Document:

exhibit1033.htm

                                                                  Exhibit 10.33

AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Amendment to Employment Agreement (the “Amendment”) dated this 1st day of November, 2011, by and between Presstek, Inc., a Delaware corporation with executive offices located at 10 Glenville Street, Greenwich, Connecticut (the “Employer”) and Jeffrey Jacobson (the “Employee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Employer and Employee are parties to an Employment Agreement, dated September 30, 2010 (the “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, in order to manage the Employer’s costs during the current economic environment, Management of Employer has determined to reduce the annual base salaries of all employees, except where such salary reduction is not permitted by applicable law; and

WHEREAS, Section 3 of the Agreement provides that the base salary of the Employee shall not be decreased at any time during the term of the Agreement from the amount then in effect, unless the Employee otherwise agrees in writing; and

WHEREAS, the Employee has agreed to reduce his annual base salary; subject to the provisions of this Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the Employee and Employer desire to modify the Agreement to reflect Employee’s consent to the reduction of his base salary, while ensuring that for the purpose of calculating the payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled in the event of his termination of employment, the Employee shall be treated as if his salary was not reduced.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

	
1.  

	
All terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.

	
2.  

	
Employee agrees that commencing not earlier than October 1, 2011, his base salary shall be reduced to $665,000.00.

	
3.  

	
In the event of the termination of employment of Employee, the Employer agrees that the payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled under the Agreement shall be calculated for all purposes as if Employee’s salary had not been reduced.

	
4.  

	
In the event of a Change in Control, if Employee’s base salary has not been increased to at least $700,000, then in such event the Employee’s base salary shall be immediately increased to the $700,000.

	
5.  

	
Except as set forth herein, the terms of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.

Presstek, Inc.

/s/ Jeffrey Jacobson                                                                           /s/ James R Van Horn

Jeffrey Jacobson                                                                                  James R. Van Horn

VP, General Counsel and Secretaryexhibit1034.htm

                                                                   

                                                                   Exhibit 10.34

AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Amendment to Employment Agreement (the “Amendment”) dated this 1st day of November, 2011, by and between Presstek, Inc., a Delaware corporation with executive offices located at 10 Glenville Street, Greenwich, Connecticut (the “Employer”) and Jeffrey A. Cook (the “Employee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Employer and Employee are parties to an Employment Agreement, dated September 30, 2010 (the “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, in order to manage the Employer’s costs during the current economic environment, Management of Employer has determined to reduce the annual base salaries of all employees, except where such salary reduction is not permitted by applicable law; and

WHEREAS, Section 4 of the Agreement provides that the base salary of the Employee shall not be decreased at any time during the term of the Agreement from the amount then in effect, unless the Employee otherwise agrees in writing; and

WHEREAS, the Employee has agreed to reduce his annual base salary; subject to the provisions of this Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the Employee and Employer desire to modify the Agreement to reflect Employee’s consent to the reduction of his base salary, while ensuring that for the purpose of calculating the payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled in the event of his termination of employment, the Employee shall be treated as if his salary had not been reduced..

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

	
1.  

	
All terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement

	
2.  

	
Employee agrees that commencing not earlier than October 1, 2011, his base salary shall be reduced to $318,250.00.

	
3.  

	
In the event of the termination of employment of Employee, the Employer agrees that the payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled under the Agreement shall be calculated for all purposes as if Employee’s salary had not been reduced.

	
4.  

	
In the event of a Change in Control, if Employee’s base salary has not been increased to at least $335,000, then in such event the Employee’s base salary shall be immediately increased to the $335,000.

	
5.  

	
Except as set forth herein, the terms of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.

Presstek, Inc.

/s/ Jeffrey A. Cook                                                                              /s/ Jeffrey Jacobson

Jeffrey A. Cook                                                                                    Jeffrey Jacobson

Chairman, President and CEOexhibit1035.htm

                                                                

                                                                   Exhibit 10.35

AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Amendment to Employment Agreement (the “Amendment”) dated this 1st day of November, 2011, by and between Presstek, Inc., a Delaware corporation with executive offices located at 10 Glenville Street, Greenwich, Connecticut (the “Employer”) and James R. Van Horn (the “Employee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Employer and Employee are parties to an Employment Agreement, dated September 30, 2010 (the “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, in order to manage the Employer’s costs during the current economic environment, Management of Employer has determined to reduce the annual base salaries of all employees, except where such salary reduction is not permitted by applicable law; and

WHEREAS, Section 4 of the Agreement provides that the base salary of the Employee shall not be decreased at any time during the term of the Agreement from the amount then in effect, unless the Employee otherwise agrees in writing; and

WHEREAS, the Employee has agreed to reduce his annual base salary; subject to the provisions of this Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the Employee and Employer desire to modify the Agreement to reflect Employee’s consent to the reduction of his base salary, while ensuring that for the purpose of calculating the payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled in the event of his termination of employment, the Employee shall be treated as if his salary had not been reduced..

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

	
1.  

	
All terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement

	
2.  

	
Employee agrees that commencing not earlier than October 1, 2011, his base salary shall be reduced to $278,350.00.

	
3.  

	
In the event of the termination of employment of Employee, the Employer agrees that the payments and benefits to which Employee is entitled under the Agreement shall be calculated for all purposes as if Employee’s salary had not been reduced.

	
4.  

	
In the event of a Change in Control, if Employee’s base salary has not been increased to at least $293,000, then in such event the Employee’s base salary shall be immediately increased to the $293,000.

	
5.  

	
Except as set forth herein, the terms of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.

Presstek, Inc.

/s/ James R. Van Horn                                                                          /s/ Jeffrey Jacobson

James R. Van Horn                                                                               Jeffrey Jacobson

Chairman, President and CEOexhibit10_1.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

March 21, 2012

 

among

 

ITT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC.

as Borrower

 

The Lenders Party Hereto

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Syndication Agent

 

and

 

Wells Fargo, N.A.

as Documentation Agent

 

__________________________

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC,

and

MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,

 

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

  

  

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

	
ARTICLE I

	
Definitions

	
1

	
SECTION 1.01

	
Defined Terms

	
1

	
SECTION 1.02

	
Classification of Loans and Borrowings

	
22

	
SECTION 1.03

	
Terms Generally

	
22

	
SECTION 1.04

	
Accounting Terms; GAAP

	
23

	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE II

	
The Credits

	
23

	
SECTION 2.01

	
Commitments

	
23

	
SECTION 2.02

	
Loans and Borrowings

	
23

	
SECTION 2.03

	
Requests for Revolving Borrowings

	
24

	
SECTION 2.04

	
[Intentionally Omitted]

	
25

	
SECTION 2.05

	
Swingline Loans

	
25

	
SECTION 2.06

	
Letters of Credit

	
26

	
SECTION 2.07

	
Funding of Borrowings

	
31

	
SECTION 2.08

	
Interest Elections

	
31

	
SECTION 2.09

	
Termination and Reduction of Commitments; Increase of Commitments

	
32

	
SECTION 2.10

	
Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

	
34

	
SECTION 2.11

	
Prepayment of Loans

	
35

	
SECTION 2.12

	
Fees

	
35

	
SECTION 2.13

	
Interest

	
36

	
SECTION 2.14

	
Alternate Rate of Interest

	
37

	
SECTION 2.15

	
Increased Costs

	
38

	
SECTION 2.16

	
Break Funding Payments

	
39

	
SECTION 2.17

	
Taxes

	
40

	
SECTION 2.18

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

	
43

	
SECTION 2.19

	
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

	
45

	
SECTION 2.20

	
Defaulting Lenders

	
46

	
ARTICLE III

	
Representations and Warranties

	
48

	
SECTION 3.01

	
Organization; Powers

	
48

	
SECTION 3.02

	
Authorization; Enforceability

	
48

	
SECTION 3.03

	
Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

	
48

	
SECTION 3.04

	
Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change

	
48

	
SECTION 3.05

	
Properties; Intellectual Property

	
49

	
SECTION 3.06

	
Litigation and Environmental Matters

	
49

	
SECTION 3.07

	
Compliance with Laws and Agreements

	
49

	
SECTION 3.08

	
Investment Company Status

	
49

	
SECTION 3.09

	
Taxes

	
49

	
SECTION 3.10

	
ERISA

	
50

	
SECTION 3.11

	
Disclosure

	
50

	
SECTION 3.12

	
Margin Stock

	
50

	
SECTION 3.13

	
Solvency

	
50

	
SECTION 3.14

	
Subsidiaries

	
50

  

i

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

(Continued)

 

Page

 

 

