Exhibit 10.1

EXECUTION VERSION

$130,000,000

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of June 29, 2020

by and among

STAMPS.COM INC.,

as Borrower,

the Lenders referred to herein,

as Lenders,

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent,

Swingline Lender and Issuing Lender

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.,

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

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AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of June 29, 2020 by and among STAMPS.COM INC., a Delaware corporation, as Borrower, the lenders who are party to this Agreement and the lenders who may become a party to this Agreement pursuant to the terms hereof, as Lenders, and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

 

The Borrower has requested, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have agreed to extend, certain credit facilities to the Borrower.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties hereto, such parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

SECTION 1.1          Definitions.  The following terms when used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them below:

 

“Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries (a) acquires any business or all or substantially all of the assets of any firm, corporation or limited liability company, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (b) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for the election of directors or equivalent governing body (other than securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage or voting power) of the outstanding ownership interests of a partnership or limited liability company.

 

“Administrative Agent” means Wells Fargo, in its capacity as Administrative Agent hereunder, and any successor thereto appointed pursuant to Section 11.6.

 

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the office of the Administrative Agent specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 12.1(c).

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Agent Parties” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 12.1(e)(ii).

 

“Agreement” means this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

 

“Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption, including, without limitation, the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the rules and regulations thereunder and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

“Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means any and all laws, statutes, regulations or obligatory government orders, decrees, ordinances or rules applicable to a Credit Party, its Subsidiaries or Affiliates related to terrorism financing or money laundering, including any applicable provision of the Patriot Act and The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act (also known as the “Bank Secrecy Act,” 31 U.S.C. §§ 5311-5330 and 12U.S.C. §§ 1818(s), 1820(b) and 1951-1959).

 

 “Applicable Law” means all applicable provisions of constitutions, laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, treaties, regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, interpretations and orders of Governmental Authorities and all orders and decrees of all courts and arbitrators.

 

“Applicable Margin” means the corresponding percentages per annum as set forth below based on the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio:

 

The Applicable Margin shall be determined and adjusted quarterly on the date five (5) Business Days after the day on which the Borrower provides an Officer’s Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 8.2(a) for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower (each such date, a “Calculation Date”); provided that (a) the Applicable Margin shall be based on the Pricing Level corresponding to the pro forma Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio set forth in the certificate delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 6.1(f)(ii) until the first Calculation Date occurring after the Closing Date and, thereafter the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, and (b) if the Borrower fails to provide an Officer’s Compliance Certificate when due as required by Section 8.2(a) for the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding the applicable Calculation Date, the Applicable Margin from the date on which such Officer’s Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered shall be based on Pricing Level I until such time as such Officer’s Compliance Certificate is delivered, at which time the Pricing Level shall be determined by reference to the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower preceding such Calculation Date.  The applicable Pricing Level shall be effective from one Calculation Date until the next Calculation Date.  Any adjustment in the Pricing Level shall be applicable to all Extensions of Credit then existing or subsequently made or issued.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any financial statement or Officer’s Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.1 or 8.2(a) is shown to be inaccurate (regardless of whether (i) this Agreement is in effect, (ii) any Revolving Credit Commitments are in effect, or (iii) any Extension of Credit is outstanding when such inaccuracy is discovered or such financial statement or Officer’s Compliance Certificate was delivered), and such inaccuracy, if corrected, would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Margin for any period (an “Applicable Period”) than the Applicable Margin applied for such Applicable Period, then (A) the Borrower shall promptly (but in no event later than one (1) Business Day) deliver to the Administrative Agent a corrected Officer’s Compliance Certificate for such Applicable Period, (B) the Applicable Margin for such Applicable Period shall be determined as if the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio in the corrected Officer’s Compliance Certificate were applicable for such Applicable Period, and (C) the Borrower shall promptly (but in no event later than two (2) Business Days) and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent the accrued additional interest and fees owing as a result of such increased Applicable Margin for such Applicable Period, which payment shall be promptly applied by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 5.4.  Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the rights of the Administrative Agent and Lenders with respect to Sections 5.1(b) and 10.2 nor any of their other rights under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.  The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

 

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

 

“Arranger” means each of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BofA Securities, Inc. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its respective capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner.

 

“Asset Disposition” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any Property (including any sale leaseback transaction, division, merger or disposition of Equity Interests) by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof (or the granting of any option or other right to do any of the foregoing), and any issuance of Equity Interests by any Subsidiary of the Borrower to any Person that is not a Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof.  The term “Asset Disposition” shall not include (a) the sale of inventory in the ordinary course of business, (b) the transfer of assets to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to any other transaction permitted pursuant to Section 9.4, (c) the write-off, discount, sale or other disposition of defaulted or past-due receivables and similar obligations in the ordinary course of business and not undertaken as part of an accounts receivable financing transaction, (d) the disposition of any Hedge Agreement, (e) dispositions of Investments in cash and Cash Equivalents, (f) the transfer by any Credit Party of its assets to any other Credit Party, (g) the transfer by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary of its assets to any Credit Party (provided that in connection with any new transfer, such Credit Party shall not pay more than an amount equal to the fair market value of such assets as determined in good faith at the time of such transfer) and (h) the transfer by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary of its assets to any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary.

 

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 12.9), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit G or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Bankruptcy Code” means 11 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq.

 

“Base Rate” means, at any time, the highest of (a) the Prime Rate, (b) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50% and (c) LIBOR for an Interest Period of one month plus 1%; each change in the Base Rate shall take effect simultaneously with the corresponding change or changes in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or LIBOR (provided that clause (c) shall not be applicable during any period in which LIBOR is unavailable or unascertainable).

 

“Base Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Base Rate as provided in Section 5.1(a).

 

“Benchmark Replacement” means the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate (which may include Term SOFR) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest as a replacement to LIBOR for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; provided that, if the Benchmark Replacement as so determined would be less than zero, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of LIBOR with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for each applicable Interest Period, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of LIBOR with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of LIBOR with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time.

 

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

 

“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earlier to occur of the following events with respect to LIBOR:

 

(a)          in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of LIBOR permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide LIBOR; and

 

(b)          in the case of clause (c) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein.

 

“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to LIBOR:

 

(a)          a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of LIBOR announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide LIBOR, permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide LIBOR;

 

(b)         a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of LIBOR, the U.S. Federal Reserve System, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for LIBOR, a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for LIBOR or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for LIBOR, which states that the administrator of LIBOR has ceased or will cease to provide LIBOR permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide LIBOR; or

 

(c)          a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of LIBOR announcing that LIBOR is no longer representative.

 

“Benchmark Transition Start Date” means (a) in the case of a Benchmark Transition Event, the earlier of (i) the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and (ii) if such Benchmark Transition Event is a public statement or publication of information of a prospective event, the 90th day prior to the expected date of such event as of such public statement or publication of information (or if the expected date of such prospective event is fewer than 90 days after such statement or publication, the date of such statement or publication) and (b) in the case of an Early Opt-in Election, the date specified by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, as applicable, by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (in the case of such notice by the Required Lenders) and the Lenders.

 

“Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to LIBOR and solely to the extent that LIBOR has not been replaced with a Benchmark Replacement, the period (a) beginning at the time that such Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced LIBOR for all purposes hereunder in accordance with Section 5.8(c) and (b) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced LIBOR for all purposes hereunder pursuant to Section 5.8(c).

 

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

 

“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 CFR § 1010.230.

 

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

 

“Borrower” means Stamps.com Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

“Borrower Materials” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 8.2.

 

“Business Day” means (a) for all purposes other than as set forth in clause (b) below, any day (other than a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday) on which banks in Charlotte, North Carolina, Los Angeles, California or New York, New York, are open for the conduct of their commercial banking business and (b) with respect to all notices and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on, any LIBOR Rate Loan, or any Base Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR, any day that is a Business Day described in clause (a) and that is also a London Banking Day.

 

“Calculation Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of Applicable Margin.

 

“Capital Expenditures” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, for any period, (a) the additions to intangible assets, property, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures that are (or would be) set forth in a Consolidated statement of cash flows of such Person for such period prepared in accordance with GAAP and (b) Capital Lease Obligations during such period, but excluding the capitalized portion of any expenditures that constitute Permitted Acquisitions.

 

“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means, subject to Section 1.3, 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 finance 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.

 

“Cash Collateralize” means, to pledge and deposit with, or deliver to the Administrative Agent, or directly to the Issuing Lender (with notice thereof to the Administrative Agent), for the benefit of the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender shall agree, in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender, as applicable.  “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

 

“Cash Equivalents” means, collectively, (a) marketable direct obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof maturing within three hundred sixty-five (365) days from the date of acquisition thereof, (b) commercial paper maturing no more than one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of creation thereof and currently having the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s, (c) certificates of deposit maturing no more than one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of creation thereof issued by commercial banks incorporated under the laws of the United States, each having combined capital, surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000 and having a rating of “A” or better by a nationally recognized rating agency; provided that the aggregate amount invested in such certificates of deposit shall not at any time exceed $5,000,000 for any one such certificate of deposit and $10,000,000 for any one such bank, or (d) time deposits maturing no more than thirty (30) days from the date of creation thereof with commercial banks or savings banks or savings and loan associations each having membership either in the FDIC or the deposits of which are insured by the FDIC and in amounts not exceeding the maximum amounts of insurance thereunder.

 

“Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card (including non-card electronic payables and purchasing cards), electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

 

“Cash Management Bank” means any Person that, (a) at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement with a Credit Party, is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, or (b) at the time it (or its Affiliate) becomes a Lender or the Administrative Agent (including on the Closing Date), is a party to a Cash Management Agreement with a Credit Party, in each case in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement.

 

“Change in Control” means an event or series of events by which any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a “person” or “group” shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all Equity Interests that such “person” or “group” has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of more than thirty five percent (35%) of the Equity Interests of the Borrower entitled to vote in the election of members of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower.

 

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

 

“Closing Date” means the date of this Agreement.

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Collateral” means the collateral security for the Secured Obligations pledged or granted pursuant to the Security Documents, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include the Excluded Property (as defined in the Collateral Agreement).

 

“Collateral Agreement” means the collateral agreement dated as of the Original Closing Date and executed by the Credit Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, which shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Commitment Fee” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.3(a).

 

“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

 

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

 

“Consolidated” means, when used with reference to financial statements or financial statement items of any Person, such statements or items on a consolidated basis in accordance with applicable principles of consolidation under GAAP.

 

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, the sum of the following determined on a Consolidated basis, without duplication, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP: (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the sum of the following, without duplication, to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period: (i) income and franchise taxes, (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense, (iii) amortization, depreciation and other non-cash charges, including, without limitation or duplication, those related to (A) non-cash write downs for unrecoverable pre-payments and non-cash write downs made in connection with the permanent closure of an operational site and (B) non-cash stock based compensation pursuant to plans approved by the Borrower’s board of directors (in each case except to the extent that such non-cash charges are reserved for cash charges to be taken in the future), (iv) unusual or non-recurring charges or losses (excluding unusual losses from discontinued operations) including, but not limited to, litigation settlements and reserves and Corporate Development Costs; provided that the aggregate amount added back pursuant to this clause (iv) in such period shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of Consolidated EBITDA for such period (it being acknowledged and agreed that Consolidated EBITDA shall be determined for this purpose without giving effect to the add-backs in this clause (b)(iv)); (v) [reserved]; and (vi) [reserved]; less (c) the sum of the following, without duplication, to the extent included in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period: (i) interest income, (ii) any unusual gains and (iii) non-cash gains or non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income.  Except as expressly provided herein, for purposes of this Agreement, Consolidated EBITDA shall be adjusted on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

“Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed Reference Period to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for the most recently completed Reference Period.

