)     extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;

 

(c)     postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document, in each case without the written consent of each Lender (or, in the case of the Agent, the Agent) directly affected thereby;

 

(d)     reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (ii) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrowers to pay interest or Letter of Credit fees at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

 

 

 

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

 

(f)     amend Section 1.07 or the definition of “Alternative Currency” without the written consent of each Revolving Lender;

 

(g)     change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender; 

 

(h)     release any Guarantor from the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender, except for (i) releases pursuant to Section 9.10, and (ii) the release of any Guarantor neither the assets nor revenues of which represent a material portion of the consolidated assets or revenues of the Company; 

 

(i)     amend Section 2.16 or any other provision of this Agreement in any manner that modifies the requirement that all Revolving Lenders must agree to the addition of any Designated Borrowers without the consent of each Revolving Lender; or

 

(j)     release the Company as a Guarantor of the Designated Borrowers without the written consent of each Lender.

 

and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Agent, the Swing Line Lender or the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (ii) Section 10.06(h) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; (including, without limitation, any reduction in any fee, charge, expense, cost or other amount payable to the Agent for its own account under this Agreement in any such capacity); and (iii) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the respective parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects such Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

 

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 Agent and the Company (x) to add one or more credit facilities 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, the initial Term Loans, the 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 the Lenders. Furthermore, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein (i) the Agent may, with the consent of the Company only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency and (ii) if any amendment to this Agreement is required solely to permit the designation of a Designated Borrower in accordance with Section 2.16, then such amendment shall be effective to the extent contained in the related Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement that is executed by the Company, the applicable Applicant Borrower, the Agent and each Revolving Lender.

 

 

 

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Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary the Agent and the Company may amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document to cure or correct administrative errors or omissions, any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or to effect administrative changes, and such amendment shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document so long as (i) such amendment, modification or supplement does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or other holder of Obligations in any material respect and (ii) the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment.

 

10.02     Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.

 

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

 

(i)     if to any Loan Party, the Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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(e)     Reliance by the Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders. The Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of a Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrowers shall indemnify the Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Agent may be recorded by the Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

 

10.03     No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate) preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

 

10.04     Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

 

(a)     Costs and Expenses. The Company shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer 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 Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made 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.

 

 

 

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(b)     Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall indemnify the Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable, out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Company or any other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Company or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Company or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s express obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document pursuant to a claim made by the Company or such other Loan Party, if the Company or such other Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

(c)     Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Company for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the unfunded Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein of all Lenders at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them, provided, further 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 Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d)

 

 

 

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(d)     Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

(e)     Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.

 

(f)     Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Term Loan Commitments, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

 

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

 

10.06     Successors and Assigns.

 

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

 

 

 

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(b)     Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)     Minimum Amounts.

 

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

 

(B)     in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Company otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed). 

 

(ii)     Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s Loans and Commitments, rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans;

 

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

 

 

 

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(A)     the consent of the Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided that the Company shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

 

(B)     the consent of the Agent, in its capacity as administrative agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignments in respect of (1) Revolving Loans or Revolving Commitments if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Revolving Lender, an Affiliate of a Revolving Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to a Revolving Lender or (2) any Term Loan to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

 

(C)     the consents of the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender (such consents not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment in respect of Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments.

 

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

 

(v)     No Assignment to Ineligible Institutions. No such assignment shall be made to an Ineligible Institution.

 

(vi)     Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Company and the Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Pro Rata Share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

 

 

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Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment) provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, each Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

 

(c)     Register. The Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by any Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(d)     Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, any Borrower or the Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than an Ineligible Institution) (each, a “Participant”), other than an Ineligible Institution in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrowers, the Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 10.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.

 

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.08 and 10.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Company’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Company to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.08 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 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 Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Agent (in its capacity as Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

 

 

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(e)     Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note(s), if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(f)     Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Agent and the Company (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Agent as is required under Section 2.12(b)(ii). Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of any Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3.04), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the applicable Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Company and the Agent and with the payment of a processing fee in the amount of $3,500, assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

 

 

 

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(g)     Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Revolving Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon thirty days’ notice to the Company and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon thirty days’ notice to the Company, resign as Swing Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Company shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Company to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Revolving Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Revolving Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (1) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (2) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

10.07     Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of the Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to a Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Company or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Company or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Company. In addition, the Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.

 

 

 

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For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Company or any Subsidiary relating to the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Company or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the Company or any Subsidiary 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 of the Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including Federal and state securities Laws.

 

10.08     Right of Set off. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the L/C Issuer or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Company and the Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

 

 

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10.09     Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the applicable Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

10.10     Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Agent or the L/C Issuer 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 Agent and when the Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g., “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or certificate. Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

 

10.11     Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

 

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

 

10.13     Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if a Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Company may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payment pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

 

 

 

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(a)     the Company shall have paid (or caused a Designated Borrower to pay) to the Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 10.06(b);

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

10.14     Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc...