	
ARTICLE IV

	
Conditions

	
50

	
SECTION 4.01

	
Effective Date

	
50

	
SECTION 4.02

	
Each Credit Event

	
52

	
ARTICLE V

	
Affirmative Covenants

	
53

	
SECTION 5.01

	
Financial Statements and Other Information

	
53

	
SECTION 5.02

	
Notices of Material Events

	
54

	
SECTION 5.03

	
Existence; Conduct of Business

	
54

	
SECTION 5.04

	
Payment of Taxes

	
54

	
SECTION 5.05

	
Maintenance of Properties; Insurance

	
54

	
SECTION 5.06

	
Books and Records; Inspection Rights

	
55

	
SECTION 5.07

	
Compliance with Laws

	
55

	
SECTION 5.08

	
Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit

	
55

	
SECTION 5.09

	
Subsidiary Guaranty

	
55

	
SECTION 5.10

	
Pledge Agreement

	
55

	
ARTICLE VI

	
Negative Covenants

	
56

	
SECTION 6.01

	
Indebtedness

	
56

	
SECTION 6.02

	
Liens

	
57

	
SECTION 6.03

	
Fundamental Changes

	
59

	
SECTION 6.04

	
Investments, Loans, Advances, and Acquisitions

	
60

	
SECTION 6.05

	
Swap Agreements

	
62

	
SECTION 6.06

	
Restricted Payments

	
62

	
SECTION 6.07

	
Transactions with Affiliates

	
62

	
SECTION 6.08

	
Restrictive Agreements

	
63

	
SECTION 6.09

	
Fiscal Year

	
63

	
SECTION 6.10

	
Name and Jurisdiction of Organization

	
63

	
SECTION 6.11

	
Sale and Leaseback Transactions

	
63

	
SECTION 6.12

	
Financial Covenants

	
63

	
ARTICLE VII

	
Events of Default

	
64

	
ARTICLE VIII

	
The Administrative Agent

	
67

	
SECTION 8.01

	
Appointment

	
67

	
SECTION 8.02

	
Rights and Power

	
67

	
SECTION 8.03

	
Exculpatory Provisions

	
67

	
SECTION 8.04

	
Administrative Agent Reliance

	
68

	
SECTION 8.05

	
Delegation of Duties

	
68

	
SECTION 8.06

	
Resignation

	
68

	
SECTION 8.07

	
Lender Non-Reliance

	
68

	
SECTION 8.08

	
Other Titles

	
69

  

ii

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

(Continued)

 

Page

 

 

	
ARTICLE IX

	
Miscellaneous

	
69

	
SECTION 9.01

	
Notices

	
69

	
SECTION 9.02

	
Waivers; Amendments

	
70

	
SECTION 9.03

	
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

	
71

	
SECTION 9.04

	
Successors and Assigns

	
72

	
SECTION 9.05

	
Survival

	
76

	
SECTION 9.06

	
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

	
76

	
SECTION 9.07

	
Severability

	
76

	
SECTION 9.08

	
Right of Setoff

	
77

	
SECTION 9.09

	
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

	
77

	
SECTION 9.10

	
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

	
77

	
SECTION 9.11

	
Headings

	
78

	
SECTION 9.12

	
Confidentiality

	
78

	
SECTION 9.13

	
Interest Rate Limitation

	
78

	
SECTION 9.14

	
Release of Liens and Guarantees

	
79

	
SECTION 9.15

	
USA PATRIOT Act

	
79

	
SECTION 9.16

	
No Fiduciary Duty

	
79

	
SECTION 9.17

	
Waiver of Notice

	
80

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 1.01 -- Pricing Schedule

Schedule 2.01 -- Commitments

Schedule 3.14 -- Subsidiaries

Schedule 6.01 -- Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 -- Existing Liens

Schedule 6.08 -- Existing Restrictions

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A -- Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B-1 -- U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Lenders that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes

Exhibit B-2 -- U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Lenders that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes

Exhibit B-3 -- U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Participants that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes

Exhibit B-4 -- U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Participants that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes

 

  

iii

  

CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of March 21, 2012 among ITT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation,  the LENDERS party hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Syndication Agent.

 

The parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

 

Definitions

 

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

 

“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

“Accreditation” means the status of public recognition granted by any Accrediting Body to an educational institution that meets the Accrediting Body’s standards and requirements, which approval is required for the educational institution to participate in Title IV Programs.

 

“Accrediting Body” means any entity or organization recognized by the DOE pursuant to 34 CFR Section 602 et. seq.

 

“Acquired Business” means the entity or assets acquired by the Borrower or a Material Subsidiary in an Acquisition after the Effective Date.

 

“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 (other than a Person that is a Subsidiary) or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person (other than a Person that is a Subsidiary); provided that the Borrower or the Subsidiary is the surviving entity.

 

“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

 

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

  

1

  

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1⁄2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for deposits in Dollars for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the rate appearing on the Reuters BBA Libor Rates Page 3750 (or on any successor or substitute page of such page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day.  Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

 

“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment; provided that in the case of Section 2.20 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment.  If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

 

“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan or ABR Loan or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, the applicable rate per annum set forth on Schedule 1.01 under the caption “Eurodollar Spread”, “ABR Spread”, or “Commitment Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Leverage Ratio.

 

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

 

“Asset Disposition” means any sale, transfer or other disposition of any asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions (other than (a) the sale or lease of inventory or products in the ordinary course or the sale of obsolete or worn out property in the ordinary course and (b) the sale of short-term investments in the ordinary course of business).

 

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section

 

  

2

  

9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

“Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Credit Party by any Lender or any of its Affiliates: (a) credit cards for commercial customers (including, without limitation, “commercial credit cards” and purchasing cards), (b) stored value cards and (c) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).

 

“Banking Services Agreement” shall mean any agreement entered into from time to time with any Credit Party in connection with the provision of Banking Services.

 

“Banking Services Obligations” of the Credit Parties means any and all obligations of the Credit Parties, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking Services.

 

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

 

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

 

“Borrower” means ITT Educational Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

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

 

“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

 

  

3

  

“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

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

 

“Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (a) any Person or group of Persons (other than (i) the Borrower, (ii) any Subsidiary or (iii) any employee or director benefit plan or stock plan of the Borrower or a Subsidiary or any trustee or fiduciary with respect to any such plan when acting in that capacity or any trust related to any such plan) shall have acquired beneficial ownership of shares representing more than 35% of the combined voting power represented by the outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder) or (b) during any period of 12 consecutive months, commencing before and ending after, or commencing after the Effective Date, individuals who on the first day of such period were directors of the Borrower (together with any replacement or additional directors who were nominated or elected by a majority of directors then in office) cease to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Borrower.

 

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

 

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

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

  

4

  

“Cohort Default Rate” shall have the meaning as provided in 34 C.F.R. Section 668 Subpart N.

 

“Collateral” means all properties, rights, interests and privileges from time to time subject to Liens granted to the Administrative Agent, or any security trustee therefor, by the Pledge Agreement.

 

“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.  The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.  The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $325,000,000.

 

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

 

“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; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed to have Control solely by virtue of such Person’s status as an officer or employee of such Person.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

“Credit Documents” means this Agreement and, after the execution and delivery thereof pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each promissory note, if any, delivered pursuant to Section 2.10(e), the Subsidiary Guaranty, the Pledge Agreement, each amendment or waiver hereof or hereunder and each other document or agreement executed and delivered from time to time by any Credit Party in connection with or pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

“Credit Party” means the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

“Credit Support Subsidiary” means, at any time, each wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary (i) which, as of the most recent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters then ended, for which Financial Statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, contributed greater than fifteen percent (15%) of EBITDA for such period or (ii) which, as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter for which Financial Statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, contributed greater than fifteen percent (15%) of Total Assets as of such date; provided that, if at any time the aggregate amount of EBITDA or Total Assets of all Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Credit Support Subsidiaries exceeds fifteen percent (15%) of EBITDA for any such period or fifteen percent (15%) of Total Assets as of the end of any such fiscal quarter, the Borrower (or, in the event the Borrower has failed to do so within ten (10) days of delivery of such Financial Statements, the Administrative Agent) shall designate sufficient

 

  

5

  

Domestic Subsidiaries as “Credit Support Subsidiaries” to eliminate such excess, and such designated Subsidiaries shall for all purposes of this Agreement constitute Credit Support Subsidiaries.

 

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

 

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

 

“DOE” means the United States Department of Education.

 

“DOE Ratio” means the composite score of the Borrower’s equity, primary reserve and net income ratios described in 34 C.F.R. Sections 668.171(b)(1) and Section 668.172 and appendices A and B to Subpart L of 34 C.F.R. of Section 668, provided that if at any time the Borrower is required by the DOE to report such composite score on a school-by-school or other basis, their “DOE Ratio” shall also refer to the composite score for each school or other Person required to be reported to the DOE.

 

“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

“Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the United States of America.

 

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

 

  

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charges for such period (excluding any write-down or write-off in connection with any sales and other dispositions of Institutional Loans), (v) any other non-cash and non-recurring charges for such period (but excluding (x) any non-cash and non-recurring charge in respect of an item that was included in net income in a prior period, and (y) any write-down or write-off in connection with any sales and other dispositions of Institutional Loans), (vi) fees and expenses incurred during such period in connection with any proposed or actual issuance of any Indebtedness or Equity Interests, or any proposed or actual acquisitions, investments, asset sales or divestitures permitted hereunder, and any losses during such period attributable to cash payments relating to early extinguishment of Indebtedness or obligations under any Swap Agreement, in an aggregate amount under this clause (vi) not to exceed $5,000,000 during the most recently completed four fiscal quarters, and (vii) any losses during such period resulting from the sale or disposition of any asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary outside the ordinary course of business (excluding any write-down or write-off in connection with any sales and other dispositions of Institutional Loans), minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in net income, the sum of (i) any extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income for such period (excluding any gains in connection with any sales and other dispositions of Institutional Loans), and (ii) any gains attributable to early extinguishment of Indebtedness or obligations under any Swap Agreement, and (all gains during such period resulting from the sale or disposition of any asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary outside the ordinary course of business, in an aggregate amount under this clause (ii) not to exceed $5,000,000 during the most recently completed four fiscal quarters, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.  For purposes of the computation of the Leverage Ratio and Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (a) for any period during which a Permitted Acquisition is made by any Credit Party, EBITDA shall be calculated on a pro forma basis as if such purchase or other acquisition was consummated (and any related Indebtedness incurred) on the first day of such period and (b) for any period during which a Subsidiary or business was disposed of, EBITDA shall be calculated on a pro forma basis as if such Subsidiary or business had been disposed of on the first day of such period.  All acquired Indebtedness assumed to be outstanding pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be deemed to have borne interest (a) in the case of fixed rate Indebtedness, at the rate applicable thereto or (b) in the case of floating rate Indebtedness, at the rates which were or would have been applicable thereto during the period when such Indebtedness was or was deemed to be outstanding.