 

“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the sum of the following determined on a Consolidated basis, without duplication, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, interest expense (including, without limitation, interest expense attributable to Capital Lease Obligations and all net payment obligations pursuant to Hedge Agreements) for such period.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a Consolidated basis, without duplication, in accordance with GAAP; provided, that in calculating Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, there shall be excluded (a) the net income (or loss) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary which shall be subject to clause (c) below), in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has a joint interest with a third party, except to the extent such net income is actually paid in cash to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by dividend or other distribution during such period, (b) the net income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or that Person’s assets are acquired by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries except to the extent included pursuant to the foregoing clause (a), (c) the net income (if positive), of any Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of such net income (i) is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to such Subsidiary or (ii) would be subject to any taxes payable on such dividends or distributions, but in each case only to the extent of such prohibition or taxes and (d) any gain or loss from Asset Dispositions during such period.

 

“Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of any date of determination, all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total assets” (or any like caption) on a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date.

 

“Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis without duplication, the sum of all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries other than Indebtedness [***] (B) in the form of earn-out or similar obligations to the extent payable solely in Qualified Equity Interests.

 

“Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed Reference Period.

 

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

 

“Corporate Development Costs” means all reasonable transaction fees, charges and other amounts related to any Permitted Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any financing fees, merger and acquisition fees, legal fees and expenses, fees related to any regulatory review or approval process, due diligence fees or any other fees and expenses in connection therewith), in each case to the extent incurred (i.e., either accrued under GAAP or paid in cash) within one (1) year of the closing of such Permitted Acquisition.  The term “Corporate Development Costs” shall also include any of the foregoing fees, charges and other amounts for a potential Acquisition that, had such Acquisition been consummated, would have been a Permitted Acquisition, in each case to the extent incurred (i.e., either accrued under GAAP or paid in cash) within one (1) year of the earlier of the date (a) the Borrower determines to no longer pursue such potential Acquisition or (b) termination of negotiations with respect to such potential Acquisition.

 

“Credit Facility” means, collectively, the Revolving Credit Facility, the Swingline Facility and the L/C Facility, and if applicable, any Incremental Term Loans.

 

“Credit Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

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

 

“Default” means any of the events specified in Section 10.1 which with the passage of time, the giving of notice or any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 5.15(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of the Revolving Credit Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the FDIC or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 5.15(b)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender and each Lender.

 

“Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interests that, by their terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interest into which they are convertible or for which they are exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event or condition, (a)  mature or are mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments), (b) are redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests) (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments), in whole or in part, (c) provide for the scheduled payment of dividends in cash or (d) are or become convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is 91 days after the Maturity Date; provided that if such Equity Interests are issued pursuant to a plan agreement or similar arrangement for the benefit of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan agreement or similar arrangement to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because they may be required to be repurchased by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or upon a termination of employment or services.

 

“Dollars” or “$” means, unless otherwise qualified, dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

 

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States, other than a Subsidiary described in clause (b) of the definition of First Tier Foreign Subsidiary.

 

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

 

(a)          (i) a determination by the Administrative Agent or (ii) a notification by the Required Lenders to the Administrative Agent (with a copy to the Borrower) that the Required Lenders have determined that U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities being executed at such time, or that include language similar to that contained in Section 5.8(c) are being executed or amended, as applicable, to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR, and

 

(b)          (i) the election by the Administrative Agent or (ii) the election by the Required Lenders to declare that an Early Opt-in Election has occurred and the provision, as applicable, by the Administrative Agent of written notice of such election to the Borrower and the Lenders or by the Required Lenders of written notice of such election to the Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

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

 

“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country.

 

“El Segundo Property” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of “Material Real Property”.

 

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 12.9(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 12.9(b)(iii)).

 

“Employee Benefit Plan” means (a) any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA that is maintained for employees of any Credit Party, or (b) any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan that has at any time within the preceding six (6) years been maintained, funded or administered for the employees of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

“Environmental Claims” means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, accusations, allegations, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Person in the ordinary course of business and not in response to any third party action or request of any kind) or proceedings relating in any way to any actual or alleged violation of or liability under any Environmental Law or relating to any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any and all claims by Governmental Authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to public health or the environment.

 

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, foreign, state, provincial and local laws, statutes, ordinances, codes, rules, standards and regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, interpretations and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities, relating to the protection of public health or the environment, including, but not limited to, requirements pertaining to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, handling, reporting, licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of Hazardous Materials.

 

“Equity Interests” means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, (c) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), (d) in the case of a limited liability company, membership interests, (e) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person and (f) any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means any Person who together with any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(b) of ERISA.  Any former ERISA Affiliate shall continue to be considered an ERISA Affiliate within the meaning of this definition with respect to the period such entity was an ERISA Affiliate and with respect to liabilities arising after such period for which any Credit Party would be liable under the Code or ERISA.

 

“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor thereto), as in effect from time to time.¹

 

“Eurodollar Reserve Percentage” means, for any day, the percentage which is in effect for such day as prescribed by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any basic, supplemental or emergency reserves) in respect of eurocurrency liabilities or any similar category of liabilities for a member bank of the Federal Reserve System in New York City.

 

“Event of Default” means any of the events specified in Section 10.1; provided that any requirement for passage of time, giving of notice, or any other condition, has been satisfied.

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¹ The EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule may be found at http://www.lma.eu.com/uploads/files/EU%20BAIL-IN%20LEGISLATION%20SCHEDULE%2022-Dec-2015%2010-46%20.pdf

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

“Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Credit Party, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the liability of such Credit Party for or the guarantee of such Credit Party of, or the grant by such Credit Party of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any liability or guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Credit Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the liability for or the guarantee of such Credit Party or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation (such determination being made after giving effect to any applicable keepwell, support or other agreement for the benefit of the applicable Credit Party, including under Section 2.12 of the Guaranty Agreement).  If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal for the reasons identified in the immediately preceding sentence of this definition.

 

“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, United States 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 Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 5.12(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 5.11, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes that are attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 5.11(g) and (d) any United States federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

“Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of the Original Closing Date, by and among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo, as the administrative agent for the lenders thereunder.

 

“Existing Letters of Credit” means those letters of credit existing on the Closing Date and identified on Schedule 1.1(a).

 

“Extensions of Credit” means, as to any Lender at any time, (a) an amount equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Credit Loans made by such Lender then outstanding, (ii) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the L/C Obligations then outstanding, (iii) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the Swingline Loans then outstanding, and (iv) if applicable, the aggregate principal amount of any Incremental Term Loan made by such Lender then outstanding, or (b) the making of any Loan or participation in any Letter of Credit by such Lender, as the context requires.

 

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

 

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

 

“FDIC” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

 

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day, provided that if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average of the quotation for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Federal Funds Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website” means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source.

 

“Fee Letter” means the engagement letter dated as of June 10, 2020 between the Borrower and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.

 

“First Tier Foreign Subsidiary” means (a) any Foreign Subsidiary that is a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code and the Equity Interests of which are owned directly by (i) any Credit Party or (ii) any Foreign Subsidiary that is a direct Subsidiary of a Credit Party and is disregarded for United States federal income tax purposes and (b) any Domestic Subsidiary whose Equity Interests are owned and held by an entity described in clause (a) of this definition.

 

“Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on December 31.

 

“Flood Insurance Laws” means, collectively, (a) the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, (b) the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, (c) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, (d) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and (e) the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, as each of the foregoing is now or hereafter in effect and any successor statute to any of the foregoing.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the Issuing Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, other than such L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof and (b) with respect to the Swingline Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of outstanding Swingline Loans other than Swingline Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

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

 

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

 

“Governmental Approvals” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, permits, licenses and exemptions of, and all registrations and filings with or issued by, any Governmental Authorities.

 

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

 

“Guarantee” 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, (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation or (e) for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (whether in whole or in part); provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

“Guaranty Agreement” means the unconditional guaranty agreement dated as of the Original Closing Date and executed by the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit and the Secured Parties, which shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Hazardous Materials” means any substances or materials (a) which are or become defined as hazardous wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, chemical substances or mixtures or toxic substances under any Environmental Law, (b) which are toxic, explosive, corrosive, flammable, infectious, radioactive, carcinogenic, mutagenic or otherwise harmful to public health or the environment and are or become regulated by any Governmental Authority, (c) the presence of which require investigation or remediation under any Environmental Law or common law, (d) the discharge or emission or release of which requires a permit or license under any Environmental Law or other Governmental Approval, (e) which are deemed by a Governmental Authority to constitute a nuisance or a trespass which pose a health or safety hazard to Persons or neighboring properties, or (f) which contain, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum derived substances or waste, crude oil, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas.

 

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

 

“Hedge Bank” means any Person that, (a) at the time it enters into a Hedge Agreement with a Credit Party permitted under Article IX, is a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent or (b) at the time it (or its Affiliate) becomes a Lender or the Administrative Agent (including on the Closing Date), is a party to a Hedge Agreement with a Credit Party, in each case in its capacity as a party to such Hedge Agreement.

 

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

 

“Immaterial Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of any Credit Party that (a) is designated in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and (b) together with all other Immaterial Subsidiaries, accounts for not more than (i) five percent (5%) of the Consolidated Total Assets or (ii) two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the Consolidated EBITDA, in each case, as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been received; provided that in no event shall an Immaterial Subsidiary have a Subsidiary that is not an Immaterial Subsidiary.

 

“Increased Amount Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a).

 

“Incremental Lender” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a).

 

“Incremental Loan Commitments” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a)(ii).

 

“Incremental Loans” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a)(ii).

 

“Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a)(ii).

 

“Incremental Revolving Credit Loan” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a)(ii).

 

“Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a)(i).

 

“Incremental Term Loan Commitment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.13(a)(i).

 

“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person at any date and without duplication, the sum of the following:

 

(a)          all liabilities, obligations and indebtedness for borrowed money including, but not limited to, obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments of any such Person;

 

(b)          all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services of any such Person (including, without limitation, all payment obligations under non-competition, earn-out or similar agreements), except trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business not more than ninety (90) days past due, or that are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided for on the books of such Person;

 

(c)          the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person with respect to such Person’s Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Leases (regardless of whether accounted for as indebtedness under GAAP);

 

(d)         all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property purchased by such Person to the extent of the value of such property (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business);

 

(e)         all Indebtedness of any other Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements except trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)          all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person relative to the face amount of letters of credit, whether or not drawn, including, without limitation, any Reimbursement Obligation, and banker’s acceptances issued for the account of any such Person;

 

(g)          all obligations of any such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests;

 

(h)          all net obligations of such Person under any Hedge Agreements; and

 

(i)           all Guarantees of any such Person with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  In respect of Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified Person, if such Indebtedness shall not have been assumed by such specified Person or is limited in recourse to the assets securing such Lien, then the amount of such Indebtedness as of any date of determination will be the lesser of (x) the fair market value of such assets as of such date and (y) the amount of such Indebtedness as of such date.  The amount of any net obligation under any Hedge Agreement on any date shall be deemed to be the Hedge Termination Value thereof as of such date.  The amount of obligations in respect of any Disqualified Equity Interests shall be valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends that are past due.