 

(a)     GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b)     SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS 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 AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER 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.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

10.16     No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the credit facilities provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agent, the Lenders and the Bookrunner, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, each of the Agent, the Lenders and the Bookrunner 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 the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for he Company or any of its Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (i) none of the Agent, the Lenders or the Bookrunner has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether the Agent, any Lender or the Bookrunner has advised or is currently advising the Company or its Affiliates on other matters) and none of the Agent, the Lenders or the Bookrunner has any obligation to the Company or its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (ii) the Agent, the Lenders and the Bookrunner and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and its Affiliates, and none of the Agent, the Lenders or the Bookrunner has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Agent, the Lenders and the Bookrunner have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Agent, the Lenders and the Bookrunner with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.

 

 

 

100

 

 

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

 

10.18     Time of the Essence. Time is of the essence in the Loan Documents.

 

10.19     Judgment Currency. If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Agent could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of each Borrower in respect of any such sum due from it to the Agent or the Lenders hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than that in which such sum is denominated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Agent of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Agent may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Agent from the applicable Borrower in the Agreement Currency, such Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Agent or the Person to whom such obligation was owing against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Agent in such currency, the Agent agrees to return the amount of any excess to the applicable Borrower (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under applicable law).

 

10.20     Electronic Execution of Assignments. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligation The words “delivery,” “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Document or any other document executed in connection herewith shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary neither the Agent, the L/C Issuer nor any Lender is under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender pursuant to procedures approved by it and provided further without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of any party, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

 

 

 

101

 

 

10.21     Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(iii)     the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

Article XI.

GUARANTY

 

11.01     The Guaranty. 

 

Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each other holder of Obligations as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof. The Guarantors hereby further agree that if any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

 

 

 

102

 

 

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents or the other documents relating to the Obligations, (a) the obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under applicable Debtor Relief Laws, and (b) no Foreign Subsidiary or Affected Domestic Subsidiary shall, directly or indirectly, be a Guarantor of or pledgor to secure, the Obligations, nor shall the Equity Interests of any such Subsidiary in excess of 65% (or such greater percentage that, due to a change in an applicable Law after the date hereof, (A) could not reasonably be expected to cause the undistributed earnings of such  Subsidiary as determined for United States federal income tax purposes to be treated as a deemed dividend to such  Subsidiary’s United States parent and (B) could not reasonably be expected to cause any material adverse tax consequences) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) be pledged as collateral to secure the Obligations.

 

11.02     Obligations Unconditional.

 

The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 11.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 11.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Company or any other Loan Party for amounts paid under this Article XI until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitments have expired or terminated. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

 

	 	
(a)
	
at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

 

	 	
(b)
	
any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be done or omitted;

 

	 	
(c)
	
the maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

 

	 	
(d)
	
any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Agent or any other holder of the Obligations as security for any of the Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or

 

 

 

103

 

 

	 	
(e)
	
any of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including any creditor of any Guarantor).

 

With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Agent or any other holder of the Obligations exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Loan Documents or any other document relating to the Obligations, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.

 

11.03     Reinstatement. 

 

The obligations of each Guarantor under this Article XI shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, and each Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Agent and each other holder of the Obligations on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Agent or such holder of the Obligations in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

11.04     Certain Additional Waivers. 

 

Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 11.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 11.06.

 

11.05     Remedies. 

 

The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Agent and the other holders of the Obligations, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as specified in Section 11.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances specified in Section 11.02) for purposes of Section 11.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 11.01. 

 

11.06     Rights of Contribution. 

 

The Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that, if any Guarantor shall make an Excess Payment (as defined below), such Guarantor shall have a right of contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantor’s Contribution Share (as defined below) of such Excess Payment. The payment obligations of any Guarantor under this Section 11.06 shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the Obligations until such time as the Obligations have been paid-in-full and the Commitments have terminated, and none of the Guarantors shall exercise any right or remedy under this Section 11.06 against any other Guarantor until such Obligations have been paid-in-full and the Commitments have terminated. For purposes of this Section 11.06, (a) “Excess Payment” shall mean the amount paid by any Guarantor in excess of its Ratable Share of any Obligations; (b) “Ratable Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any payment of Obligations, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such payment of Obligations of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of all of the Loan Parties exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties hereunder) of the Loan Parties; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Ratable Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any payment of Obligations, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such payment; and (c) “Contribution Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any Excess Payment made by any other Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such Excess Payment of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of the Loan Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties) of the Loan Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Contribution Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any Excess Payment, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such Excess Payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such Excess Payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such Excess Payment. This Section 11.06 shall not be deemed to affect any right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution that any Guarantor may have under Law against any Borrower in respect of any payment of Obligations.

 

 

 

104

 

 

11.07     Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee. 