 

“EBITR” means, for any applicable computation period, EBITDA for such period, minus, to the extent included in the determination of net income, all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period plus, to the extent included in the determination of net income, Rentals for such period.

 

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

 

“Eligible Line of Business” means any business engaged in as of the date of this Agreement by the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, and any other business not prohibited by Section 6.03(c).

 

“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or

 

  

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entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any hazardous or toxic substance or waste or to health and safety matters.

 

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

 

“Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any of the foregoing (other than, prior to the date of such conversion, Indebtedness that is convertible into Equity Interests).

 

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

 

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

 

“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

  

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

 

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(f) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

“Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of January 11, 2010, among Borrower, the Lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent, as amended.

 

“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) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof.

 

“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

 

“Financial Officer” means the Chief Financial Officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.

 

“Financial Statements” means the balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flows of the Borrower on a consolidated basis, and any accompanying notes or other disclosures to such statements.

 

“First Tier Foreign Subsidiary” means a Foreign Subsidiary held directly by either (i) the Borrower or (ii) a Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings, and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

  

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“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, the ratio, determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower for the most-recently ended four fiscal quarters, of (a) EBITR to (b) the sum of (i) all dividends paid in cash during such period, plus (ii) Total Interest Expense, plus (iii) Rentals, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender, with respect to such Borrower, that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender, with respect to such Borrower, that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes.

 

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

 

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

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

“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.

 

“Higher Education Act” means the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

 

“Hostile Acquisition” means the acquisition of the capital stock or other equity interests of a Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such capital stock or other equity interests which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by

 

  

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resolutions of the Board of Directors of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation, or as to which such approval has been withdrawn (unless otherwise approved by a vote of the stockholders or a tender of shares).

 

“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances and (k) all obligations of such person in respect of Swap Agreements.  The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor; provided, however, that Indebtedness shall not include (i) amounts in respect of tuition that is shown as deferred revenue on the Borrower’s Financial Statements and (ii) the amount of any Guarantee or payment obligation in connection with any Private Education Loan Program that is not required to be recorded as a liability on the Financial Statements.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Indebtedness” shall not include post-closing purchase price adjustments or earnouts except to the extent that the amount payable pursuant to such purchase price adjustment or earnout is, or becomes, reasonably determinable.  The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (f) above shall (unless such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person or such Person has otherwise become liable for the payment thereof) be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (ii) the fair market value of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith.  For purposes of determining Indebtedness in connection with calculating the Leverage Ratio, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting rights or netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

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

 

“Ineligible Institution” means a (a) natural person or (b) holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, such holding company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of

 

  

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acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

 

“Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated February, 2012 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.

 

“Institutional Loan” means a student loan that is owned by the Borrower or a Subsidiary constituting an obligation of a student for borrowed money, including an obligation evidenced by a promissory note or other instrument, provided that trade receivables (including extended pay, temporary credit, student receivables and similar arrangements in the ordinary course) shall not constitute Institutional Loans.

 

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

 

“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December, commencing on June 30, 2012, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.

 

“Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months (or, with the consent of each Lender, nine or twelve months) thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“Issuing Bank” means each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and such additional Lenders as may be designated as such by the Borrower with the consent of the Administrative Agent and which additional Lenders agree to act in such capacity, each as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and their respective successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i).

 

  

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The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.  With respect to any Letter of Credit, “Issuing Bank” shall mean the applicable issuer thereof.

 

“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

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

 

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

 

“Lender Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender.

 

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

 

“Leverage Ratio” means, at the applicable date, the ratio of total Indebtedness on such date to EBITDA for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters of the Borrower, computed on a consolidated basis for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on the Reuters BBA Libor Rates Page 3750 (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period.  In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

 

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any

 

  

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of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

 

“Liquidity” means the aggregate stated balance sheet amount of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of the Borrower and its wholly owned Domestic Subsidiaries (excluding any portion thereof which is subject to a Lien in favor of a Person other than the Administrative Agent or is otherwise restricted).

 

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

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, or financial condition of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower and the Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement or any other Credit Document or (c) the rights of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under, or the legality, validity or enforceability of, this Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit) or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $30,000,000.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

“Material Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that, directly or indirectly through a Subsidiary (a) owns assets with a book value in excess of 5% of the book value of the total consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries measured as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter for which Financial Statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 or (b) generated revenues in excess of 5% of the revenues of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, for the most recently completed four fiscal quarter period for which Financial Statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01.

 

“Maturity Date” means March 21, 2015.

 

“Maximum Rate” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.13.

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or is obligated to contribute, or has contributed or been obligated to contribute, within the past six years.

 

“Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of the Credit Parties to the Lenders or to any Lender, the

 

  

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Administrative Agent, the  Issuing Bank or any indemnified party arising under the Credit Documents.

 

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

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Credit Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.19).

 

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

 

“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).

 

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

 

“Permissible Investments” means the investments specified as Permissible Investments in the Investment Guidelines attached to the Investment Management Agreement dated as of December 22, 2006, between the Borrower and J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., as amended pertaining to the Custodial Account which also meet the Maturity Guidelines and Quality Guidelines specified therein, without amendment unless consented to by the Required Lenders.

 

“Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition with respect to which all of the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

(a) the Acquired Business is an Eligible Line of Business;

 

(b) the Acquisition shall not be a Hostile Acquisition;

 

(c) if a new Subsidiary is formed or acquired as a result of or in connection with the Acquisition, and if required pursuant to Sections 5.09 and 5.10, the Borrower shall have complied with the requirements of Sections 5.09 and 5.10 in connection therewith;

 

(d) Immediately before and after giving effect to the Acquisition and any Borrowing in connection therewith, (x) no Default shall exist, and (y) the financial covenants set

 

  

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forth in Section 6.12 (a), (b) and (c) shall not exceed the limits specified in Section 6.12 (a), (b) and (c) on a pro forma basis; and

 

(e) if the Acquired Business is an accredited Title IV eligible institution and the Total Consideration for the Acquisition exceeds $25,000,000, (x) such Acquired Business is in good standing with all applicable Accrediting Bodies (it being understood that, for purposes hereof, an Acquired Business shall be deemed not to be in good standing if it shall have received an order, notice, or other decision from an Accrediting Body in a jurisdiction in which such Acquired Business provides post secondary education, to the effect that the authority of such Acquired Business to provide postsecondary education in such jurisdiction is or will be withdrawn, revoked, or terminated), and (y) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer satisfactory to the Administrative Agent to the effect of the matters set forth in clause (d) above (it being understood that such certificate shall include reasonable calculations supporting the matters set forth therein).

 

“Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are not yet required to be paid under Section 5.04;

 

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, landlords’ and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days (other than those being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and the Borrower or a Material Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP) or are not yet required to be paid under Section 5.04;

 

(c) pledges and deposits made (i) in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations and (ii) in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued for the account of any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business supporting obligations of the type set forth in clause (i) above;

 

(d) pledges and deposits made (i) to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business and (ii) in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued for the account of or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business supporting obligations of the type set forth in clause (i) above;

 

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

 

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

  

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(g) Liens arising from Permitted Investments described in clause (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Investments”;

 

(h) Liens on assets the fair market value of which does not exceed $25,000,000 securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(f);

 

(i) banker’s liens, rights of setoff or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with depository institutions and securities accounts and other financial assets maintained with a securities intermediary; provided that such deposit accounts or funds and securities accounts or other financial assets are not established or deposited for the purpose of providing collateral for any Indebtedness and are not subject to restrictions on access by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in excess of those required by applicable banking regulations;

 

(j) Liens arising by virtue of Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings (or similar filings under applicable law) regarding operating leases entered into by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(k) Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 (or the corresponding section) of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(l) Liens representing any interest or title of a licensor, lessor or sublicensor or sublessor, or a licensee, lessee or sublicensee or sublessee, in the property subject to any lease, license or sublicense or concession agreement permitted by this Agreement;

 

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

 

(n) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off.

 

“Permitted Investments” means:

 

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

 

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and demand or time deposits, in each case maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $100,000,000;

 

  

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(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and

 

(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

 

(f) Permissible Investments; and

 

(g) demand deposit accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business.

 

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

 

“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

“Pledge Agreement” means that certain Pledge Agreement dated as of the Effective Date (including any and all supplements thereto) among the Borrower, certain of its Subsidiaries and the Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its office located at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

“Private Education Loan Program” means a program under which private education loans are provided to current or former students to fund a portion of a student’s costs of attendance at any school owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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

 

“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.

 

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

 

“Rentals” of a Person means, with respect to any period, the aggregate amount of rental expense deducted in computing net income of such Person.

 

  

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“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time; provided that for the purpose of determining the Required Lenders needed for any waiver, amendment, modification or consent, any Lender that is the Borrower, or any Affiliate of the Borrower (and the Revolving Credit Exposure and Commitments of such Lender) shall be disregarded.

 

“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

“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 LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means any sale or other transfer of property by any Person with the intent to lease such property as lessee.

 

“School” means a postsecondary institution of higher education and its additional locations, taken together, pursuant to the DOE’s regulations, that is operated by the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary.

 

“Secured Creditors” means, collectively, each Lender (even if such Lender ceases to be a Lender hereunder), its Affiliates which are holders of Banking Services Obligations or Swap Obligations, the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, and all of their successors and assigns.

 

“Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with all (i) Banking Services Obligations and (ii) Swap Obligations owing to one or more Lenders (even if any such Lender ceases to be a Lender hereunder)or their respective Affiliates.

 

“short-term investments” means short-term investments as defined under GAAP.