 

“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 Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.

 

“Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 12.3(b).

 

“Information” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 12.10.

 

“Insurance and Condemnation Event” means the receipt by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries of any cash insurance proceeds or condemnation award to the extent payable by reason of theft, loss, physical destruction or damage, taking or similar event with respect to any of their respective Property.

 

“Interest Period” means, as to each LIBOR Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such LIBOR Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a LIBOR Rate Loan and ending on the date one (1), two (2), three (3), or six (6) months thereafter, in each case as selected by the Borrower in its Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion/Continuation and subject to availability; provided that:

 

(a)          the Interest Period shall commence on the date of advance of or conversion to any LIBOR Rate Loan and, in the case of immediately successive Interest Periods, each successive Interest Period shall commence on the date on which the immediately preceding Interest Period expires;

 

(b)         if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day; provided that if any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such month, such Interest Period shall expire on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

(c)         any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the relevant calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(d)         no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date; and

 

(e)          there shall be no more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect at any time.

 

“Interstate Commerce Act” means the body of law commonly known as the Interstate Commerce Act (49 U.S.C. App. § 1 et seq.).

 

“Investment Company Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. § 80(a)(1), et seq.).

 

“Investments” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 9.3.

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“ISP” means the International Standby Practices, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time).

 

“Issuing Lender” means Wells Fargo, in its capacity as the issuing lender hereunder and any successor thereto appointed pursuant to Section 11.6.

 

“L/C Commitment” means, the obligation of the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries from time to time in an aggregate amount equal to the L/C Sublimit.

 

“L/C Facility” means the letter of credit facility established pursuant to Article III.

 

“L/C Obligations” means at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn and unexpired amount of the then outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate amount of drawings under Letters of Credit which have not then been reimbursed pursuant to Section 3.5.

 

“L/C Participants” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the collective reference to all the Revolving Credit Lenders other than the Issuing Lender.

 

“L/C Sublimit” means the lesser of (a) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) and (b) the Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

“LCA Test Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 1.13(c).

 

“Lender” means each Person executing this Agreement as a Lender on the Closing Date and any other Person that shall have become a party to this Agreement as a Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or pursuant to Section 5.13, other than any Person that ceases to be a party hereto as a Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.

 

“Lender Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent delivered in connection with Section 5.13.

 

“Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender maintaining such Lender’s Extensions of Credit.

 

“Letter of Credit Application” means an application, in the form specified by the Issuing Lender from time to time, requesting the Issuing Lender to issue a Letter of Credit.

 

“Letters of Credit” means the collective reference to letters of credit issued pursuant to Section 3.1 and the Existing Letters of Credit.

 

“Leverage Ratio Increase” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 9.14(a).

 

“LIBOR” means, subject to the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement in accordance with Section 5.8(c),

 

(a)         for any interest rate calculation with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan, the rate of interest per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to the applicable Interest Period as published by the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited, a United Kingdom company, or a comparable or successor quoting service approved by the Administrative Agent, at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) London Banking Days prior to the first day of the applicable Interest Period.  If, for any reason, such rate is not so published then “LIBOR” shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic average of the rate per annum at which deposits in Dollars would be offered by first class banks in the London interbank market to the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) London Banking Days prior to the first day of the applicable Interest Period for a period equal to such Interest Period, and

 

(b)         for any interest rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan, the rate of interest per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for an Interest Period equal to one month (commencing on the date of determination of such interest rate) as published by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited, a United Kingdom company, or a comparable or successor quoting service approved by the Administrative Agent, at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such date of determination, or, if such date is not a Business Day, then the immediately preceding Business Day.  If, for any reason, such rate is not so published then “LIBOR” for such Base Rate Loan shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic average of the rate per annum at which deposits in Dollars would be offered by first class banks in the London interbank market to the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such date of determination for a period equal to one month commencing on such date of determination.

 

Each calculation by the Administrative Agent of LIBOR shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) in no event shall LIBOR (including any Benchmark Replacement with respect thereto) be less than 0% and (y) unless otherwise specified in any amendment to this Agreement entered into in accordance with Section 5.8(c), in the event that a Benchmark Replacement with respect to LIBOR is implemented then all references herein to LIBOR shall be deemed references to such Benchmark Replacement.

 

“LIBOR Rate” means a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the following formula:

 

“LIBOR Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the LIBOR Rate as provided in Section 5.1(a).

 

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, leasehold mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, hypothecation or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.  For the purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any asset which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease Obligation or other title retention agreement relating to such asset.

 

“Limited Conditionality Acquisition” means any Acquisition that (a) is not prohibited hereunder, (b) is financed in whole or in part with a substantially concurrent incurrence of Indebtedness permitted hereunder, and (c) is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third-party financing.

 

 “Liquidity” means, as of any date of determination, the sum of (a) Unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents of the Credit Parties as of such date plus (b) the unused and available amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments as of such date.

 

“Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each Note, the Letter of Credit Applications, the Security Documents, the Guaranty Agreement, the Reaffirmation Agreement, the Fee Letter and each other document, instrument, certificate and agreement executed and delivered by the Credit Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries in favor of or provided to the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party in connection with this Agreement or otherwise referred to herein or contemplated hereby (excluding any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Secured Cash Management Agreement).

 

“Loans” means the collective reference to the Revolving Credit Loans and the Swingline Loans, and “Loan” means any of such Loans.

 

“London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market.

 

“Material Acquisition” means any Permitted Acquisition having aggregate cash consideration (including cash, Cash Equivalents and other deferred payment obligations) in excess of Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000).

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means, (a) a material adverse effect on the operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the ability of any of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to perform its respective obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document or (d) a material impairment of the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Credit Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

 

“Material Contract” means (a) any contract or agreement, written or oral, of any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries involving monetary liability of or to any such Person in an amount in excess of $10,000,000 per annum or (b) any other contract or agreement, written or oral, of any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries, the breach, non‑performance, cancellation or failure to renew of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

“Material Real Property” means (a) the fee-owned real property at 1990 East Grand Avenue, El Segundo, California 90245 (such property, the “El Segundo Property”) and (b) any (i) real property (and any improvements thereon) owned by a Credit Party in fee simple with a fair market value of $5,000,000 or greater and (ii) leasehold real property (and any improvements thereon) of a Credit Party with annual rentals payable under the applicable lease of $500,000 or greater.

 

“Maturity Date” means the earliest to occur of (a) June 29, 2022, (b) the date of termination of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.5, and (c) the date of termination of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 10.2(a).

 

“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances, an amount equal to 105% of the sum of (i) the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time and (ii) the Fronting Exposure of the Swingline Lender with respect to all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time and (b) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender in their sole discretion.

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

“Mortgages” means the collective reference to each mortgage, deed of trust or other real property security document, encumbering any real property now or hereafter owned by any Credit Party, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and executed by such Credit Party in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as any such document may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate is making, or is accruing an obligation to make, or has accrued an obligation to make contributions within the preceding six (6) years.

 

“Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any offering of equity securities, the gross cash proceeds received by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries therefrom less all reasonable and customary out-of-pocket legal, underwriting and other fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.

 

“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver, amendment, modification or termination that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 12.2 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

 

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

 

“Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

“Notes” means the collective reference to the Revolving Credit Notes and the Swingline Note.

 

“Notice of Account Designation” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.3(b).

 

“Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.3(a).

 

“Notice of Conversion/Continuation” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.2.

 

“Notice of Prepayment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.4(c).

 

“Obligations” means, in each case, whether now in existence or hereafter arising: (a) the principal of and interest on (including interest accruing after the filing of any bankruptcy or similar petition) the Loans, (b) the L/C Obligations and (c) all other fees and commissions (including attorneys’ fees), charges, indebtedness, loans, liabilities, financial accommodations, obligations, covenants and duties owing by the Credit Parties and each of their respective Subsidiaries to the Lenders, the Issuing Lender or the Administrative Agent, in each case under any Loan Document, with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit of every kind, nature and description, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, contractual or tortious, liquidated or unliquidated, and whether or not evidenced by any note and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws, naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

 

“OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

 

“Officer’s Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer or the treasurer of the Borrower substantially in the form attached as Exhibit F.

 

“Operating Lease” means, as to any Person as determined in accordance with GAAP, any lease of Property (whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee which is not a capital lease.

 

“Original Closing Date” means November 18, 2015.

 

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

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court, documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 5.12).

 

“Participant” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 12.9(d).

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 12.9(d).

 

“PATRIOT Act” means the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor agency.

 

“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code and which (a) is maintained, funded or administered for the employees of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate or (b) has at any time within the preceding six (6) years been maintained, funded or administered for the employees of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

“Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition that meets all of the following requirements, which in the case of a Limited Conditionality Acquisition shall be subject to Section 1.13:

 

(a)          no less than ten (10) Business Days prior to the proposed closing date of such Acquisition (or such shorter period as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall have delivered written notice of such Acquisition to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, which notice shall include the proposed closing date of such Acquisition (it being agreed that such Acquisition may close after such date so long as the Borrower promptly notifies the Administrative Agent of such new closing date);

 

(b)        the Borrower shall have certified on or before the closing date of such Acquisition, in writing and in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, that such Acquisition has been approved in writing by the board of directors (or equivalent) and, if necessary, the shareholders (or equivalent) of the Person to be acquired;

 

(c)         the Person or business to be acquired shall be in a line of business permitted pursuant to Section 9.11 or in the case of an Acquisition of assets, the assets acquired are useful in the business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries as conducted in accordance with Section 9.11;

 

(d)          if such Acquisition is a merger or consolidation, the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the surviving Person and no Change in Control shall have been effected thereby;

 

(e)         after giving effect to such Acquisition and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith (i) the Borrower is in compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with each covenant contained in Section 9.14 and (ii) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis shall be at least 0.50 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14(a); provided that if the required Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio under Section 9.14(a) is 3.00 to 1.00 or less at such time, then the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis shall be at least 0.25 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14(a); provided further that if the Permitted Acquisition Consideration for such Acquisition (or series of related Acquisitions) exceeds $75,000,000 the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the closing date of such Acquisition (or such later date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), an Officer’s Compliance Certificate demonstrating compliance with this clause (e);

 

(f)         if the Permitted Acquisition Consideration for any such Acquisition (or series of related Acquisitions) exceeds $75,000,000, no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the proposed closing date of such Acquisition (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) the Borrower, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, (i) shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent copies of the then-current drafts of the Permitted Acquisition Documents, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (ii) shall have delivered to, or made available for inspection by, the Administrative Agent substantially complete Permitted Acquisition Diligence Information, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and at least two (2) Business Days before the closing date of such Acquisition (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), final Permitted Acquisition Documents;

 

(g)          no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith;

 

(h)          after giving effect to the Acquisition and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith, the Borrower shall have, at least $20,000,000 of Liquidity; and

 

(i)          if the Permitted Acquisition Consideration for any such Acquisition (or series of related Acquisitions) exceeds $75,000,000, the Borrower shall have (i) delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that all of the requirements set forth above have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or prior to the consummation of such purchase or other Acquisition and (ii) provided such other documents and other information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (through the Administrative Agent) in connection with such purchase or other Acquisition.