 

The guarantee in this Article XI is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to the Obligations whenever arising.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

 

 

105

 

 

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

  

	
BORROWER:
	
LITTELFUSE, INC.,
	
 

	 	a Delaware corporation	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
	
 

      

 

	
GUARANTOR:
	
Littelfuse Commercial Vehicle LLC,
	
 

	 	a Delaware limited liability company	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Manager
	
 

 

 

	
 
	
Symcom, Inc.,
	
 

	 	a South Dakota corporation	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Vice President and Treasurer
	
 

 

 

	 	ssac, LLC,	 
	
 
	
a South Dakota limited liability company
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Vice President and Treasurer
	
 

 

 

	
 
	
sc building, LLC,
	
 

	 	a South Dakota limited liability company	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Vice President and Treasurer
	
 

 

 

	
 
	
lfus llc,
	
 

	 	a Delaware limited liability company	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Name:
	
Philip G. Franklin
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Manager
	
 

 

 

 

            

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

	 	as Administrative Agent	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Darleen R. DiGrazia
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Darleen R. DiGrazia
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Vice President 
	
 

 

 

 

 

                

	
LENDERS:
	
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
	
 

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

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Carlos Morales
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Carlos Morales
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
SVP
	
 

 

 

 

 

   

	
 
	
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Suzanne Ergastolo
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Suzanne Ergastolo
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Executive Director
	
 

 

 

 

 

  

	
 
	
BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Joshua Hovermale
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Joshua Hovermale
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Vice President
	
 

 

 

 

 

  

	
 
	
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kristin Lenda
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Kristin Lenda
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Senior Vice President
	
 

 

 

 

 

  

	
 
	
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Edmund H. Lester 
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Edmund H. Lester 
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Senior Vice President
	
 

 

 

 

 

  

	
 
	
BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kurt W. Anstaett
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Kurt W. Anstaett
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Senior Vice President
	
 

 

 

 

 

  

	
 
	
KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Marcel Fournier
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Marcel Fournier
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Vice President
	
 

 

 

 

 

  

	
 
	
THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY,
	
 

	 	as a Lender	 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Brittany F. Mondane
	
 

	
 
	
Name: 
	
Brittany F. Mondane
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
Second Vice President
	
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 2.01

 

COMMITMENTS

 

	
 

Lender
	
Revolving Commitment
	
Applicable Percentage of Revolving Commitment
	
Term Loan Commitment
	
Applicable Percentage of Term Loan Commitment

	
Bank of America, N.A.
	
$131,428,571.43
	
22.857142857%
	
$28,571,428.57
	
22.857142856%

	
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
	
$106,785,714.29
	
18.571428572%
	
$23,214,285.71
	
18.571428568%

	
BMO Harris Bank, N.A.
	
$73,928,571.43
	
12.857142857%
	
$16,071,428.57
	
12.857142856%

	
PNC Bank, National Association
	
$73,928,571.43
	
12.857142857%
	
$16,071,428.57
	
12.857142856%

	
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
	
$73,928,571.43
	
12.857142857%
	
$16,071,428.57
	
12.857142856%

	
Branch Banking and Trust Company
	
$53,392,857.14
	
9.285714285%
	
$11,607,142.86
	
9.285714288%

	
KeyBank National Association
	
$36,964,285.71
	
6.428571428%
	
$8,035,714.29
	
6.428571432%

	
The Northern Trust Company
	
$24,642,857.14
	
4.285714285%
	
$5,357,142.86
	
4.285714288%

	
TOTAL
	
$575,000,000.00
	
100.000000000%
	
$125,000,000.00
	
100.000000000%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

SCHEDULE 2.03

 

EXISTING LETTERS OF CREDIT

  

	
Letter of Credit Number
	
Issuing Bank
	
Beneficiary
	
Amount
	
Expiry Date

	
7412378
	
Bank of America, N.A. 
	
Pacific Employers Insurance Company 
	
$15,000.00
	
12/31/2016

	
7412377
	
Bank of America, N.A.
	
Federal Insurance  Company
	
$50,000.00
	
12/31/2016

	
3092354
	
Bank of America, N.A.
	
National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA
	
$42,812.00
	
12/31/2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

SCHEDULE 5.13

  

	
SUBSIDIARIES
AND OTHER EQUITY INVESTMENTS

 

	
Part (a).Subsidiaries.
	  	  	  
	
SUBSIDIARIES
	
JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION
	
% OWNERSHIP
	
US Taxpayer ID #

	
Littelfuse S de RL de CV
	
Mexico
	
100%
	  
	
LF Consorcio S de RL de CV
	
Mexico
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Mexico Distribution S de RL de CV
	
Mexico
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Da Amazonia, Ltda.
	
Brazil
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Commercial Vehicle LLC
	
United States
	
100%
	
20-8078739

	
Cole Hersee S de RL de CV
	
Mexico
	
100%
	  
	
Startco Engineering ULC
	
Canada
	
100%
	
98-0616511

	
Startco Canada LP
	
Canada
	
100%
	
98-1081439

	
LFUS LLC
	
United States
	
100%
	
90-0898620

	
Littelfuse Mexico Holding LLC
	
United States
	
100%
	
39-1128574

	
Productos Electromecanicos BAC, S de RL de CV
	
Mexico
	
100%
	  
	
SymCom, Inc.
	