 

“Significant Regulatory Event” means, as the context may require, (a) failure of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to maintain its status as an “eligible institution,” as defined in 34 C.F.R. Sections 600.2 and 600.5, (b) a failure of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to maintain its eligibility to participate in Title IV Programs (including, without limitation, any suspension or termination in Title IV funding), or (c) a failure of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to maintain in effect any of its Accreditations, which failure of any of

 

  

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the types described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) (each a “Relevant Failure”), when taken together with all other such failures of any of the types described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) occurring during the fiscal quarter in which such Relevant Failure occurred (the “Relevant Quarter”) and the three fiscal quarters of the Borrower immediately preceding the Relevant Quarter, affects educational institutions of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary which, in aggregate, (x) contributed more than 20% of the consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recent four complete fiscal quarters of the Borrower or (y) comprise more than 20% of the consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower and is Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent complete fiscal quarter of the Borrower.

 

“Solvent” means, with respect to any Person, on any date of determination, that on such date the fair value of the assets of such a Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities of such Person, in each case on a consolidated basis.

 

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

 

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

 

“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Credit Support Subsidiary. The Subsidiary Guarantors on the Effective Date are identified as such on Schedule 3.14 hereto.

 

“Subsidiary Guaranty” means that certain Subsidiary Guaranty dated as of the Effective Date (including any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or

 

  

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economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

“Swap Obligations” of a Person means any and all obligations of such Person, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any and all Swap Agreements, and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction.

 

“Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time.  The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total  Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Title IV” means Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

 

“Title IV Programs” means the Title IV Programs listed in 34 C.F.R. Section 668.1(c).

 

“Total Assets” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such date.

 

“Total Consideration” means, with respect to an Acquisition, the sum (but without duplication) of (a) cash paid in connection with such Acquisition, (b) Indebtedness payable to the seller in connection with such Acquisition, (c) the present value of future payments which are required to be made over a period of time and are not contingent upon the Borrower or its Subsidiary meeting performance objectives (exclusive of salaries paid in the ordinary course of business) (discounted at the ABR), but only to the extent not included in clause (a) or (b) above, and (d) the amount of indebtedness assumed in connection with such Acquisition.

 

“Total Interest Expense” means, for any period, total cash interest expense deducted in the computation of net income for such period (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect

 

  

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to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs of rate hedging in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP).

 

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

 

“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

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

 

“U.S. Tax Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(D)(2).

 

“wholly owned” means, with respect to a subsidiary of a Person, a subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Equity Interests of which (other than (x) director’s qualifying shares and (y) shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Law) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more wholly owned subsidiaries of such Person.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  

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meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP, the application thereof on the operation of such provision, or with respect to any change to the accounting principles used by the Borrower after the date hereof in the preparation of any financial statement (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP, the application thereof, or change in the accounting principles used by the Borrower, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective, or calculated using the accounting principles used by the Borrower immediately before such change in accounting principles, as the case may be, until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such changes in GAAP or accounting principles.  Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or update having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein, (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or update having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described in such provision, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof and (iii) in a manner such that any obligations relating to a lease that was accounted for by a Person as an operating lease as of the Effective Date and any similar lease entered into after the Effective Date by such Person shall be accounted for as obligations relating to an operating lease and not as obligations relating to a capital lease.

 

ARTICLE II

 

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01 Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

SECTION 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.  (a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance

 

  

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with their respective Commitments.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

 

(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith.  Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.  Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 2.03 Requests for Revolving Borrowings.  To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing.  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or electronic mail to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information (in compliance with Section 2.02):

 

(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

 

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

 

  

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(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

 

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

 

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

 

If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Promptly following receipt of a  Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.04 [Intentionally Omitted]

 

SECTION 2.05 Swingline Loans.  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $30,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

 

(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by electronic mail), not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan.  The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower.  The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that the Lenders have made payments pursuant to Section 2.06(e) to reimburse such Issuing Bank, to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding.  Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will

 

  

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

 

SECTION 2.06 Letters of Credit.  (a) General.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit as the applicant thereof, for the support of its or its Subsidiaries’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

 

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit (other than an automatic renewal permitted pursuant to paragraph (k) of this Section)), the Borrower shall hand deliver or transmit by electronic mail to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, but in any event no less than three Business Days or such lesser period to which the Issuing Bank may consent) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business

 

  

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Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.  If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.  A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed $25,000,000 and (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments.

 

(c) Expiration Date.  Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided, that any Letter of Credit may expire on a date that is at most one year later than the date referred to in clause (ii), subject to paragraphs (j) and (k) of this Section.

 

(d) Participations.  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

(e) Reimbursement.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day immediately following the date that such LC Disbursement is made; provided that the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or a Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan.  If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and

 

  

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such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders under this paragraph), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

 

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

 

  

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refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

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

 

(h) Interim Interest.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply.  Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

(i) Replacement of the Issuing Bank.  The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank.  At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b).  From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require.  After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

(j) Cash Collateralization.  If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without

 

  

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demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII or (ii) any Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date after the Maturity Date, the Borrower shall (x) deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to 103% of the face amount of such Letter of Credit, or (y) make other arrangements acceptable to the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to 103% of the face amount of such Letters of Credit, in either case, on the date five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.  Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.10(f), such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, the total Revolving Credit Exposure would not exceed the total Commitments and no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.20(c), such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, no Issuing Bank shall have any exposure in respect of any outstanding Letter of Credit that is not fully covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or the remaining cash collateral and no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(k) Evergreen Letters of Credit.  If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit application, a Letter of Credit may contain automatic extension provisions; provided that any such Letter of Credit must permit the Issuing Bank 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 in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued.  Unless otherwise directed by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the Issuing Bank for any such extension.  Once such a Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the Issuing Bank to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section; provided, however, that the Issuing Bank shall not permit any such extension if (i) the Issuing Bank has determined that it would not be permitted or would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms

 

  

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hereof, or (ii) it has received notice on or before the day that is five Business Days before the required notice date from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and directing the Issuing Bank not to permit such extension.

 

SECTION 2.07 Funding of Borrowings.  (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05.  The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in Indianapolis, Indiana and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to Section 2.06(e) to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Revolving Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.08 Interest Elections.  (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request or designated by Section 2.03 and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request or designated by Section 2.03.  Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section.  The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such

 

  

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portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.  This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  

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

 

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

 

(d) On up to four occasions, the Borrower may, from time to time, at its option, seek to increase the total Commitments or request term commitments by up to an aggregate amount of $125,000,000 (resulting in maximum total Commitments and term commitments of $450,000,000) upon at least three Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, which notice shall (i) specify the amount of any such proposed increase, (ii) specify whether the proposed increase is with respect to the Commitments, term commitments, or both, and (iii) be delivered at a time when no Default has occurred and is continuing.  After delivery of such notice, the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, in consultation with the Administrative Agent, may offer the increase (which may be declined by any Lender in its sole discretion) in the total Commitments or term commitments on either a ratable basis to the Lenders or on a non pro-rata basis to one or more Lenders and/or to other Lenders or entities reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.  No increase in the total Commitments or term commitments shall become effective until the existing or new Lenders extending such incremental Commitment or term commitment amount and the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a document in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent pursuant to which (i) any such existing Lender states the amount of its Commitment increase or term commitment, (ii) any such new Lender states its Commitment or term commitment amount and agrees to assume and accept the obligations and rights of a Lender hereunder, (iii) the Borrower accepts such incremental Commitments or term commitments, and (iv) the effective date of any increase in the Commitments or term commitments and  the date of any incremental term loans to be made pursuant thereto is specified.  Upon the effectiveness of any increase in the total Commitments pursuant hereto, (i) each Lender (new or existing) shall be deemed to have accepted an assignment from the existing Lenders, and the existing Lenders shall be deemed to have made an assignment to each new or existing Lender accepting a new or increased Commitment, of an interest in each then outstanding Revolving Loan  (in each case, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Assignment and Assumption) and (ii) the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the existing

 

  

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and new Lenders shall be automatically adjusted such that, after giving effect to such assignments and adjustments, all Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder is held ratably by the Lenders in proportion to their respective Commitments.  Assignments pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be made in exchange for, and substantially contemporaneously with the payment to the assigning Lenders of, the principal amount assigned plus accrued and unpaid interest and commitment and Letter of Credit fees.  Payments received by assigning Lenders pursuant to this Section in respect of the principal amount of any Eurocurrency Loan shall, for purposes of Section 2.16, be deemed prepayments of such Loan.  Any increase of the total Commitments pursuant to this Section shall be subject to receipt by the Administrative Agent from the Borrower of such supplemental opinions, resolutions, certificates and other documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.  In the event of any request for an increase of term commitments pursuant to this clause (d), this Agreement may be amended by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (but without the consent of the other Lenders), in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to the extent, and solely to the extent, to include such terms as are customary for a term loan commitment.This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 9.02 to the contrary.

 

SECTION 2.10 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.  (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan of such Lender on the Maturity Date and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.  In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender or its registered assigns and in a form approved by the

 

  

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Administrative Agent.  Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the payee named therein or its registered assigns.

 

(f) If at any time the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of the Lenders exceeds the aggregate Commitments of the Lenders, the Borrower shall immediately prepay the Revolving Loans in the amount of such excess.  To the extent that, after the prepayment of all Revolving Loans an excess of the Revolving Credit Exposure over the aggregate Commitments still exists, the Borrower shall promptly cash collateralize the Letters of Credit in the manner described in Section 2.06(j) in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.

 

SECTION 2.11 Prepayment of Loans.  (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section.

 

(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative  Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by electronic mail) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09(c), then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09(c).  Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02.  Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing.  Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13.