 

“Permitted Acquisition Consideration” means the aggregate amount of the purchase price, including, but not limited to, any assumed debt, earn-outs (valued at the maximum amount payable thereunder), deferred payments, or Equity Interests of the Borrower, to be paid on a singular basis in connection with any applicable Permitted Acquisition as set forth in the applicable Permitted Acquisition Documents executed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in order to consummate the applicable Permitted Acquisition.

 

“Permitted Acquisition Diligence Information” means with respect to any Acquisition, to the extent applicable, all material financial information, all material contracts, all material customer lists, all material supply agreements, and all other material information, in each case, reasonably requested to be delivered to the Administrative Agent in connection with such Acquisition (except to the extent that any such information is (a) subject to any confidentiality agreement, (b) classified or (c) subject to any attorney-client privilege).

 

“Permitted Acquisition Documents” means with respect to any Acquisition, final copies or substantially final drafts if not executed at the required time of delivery of the purchase agreement, sale agreement, merger agreement or other agreement evidencing such Acquisition, including, without limitation, all legal opinions and each other document executed, delivered, contemplated by or prepared in connection therewith and any amendment, modification or supplement to any of the foregoing.

 

“Permitted Liens” means the Liens permitted pursuant to Section 9.2.

 

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

 

“Platform” means Debt Domain, Intralinks, SyndTrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system.

 

“Prime Rate” means, at any time, the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate.  Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the day such change in such prime rate occurs.  The parties hereto acknowledge that the rate announced publicly by the Administrative Agent as its prime rate is an index or base rate and shall not necessarily be its lowest or best rate charged to its customers or other banks.

 

“Pro Forma Basis” means, for purposes of calculating any applicable financial ratio or component thereof hereunder, in each case for any period during which one or more Specified Transactions occurs, that such Specified Transaction (and all other Specified Transactions that have been consummated during the applicable period) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement and:

 

(a)         all income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the Property or Person disposed of in a Specified Disposition shall be excluded and all income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the Property or Person acquired in a Permitted Acquisition shall be included; provided that such income statement and cash flow statement items to be included are reflected in financial statements or other financial data reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and based upon reasonable assumptions and calculations which are expected to have a continuous impact;

 

(b)        in the event that any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof incurs (including by assumption or guarantees) or repays (including by redemption, repayment, retirement, discharge, defeasance or extinguishment) any Indebtedness included in the calculations of any financial ratio or test (in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), (i) during the applicable measurement period or (ii) subsequent to the end of the applicable measurement period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made, then such financial ratio or test shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, to the extent required, as if the same had occurred on the last day of the applicable measurement period; provided that interest expense of such Person or Property attributable to (i) interest on any Indebtedness, for which pro forma effect is being given as provided herein, bearing floating interest rates shall be computed on a pro forma basis utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination as if such rate had been actually in effect during the period for which pro forma effect is being given taking into account any interest Hedge Agreements applicable to such Indebtedness, (ii) any Capital Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capital Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP and (iii) interest on any Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be determined to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Borrower may designate; and

 

(c)         non-recurring costs, unusual expenses and other pro forma adjustments (including anticipated cost savings and other cost synergies (but excluding applicable Corporate Development Costs) attributable to such Specified Transaction may be included as an add-back to Consolidated EBITDA to the extent that such costs, expenses or adjustments (i) are reasonably expected to be realized within twelve (12) months of such Specified Transaction as set forth in reasonable detail on a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent, (ii) are calculated on a basis consistent with GAAP and are, in each case, reasonably identifiable, factually supportable, and expected to have a continuing impact on the operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and (iii) do not exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated EBITDA (determined without giving effect to this clause (c)) in the aggregate; provided further that the foregoing costs, expenses, adjustments, cost savings and other synergies shall be without duplication of any costs, expenses or adjustments that are already included in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA or clause (a) above.

 

“Property” means any right or interest in or to property of any kind whatsoever, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, Equity Interests.

 

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

 

“Public Lenders” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 8.2.

 

[***]

 

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

 

“Reaffirmation Agreement” means that certain Reaffirmation Agreement dated as of the Closing Date and executed by the Credit Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties.

 

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

 

“Reference Period” means, as of any date of determination, the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ended on or immediately prior to such date for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have been delivered to the Administrative Agent hereunder

 

“Register” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 12.9(c).

 

“Reimbursement Obligation” means the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.5 for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit.

 

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

 

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

 

“Removal Effective Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 11.6(b).

 

“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposure representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Credit Exposure of all Lenders; provided, that if there are at least two (2) but not more than three (3) Non-Defaulting Lenders at such time, then Required Lenders must include at least two (2) such Non-Defaulting Lenders.  The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time.

 

“Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 11.6(a).

 

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

 

“Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, vice president, secretary or assistant secretary, controller, treasurer or assistant treasurer of such Person or any other officer of such Person designated in writing by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.  Any document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Person shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability company, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Person and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Person.

 

“Restricted Payment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 9.6.

 

“Revolving Credit Commitment” means (a) as to any Revolving Credit Lender, the obligation of such Revolving Credit Lender to make Revolving Credit Loans to, and to purchase participations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans for the account of, the Borrower hereunder in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Revolving Credit Lender’s name on the Register, as such amount may be modified at any time or from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof (including, without limitation, Section 5.13) and (b) as to all Revolving Credit Lenders, the aggregate commitment of all Revolving Credit Lenders to make Revolving Credit Loans, as such amount may be modified at any time or from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof (including, without limitation, Section 5.13).  The aggregate Revolving Credit Commitment of all the Revolving Credit Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $130,000,000.  The initial Revolving Credit Commitment of each Revolving Credit Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1.1(b).

 

“Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage” means, with respect to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, the percentage of the total Revolving Credit Commitments of all the Revolving Credit Lenders represented by such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment.  If the Revolving Credit Commitments have terminated or expired, the Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages shall be determined based upon the Revolving Credit Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.  The Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of each Revolving Credit Lender on the Closing Date is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 1.1(b).

 

“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and such Revolving Credit Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans at such time.

 

“Revolving Credit Facility” means the revolving credit facility established pursuant to Article II (including any increase in such revolving credit facility established pursuant to Section 5.13).

 

“Revolving Credit Lenders” means, collectively, all of the Lenders with a Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

“Revolving Credit Loan” means any revolving loan made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1, and all such revolving loans collectively as the context requires.

 

“Revolving Credit Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Revolving Credit Lender evidencing the Revolving Credit Loans made by such Revolving Credit Lender, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A-1, and any substitutes therefor, and any replacements, restatements, renewals or extension thereof, in whole or in part.

 

“Revolving Credit Outstandings” means the sum of (a) with respect to Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; plus (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the aggregate outstanding amount thereof on such date after giving effect to any Extensions of Credit occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

 

“Revolving Extensions of Credit” means (a) any Revolving Credit Loan then outstanding, (b) any Letter of Credit then outstanding or (c) any Swingline Loan then outstanding.

 

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Service, a division of S&P Global Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

 “Sanctioned Country” means at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself (or whose government is) the subject or target of any Sanctions (including, as of the Closing Date, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Crimea).

 

“Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC (including, without limitation, OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and OFAC’s Consolidated Non-SDN List), the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in clauses (a) and (b), including a Person that is deemed by OFAC to be a Sanctions target based on the ownership of such legal entity by Sanctioned Person(s) or (d) any Person otherwise a target of Sanctions, including vessels, planes and ships, that are designated under any Sanctions program.

 

 “Sanctions” means any and all economic or financial sanctions, sectoral sanctions, secondary sanctions, trade embargoes and anti-terrorism laws, including but not limited to those imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government (including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority in any jurisdiction in which (a) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is located or conducts business, (b) in which any of the proceeds of the Extensions of Credit will be used, or (c) from which repayment of the Extensions of Credit will be derived.

 

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

 

“Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement between or among any Credit Party and any Cash Management Bank.

 

“Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Hedge Agreement between or among any Credit Party and any Hedge Bank.

 

“Secured Obligations” means, collectively, (a) the Obligations and (b) all existing or future payment and other obligations owing by any Credit Party under (i) any Secured Hedge Agreement (other than an Excluded Swap Obligation) and (ii) any Secured Cash Management Agreement.

 

“Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Lender, the Hedge Banks, the Cash Management Banks, each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 11.5, any other holder from time to time of any of any Secured Obligations and, in each case, their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. § 77 et seq.).

 

“Security Documents” means the collective reference to the Collateral Agreement, the Reaffirmation Agreement, the Mortgages, and each other agreement or writing pursuant to which any Credit Party pledges or grants a security interest in any Property or assets securing the Secured Obligations.

 

“SOFR” with respect to any day means the secured overnight financing rate published for such day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the administrator of the benchmark, (or a successor administrator) on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website.

 

“Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital, and (e) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business.  The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

“Specified Disposition” means any Asset Disposition having gross sales proceeds in excess of $5,000,000.

 

“Specified Permitted Acquisition” means any Permitted Acquisition for which the Permitted Acquisition Consideration paid by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is in excess of $5,000,000.

 

“Specified Transactions” means (a) any Specified Disposition and (b) any Specified Permitted Acquisition.

 

“Subordinated Indebtedness” means the collective reference to any Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is subordinated in right and time of payment to the Obligations on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Subsidiary” means as to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Equity Interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) or other managers of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity is at the time owned by (directly or indirectly) or the management is otherwise controlled by (directly or indirectly) such Person (irrespective of whether, at the time, Equity Interests of any other class or classes of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).  Unless otherwise qualified, references to “Subsidiary” or “Subsidiaries” herein shall refer to those of the Borrower.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantors” means, collectively, all direct and indirect Domestic Subsidiaries of the Borrower (other than MetaPack Holdings USA, Inc., Abol Software, Inc. and any Immaterial Subsidiaries) in existence on the Closing Date or which become a party to the Guaranty Agreement pursuant to Section 8.14.

 

“Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Credit Party, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

“Swingline Commitment” means the lesser of (a) $5,000,000 and (b) the Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

“Swingline Facility” means the swingline facility established pursuant to Section 2.2.

 

“Swingline Lender” means Wells Fargo in its capacity as swingline lender hereunder or any successor thereto.

 

“Swingline Loan” means any swingline loan made by the Swingline Lender to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.2, and all such swingline loans collectively as the context requires.

 

“Swingline Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of the Swingline Lender evidencing the Swingline Loans made by the Swingline Lender, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A-2, and any substitutes therefor, and any replacements, restatements, renewals or extension thereof, in whole or in part.

 

“Swingline Participation Amount” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.2(b)(iii).

 

“Synthetic Lease” means any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing product where such transaction is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an Operating Lease in accordance with GAAP.

 

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

 

“Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.

 

“Termination Event” means the occurrence of any of the following: (a) a “Reportable Event” described in Section 4043(c) of ERISA for which the thirty (30) day notice requirement has not been waived by the PBGC, or (b) the withdrawal of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA, or (c) the termination of a Pension Plan, the filing of a notice by the plan administrator of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination, under Section 4041 of ERISA, if the plan assets are not sufficient to pay all plan liabilities, or (d) the institution of proceedings to terminate, or the appointment of a trustee with respect to, any Pension Plan by the PBGC, or (e) any other event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042(a) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan, or (f) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan, or (g) the determination that any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan is considered an at-risk plan or plan in endangered or critical status with the meaning of Sections 430(i), 431 or 432 of the Code or Sections 303(i), 304 or 305 of ERISA, or (h) the partial or complete withdrawal of any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan if withdrawal liability is incurred by a Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate with respect to such Multiemployer Plan, or (i) the receipt by a Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate of notice that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or insolvency under Sections 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, or (j) the filing by notice of intent to terminate a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA or the institution by PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA, or (k) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA upon any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan.