United States
	
100%
	
46-0322814

	
SSAC, LLC
	
United States
	
100%
	
27-2480135

	
SC Building, LLC
	
United States
	
100%
	
27-4094500

	
Accel AB
	
Sweden
	
100%
	  
	
Accel Elekronika UAB
	
Lithuania
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Selco A/S
	
Denmark
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse, B.V.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Holding B.V.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Netherland CV
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	
98-1081473

	
Littelfuse Asia Technology CV
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Mexico Manufacturing B.V.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	
855124672

	
Littelfuse Holding II B.V.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	
98-1081406

	
Littelfuse Holding III B.V.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Holding IV B.V.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	
98-1081491

	
Littelfuse Holding Ltd.
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	
98-1081379

	
Littelfuse Asia Holding BV
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Asia Sales BV
	
Netherlands
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse GmbH
	
Germany
	
100%
	
98-4028916

	
Littelfuse Holding GmbH
	
Germany
	
100%
	
98-0428915

	
LF Europe GmbH
	
Germany
	
100%
	  
	
H.I. Verwaltungs GmbH
	
Germany
	
100%
	  
	
Hamlin Electronics Europe Limited
	
United Kingdom
	
100%
	  
	
Hamlin Electronics GmbH
	
Germany
	
100%
	  
	
Hamlin RO S.r.l.
	
Romania
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Italian Holdings S.r.l.
	
Italy
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Italy S.r.l.
	
Italy
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse France S.A.S.
	
France
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Concord Semiconductor, Inc.
	
Taiwan
	
100%
	  
	
Concord Semiconductor (Wuxi) Company
	
Peoples Republic of China
	
100%
	
98-0504329

	
Littelfuse Far East Pte Ltd.
	
Singarpore
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse HK Limited
	
Hong Kong
	
100%
	  
	
Littelfuse Phils Inc.
	
Philippines
	
100%
	  
	
Suzhou Littelfuse OVS Ltd.
	
Peoples Republic of China
	
100%
	  

 

	
Part (b).Other Equity Investments.
	  	  	  
	
ENTITY
	
JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION
	
% OWNERSHIP
	  
	
Polytronics Technology Corporation
	
Taiwan
	
7.20%
	  
	Monolith Semiconductor Inc.	United States	12.00%	 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

SCHEDULE 7.01

 

EXISTING LIENS

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 7.03

 

EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 10.02

 

ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES

 

 

LOAN PARTIES:

 

LITTELFUSE, INC.

8755 W. Higgins Road

Chicago, Illinois 60631

Attn:     Assistant Treasurer

Telephone:     773-628-0833

Facsimile:     847-512-0340

Electronic Mail:     lkondrat@littelfuse.com

Website Address:      www.littelfuse.com

U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number:     36-3795742

 

 

AGENT:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

 

Agent & Swingline Lender Office:   
(For financial/loan activity – advances, pay down, interest/fee billing and payments, rollovers, rate-settings):

Attention: Arlene Minor

Phone:  972-338-3807

Fax:  214-290-9412

Electronic Mail:     arlene.l.minor@baml.com

 

Remittance Instructions: 

Bank of America

New York NY

ABA 026009593

Acct # 1292000883

Acct Name: Credit Services-Dallas

Ref: Littelfuse, Inc

 

LC Issuer’s Office:

(For fee payments due LC Issuer only and new LC requests and amendments):

Trade Operations
Bank of America

1 Fleet Way
Mail Code: PA6-580-02-30 
Scranton, PA 18507
Telephone: 570.496.9619 

Telecopier: 1.800.755.8740 

Electronic Mail: tradeclientserviceteamus@baml.com

 

Remittance Instructions:

Bank of America, N.A. Charlotte, NC

ABA #: 026-009-593 New York, NY

Account #: 04535-883980

Attn: Scranton Standby

Ref: Littelfuse, Inc & LC #

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 10.02 (cont.)

Other Notices as Agent: 

(For financial statements, compliance certificates, maturity extension and commitment change notices, amendments, consents, vote taking, etc)

Bank of America

900 W TRADE ST

Mail Code: NC1-026-06-03
Charlotte NC 28255-0001

Attention: Kyle D Harding

Telephone: 980.275-6132

Telecopier: 704-719-5215

Electronic Mail: kyle.d.harding@baml.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF LOAN NOTICE

 

Date:__________, ____

To:     Bank of America, N.A., as Agent 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Littelfuse, Inc. (“Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

 

A Borrowing of Loans

 

A conversion or continuation of Loans

 

1.     On                                     (a Business Day).

 

2.     In the amount of $                         .

 

3.     Comprised of                               .

 

[Type of Loan requested]

 

4.     In respect of a [Revolving Borrowing][Term Loan Borrowing]

 

5.     In the following currency:                    .

 

6.     For Eurocurrency Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of ___ months.

 

[The Revolving Borrowing requested herein complies with the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.01(a) of the Credit Agreement.]