 

SECTION 2.12 Fees.  (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily amount of the amount by which the Commitment of such Lender exceeds the Revolving Credit Exposure (excluding Swingline Exposure) of such Lender during the period from and including the date hereof to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates.  Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the third Business Day following the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on June 30, 2012.  All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

  

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(b) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate or rates per annum separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Issuing Bank on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on June 30, 2012; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding

 

  

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paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

 

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

 

(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

SECTION 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest.  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

 

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and such Borrowing shall be continued as an ABR Borrowing and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.

 

If, after the date hereof, the introduction of, or any change in, any applicable Law or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) with any request or directive

 

  

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(whether or not having the force of Law) of any such Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency, shall make it unlawful or impossible for any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) to honor its obligations hereunder to make or maintain any Eurodollar Loan or any ABR Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice to the Borrower and the other Lenders.  Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, (i) the obligations of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to a Eurodollar Loan or continue any Loan as a Eurodollar Loan or an ABR Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be suspended and thereafter the Borrower may select only ABR Loans as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate hereunder, (ii) all ABR Loans shall cease to be determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate and (iii) if any of the Lenders may not lawfully continue to maintain a Eurodollar Loan to the end of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, the applicable Loan shall immediately be converted to an ABR Loan as to which the interest rate is not determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the remainder of such Interest Period.

 

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

 

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  

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

 

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

 

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or expenses incurred or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or expenses or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or expenses or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.16 Break Funding Payments.  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default but excluding any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(b) to repay the Administrative Agent in respect of the portion of a Borrowing that a Lender has failed to make available), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event.  In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have

 

  

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been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.  A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

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

 

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  The Credit Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.

 

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

 

(d) Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Credit Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(e) Indemnification by the Lenders.  Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes

 

  

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attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Credit Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Credit Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Credit Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Credit Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

 

(f) Status of Lenders.  (i)   Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Credit Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  

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

 

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

 

(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN; or

 

(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2 or Exhibit B-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

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

 

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Credit Document would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by

 

  

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law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

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

 

(g) Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund).  Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

 

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

 

(i) Issuing Bank.  For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank.

 

SECTION 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.  (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date

 

  

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when due, in immediately available funds, without set off or counterclaim.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

 

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

 

(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders without recourse or warranty from the other Lenders except as contemplated by Section 9.04 in respect of assignments to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).  The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

  

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

 

(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender and for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account over which the Administrative Agent shall have exclusive control as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section, in the case of each of clause (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

 

SECTION 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.  (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the

 

  

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Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter.  A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such  assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(i) all or any part of such Swingline Exposure (other than any portion thereof with respect to which such Defaulting Lender shall have funded its participation as contemplated by Section 2.05(c)) and LC Exposure (other than any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements with respect to which such Defaulting Lender shall have funded its participation as contemplated by Sections 2.06(d) and 2.06(e)) of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that (x) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments and (y) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at such time;

 

(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure that has not been reallocated and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting

 

  

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Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

If (i) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to a Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

 

In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC

 

  

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Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

ARTICLE III

 

 

Representations and Warranties

 

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

 

SECTION 3.01 Organization; Powers.  Each of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

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

 

SECTION 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.  The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries (except as otherwise permitted hereby).

 

SECTION 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.  (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers, independent public accountants.  Such Financial Statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such date and for such period in accordance with GAAP.

 

  

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(b) Since December 31, 2011, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

SECTION 3.05 Properties; Intellectual Property.  (a) Each of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in or valid license to use, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes.

 

(b) Each of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters.  (a) There are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b) Except with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Material Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

 

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

 

SECTION 3.08 Investment Company Status.  Neither the Borrower nor any of its Material Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

SECTION 3.09 Taxes.  Each of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Material Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the

 

  

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extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.10 ERISA.  No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.11 Disclosure.  Except for matters set forth in periodic reports and other materials filed by the Borrower from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto, and that are publicly available, no agreement, instrument or corporate or other restriction to which the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries is subject, or any other matter known to the Borrower, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

 

SECTION 3.12 Margin Stock.  Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and, except as permitted by Section 5.08, no part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or remote, of purchasing or carrying any margin stock or of extending credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock. Further, no part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used for any purpose that violates, or which is inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulations U or X of the Board.

 

SECTION 3.13 Solvency.  The Borrower and the Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are Solvent and each is able to pay its debts as they mature.

 

SECTION 3.14 Subsidiaries.  As of the Effective Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 3.14.  Schedule 3.14 correctly identifies (i) those Subsidiaries which constitute Material Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date and (ii) those Subsidiaries which constitute Subsidiary Guarantors as of the Effective Date.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01 Effective Date.  The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the

 

  

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date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

 

(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each Credit Party either (i) a counterpart of each Credit Document to which it is a party signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include email transmission of a signed signature page of each Credit Document) that such party has signed a counterpart of each Credit Document to which it is a party.

 

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of  Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, special counsel for the Credit Parties, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and covering such matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.  The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.

 

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

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

 

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of all Governmental Authority and third party approvals necessary or, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in connection with the Transactions and all other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

(f) The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated Financial Statements of the Borrower for the two most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Effective Date, (ii) Borrower’s annual report as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, and (iii) financial projections for the Borrower for a three year period.

 

(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received such duly completed UCC-1 financing statements as the Administrative Agent shall have requested to perfect its security interest in the Collateral and such copies of searches of financing statements filed under the UCC, together with (i) tax lien searches with respect to the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are “Pledgors” under the Pledge Agreement, in both cases in such jurisdictions as the Administrative Agent may request, and (ii) judgment lien searches with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are “Pledgors” under the Pledge Agreement in the state and county in which the Borrower’s chief executive office is located.

 

  

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(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received all stock (or unit) certificates evidencing all equity interests to be pledged pursuant to the Pledge Agreement, accompanied by stock (or unit) powers executed in blank.

 

(i) The Existing Credit Agreement shall have been terminated, all principal, interest and other amounts owing thereunder shall have been (or shall substantially contemporaneously be) repaid in full and the Administrative Agent shall have received a payoff letter in form and substance acceptable to it.

 

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received such duly executed UCC-3 termination statements, and all other releases and similar documents as the Administrative Agent may request with respect to any security interests securing the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

(k) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

 

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 16, 2012 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

 

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

 

(a) The representations and warranties of the Credit Parties set forth in the Credit Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any such representation or warranty which is already qualified as to materiality or by reference to Material Adverse Effect shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, other than any such representations and warranties that specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date in all material respects (except that any such representation or warranty which is already qualified as to materiality or by reference to Material Adverse Effect shall be true and correct in all respects).

 

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

 

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

 

  

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ARTICLE V

 

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts (other than contingent amounts not yet due) payable under this Agreement or any other Credit Document shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, been terminated or been collateralized in a manner acceptable to the Issuing Bank, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

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

 

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

 

(c) concurrently with any delivery of Financial Statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 (including setting forth reasonably detailed calculations with respect to clauses (a), (b) and (c) thereof), and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited Financial Statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the Financial Statements accompanying such certificate; and

 

  

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(d) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

SECTION 5.02 Notices of Material Events.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

 

(a) any Subsidiary becoming a Material Subsidiary;

 

(b) the occurrence of any Default;

 

(c) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(d) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $30,000,000; and

 

(e) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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

 

SECTION 5.03 Existence; Conduct of Business.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

 

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

 

SECTION 5.05 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies with similar

 

  

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financial positions engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations as reasonably determined by the Borrower.

 

SECTION 5.06 Books and Records; Inspection Rights.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested; provided that, unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower shall not be obligated to reimburse the Administrative Agent or the Lenders for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with such visits and inspections pursuant to Section 9.03(a) hereof in an amount in excess of $10,000 during any twelve-month period.

 

SECTION 5.07 Compliance with Laws.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, including with respect to the investigation, remediation and disposal of Hazardous Materials as required by Environmental Laws except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.08 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit.  The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for (a) general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including reacquisition of the Borrower’s common stock and (b) the refinancing of the Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries under the Existing Credit Agreement on the Effective Date.  No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations U and X.

 

SECTION 5.09 Subsidiary Guaranty. As promptly as possible after any Subsidiary qualifies independently as, or is designated by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as, a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the definitions of “Credit Support Subsidiary” and “Subsidiary Guarantor”, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof and shall cause each such Subsidiary which also qualifies as a Subsidiary Guarantor to deliver to the Administrative Agent a joinder to the Subsidiary Guaranty (in the form contemplated thereby) pursuant to which such Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, such Subsidiary Guaranty to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation (including, without limitation, identification information enabling Lenders to comply with “know-your-customer” and other laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority) and legal opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

SECTION 5.10 Pledge Agreement.  The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary Guarantor which owns any stock (or equity interest) in any Subsidiary to, be a party to the Pledge Agreement, and pursuant to the terms of the Pledge Agreement, grant or cause to

 

  

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be granted to the Administrative Agent, a first priority perfected security interest in such stock (or equity interest), subject to the following: (i) 100% of the stock held by the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor of (or equity interest in) each Domestic Subsidiary shall secure all Secured Obligations, and (ii) 65% of the stock held by the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor of (or equity interest in) any First Tier Foreign Subsidiary shall secure all Secured Obligations.  In connection with the pledge of stock or equity interests pursuant to the Pledge Agreement, the Borrower agrees that it will from time to time upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, at the Borrower’s expense, deliver or cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent such pledge supplements, share certificates, stock powers, opinions of counsel, and other documents, and take or cause to be taken such other action (including the filing of documents, and the payment of taxes and charges) as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request to create the security interest intended to be created by the Pledge Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts (other than contingent amounts not yet due) payable under this agreement or any other Credit Document shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, been terminated or been collateralized in a manner acceptable to the Issuing Bank, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

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

 