 

 “Threshold Amount” means $15,000,000.

 

“Title Company” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 6.1(e).

 

“Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments, and the Revolving Credit Exposure and, if applicable, outstanding Incremental Term Loans of such Lender at such time.

 

“Transactions” means, collectively, (a) the refinancing of Indebtedness outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement, (b) the initial Extensions of Credit and (c) the payment on the Closing Date of the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the foregoing and the Credit Facility.

 

“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York.

 

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

 

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

 

“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the Benchmark Replacement excluding the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

 

“United States” or “U.S.” means the United States of America.

 

“Unrestricted” means, when referring to cash and Cash Equivalents of any Person, that such cash and Cash Equivalents (a) do not appear, or would not be required to appear, as “restricted” on the financial statements of such Person and its Subsidiaries (unless related to the Loan Documents or the Liens created thereunder), (b) are not subject to a Lien in favor of any Person other than the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents and Liens constituting Permitted Liens in favor of any depository bank or securities intermediary in connection with statutory, common law and contractual rights of set-off and recoupment with respect to any deposit account or securities account or (c) are not otherwise unavailable to such Person or its Subsidiaries.

 

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

 

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.11(g).

 

“Wells Fargo” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association.

 

“Wholly-Owned” means, with respect to a Subsidiary, that all of the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary are, directly or indirectly, owned or controlled by the Borrower and/or one or more of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries (except for directors’ qualifying shares or other shares required by Applicable Law to be owned by a Person other than the Borrower and/or one or more of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries).

 

“Withholding Agent” means the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.2          Other Definitions and Provisions.  With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document: (a) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined, (b) whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms, (c) the words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, (d) the word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”, (e) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (f) 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, (g) 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, (h) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, (i) the term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form and (j) in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including”.

 

SECTION 1.3          Accounting Terms.

 

(a)          All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time and in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the audited financial statements required by Section 8.1(a), except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

 

(b)         If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

(c)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 1.3 or the definition of “Capital Lease Obligations”, in the event of an accounting change occurring after the Original Closing Date requiring all leases to be capitalized, only those leases that would have constituted capital leases on the Original Closing Date (assuming for purposes hereof that they were in existence on the Original Closing Date) shall be considered capital leases, and all calculations and deliverables under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made in accordance therewith (provided that all financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement after the date of such accounting change shall contain a schedule showing the adjustments necessary to reconcile such financial statements with GAAP as in effect immediately prior to such accounting change).

 

SECTION 1.4          UCC Terms.  Terms defined in the UCC in effect on the Closing Date and not otherwise defined herein shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the meanings provided by those definitions.  Subject to the foregoing, the term “UCC” refers, as of any date of determination, to the UCC then in effect.

 

SECTION 1.5          Rounding.  Any financial ratios required to be maintained pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio or percentage is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

SECTION 1.6          References to Agreement and Laws.  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) any definition or reference to formation documents, governing documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual documents or instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) any definition or reference to any Applicable Law, including, without limitation, Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, the Bankruptcy Code, the Code, the Commodity Exchange Act, ERISA, the Exchange Act, the PATRIOT Act, the Securities Act, the UCC, the Investment Company Act, the Interstate Commerce Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act of the United States or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department, shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 1.7           Times of Day.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Pacific time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

SECTION 1.8          Letter of Credit Amounts.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to mean the maximum face amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all increases thereof contemplated by such Letter of Credit or the Letter of Credit Application therefor (at the time specified therefor in such applicable Letter of Credit or Letter of Credit Application and as such amount may be reduced by (a) any permanent reduction of such Letter of Credit or (b) any amount which is drawn, reimbursed and no longer available under such Letter of Credit).

 

SECTION 1.9         Guarantees/Earn-Outs.  Unless otherwise specified, (a) the amount of any Guarantee shall be the lesser of the principal amount of the obligations guaranteed and still outstanding and the maximum amount for which the guaranteeing Person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guarantee and (b) the amount of any earn-out or similar obligation shall be the amount of such obligation as reflected on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

 

SECTION 1.10        Covenant Compliance Generally.  For purposes of determining compliance under Sections 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5 and 9.6, any amount in a currency other than Dollars will be converted to Dollars in a manner consistent with that used in calculating Consolidated Net Income in the most recent annual financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to Section 8.1(a) or the corresponding provision of the Existing Credit Agreement, as applicable.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with Sections 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3, with respect to any amount of Indebtedness or Investment in a currency other than Dollars, no breach of any basket contained in such sections shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of changes in rates of exchange occurring after the time such Indebtedness or Investment is incurred; provided that for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.10 shall otherwise apply to such Sections, including with respect to determining whether any Indebtedness or Investment may be incurred at any time under such Sections.

 

SECTION 1.11         Rates.  The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “LIBOR” or with respect to any rate that is an alternative or replacement for or successor to any such rate (including, without limitation, any Benchmark Replacement) or the effect of any of the foregoing, or of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.

 

SECTION 1.12        Divisions.  For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.

 

SECTION 1.13         Limited Conditionality Acquisitions.  In the event that the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that any proposed Acquisition is a Limited Conditionality Acquisition and that the Borrower wishes to test the conditions to such Acquisition and the Indebtedness that is to be used to finance such Acquisition in accordance with this Section, then, so long as agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the lenders providing such Indebtedness, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(a)         any condition to such Acquisition or such Indebtedness that requires that no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such Acquisition or the incurrence of such Indebtedness, shall be satisfied if (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of the execution of the definitive purchase agreement, merger agreement or other acquisition agreement governing such Acquisition and (ii) no Event of Default under any of Sections 10.1(a), 10.1(b), 10.1(h) or 10.1(i) shall have occurred and be continuing both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith (including such additional Indebtedness);

 

(b)         any condition to such Acquisition or such Indebtedness that the representations and warranties in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct at the time of such Acquisition or the incurrence of such Indebtedness shall be subject to customary “SunGard” or other customary applicable “certain funds” conditionality provisions (including, without limitation, a condition that the representations and warranties under the relevant agreements relating to such Limited Conditionality Acquisition as are material to the lenders providing such Indebtedness shall be true and correct, but only to the extent that the Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary has the right to terminate its obligations under such agreement as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties or the failure of those representations and warranties to be true and correct), so long as all representations and warranties in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct at the time of execution of the definitive purchase agreement, merger agreement or other acquisition agreement governing such Acquisition;

 

(c)         any financial ratio test or condition, may upon the written election of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent prior to the execution of the definitive agreement for such Acquisition, be tested either (i) upon the execution of the definitive agreement with respect to such Limited Conditionality Acquisition or (ii) upon the consummation of the Limited Conditionality Acquisition and related incurrence of Indebtedness, in each case, after giving effect to the relevant Limited Conditionality Acquisition and related incurrence of Indebtedness, on a Pro Forma Basis (as to each Acquisition, such applicable test date, the “LCA Test Date”); provided that the failure to deliver a notice under this Section 1.13(c) prior to the date of execution of the definitive agreement for such Limited Conditionality Acquisition shall be deemed an election to test the applicable financial ratio under subcluase (ii) of this Section 1.13(c); and

 

(d)        except as provided in the next sentence, if the Borrower has made an election with respect to any Limited Conditionality Acquisition to test a financial ratio test or condition at the time specified in clause (c)(i) of this Section, then in connection with any subsequent calculation of any ratio or basket on or following the relevant date of execution of the definitive agreement with respect to such Limited Conditionality Acquisition and prior to the earlier of (i) the date on which such Limited Conditionality Acquisition is consummated or (ii) the date that the definitive agreement for such Limited Conditionality Acquisition is terminated or expires without consummation of such Limited Conditionality Acquisition, any such ratio or basket shall be required to be satisfied (x) on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Conditionality Acquisition and other transactions in connection therewith (including the incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness) have been consummated and (y) assuming such Limited Conditionality Acquisition and other transactions in connection therewith (including the incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness) have not been consummated.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any calculation of a ratio in connection with determining the Applicable Margin and determining whether or not the Borrower is in compliance with the requirements of Section 9.14 shall, in each case be calculated assuming such Limited Conditionality Acquisition and other transactions in connection therewith (including the incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness) have not been consummated.

 

The foregoing provisions shall apply with similar effect during the pendency of multiple Limited Conditionality Acquisitions such that each of the possible scenarios is separately tested.

 

ARTICLE II

 

REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY

 

SECTION 2.1          Revolving Credit Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, each Revolving Credit Lender severally agrees to make Revolving Credit Loans in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time from the Closing Date to, but not including, the Maturity Date as requested by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of Section 2.3; provided, that (a) the Revolving Credit Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment and (b) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender shall not at any time exceed such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment.  Each Revolving Credit Loan by a Revolving Credit Lender shall be in a principal amount equal to such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Loans requested on such occasion.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow Revolving Credit Loans hereunder until the Maturity Date.

 

SECTION 2.2          Swingline Loans.

 

(a)         Availability.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, Section 6.2(d) of this Agreement, and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Swingline Lender may, in its sole discretion, make Swingline Loans in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time from the Closing Date to, but not including, the Maturity Date; provided, that (i) after giving effect to any amount requested, the Revolving Credit Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Swingline Loans (after giving effect to any amount requested) shall not exceed the Swingline Commitment.

 

(b)         Refunding.

 

(i)              The Swingline Lender, at any time and from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion may, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably directs the Swingline Lender to act on its behalf), by written notice given no later than 9:00 a.m. on any Business Day request each Revolving Credit Lender to make, and each Revolving Credit Lender hereby agrees to make, a Revolving Credit Loan as a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the aggregate amount of the Swingline Loans outstanding on the date of such notice, to repay the Swingline Lender.  Each Revolving Credit Lender shall make the amount of such Revolving Credit Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 11:00 a.m. on the day specified in such notice.  The proceeds of such Revolving Credit Loans shall be immediately made available by the Administrative Agent to the Swingline Lender for application by the Swingline Lender to the repayment of the Swingline Loans.  No Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to fund its respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of a Swingline Loan shall be affected by any other Revolving Credit Lender’s failure to fund its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of a Swingline Loan, nor shall any Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage be increased as a result of any such failure of any other Revolving Credit Lender to fund its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of a Swingline Loan.

 

(ii)             The Borrower shall pay to the Swingline Lender upon written demand, and in any event on the Maturity Date, in immediately available funds the amount of such Swingline Loans to the extent amounts received from the Revolving Credit Lenders are not sufficient to repay in full the outstanding Swingline Loans requested or required to be refunded.  In addition, the Borrower irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to charge any account maintained by the Borrower with the Swingline Lender (up to the amount available therein) in order to immediately pay the Swingline Lender the amount of such Swingline Loans to the extent amounts received from the Revolving Credit Lenders are not sufficient to repay in full the outstanding Swingline Loans requested or required to be refunded.  If any portion of any such amount paid to the Swingline Lender shall be recovered by or on behalf of the Borrower from the Swingline Lender in bankruptcy or otherwise, the loss of the amount so recovered shall be ratably shared among all the Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages.