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
a Delaware corporation

 

By:                                                             

Name:                                                       

Title:                                                          

 

 

 

 

 

 A-1
Form of Loan Notice

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE

 

Date:__________, _____

 

To:     Bank of America, N.A., as Agent 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

The undersigned hereby requests a Swing Line Loan:

 

1.     On                                     (a Business Day).

 

2.     In the amount of $                          .

 

The Swing Line Borrowing requested herein complies with the requirements of the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) of the Credit Agreement.

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
a Delaware corporation

 

By:                                                            

Name:                                                       

Title:                                                         

 

 

 

 

 B-1
Form of Swing Line Loan Notice

 

 

 

EXHIBIT C-1

 

FORM OF REVOLVING LOAN NOTE

 

[__________], 20__

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (“Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to the order of [LENDER] or registered assigns (“Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined) the principal amount of each Revolving Loan from time to time made by Lender to Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Company, the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan from the date of such Revolving Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to Agent for the account of Lender in the currency in which such Revolving Loan was denominated and in Same Day Funds at Agent’s Office for such currency. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Credit Agreement.

 

This Revolving Loan Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. This Revolving Loan Note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guaranty, if any. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Revolving Loan Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement. Revolving Loans made by Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by Lender in the ordinary course of business. Lender may also attach schedules to this Revolving Loan Note and endorse thereon the date, amount, currency and maturity of its Revolving Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Revolving Loan Note.

 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

[BORROWER]

 

By:                                                              

Name:                                                        

Title:                                                           

 

 

 

 C-1-1
Form of Revolving Loan Note

 

 

 

LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

 

	
Date
	 	
Type of 

Loan Made
	 	
Currency and 

Amount of Loan Made
	 	
End of 

Interest Period
	 	
Amount of Principal or Interest Paid This Date
	 	
Outstanding Principal Balance This Date
	 	
Notation

Made By

	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  

 

 

 

 

 

C-1-2
Form of Revolving Loan Note

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT C-2

 

FORM OF TERM LOAN NOTE

 

[__________], 20__

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (“Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to the order of [LENDER] or registered assigns (“Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined) the principal amount of each Term Loan made by Lender to Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Company, the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Term Loan from the date of such Term Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to Agent for the account of Lender in the currency in which such Term Loan was denominated and in Same Day Funds at Agent’s Office for such currency. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Credit Agreement.

 

This Term Loan Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. This Term Loan Note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guaranty, if any. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Term Loan Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement. Term Loans made by Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by Lender in the ordinary course of business. Lender may also attach schedules to this Term Loan Note and endorse thereon the date, amount, currency and maturity of its Term Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Term Loan Note.

 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
a Delaware corporation

 

By:                                                             

Name:                                                        

Title:                                                          

 

 

 

 C-2-1
Form of Term Loan Note

 

 

 

 

 

LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

 

	
Date
	 	
Type of 

Loan Made
	 	
End of 

Interest Period
	 	
Amount of

Principal or

Interest Paid 

This Date
	 	
Outstanding 

Principal Balance

This Date
	 	
Notation 

Made By

	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  
	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  	 	  

 

 

 

 

 

 C-2-2
Form of Term Loan Note

 

 

 

EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

Financial Statement Date:                                     ,

 

To:     Bank of America, N.A., as Agent 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Littelfuse, Inc. (“Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

The undersigned Responsible Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the ________________ of Company, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Compliance Certificate to Agent on behalf of Company, and that:

 

[Use following for fiscal year-end financial statements]

 

1.     Attached hereto as Schedule 1 are the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal year of Company ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.

 

[Use following for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

 

1.     Attached hereto as Schedule 1 are the unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(b) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal quarter of Company ended as of the above date. Such financial statements fairly present the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

2.     The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Credit Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of Company during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements.

 

3.     A review of the activities of Company during such fiscal period has been made under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period Company performed and observed all its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and

 

[select one:]

 

[to the best knowledge of the undersigned during such fiscal period, Company performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it.]

 

–or–

 

 

 

 

 D-1
Form of Compliance Certificate

 

 

 

[the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default or Event of Default and its nature and status:]

 

4.     The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Article V of the Credit Agreement, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection with the Loan Documents, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Compliance Certificate, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 of the Credit Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01 of the Credit Agreement, including the statements in connection with which this Compliance Certificate is delivered.

 

5.     The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 2 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Compliance Certificate.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Compliance Certificate as of ______________, _____________.

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
a Delaware corporation

 

By:                                                             

Name:                                                        

Title:                                                          

 

 

 

D-2
Form of Compliance Certificate

 

 

 

 

For the Quarter/Year ended     (“Statement Date”)

 

SCHEDULE 2

to the Compliance Certificate

 

	
Section 7.12(a) – Consolidated Leverage Ratio.