(a) The Secured Obligations and any other Indebtedness created under the Credit Documents;

 

(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (except for accrued and unpaid interest and premiums in respect of such Indebtedness;

 

(c) Indebtedness (i) of any Credit Party owing to any other Credit Party and (ii) of any Credit Party owing to any Subsidiary;

 

(d) Guarantees by any Credit Party of Indebtedness permitted hereunder of any Subsidiary; provided that Guarantees by any Credit Party of any Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party (together with the amount of investments permitted under subclause (ii) of the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and the amount of outstanding intercompany loans permitted under Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

 

(e) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including

 

  

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Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (except for accrued and unpaid interest and premiums in respect of such Indebtedness); provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed $25,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f) Guarantees or other payment obligations of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary undertaken in connection with any Private Education Loan Program that are permitted by Section 6.04(e);

 

(g) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Material Subsidiary after the date hereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Material Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Material Subsidiary and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (g) shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(h) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary as an account party in respect of trade letters of credit;

 

(i) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.05;

 

(j) Indebtedness owed in respect of any overdrafts and related liabilities arising from treasury, depositary and cash management services or in connection with any automated clearinghouse transfers of funds; provided that such Indebtedness shall be repaid in full within five Business Days of the incurrence thereof;

 

(k) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the form of purchase price adjustments, earnouts, non-competition agreements or other arrangements representing acquisition consideration or deferred payments of a similar nature incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or other investment permitted under Section 6.04;

 

(l) Indebtedness owed to any Person (including obligations in respect of letters of credit for the benefit of such Person) providing workers’ compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(m) other secured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $25,000,000 at any time outstanding; and

 

(n) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $150,000,000 at any time outstanding.

 

SECTION 6.02 Liens.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Material Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now

 

  

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owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable, but excluding accounts receivable that are “charged off” in the ordinary course of business and do not appear as an asset on the balance sheet of the related Person) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a) Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than assets financed by the same financing source pursuant to the same financing scheme in the ordinary course of business) and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof (except for accrued and unpaid interest and premiums in respect of such Indebtedness);

 

(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary , as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than assets financed by the same financing source pursuant to the same financing scheme in the ordinary course of business) and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be (except for accrued and unpaid interest and premiums in respect of such Indebtedness);

 

(d) any Lien or deposit with any governmental agency required or permitted to qualify it to conduct business or exercise any privilege, franchise or license, or to maintain self insurance or to obtain the benefits of or secure obligations under any law pertaining to workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, old age pensions, social security or similar matters, or to obtain any stay or discharge in any legal or administrative proceedings, or any similar Lien or deposit arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (iii) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than assets financed by the same financing source pursuant to the same financing scheme in the ordinary course of business);

 

(f) Liens on property that secure only Indebtedness incurred for the purchase price or cost of construction or improvement of such property or Liens related to capitalized lease transactions;

 

(g) in connection with the sale or transfer of any Equity Interests or other assets in a transaction permitted under Section 6.03, customary rights and restrictions contained in agreements relating to such sale or transfer pending the completion thereof;

 

  

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(h) in the case of (A) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary or (B) the Equity Interests in any Person that is not a Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction, including any put and call arrangements, related to Equity Interests in such Subsidiary or such other Person set forth in the organizational documents of such Subsidiary or such other Person or any related joint venture, shareholders’ or similar agreement;

 

(i) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits, escrow arrangements or similar arrangements made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement for a Permitted Acquisition or other transaction permitted hereunder;

 

(j) Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party in respect of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by such Subsidiary under Section 6.01 in an aggregate amount for all such non-Credit Parties not to exceed $5,000,000 at any one time outstanding;

 

(k) any Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Creditors; and

 

(l) Liens not described in clauses (a) through (k) above to secure Indebtedness, obligations or liabilities in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000 at any one time outstanding.

 

SECTION 6.03 Fundamental Changes.

 

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Material Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary (and, if either such Subsidiary is a Subsidiary Guarantor, then the surviving entity shall also be a Subsidiary Guarantor) and (iii) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Material Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.

 

(b) The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Material Subsidiary to, make any Asset Disposition except for (i) Asset Dispositions among the Credit Parties, (ii) Asset Dispositions expressly permitted by Sections 6.04, 6.06 or 6.07, (iii) other Asset Dispositions; provided that (x) at the time of such Asset Disposition, no Default shall exist or would result from such Asset Disposition, (y) the aggregate net book value of all property disposed of in reliance on this clause (iii) shall not exceed $75,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement, and (z) immediately before and after giving effect to such Asset Disposition, the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12 (a), (b) and (c), determined on a pro forma basis, shall not exceed the limits specified in Section 6.12 (a), (b) and (c), (iv) sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions of (x) inventory, (y) used or surplus equipment and (z) cash and Permitted

 

  

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Investments, in each case in the ordinary course of business, (v) leases or subleases entered into in the ordinary course of business, to the extent that they do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, (vi) dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any asset of any of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, (vii) sales, transfers and other dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and not as part of any accounts receivables financing transaction, (viii) sales and other dispositions of Institutional Loans, (ix) Asset Dispositions that are part of a sale and leaseback transaction permitted under Section 6.11, and (x) dispositions of assets to the extent that (A) such assets are exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement assets or (B) the proceeds of such disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement assets.

 

(c) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related or incidental thereto, including education and education related services.

 

SECTION 6.04 Investments, Loans, Advances, and Acquisitions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Material Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:

 

(a) Permitted Investments;

 

(b) investments by the Borrower existing on the date hereof;

 

(c) investments by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in Equity Interests of their respective Subsidiaries; provided that (i) any such Equity Interests held by a Credit Party shall be pledged in accordance with the requirements of the Pledge Agreement and (ii) the aggregate amount of such investments made by Credit Parties in Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties (together with the amount of Guarantees by Credit Parties of Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties permitted under Section 6.01(d) and the amount of outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (d) of this Section) shall not exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

 

(d) loans or advances made by any Credit Party to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to any Credit Party or any other Subsidiary; provided that the amount of such loans and advances made by Credit Parties to Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties (together with the amount of Guarantees by Credit Parties of Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties permitted under Section 6.01(d) and the amount of investments permitted under subclause (ii) of

 

  

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the proviso to clause (c) of this Section) shall not exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

 

(e) loans, advances, purchases of Indebtedness and investments made by the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary in connection with any Private Education Loan Program or Institutional Loans; provided that the sum (without duplication) of (i) (A) the original principal balance of student loans originated under any Private Education Loan Program pursuant to which the Borrower provides a Guarantee and which was entered into after the Effective Date, minus (B) the amount of any refunds or cancellations of such student loans, minus (C) the portion of the purchase price of such student loans (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Institutional Loans) that was funded, directly or indirectly, by the Borrower, minus (D) the portion of such student loans that is not covered by the Borrower’s Guarantee, plus (ii) the aggregate outstanding amount of Institutional Loans (net of allowances for credit losses), in each case calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the issuance, incurrence or purchase thereof, shall not exceed 1.75x EBITDA for the most recently completed period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower;

 

(f) receivables or other trade payables owing to the Borrower or a Subsidiary if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Borrower or any Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

 

(g) loans or advances to employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary made in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary not exceeding $2,500,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time (determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs of such loans or advances); provided that no such loans or advances to any single employee shall exceed $250,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time (determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs of such loans or advances);

 

(h) payroll, travel and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses of the Borrower or any Subsidiary for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i) investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(j) investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.05;

 

(k) investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or consolidates or merges with the Borrower or any Subsidiary so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such consolidation or merger;

 

(l) investments that result solely from the receipt by the Borrower or any Subsidiary from any of its subsidiaries of a dividend or other Restricted Payment in the form of

 

  

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Equity Interests, evidences of Indebtedness or other securities (but not any additions thereto made after the date of the receipt thereof);

 

(m) mergers and consolidations permitted under Section 6.03 that do not involve any Person other than the Borrower and Subsidiaries that are wholly owned Subsidiaries;

 

(n) Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(o) investments constituting Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01; and

 

(p) other investments not exceeding $75,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs).

 

SECTION 6.05 Swap Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 6.06 Restricted Payments.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, declare, pay or make, or agree to declare, pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in its Equity Interests, (b) Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with equity-based compensation plans or other benefit plans for directors, management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and (d) the Borrower may make other Restricted Payments so long as (i) no Default exists immediately before and after giving effect thereto and (ii) after giving effect to such Restricted Payments on a pro forma basis, the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12 (a), (b) and (c) do not exceed the limits specified in Section 6.12 (a), (b) and (c).

 

SECTION 6.07 Transactions with Affiliates.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Material Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06, (d) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04(g), (e) payroll, travel and similar advances to cover matters permitted under Section 6.04(h), (f) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of the Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary

 

  

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course of business, (g) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, equity-based compensation plans, stock ownership plans and other benefit plans and (h) employment and severance arrangements entered into between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and any employee thereof.

 

SECTION 6.08 Restrictive Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Material Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Material Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Material Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.08 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness or obligations permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or obligations and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

 

SECTION 6.09 Fiscal Year.  The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, change its fiscal year to end on any date other than December 31 of each year.

 

SECTION 6.10 Name and Jurisdiction of Organization.  The Borrower shall not change its name or jurisdiction of organization, except after thirty days’ (or such lesser period as is acceptable to the Administrative Agent) prior written notice to the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 6.11 Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Material Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions in respect of which the net cash proceeds received in connection therewith does not exceed $100,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement, determined on a consolidated basis for the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 6.12 Financial Covenants.

 

(a) Maximum Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than 1.50 to 1.00.

 

  

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(b) Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 2.00 to 1.00.

 

(c) Minimum Liquidity.  The Borrower will not permit Liquidity as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than $125,000,000.