 

(iii)            If for any reason any Swingline Loan cannot be refinanced with a Revolving Credit Loan pursuant to Section 2.2(b)(i), each Revolving Credit Lender shall, on the date such Revolving Credit Loan was to have been made pursuant to the notice referred to in Section 2.2(b)(i), purchase for cash an undivided participating interest in the then outstanding Swingline Loans by paying to the Swingline Lender an amount (the “Swingline Participation Amount”) equal to such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Loans then outstanding.  Each Revolving Credit Lender will immediately transfer to the Swingline Lender, in immediately available funds, the amount of its Swingline Participation Amount.  Whenever, at any time after the Swingline Lender has received from any Revolving Credit Lender such Revolving Credit Lender’s Swingline Participation Amount, the Swingline Lender receives any payment on account of the Swingline Loans, the Swingline Lender will distribute to such Revolving Credit Lender its Swingline Participation Amount (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s participating interest was outstanding and funded and, in the case of principal and interest payments, to reflect such Revolving Credit Lender’s pro rata portion of such payment if such payment is not sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on all Swingline Loans then due); provided that in the event that such payment received by the Swingline Lender is required to be returned, such Revolving Credit Lender will return to the Swingline Lender any portion thereof previously distributed to it by the Swingline Lender.

 

(iv)           Each Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make the Revolving Credit Loans referred to in Section  2.2(b)(i) and to purchase participating interests pursuant to Section 2.2(b)(iii) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Revolving Credit Lender or the Borrower may have against the Swingline Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or an Event of Default or the failure to satisfy any of the other conditions specified in Article VI, (C) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower, (D) any breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any other Revolving Credit Lender or (E) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.

 

(v)              If any Revolving Credit Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender any amount required to be paid by such Revolving Credit Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.2(b) by the time specified in Section 2.2(b)(i) or 2.2(b)(iii), as applicable, the Swingline Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Credit Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swingline Lender at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Federal  Funds Rate, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swingline Lender in connection with the foregoing.  If such Revolving Credit Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Loan or Swingline Participation Amount, as the case may be.  A certificate of the Swingline Lender submitted to any Revolving Credit Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (v) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(c)          Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, this Section 2.2 shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 5.14 and Section 5.15.

 

SECTION 2.3           Procedure for Advances of Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans.

 

(a)         Requests for Borrowing.  The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable prior written notice substantially in the form of Exhibit B (a “Notice of Borrowing”) not later than 9:00 a.m. (i) on the same Business Day as each Base Rate Loan and each Swingline Loan and (ii) at least three (3) Business Days before (or, solely in the case of a borrowing on the Closing Date no later than 10:00 a.m. two (2) Business Days before) each LIBOR Rate Loan, of its intention to borrow, specifying (A) the date of such borrowing, which shall be a Business Day, (B) the amount of such borrowing, which shall be, (x) with respect to Base Rate Loans (other than Swingline Loans) in an aggregate principal amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (y) with respect to LIBOR Rate Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (z) with respect to Swingline Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, in each case, the remaining amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment or the Swingline Commitment, as applicable), (C) whether such Loan is to be a Revolving Credit Loan or Swingline Loan, (D) in the case of a Revolving Credit Loan whether the Loans are to be LIBOR Rate Loans or Base Rate Loans, and (E) in the case of a LIBOR Rate Loan, the duration of the Interest Period applicable thereto.  If the Borrower fails to specify a type of Loan in a Notice of Borrowing, then the applicable Loans shall be made as Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a borrowing of LIBOR Rate Loans in any such Notice of Borrowing, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.  A Notice of Borrowing received after 9:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next Business Day.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Revolving Credit Lenders of each Notice of Borrowing.

 

(b)         Disbursement of Revolving Credit and Swingline Loans.  Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the proposed borrowing date, (i) each Revolving Credit Lender will make available to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Borrower, at the office of the Administrative Agent in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent, such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the Revolving Credit Loans to be made on such borrowing date and (ii) the Swingline Lender will make available to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Borrower, at the office of the Administrative Agent in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Loans to be made on such borrowing date.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to disburse the proceeds of each borrowing requested pursuant to this Section in immediately available funds by crediting or wiring such proceeds to the deposit account of the Borrower identified in the most recent notice substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C (a “Notice of Account Designation”) delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or as may be otherwise agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent from time to time.  Subject to Section 5.7 hereof, the Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to disburse the portion of the proceeds of any Revolving Credit Loan requested pursuant to this Section to the extent that any Revolving Credit Lender has not made available to the Administrative Agent its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such Loan.  Revolving Credit Loans to be made for the purpose of refunding Swingline Loans shall be made by the Revolving Credit Lenders as provided in Section 2.2(b).

 

SECTION 2.4          Repayment and Prepayment of Revolving Credit and Swingline Loans.

 

(a)         Repayment on Termination Date.  The Borrower hereby agrees to repay the outstanding principal amount of (i) all Revolving Credit Loans in full on the Maturity Date, and (ii) all Swingline Loans in accordance with Section 2.2(b) (but, in any event, no later than the Maturity Date), together, in each case, with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon.

 

(b)         Mandatory Prepayments.  If at any time the Revolving Credit Outstandings exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment, the Borrower agrees to repay immediately upon notice from the Administrative Agent, by payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Revolving Credit Lenders, Revolving Extensions of Credit in an amount equal to such excess with each such repayment applied first, to the principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans, second to the principal amount of outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and third, with respect to any Letters of Credit then outstanding, a payment of Cash Collateral into a Cash Collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Revolving Credit Lenders, in an amount equal to such excess (such Cash Collateral to be applied in accordance with Section 10.2(b)).

 

(c)          Optional Prepayments.  The Borrower may at any time and from time to time prepay Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty, with irrevocable prior written notice to the Administrative Agent substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D (a “Notice of Prepayment”) given not later than 9:00 a.m. (i) on the same Business Day as each Base Rate Loan and each Swingline Loan and (ii) at least three (3) Business Days before each LIBOR Rate Loan, specifying the date and amount of prepayment and whether the prepayment is of LIBOR Rate Loans, Base Rate Loans, Swingline Loans or a combination thereof, and, if of a combination thereof, the amount allocable to each.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender.  If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date set forth in such notice.  Partial prepayments shall be in an aggregate amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof with respect to Base Rate Loans (other than Swingline Loans), $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof with respect to LIBOR Rate Loans and $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof with respect to Swingline Loans.  A Notice of Prepayment received after 9:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next Business Day.  Each such repayment shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 5.9 hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Notice of a Prepayment delivered in connection with any refinancing of all of the Credit Facility with the proceeds of such refinancing or of any incurrence of Indebtedness, may be, if expressly so stated to be, contingent upon the consummation of such refinancing or incurrence and may be revoked by the Borrower in the event such refinancing is not consummated (provided that the failure of such contingency shall not relieve the Borrower from its obligations in respect thereof under Section 5.9).

 

(d)          [Reserved].

 

(e)          Limitation on Prepayment of LIBOR Rate Loans.  The Borrower may not prepay any LIBOR Rate Loan on any day other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto unless such prepayment is accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 5.9 hereof.

 

(f)          Hedge Agreements.  No repayment or prepayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section shall affect any of the Borrower’s obligations under any Hedge Agreement entered into with respect to the Loans.

 

SECTION 2.5           Permanent Reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

(a)         Voluntary Reduction.  The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time, upon at least three (3) Business Days prior irrevocable written notice to the Administrative Agent, to permanently reduce, without premium or penalty, (i) the entire Revolving Credit Commitment at any time or (ii) portions of the Revolving Credit Commitment, from time to time, in an aggregate principal amount not less than $3,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Any reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be applied to the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Revolving Credit Lender according to its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage.  All Commitment Fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any notice to reduce the Revolving Credit Commitment delivered in connection with any refinancing of all of the Credit Facility with the proceeds of such refinancing or of any incurrence of Indebtedness, may be, if expressly so stated to be, contingent upon the consummation of such refinancing or incurrence and may be revoked by the Borrower in the event such refinancing is not consummated (provided that the failure of such contingency shall not relieve the Borrower from its obligations in respect thereof under Section 5.9).

 

(b)        Corresponding Payment.  Each permanent reduction permitted pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a payment of principal, without premium or penalty (other than as specified in the last sentence of this clause (b)), sufficient to reduce the aggregate outstanding Revolving Credit Loans, Swingline Loans and L/C Obligations, as applicable, to not more than the Revolving Credit Commitment as so reduced, and if the aggregate amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit exceeds the Revolving Credit Commitment as so reduced, the Borrower shall be required to deposit Cash Collateral in a Cash Collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to such excess.  Such Cash Collateral shall be applied in accordance with Section 10.2(b).  Any reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment to zero shall be accompanied by payment of all outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans (and furnishing of Cash Collateral satisfactory to the Administrative Agent for all L/C Obligations) and shall result in the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment and the Swingline Commitment and the Revolving Credit Facility.  If the reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitment requires the repayment of any LIBOR Rate Loan, such repayment shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 5.9 hereof.

 

SECTION 2.6          Termination of Revolving Credit Facility.  The Revolving Credit Facility and the Revolving Credit Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

 

ARTICLE III

 

LETTER OF CREDIT FACILITY

 

SECTION 3.1           L/C Facility.

 

(a)          Availability.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Issuing Lender, in reliance on the agreements of the Revolving Credit Lenders set forth in Section 3.4(a), agrees to issue standby Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or, subject to Section 3.8, any Subsidiary thereof, Letters of Credit may be issued on any Business Day from the Closing Date to, but not including the thirtieth (30^th) Business Day prior to the Maturity Date in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Issuing Lender; provided, that the Issuing Lender shall not issue any Letter of Credit if, after giving effect to such issuance, (a) the L/C Obligations would exceed the L/C Sublimit or (b) the Revolving Credit Outstandings would exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment.  Each Letter of Credit shall (i) be denominated in Dollars in a minimum amount of $50,000 (or such lesser amount as agreed to by the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent), (ii) expire on a date no more than twelve (12) months after the date of issuance or last renewal of such Letter of Credit (subject to automatic renewal for additional one (1) year periods pursuant to the terms of the applicable Letter of Credit Application or other applicable documentation that is reasonably acceptable to the Issuing Lender), which date shall be no later than the fifth (5th) Business Day prior to the Maturity Date and (iii) be subject to ISP as set forth in the Letter of Credit Application or as determined by the Issuing Lender and, to the extent not inconsistent therewith, the laws of the State of New York.  The Issuing Lender shall not at any time be obligated to issue any Letter of Credit hereunder if (A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Lender from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Applicable Law applicable to the Issuing Lender or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Lender shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Lender refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender with respect to letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular any restriction or reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Lender is not otherwise compensated) not in effect on the Closing Date, or any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable, in effect as of the Closing Date and that the Issuing Lender in good faith deems material to it, (B) the conditions set forth in Section 6.2 are not satisfied or (C) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit is a Sanctioned Person.  References herein to “issue” and derivations thereof with respect to Letters of Credit shall also include extensions or modifications of any outstanding Letters of Credit, unless the context otherwise requires.  As of the Closing Date, each of the Existing Letters of Credit shall constitute, for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, a Letter of Credit issued and outstanding hereunder.

 

(b)          Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Article III shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 5.14 and Section 5.15.