	A.	
Consolidated Funded Indebtedness at Statement Date:
	
$
	__________
	B.	
Consolidated EBITDA for four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on above date (“Subject Period”):
	
$
	__________
	 	1.	
Consolidated Net Income for Subject Period:
	
$
	__________
	 	2.	
Consolidated Interest Charges for Subject Period
	
$
	__________
	 	3.	
Provision for income taxes for Subject Period:
	
$
	__________
	 	4.	
Depreciation expenses for Subject Period:
	
$
	__________
	 	5.	
Amortization expenses for Subject Period:
	
$
	__________
	 	6.	
Non-cash reductions of Consolidated Net Income for Subject Period:
	
$
	__________
	 	7.	
[Non-cash U.S. Pension wind-up and settlement costs of $30,800,000 incurred during the quarter ended September 26, 2015]
	
$
	__________
	 	8.	
[Reed switch manufacturing transfer costs for the four consecutive fiscal quarter period ended December 31, 2016 in an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,000,000]
	
$
	__________
	 	9.	
[Expenses, including for professional services, integration and restructuring, incurred by the Company in connection with its acquisition of the TE Connectivity Circuit Protection Business between the Closing Date and April 1, 2017, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $20,000,000]
	
$
	__________
	 	10.	
Non-cash additions to Consolidated Net Income for Subject Period:
	
$
	 
	 	11.	
Consolidated EBITDA (Lines I.B.1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 – 10):
	
$
	 
	C.	
Ratio (Line I.A. ÷ Line I.B.11): __________to 1.0
	
$
	______ to 1.0

 

	
Maximum Required Consolidated Leverage Ratio: 3.25:1.0

	 	 	  	  	 
	
Section 7.12(b) – Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.
	  	 
	A.	
Consolidated EBITDA for four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on above date (“Subject Period”) (Line I.B.11):
	
$
	__________
	B.	
Consolidated Interest Charges for Subject Period:
	
$
	__________
	C.	
Ratio (Line II.A ÷ Line II.B)
	
$
	______ to 1.0
	 	 	
Minimum Required: 3.00 to 1.0
	  	 

 

 

 

 

D-3
Form of Compliance Certificate

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT E

 

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each]1 Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each]2 Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”).3 [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees] hereunder are several and not joint.]4 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (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][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] 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][the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, the Letters of Credit and the Swing Line Loans included in such facilities5) 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)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] 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, but not limited to, 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 by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

 

 

 

 

 

1 For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors, choose the second bracketed language.

2 For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.

3 Select as appropriate.

4 Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

5 Include all applicable subfacilities.

 

 

 

 

 E-1 
Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

 

 

	
1.
	
Assignor[s]:
	
___________________________

 
	  
	  	  	
___________________________

 
	  
	
2.
	
Assignee[s]:
	
___________________________

 
	  
	  	  	
___________________________

 
	  
	  	
[for each Assignee, indicate [Affiliate][Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]]

 

	
3.
	
Borrower(s):

 
	
Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation and certain of its subsidiaries
	  
	
4.
	
Agent: Bank of America, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

	
5.
	
Credit Agreement: Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016, among Littelfuse, Inc., the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer

	
6.
	
Assigned Interest[s]:

 

	
Assignor[s]6

 
	
Assignee[s]7

 
	
Facility

Assigned8

 
	
Aggregate 

Amount of

Commitment

for all Lenders9

 
	
Amount of 

Commitment 

Assigned

 
	
Percentage

Assigned of

Commitment10

 
	  
	  	  	  	
$
	
$
	
%
	  
	  	  	  	
$
	
$
	
%
	  
	  	  	  	
$
	
$
	
%
	  

 

[7.     Trade Date:      ]11

 

Effective Date:                , 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

 

 

 

 

6 List each Assignor, as appropriate.

7 List each Assignee, as appropriate.

8 Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. “Revolving Commitment”, “Term Loan Commitment”, etc.).

9 Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

10 Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment of all Lenders thereunder.

11 To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

 

 

 E-2
Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

 

 

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:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., 

as Agent

 

By:                                                                       

Title:

 

[Consented to:]12

[BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., 

as Swing Line Lender

 

By:                                                                       

Title:]

 

[BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., 

as L/C Issuer

 

By:                                                                       

Title:]

 

[LITTELFUSE, INC., a Delaware corporation]

 

By:                                                                       

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

12 To be added only if the consent of Company and/or other parties (e.g. the provider of Swing Line Loans, the issuer of Letters of Credit) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

 

 

 E-3
Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

 

 

ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

1.     Representations and Warranties.

 

1.1.     Assignor. [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim, (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 (iv) it is [not] a Defaulting Lender; 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 Company, 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 Company, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

 

1.2.     Assignee. [The][Each] 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 meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 10.06(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) of the Credit Agreement), (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][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the 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 Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, and (vii) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, [the][any] 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 Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

 

 

 

 

 E-4
Annex 1 to Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement

 

 

 

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. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy 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.