 

(d) Minimum DOE Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the DOE Ratio as of the end of any fiscal year of the Borrower to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.

 

(e) Cohort Default Rate.  The Borrower will not permit the Cohort Default Rate for any School to exceed (i) 30% for two consecutive federal fiscal years, or (ii) 40% for any federal fiscal year, subject to the completion of a customary appeals process after the first federal fiscal year that the official Cohort Default Rate was equal to or greater than 30%, if applicable.

 

(f) “90/10 Rule”.  The Borrower will not permit any School to fail to be in compliance with the “90/10 Rule” under 34 C.F.R. Section 668.14(b)(16) and the Higher Education Act for one calendar year.

 

(g) “Gainful Employment”.  The Borrower will not permit any School in which more than 25% of the aggregate number of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ students are enrolled to fail to be in compliance with the “Gainful Employment” metrics under 34 C.F.R. Section 668.7 for two out of three federal fiscal years (to the extent that applicable earnings measures do not ensure such compliance), subject to any alternative earnings measures and the completion of a customary appeals process, if applicable.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

 

Events of Default

 

If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:

 

(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement or fail to deposit any cash collateral amount due pursuant to Section 2.06(j) when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

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

 

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any Credit Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver

 

  

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hereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

 

(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.01, 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence) or 5.08, 5.09, 5.10 or in Article VI;

 

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

 

(f) the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any of its Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;

 

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

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

 

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

 

  

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

 

(k) one or more uninsured judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $30,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Material Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

 

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

 

(m) a Change in Control shall occur;

 

(n) except as otherwise provided in Section 6.03(a), the Subsidiary Guaranty or any provisions thereof shall cease to be in full force or effect as to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, or the Borrower, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any Person acting for or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall deny or disaffirm the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty, as applicable;

 

(o) the Pledge Agreement shall cease to be in full force and effect, or shall cease to give the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Creditors the Liens, rights, powers and privileges purported to be created thereby, or the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement on its part to be performed or observed pursuant to the Pledge Agreement and such default shall continue beyond the period of grace, if any, specifically applicable thereto pursuant to the terms of the Pledge Agreement; or

 

(p) a Significant Regulatory Event shall occur;

 

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

 

  

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any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower, (iii) exercise any other remedies available to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, including, without limitation, the Collateral Documents, and (iv) exercise any other remedy available at law or in equity.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

 

The Administrative Agent

 

SECTION 8.01 Appointment.  Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

 

SECTION 8.02 Rights and Power.  The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

 

SECTION 8.03 Exculpatory Provisions.  The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.  The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in

 

  

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Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 8.04 Administrative Agent Reliance.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

SECTION 8.05 Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 8.06 Resignation.  Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower.  Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor.  If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 8.07 Lender Non-Reliance.  Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate,

 

  

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continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

SECTION 8.08 Other Titles.  No Lender identified in this Agreement as a “Documentation Agent” or a “Syndication Agent” shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender.  Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to such Lenders as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in this Article VIII.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

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

 

(i) if to the Borrower, to it at 13000 N. Meridian Street, Carmel, Indiana 46032, Attention of Chief Financial Officer (email: DFitzpatrick@ittesi.com);

 

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services Group, 21 South Clark, Chicago, IL 60603, Attention of Yuvette Owens (email: jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmchase.com), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 270 Park Avenue, New York 10017;

 

(iii) if to the Issuing Bank, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Standby LCs Mid-Corporate Group, 131 South Dearborn, Floor 05, Chicago, Il 60603-5506 (email:  Standbylc.Chi.MC@jpmchase.com)

 

(iv) if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Agency Services Group, 21 South Clark, Chicago, IL 60603, Attention of Yuvette Owens (email: jpm.agency.servicing.1@jpmchase.com); and

 

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

 

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.  References elsewhere in this Agreement to the giving of notices by electronic

 

  

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mail shall be effective only to the extent that the Borrower, Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender, as applicable, has agreed to accept such notices in such manner pursuant to this Section 9.01(b).

 

(c) Any party hereto may change its address or email address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received and notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in paragraph (b) of this Section shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.

 

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

 

Neither this Agreement, nor any other Credit Document, nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) of this Agreement or Section 10 of the Pledge Agreement in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender, or (vi) release all or substantially all of the Collateral or, except in connection with a transaction permitted by Section 6.03(a), release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender (except as expressly provided in Section 9.14 of the Pledge Agreement (including any such release by the Administrative Agent in connection with any sale or other disposition of

 

  

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any Subsidiary upon the exercise of remedies under the Credit Documents); provided further that no such agreement shall (i) amend, modify or waive Section 2.20 without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender or (ii) amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, only the vote of the Required Lenders shall be required to approve any non-pro rata payments or commitment reductions pursuant to an amendment extending the Maturity Date of certain consenting Lenders (but not all Lenders with Commitments) to the extent such non-pro rata payments or commitment reductions are in connection with the extension or conversion with no actual repayment (or deemed extension or conversion with no actual repayment) of the Secured Obligations owing to extending Lenders to the extent such non-pro rata payments are applied only to the non-extended Secured Obligations.

 

SECTION 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during  any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a Credit Party or a third party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party

 

  

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thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.  This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

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

 

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and 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 or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, 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 by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby except to the extent such damages are found by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court to arise from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of such indemnified person.

 

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

 

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

 

  

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

 

(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee; and provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 5 Business Days after having received notice thereof;

 

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

 

(C) the Issuing Bank.

 

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

 

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

 

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

 

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

 

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

 

  

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

 

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon.  No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

 

(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”), other than an Ineligible Institution, in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other

 

  

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parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.  The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (i) agrees to be subject to the provisions of 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (ii) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.  Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Credit 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 Credit Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

  

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SECTION 9.05 Survival.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments  delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, in the event that, in connection with the refinancing or repayment in full of the credit facilities provided for herein, an Issuing Bank shall have provided to the Administrative Agent a written consent to the release of the Lenders from their obligations hereunder with respect to any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (whether as a result of the obligations of the Borrower (and any other account party) in respect of such Letter of Credit having been collateralized by a deposit of cash with such Issuing Bank in an amount acceptable to such Issuing Bank in its sole discretion, or being supported by a letter of credit acceptable to the Issuing Bank in its sole discretion that names such Issuing Bank as the beneficiary thereunder, or otherwise to the satisfaction of such Issuing Bank), then from and after such time such Letter of Credit shall cease to be a “Letter of Credit” outstanding hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, and the Lenders shall be deemed to have no participations in such Letter of Credit, and no obligations with respect thereto, under Section 2.05(d) or 2.05(e).  The provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

SECTION 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by email or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.07 Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and

 

  

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enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

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

 

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

 

(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of 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 for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING

 

  

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DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

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

 

SECTION 9.12 Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority or self-regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it or its Affiliates, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement by such recipient containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or obtained by the Administrative Agent or any Lender by inspection pursuant to Section 5.06 hereof relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

SECTION 9.13 Interest Rate Limitation.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be

 

  

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contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

 

SECTION 9.14 Release of Liens and Guarantees.  Without limiting the foregoing, if any Collateral or any Subsidiary is sold in a transaction permitted hereunder (excluding sales to the Borrower or a Subsidiary thereof), (a) such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Pledge Agreement and (b) in the case of such a sale of a Subsidiary Guarantor, such Subsidiary Guarantor and its subsidiaries shall be released from the Subsidiary Guaranty and, in each case, the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

 

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

 

SECTION 9.16 No Fiduciary Duty.  The Administrative Agent, each Lender and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “Lenders”) may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrower, its stockholders and/or its Affiliates. The Borrower agrees that nothing in the Credit Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates, on the other.  The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Credit Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Borrower, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Borrower except the obligations expressly set forth in the Credit Documents and (y) each Lender is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of the Borrower, its management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person.  The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto.  The Borrower agrees that it will not claim that any Lender has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or

 

  

79

  

owes a fiduciary or similar duty, to the Borrower in connection with such transactions or the process leading thereto.

 

SECTION 9.17 Waiver of Notice.  The Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Lenders hereunder (which constitute “Required Lenders” under the Existing Credit Agreement), hereby waives the requirement pursuant to Section 2.09(c) of the Existing Credit Agreement that the Borrower deliver prior notice of their election to terminate or reduce the “Commitments” under the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

[signature pages follow]

 

  

80

  

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

 

ITT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC., as Borrower

 

 

By /s/ Kevin M. Modany

 

Name: Kevin M. Modany

 

Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent

 

 

By /s/ Richard Barritt

 

Name: Richard Barritt

 

Title: Associate

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender and as Syndication Agent

 

By /s/ Adam M. Goettsche

 

Name: Adam M. Goettsche

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Kyle C. Lacey

 

Name: Kyle C. Lacey

 

Title: Relationship Manager

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

Fifth Third Bank,

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Paul D. Burch 3/21/12

 

Name: Paul D. Burch

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

RBS Citizens, N.A.

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Susan Leithauser

 

Name: Susan Leithauser

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

REGIONS BANK

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Eric Harvey

 

Name: Eric Harvey

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

Associated Bank, National Association

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Jennifer L. Teubl

 

Name: Jennifer L. Teubl

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

Key Bank, National Association

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Agapito Morgan

 

Name: Agapito Morgan

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

The Northern Trust Company

as a Lender

 

By /s/ Mike Fornal

 

Name: Mike Fornal

 

Title: Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]

  

  

  

Schedule 1.01

 

PRICING SCHEDULE

	
Applicable Rate

	
Level I Status

	
Level II Status

	
Level III Status

	
Eurodollar Spread

	
2.00%

	
2.25%

	
2.50%

	
ABR Spread

	
1.00%

	
1.25%

	
1.50%

	
Commitment Fee Rate

	
0.30%

	
0.35%

	
0.40%

 

For the purposes of this Schedule, the following terms have the following meanings, subject to the final paragraph of this Schedule:

 

“Financials” means the annual or quarterly financial statements of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 of this Agreement.