 

SECTION 3.2           Procedure for Issuance of Letters of Credit.  The Borrower may from time to time request that the Issuing Lender issue a Letter of Credit by delivering to the Issuing Lender at its applicable office (with a copy to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office) a Letter of Credit Application therefor, completed to the satisfaction of the Issuing Lender, and such other certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Issuing Lender or the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.  Upon receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the Issuing Lender shall, process such Letter of Credit Application and the certificates, documents and other papers and information delivered to it in connection therewith in accordance with its customary procedures and shall, subject to Section 3.1 and Article VI, promptly issue the Letter of Credit requested thereby (but in no event shall the Issuing Lender be required to issue any Letter of Credit earlier than three (3) Business Days after its receipt of the Letter of Credit Application therefor and all such other certificates, documents and other papers and information relating thereto) by issuing the original of such Letter of Credit to the beneficiary thereof or as otherwise may be agreed by the Issuing Lender and the Borrower.  The Issuing Lender shall promptly furnish to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a copy of such Letter of Credit and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender of the issuance and upon request by any Revolving Credit Lender, furnish to such Revolving Credit Lender a copy of such Letter of Credit and the amount of such Revolving Credit Lender’s participation therein.

 

SECTION 3.3           Commissions and Other Charges.

 

(a)          Letter of Credit Commissions.  Subject to Section 5.15(a)(iii)(B), the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Lender and the L/C Participants, a letter of credit commission with respect to each Letter of Credit in the amount equal to the daily amount available to be drawn under such standby Letters of Credit times the Applicable Margin with respect to Revolving Credit Loans that are LIBOR Rate Loans (determined, in each case, on a per annum basis).  Such commission shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter, on the Maturity Date and thereafter on demand of the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, distribute to the Issuing Lender and the L/C Participants all commissions received pursuant to this Section 3.3 in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages.

 

(b)         Issuance Fee.  In addition to the foregoing commission, the Borrower shall pay directly to the Issuing Lender, for its own account, an issuance fee with respect to each Letter of Credit as set forth in the Fee Letter.  Such issuance fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Maturity Date and thereafter on demand of the Issuing Lender.  For the avoidance of doubt, such issuance fee shall be applicable to and paid upon each of the Existing Letters of Credit.

 

(c)         Other Fees, Costs, Charges and Expenses.  In addition to the foregoing fees and commissions, the Borrower shall pay or reimburse the Issuing Lender for such normal and customary fees, costs, charges and expenses as are incurred or charged by the Issuing Lender in issuing, effecting payment under, amending or otherwise administering any Letter of Credit.

 

SECTION 3.4           L/C Participations.

 

(a)         The Issuing Lender irrevocably agrees to grant and hereby grants to each L/C Participant, and, to induce the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit hereunder, each L/C Participant irrevocably agrees to accept and purchase and hereby accepts and purchases from the Issuing Lender, on the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, for such L/C Participant’s own account and risk an undivided interest equal to such L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage in the Issuing Lender’s obligations and rights under and in respect of each Letter of Credit and the amount of each draft paid by the Issuing Lender thereunder.  Each L/C Participant unconditionally and irrevocably agrees with the Issuing Lender that, if a draft is paid under any Letter of Credit for which the Issuing Lender is not reimbursed in full by the Borrower through a Revolving Credit Loan or otherwise in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender upon demand at the Issuing Lender’s address for notices specified herein an amount equal to such L/C Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the amount of such draft, or any part thereof, which is not so reimbursed.

 

(b)         Upon becoming aware of any amount required to be paid by any L/C Participant to the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.4(a) in respect of any unreimbursed portion of any payment made by the Issuing Lender under any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent of such unreimbursed amount and the Administrative Agent shall notify each L/C Participant (with a copy to the Issuing Lender) of the amount and due date of such required payment and such L/C Participant shall pay to the Administrative Agent (which, in turn shall pay the Issuing Lender) the amount specified on the applicable due date.  If any such amount is paid to the Issuing Lender after the date such payment is due, such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender on demand, in addition to such amount, the product of (i) such amount, times (ii) the daily average Federal Funds Rate as determined by the Administrative Agent during the period from and including the date such payment is due to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Issuing Lender, times (iii) a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days that elapse during such period and the denominator of which is 360.  A certificate of the Issuing Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this Section shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.  With respect to payment to the Issuing Lender of the unreimbursed amounts described in this Section, if the L/C Participants receive notice that any such payment is due (A) prior to 9:00 a.m. on any Business Day, such payment shall be due that Business Day, and (B) after 9:00 a.m. on any Business Day, such payment shall be due on the following Business Day.

 

(c)        Whenever, at any time after the Issuing Lender has made payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any L/C Participant its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of such payment in accordance with this Section, the Issuing Lender receives any payment related to such Letter of Credit (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise), or any payment of interest on account thereof, the Issuing Lender will distribute to such L/C Participant its pro rata share thereof; provided, that in the event that any such payment received by the Issuing Lender shall be required to be returned by the Issuing Lender, such L/C Participant shall return to the Issuing Lender the portion thereof previously distributed by the Issuing Lender to it.

 

(d)         Each L/C Participant’s obligation to make the Revolving Credit Loans referred to in Section  3.4(b) and to purchase participating interests pursuant to Section 3.4(a) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (i) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Revolving Credit Lender or the Borrower may have against the Issuing Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (ii) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or an Event of Default or the failure to satisfy any of the other conditions specified in Article VI, (iii) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower, (iv) any breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any other Revolving Credit Lender or (v) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.

 

SECTION 3.5          Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrower.  In the event of any drawing under any Letter of Credit, the Borrower agrees to reimburse (either with the proceeds of a Revolving Credit Loan as provided for in this Section or with funds from other sources), in same day funds, the Issuing Lender on each date on which the Issuing Lender notifies the Borrower of the date and amount of a draft paid by it under any Letter of Credit for the amount of (a) such draft so paid and (b) any amounts referred to in Section 3.3(c) incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with such payment.  Unless the Borrower shall immediately notify the Issuing Lender that the Borrower intends to reimburse the Issuing Lender for such drawing from other sources or funds, the Borrower shall be deemed to have timely given a Notice of Borrowing to the Administrative Agent requesting that the Revolving Credit Lenders make a Revolving Credit Loan as a Base Rate Loan on the applicable repayment date in the amount of (i) such draft so paid and (ii) any amounts referred to in Section 3.3(c) incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with such payment, and the Revolving Credit Lenders shall make a Revolving Credit Loan as a Base Rate Loan in such amount, the proceeds of which shall be applied to reimburse the Issuing Lender for the amount of the related drawing and such fees and expenses.  Each Revolving Credit Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to fund a Revolving Credit Loan in accordance with this Section to reimburse the Issuing Lender for any draft paid under a Letter of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including, without limitation, non-satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.3(a) or Article VI.  If the Borrower has elected to pay the amount of such drawing with funds from other sources and shall fail to reimburse the Issuing Lender as provided above, or if the amount of such drawing is not fully refunded through a Base Rate Loan as provided above, the unreimbursed amount of such drawing shall bear interest at the rate which would be payable on any outstanding Base Rate Loans which were then overdue from the date such amounts become payable (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) until payment in full.

 

SECTION 3.6          Obligations Absolute.  The Borrower’s obligations under this Article III (including, without limitation, the Reimbursement Obligation) shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any set off, counterclaim or defense to payment which the Borrower may have or have had against the Issuing Lender or any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or any other Person.  The Borrower also agrees that the Issuing Lender and the L/C Participants shall not be responsible for, and the Borrower’s Reimbursement Obligation under Section 3.5 shall not be affected by, among other things, the validity or genuineness of documents or of any endorsements thereon, even though such documents shall in fact prove to be invalid, fraudulent or forged, or any dispute between or among the Borrower and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred or any claims whatsoever of the Borrower against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee.  The Issuing Lender shall not be liable for any error, omission, interruption or delay in transmission, dispatch or delivery of any message or advice, however transmitted, in connection with any Letter of Credit, except for errors or omissions caused by the Issuing Lender’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final nonappealable judgment.  The Borrower agrees that any action taken or omitted by the Issuing Lender under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or the related drafts or documents, if done in the absence of gross negligence, willful misconduct or a material breach in bad faith of its obligations under the Loan Documents (in each case as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final nonappealable judgment) shall be binding on the Borrower and shall not result in any liability of the Issuing Lender or any L/C Participant to the Borrower.  The responsibility of the Issuing Lender to the Borrower in connection with any draft presented for payment under any Letter of Credit issued to it shall, in addition to any payment obligation expressly provided for in such Letter of Credit, be limited to determining that the documents (including each draft) delivered under such Letter of Credit in connection with such presentment substantially conforms to the requirements under such Letter of Credit.

 

SECTION 3.7          Effect of Letter of Credit Application.  To the extent that any provision of any Letter of Credit Application related to any Letter of Credit is inconsistent with the provisions of this Article III, the provisions of this Article III shall apply.

 

SECTION 3.8          Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse, or to cause the applicable Subsidiary to reimburse, the Issuing Lender hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of any of its Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

[RESERVED]

 

ARTICLE V

 

GENERAL LOAN PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 5.1          Interest.

 

(a)         Interest Rate Options.  Subject to the provisions of this Section, at the election of the Borrower, (i) Revolving Credit Loans shall bear interest at (A) the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin or (B) the LIBOR Rate plus the Applicable Margin (provided that the LIBOR Rate shall not be available until three (3) Business Days after the Closing Date unless the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a letter in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent indemnifying the Lenders in the manner set forth in Section 5.9 of this Agreement) and (ii) any Swingline Loan shall bear interest at the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.  The Borrower shall select the rate of interest and Interest Period, if any, applicable to any Loan at the time a Notice of Borrowing is given or at the time a Notice of Conversion/Continuation is given pursuant to Section 5.2.

 

(b)        Default Rate.  Subject to Section 10.3, (i) immediately upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 10.1(a), (b), (h) or (i), or (ii) at the election of the Required Lenders (or the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders), upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any other Event of Default, (A) the Borrower shall no longer have the option to request LIBOR Rate Loans, Swingline Loans or Letters of Credit, (B) all outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans shall bear interest at a rate per annum of two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to LIBOR Rate Loans until the end of the applicable Interest Period and thereafter at a rate equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to Base Rate Loans, (C) all outstanding Base Rate Loans and other Obligations arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to Base Rate Loans or such other Obligations arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document and (D) all accrued and unpaid interest shall be due and payable on demand of the Administrative Agent.  Interest shall continue to accrue on the Obligations after the filing by or against the Borrower of any petition seeking any relief in bankruptcy or under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

(c)         Interest Payment and Computation.  Interest on each Base Rate Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter commencing September 30, 2020; and interest on each LIBOR Rate Loan shall be due and payable on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto, and if such Interest Period extends over three (3) months, at the end of each three (3) month interval during such Interest Period.  All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by the Prime Rate shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest provided hereunder shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365/366-day year).