 

 

 

 

 E-5
Annex 1 to Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement

 

 

 

EXHIBIT F

 

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of _____________, 20__, is by and between _____________________, a ___________________ (the “Subsidiary”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as Agent under that certain Credit Agreement (as it may be amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), dated as of March 4, 2016, by and among LITTELFUSE, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers, the Guarantors, the Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent. All of the defined terms in the Credit Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Loan Parties are required by Section 6.12 of the Credit Agreement to cause the Subsidiary to become a “Guarantor”.

 

Accordingly, the Subsidiary hereby agrees as follows with the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders:

 

1.     The Subsidiary hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, the Subsidiary will be deemed to be a party to the Credit Agreement and a “Guarantor” for all purposes of the Credit Agreement, and shall have all of the obligations of a Guarantor thereunder as if it had executed the Credit Agreement. The Subsidiary hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions applicable to the Guarantors contained in the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms of this paragraph 1, the Subsidiary hereby jointly and severally together with the other Guarantors, guarantees to each Lender and the Agent, as provided in Article XI of the Credit Agreement, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

2.     The address of the Subsidiary for purposes of all notices and other communications is ____________________, ____________________________, Attention of ______________ (Facsimile No. ____________).

 

3.     The Subsidiary hereby waives acceptance by the Agent and the Lenders of the guaranty by the Subsidiary under Article XI of the Credit Agreement upon the execution of this Agreement by the Subsidiary.

 

4.     This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute one contract.

 

5.     This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

 

 

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

 

 

 F-1
Form of Joinder Agreement

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Subsidiary has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by its authorized officers, and the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has caused the same to be accepted by its authorized officer, as of the day and year first above written.

 

[SUBSIDIARY]

 

By:                                                                        

Name:                         

Title:                         

 

Acknowledged and accepted:          

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Agent

 

By:                                                                       

Name:                         

Title:                         

 

 

 

 

 F-2
Form of Joinder Agreement

 

 

 

Schedule 1

TO FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

[Chief Executive Office, Tax Identification Number, Organization Identification Number

and Chief Place of Business of Subsidiary]

 

 

 

 

 F-3
Form of Joinder Agreement

 

 

  

EXHIBIT G

  

[RESERVED]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT H

 

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 March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Littelfuse, Inc. (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

HEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.14 of the Credit Agreement, the Company has the right, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, to effectuate from time to time an increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments 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 Revolving Commitment and/or to participate in such a tranche;

 

WHEREAS, the Company has given notice to the Agent of its intention to [increase the Aggregate Revolving Commitments] [and] [enter into a tranche of Incremental Term Loans] pursuant to such Section 2.14; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.14 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned Increasing Lender now desires to [increase the amount of its Revolving Commitment] [and] [participate in a tranche of Incremental Term Loans] under the Credit Agreement by executing and delivering to the Company and the 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 Revolving Commitment increased by $[___________], thereby making the aggregate amount of its total Revolving Commitments equal to $[__________]] [and] [participate in a tranche of Incremental Term Loans with a commitment amount equal to $[___________] with respect thereto].

 

2.     The Company 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.

 

 

 

 

 H-1
Form of Increasing Lender Supplement

 

 

 

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:

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
a Delaware corporation

 

By:                                                                   
Name:
Title:

 

Acknowledged as of the date first written above:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent

 

By:                                                                    
Name:
Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 H-2
Form of Increasing Lender Supplement

 

 

 

EXHIBIT I

 

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 March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Littelfuse, Inc. (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, the Credit Agreement provides in Section 2.14 thereof that any bank, financial institution or other entity may [extend Revolving Commitments] [and] [participate in tranches of Incremental Term Loans] under the Credit Agreement subject to the approval of the Company and the Agent, by executing and delivering to the Company and the 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 [Revolving Commitment 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 6.01 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 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 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 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 Company hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.

 

 

 

 

 I-1
Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

 

 

 

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]

 

 

 

 

 I-2
Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

 

 

  

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:

 

LITTELFUSE, INC., 
a Delaware corporation

 

By:                                                                        
Name:
Title:

 

Acknowledged as of the date first written above:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent

 

By:                                                                         
Name:
Title:

 

 

 

 

I-3
Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT J

 

FORM OF DESIGNATED BORROWER REQUEST

 

Date: ___________, _____

 

 

	
To:
	
Bank of America, N.A., as Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Designated Borrower Request is made and delivered pursuant to Section 2.16 of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Each of ______________________ (the “Designated Borrower”) and the Company hereby confirms, represents and warrants to the Agent and the Lenders that the Designated Borrower is a wholly owned Foreign Subsidiary of the Company.

 

The documents required to be delivered to the Agent under Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement will be furnished to the Agent in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement.