 

“Level I Status” exists at any date if, as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower referred to in the most recent Financials, the Leverage Ratio is less than 0.50 to 1.00.

 

“Level II Status” exists at any date if, as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower referred to in the most recent Financials, (i) the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status and (ii) the Leverage Ratio is less than 1.00 to 1.00.

 

 “Level III Status” exists at any date if, as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower referred to in the most recent Financials, the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status or Level II Status.

 

“Status” means Level I Status, Level II Status or Level III Status.

 

The Applicable Rate shall be determined in accordance with the foregoing table based on the Borrower’s Status as reflected in the then most recent Financials.  Adjustments, if any, to the Applicable Rate shall be effective five Business Days after the Administrative Agent has received the applicable Financials.  If the Borrower fails to deliver the Financials to the Administrative Agent at the time required pursuant to this Agreement, then the Applicable Rate shall be the highest Applicable Rate set forth in the foregoing table until five Business Days after such Financials are so delivered.  Until adjusted after the Effective Date, Level II Status shall be deemed to exist.

 

If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the Financials of the Borrower or for any other reason, the Administrative Agent determines that (a) the Leverage Ratio as calculated by the Borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (b) a proper calculation of the Leverage Ratio would have resulted in different pricing for any period, then (i) if the proper calculation of the Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrower shall automatically and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent, for

 

  

1

  

the benefit of the applicable Lenders, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent, an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period; and (ii) if the proper calculation of the Leverage Ratio would have resulted in lower pricing for such period, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to repay any interest or fees to the Borrower; provided that if, as a result of any restatement or other event a proper calculation of the Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for one or more periods and lower pricing for one or more other periods (due to the shifting of income or expenses from one period to another period or any similar reason), then the amount payable by the Borrower pursuant to clause (i) above shall be based upon the excess, if any, of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for all applicable periods over the amount of interest and fees paid for all such periods.

 

  

2

  

Schedule 2.01

 

Commitments

 

	
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

	 	
$60,000,000

	
Bank of America, N.A.

	 	
$60,000,000

	
Wells Fargo, N.A.

	 	
$50,000,000

	
Fifth Third Bank

	 	
$30,000,000

	
RBS Citizens Bank

	 	
$30,000,000

	
Regions Bank

	 	
$30,000,000

	
Associated Bank

	 	
$25,000,000

	
KeyBank

	 	
$25,000,000

	
The Northern Trust Company

	 	
$15,000,000

	
TOTAL

	 	
$325,000,000

 

  

  

  

Schedule 3.14

Subsidiaries

	  	 	
Material Subsidiary?

	 	
Subsidiary Guarantor?

	
                    Name                       .

	 	
Yes

	 	
No

	 	
Yes

	 	
No

	
ESI Service Corp.

	 	
X

	 	  	 	
X

	 	  
	
ESI General Services Corp.

	 	  	 	
X

	 	  	 	
X

	
ESI Maryland Corp.

	 	  	 	
X

	 	  	 	
X

	
ESI Online Services, Inc.

	 	  	 	
X

	 	  	 	
X

	
Daniel Webster College, Inc.

	 	
X

	 	  	 	  	 	
X

	
ITT International University, Inc.

	 	  	 	
X

	 	  	 	
X

  

  

  

Schedule 6.01

Existing Indebtedness

Guarantees related to the following Private Education Loan Programs:

	
·  

	
Risk Sharing Loan Program Agreement between the Borrower and Sallie Mae, Inc. (the “2007 RSA”)

 

	
o  

	
The Borrower guarantees the repayment of any private education loans that the lender charges off above a certain percentage of the total dollar volume of private education loans made under the 2007 RSA.  Based on information that the Borrower has received to date from the lender, the Borrower believes that the total original principal amount of private education loans made under the 2007 RSA, net of amounts refunded under those loans, was approximately $180.0 million.

 

	
·  

	
Student CU Connect CUSO Private Loan Program (the “2009 RSA”)

 

	
o  

	
Under the 2009 RSA, the Borrower guarantees the repayment of the principal amount (including capitalized origination fees) and accrued interest payable on any private education loans that are charged off above a certain percentage of the private education loans made under the this loan program, based on the annual dollar volume.  The total initial principal amount of private education loans that was purchased by the entity under this loan program was approximately $141.0 million.

 

	
·  

	
PEAKS Private Education Loan Program (the “PEAKS Program”)

 

	
o  

	
Under the PEAKS Program, an unrelated trust issued senior debt in the aggregate principal amount of $300.0 million (the “PEAKS Senior Debt”) to investors.  The Borrower guarantees payment of the principal, interest and certain call premiums owed on the PEAKS Senior Debt, and the administrative fees and expenses of the PEAKS trust

 

	
·  

	
1994 Alternative Loan Program with USA Funds and NBD Bank, N.A.

 

Surety bonds issued to various education authorities:

	
·  

	
As part of the Borrower’s normal operations, one of the Borrower’s insurers issues surety bonds for the Borrower that are required by various education authorities that regulate the Borrower.  The Borrower is obligated to reimburse its insurer for any of those surety bonds that are paid by the insurer. As of December 31, 2011, the total face amount of those surety bonds was approximately $33.7 million

 

Security deposits from Daniel Webster College students for residential housing

Directors Deferred Compensation Plan

ESI Excess Savings Plan

  

  

  

ESI Excess Pension Plan

	
·  

	
As of December 31, 2011, the Borrower recorded a liability of $0.3 million for the ESI Excess Pension Plan, a nonqualified, unfunded retirement plan.

 

  

  

  

Schedule 6.02

Existing Liens

First priority security interest in, lien upon and pledge of a bank account established March 11, 2009 by and among ITT Educational Services, Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA and Student CU Connect CUSO, LLC

 

Subcontractor liens on the Borrower’s leased facility in Austin, Texas arising from the failure of the general contractor to pay the subcontractors

  

  

  

Schedule 6.08

Existing Restrictions

Certain accounts with JPMorgan Chase and US Bank are used to hold funds received from federal and state financial aid programs and cannot, under applicable law, be used to pledge or secure any obligations of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary.

  

  

  

EXHIBIT A

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below  (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee.  The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

 

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions referred to below and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any Letters of Credit, Guarantees, and Swingline Loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”).  Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.           Assignor:                                ______________________________

 

2.           Assignee:                                ______________________________

 

[and is [a Lender] an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1 ]

 

3.           Borrower(s):                                ITT Educational Services, Inc.

 

	
4.

	
Administrative Agent:

	
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the Administrative Agent under the Credit Agreement

 

5.           Credit Agreement:                                The Credit Agreement dated as of March 21, 2012 among ITT Educational Services, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A. as Syndication Agent and each other party thereto

 

  

1           Select as applicable.

  

  

  

2

 

6.           Assigned Interest:

 

	
Facility Assigned2

	
Aggregate Amount of Commitments/Loans for all Lenders

	
Amount of Commitments/Loans Assigned

	
Percentage Assigned of Commitments/Loans3

	  	
$

	
$

	
%

	  	
$

	
$

	
%

	  	
$

	
$

	
%

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

 

The Assignee, if not already a Lender, agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information  (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower, the Credit Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

 

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

	
ASSIGNOR

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

	  
	
By:

	  
	  	
Title:

 

	
ASSIGNEE4

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

	  
	
By:

	  
	  	
Title:

  

2           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,” etc.)

  

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

  

4           The Assignee must deliver to the Borrower all applicable Tax forms required to be delivered by it under Section 2.17(f) of the Credit Agreement.

  

  

  

3

 

 

[Consented to and]5  Accepted:

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as

 

Administrative Agent

 

 

By_________________________________

Title:

 

 

Consented to:

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as

 

Issuing Bank

 

 

By________________________________

Title:

 

 

[Consented to:

 

ITT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC.

 

 

By________________________________

Title:]6

  

5           To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

  

6           To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

  

  

  

ANNEX 1

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

1.  Representations and Warranties.

 

1.1  Assignor.  The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of the Credit Agreement or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement.

 

1.2.  Assignee.  The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, (v) if it is a Lender that is a U.S. Person, attached hereto is an executed original of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal Backup withholding tax and (vi) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

2.  Payments.  From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

 

  

  

  

2

 

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 email 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 laws of the State of New York.

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT B-1

FORM OF

 

U.S. TAX 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 21, 2012 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among ITT Educational Services, Inc. (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank. N.A., as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndication Agent, each lender from time to time party thereto and each other party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any promissory 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 Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (v) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding 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[  ]

 

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT B-2

FORM OF

 

U.S. TAX 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 21, 2012 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among ITT Educational Services, Inc. (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank. N.A., as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndication Agent, each lender from time to time party thereto and each other party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement, neither the undersigned nor any of its 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 partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (v) none of its partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (vi) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s or its partners/members’ conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding 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[  ]

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT B-3

FORM OF

 

U.S. TAX 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 21, 2012 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among ITT Educational Services, Inc. (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank. N.A., as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndication Agent, each lender from time to time party thereto and each other party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (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 Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (v) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

 

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN.  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[  ]

 

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT B-4

FORM OF

 

U.S. TAX 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 21, 2012 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among ITT Educational Services, Inc. (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank. N.A., as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndication Agent, each lender from time to time party thereto and each other party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its 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 partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, (v) none of its partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and (vi) the interest payments in question are not effectively connected with the undersigned’s or its partners/members’ conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

 

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 (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN 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[  ]

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