 

The true and correct unique identification number that has been issued to the Designated Borrower by its jurisdiction of organization and the name of such jurisdiction are set forth below:

 

	
Identification Number
	
Jurisdiction of Organization

	  	  

 

The parties hereto hereby request that the Designated Borrower be entitled to receive Revolving Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans under the Credit Agreement, and understand, acknowledge and agree that neither the Designated Borrower nor the Company on its behalf shall have any right to request any Revolving Loans until, unless otherwise agreed by the Agent, the date that is five Business Days after the effective date designated by the Agent and each Revolving Lender, in a Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement.

 

This Designated Borrower Request shall constitute a Loan Document under the Credit Agreement.

 

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

 

[signature page follows]

 

 

 

 J-1
Form of Designated Borrower Request

 

 

 

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

 

[DESIGNATED BORROWER]

 

 

By:                                                                 

Name:

Title:

 

LITTELFUSE, INC.,

a Delaware corporation

 

 

By:                                                                  

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 J-2
Form of Designated Borrower Request

 

 

 

EXHIBIT K

 

FORM OF DESIGNATED BORROWER JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

Date: ___________, _____

 

 

To:     Littelfuse, Inc.

 

To:     The Lenders party to the Credit Agreement referred to below

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement is executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.16 of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

The parties hereto hereby confirm that from and after the date hereof, [Name of Designated Borrower] (the “New Designated Borrower”) shall be bound by all of the terms, provisions and conditions applicable to the Borrowers contained in the Credit Agreement. The New Designated Borrower confirms its acceptance of, and consents to, all representations and warranties, covenants, and other terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement.

 

Effective as of the date hereof, the New Designated Borrower shall be a Designated Borrower and be permitted to receive Revolving Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans on the terms and conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement [and herein]13 and shall otherwise be a Borrower for all purposes of the Credit Agreement; provided that no Loan Notice may be submitted by or on behalf of the New Designated Borrower until, unless otherwise agreed by the Agent, the date that is five Business Days after the date hereof.

 

The additional terms and conditions applicable to extensions of credit to the New Designated Borrower shall be:

 

[Insert applicable terms and conditions.]

 

 

This Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement shall constitute a Loan Document under the Credit Agreement.

 

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

 

[signature page follows]

 

 

 

 

 

13 Include bracketed language if additional terms and conditions apply.

 

 

 

 

 K-1
Form of Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent

By: _________________________________
Title:________________________________

 

 

[NEW DESIGNATED BORROWER]

 

 

By:                                                                              

Name:

Title:

 

LITTELFUSE, INC.,

a Delaware corporation

 

 

By:                                                                                

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

 K-2
Form of Designated Borrower Joinder Agreement

 

 

 

EXHIBIT L

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF LOAN PREPAYMENT

 

	
TO:
	
Bank of America, N.A., as [Agent][Swing Line Lender]

 

	
RE:
	
Credit Agreement, dated as of March 4, 2016, by and among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers, the Guarantors, the Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer (as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced, or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement)

 

	
DATE:
	
[Date]

 

 

The undersigned Borrower hereby notifies the Agent that on _____________     14 pursuant to the terms of Section 2.05 (Prepayments) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned Borrower intends to prepay/repay the following Loans as more specifically set forth below:

 

Optional prepayment of [Revolving][Term] Loans in the following amount(s):

 

     Base Rate Loans: $                        15

 

     Eurocurrency Rate Loans: $                      16

In the following Alternative Currency:          

Applicable Interest Period:               

 

Optional prepayment of Swing Line Loans in the following amount:

     $                    17

 

Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this notice by fax transmission or other electronic mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this notice.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 Specify date of such prepayment.

15 (or if less, the entire principal amount thereof outstanding).

16 00,000 in excess thereof (or if less, the entire principal amount thereof outstanding).]

17 ine Loans shall be in a principal amount of $100,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or if less, the entire principal amount thereof outstanding).

 

 

 

 L-1
Form of Notice of Loan Prepayment

 

 

 

[BORROWER]

 

By:                                                                     

Name:                                                                

Title:                                                                  

 

 

 

 

 L-2
Form of Notice of Loan Prepayment

 

 

 

EXHIBIT M-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 March 4, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders identified therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(f) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of 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 not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Company within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Company as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Agent and the Company with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable). By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Company and the Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Company and the 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 such payments.

 

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___

 

 

 

 

M-1
Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT M-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 March 4, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders identified therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(f) 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, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Company within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Company as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable). 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 such payments.

 

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___

 

 

 

 

 M-2
Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

 

 

 

EXHIBIT M-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 March 4, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders identified therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(f) 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) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is 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 its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Company within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Company as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

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 that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable) or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable) 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 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 such payments.

 

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___

 

 

 

 

 M-3 
Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

 

 

 

EXHIBIT M-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 March 4, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Littelfuse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Designated Borrowers party thereto, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders identified therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(f) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is 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 its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Company within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Company as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Agent and the Company with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable) or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable) 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 Company and the Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Company and the 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 such payments.

 

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___

 

 

 

M-4

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

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