 

(d)          Maximum Rate.  In no contingency or event whatsoever shall the aggregate of all amounts deemed interest under this Agreement charged or collected pursuant to the terms of this Agreement exceed the highest rate permissible under any Applicable Law which a court of competent jurisdiction shall, in a final determination, deem applicable hereto.  In the event that such a court determines that the Lenders have charged or received interest hereunder in excess of the highest applicable rate, the rate in effect hereunder shall automatically be reduced to the maximum rate permitted by Applicable Law and the Lenders shall at the Administrative Agent’s option (i) promptly refund to the Borrower any interest received by the Lenders in excess of the maximum lawful rate or (ii) apply such excess to the principal balance of the Obligations.  It is the intent hereof that the Borrower not pay or contract to pay, and that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender receive or contract to receive, directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever, interest in excess of that which may be paid by the Borrower under Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 5.2          Notice and Manner of Conversion or Continuation of Loans.  Provided that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing, the Borrower shall have the option to (a) convert at any time following the third Business Day after the Closing Date all or any portion of any outstanding Base Rate Loans (other than Swingline Loans) in a principal amount equal to $3,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof into one or more LIBOR Rate Loans and (b) upon the expiration of any Interest Period, (i) convert all or any part of its outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans in a principal amount equal to $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof into Base Rate Loans (other than Swingline Loans) or (ii) continue such LIBOR Rate Loans as LIBOR Rate Loans.  Whenever the Borrower desires to convert or continue Loans as provided above, the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable prior written notice in the form attached as Exhibit E (a “Notice of Conversion/Continuation”) not later than 9:00 a.m. three (3) Business Days before the day on which a proposed conversion or continuation of such Loan is to be effective specifying (A) the Loans to be converted or continued, and, in the case of any LIBOR Rate Loan to be converted or continued, the last day of the Interest Period therefor, (B) the effective date of such conversion or continuation (which shall be a Business Day), (C) the principal amount of such Loans to be converted or continued, and (D) the Interest Period to be applicable to such converted or continued LIBOR Rate Loan.  If the Borrower fails to give a timely Notice of Conversion/Continuation prior to the end of the Interest Period for any LIBOR Rate Loan, then the applicable LIBOR Rate Loan shall be converted to a Base Rate Loan.  Any such automatic conversion to a Base Rate Loan shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable LIBOR Rate Loan.  If the Borrower requests a conversion to, or continuation of, LIBOR Rate Loans, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Swingline Loan may not be converted to a LIBOR Rate Loan.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the affected Lenders of such Notice of Conversion/Continuation.

 

SECTION 5.3           Fees.

 

(a)         Commitment Fee.  Commencing on the Closing Date, subject to Section 5.15(a)(iii)(A), the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Revolving Credit Lenders, a non-refundable commitment fee (the “Commitment Fee”) at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin on the average daily unused portion of the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Revolving Credit Lenders (other than the Defaulting Lenders, if any); provided, that the amount of outstanding Swingline Loans shall not be considered usage of the Revolving Credit Commitment for the purpose of calculating the Commitment Fee.  The Commitment Fee shall be payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter during the term of this Agreement commencing September 30, 2020 and ending on the date upon which all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due) arising under the Revolving Credit Facility shall have been indefeasibly and irrevocably paid and satisfied in full, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Revolving Credit Commitment has been terminated.  The Commitment Fee shall be promptly distributed by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Credit Lenders (other than any Defaulting Lender) pro rata in accordance with such Revolving Credit Lenders’ respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages.

 

(b)          Other Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Arrangers, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter.

 

SECTION 5.4          Manner of Payment.  Each payment by the Borrower on account of the principal of or interest on the Loans or of any fee, commission or other amounts (including the Reimbursement Obligation) payable to the Lenders under this Agreement shall be made not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date specified for payment under this Agreement to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office for the account of the Lenders entitled to such payment in Dollars, in immediately available funds and shall be made without any set off, counterclaim or deduction whatsoever.  Any payment received after such time but before 12:00 noon on such day shall be deemed a payment on such date for the purposes of Section 10.1, but for all other purposes shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day.  Any payment received after 12:00 noon shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day for all purposes.  Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of each such payment, the Administrative Agent shall distribute to each such Lender at its address for notices set forth herein its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment and shall wire advice of the amount of such credit to each Lender.  Each payment to the Administrative Agent on account of the principal of or interest on the Swingline Loans or of any fee, commission or other amounts payable to the Swingline Lender shall be made in like manner, but for the account of the Swingline Lender.  Each payment to the Administrative Agent of the Issuing Lender’s fees or L/C Participants’ commissions shall be made in like manner, but for the account of the Issuing Lender or the L/C Participants, as the case may be.  Each payment to the Administrative Agent of Administrative Agent’s fees or expenses shall be made for the account of the Administrative Agent and any amount payable to any Lender under Sections 5.9, 5.10, 5.11 or 12.3 shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lender.  Subject to the definition of Interest Period, if any payment under this Agreement shall be specified to be made upon a day which is not a Business Day, it shall be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day and such extension of time shall in such case be included in computing any interest if payable along with such payment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if there exists a Defaulting Lender each payment by the Borrower to such Defaulting Lender hereunder shall be applied in accordance with Section 5.15(a)(ii).

 

SECTION 5.5          Evidence of Indebtedness.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 5.6          Sharing of Payments by Lenders.  If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or other obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations (other than pursuant to Sections 5.9, 5.10, 5.11 or 12.3) greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and such other obligations of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them; provided that:

 

(i)          if any such participations 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 (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (B) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 5.14 or (C) 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 Swingline Loans and Letters of Credit to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).

 

Each Credit Party 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 each Credit Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of each Credit Party in the amount of such participation.

 

SECTION 5.7          Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

 

(a)         Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender (i) in the case of Base Rate Loans, not later than 9:00 a.m. on the date of any proposed borrowing and (ii) otherwise, 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 Section 2.3(b) 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 (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the daily average Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)         Payments by the Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender 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, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender, 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, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender, as the case maybe, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender, 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 Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

(c)         Nature of Obligations of Lenders.  The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement to make the Loans and issue or participate in Letters of Credit are several and are not joint or joint and several.  The failure of any Lender to make available its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage or other applicable percentage of any Loan requested by the Borrower shall not relieve it or any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage or other applicable percentage of such Loan available on the borrowing date, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage or other applicable percentage of such Loan available on the borrowing date.

 

SECTION 5.8           Changed Circumstances.

 

(a)        Circumstances Affecting LIBOR Rate Availability.  Subject to clause (c) below, in connection with any request for a LIBOR Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof or otherwise, if for any reason (i) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Loan, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that reasonable and adequate means do not exist for the ascertaining the LIBOR Rate for such Interest Period with respect to a proposed LIBOR Rate Loan or (iii) the Required Lenders shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the LIBOR Rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans during such Interest Period, then the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower.  Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, the obligation of the Lenders to make LIBOR Rate Loans and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan shall be suspended, and the Borrower shall either (A) repay in full (or cause to be repaid in full) the then outstanding principal amount of each such LIBOR Rate Loan together with accrued interest thereon (subject to Section 5.1(d)), on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to such LIBOR Rate Loan; or (B) convert the then outstanding principal amount of each such LIBOR Rate Loan to a Base Rate Loan as of the last day of such Interest Period.

 

(b)         Laws Affecting LIBOR Rate Availability.  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 (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 LIBOR Rate Loan, 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 LIBOR Rate Loans, and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to a LIBOR Rate Loan or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan shall be suspended and during such period of suspension the Borrower may select only Base Rate Loans and (ii) if any of the Lenders may not lawfully continue to maintain a LIBOR Rate Loan to the end of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, the applicable Loan shall immediately be converted to a Base Rate Loan for the remainder of such Interest Period.

 

(c)          Effect of Benchmark Transition Event.

 

(i)          Benchmark Replacement.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace LIBOR with a Benchmark Replacement. Any such amendment with respect to a Benchmark Transition Event will become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Administrative Agent has posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. Any such amendment with respect to an Early Opt-in Election will become effective on the date that Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders accept such amendment. No replacement of LIBOR with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to this Section 5.8(c) will occur prior to the applicable Benchmark Transition Start Date.

 

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

 

(iii)        Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (A) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event or an Early Opt-in Election, as applicable, and its related Benchmark Replacement Date and Benchmark Transition Start Date, (B) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (C) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes and (D) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or Lenders pursuant to this Section 5.8(c), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party hereto, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 5.8(c).

 

(iv)         Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any request for a LIBOR Rate Loan of, conversion to or continuation of LIBOR Rate Loans to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period, the component of the Base Rate based upon LIBOR will not be used in any determination of the Base Rate.

 

SECTION 5.9      Indemnity.  The Borrower hereby indemnifies each of the Lenders against any loss or expense (including any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain a LIBOR Rate Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained, but not the Applicable Margin or any lost profits) which may arise or be attributable to each Lender’s obtaining, liquidating or employing deposits or other funds acquired to effect, fund or maintain any Loan (a) as a consequence of any failure by the Borrower to make any payment when due of any amount due hereunder in connection with a LIBOR Rate Loan, (b) due to any failure of the Borrower to borrow, continue or convert on a date specified therefor in a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion/Continuation or (c) due to any payment, prepayment or conversion of any LIBOR Rate Loan on a date other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor.  The amount of such loss or expense shall be determined, in the applicable Lender’s sole discretion, based upon the assumption that such Lender funded its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the LIBOR Rate Loans in the London interbank market and using any reasonable attribution or averaging methods which such Lender deems appropriate and practical.  A certificate of such Lender setting forth the basis for determining such amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender shall be forwarded to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent and shall be conclusively presumed to be correct save for manifest error.

 

SECTION 5.10         Increased Costs.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or such other Recipient of making, converting to, 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 Lender 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 Lender or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon written request of such Lender, the Issuing Lender or other Recipient, the Borrower shall promptly pay to any such Lender, the Issuing Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 5.11         Taxes.

 

(a)          Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Section 5.11, the term “Lender” includes the Issuing Lender and the term “Applicable Law” includes FATCA.

 

(b)        Payments Free of Taxes.  Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by Applicable Law.  If any Applicable Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable 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), the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

(c)          Payment of Other Taxes by the Credit Parties.  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 the payment of, any Other Taxes.

 

(d)         Indemnification by the Credit Parties.  The Credit Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within thirty (30) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Recipient (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Recipient, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(e)         Indemnification by the Lenders.  Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within thirty (30) days after written demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes 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 12.9(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

 

(f)           Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Credit Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 5.11, 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.

 

(g)          Status of Lenders.

 

(i)          Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 5.11(g)(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:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(3)          in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-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 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or

 

(4)         to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2 or Exhibit H-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 Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-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 copies of any other form prescribed by Applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

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

 

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

 

(h)          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 5.11 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.11), 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 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 (h) (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 (h), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (h) 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 Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

 

(i)         Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 5.11 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 Revolving Credit Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

 

SECTION 5.12         Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)          Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.10, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 5.11, then such Lender shall, at the request of the Borrower, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 5.10 or Section 5.11, 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 documented and reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)         Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.10, 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 5.11, and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different Lending Office in accordance with Section 5.12(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 12.9), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 5.10 or Section 5.11) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible 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 paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 12.9;

 

(ii)         such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and funded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 5.9) 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);

 

(iii)         in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 5.10 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 5.11, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

 

(iv)         such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law; and

 

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

 

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

 

Each party hereto agrees that (x) an assignment required pursuant to this Section 5.12 may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and (y) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to and be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided, further that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

 

(c)          Selection of Lending Office.   Subject to Section 5.12(a), each Lender may make any Loan to the Borrower through any Lending Office, provided that the exercise of this option shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower to repay the Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise alter the rights of the parties hereto.

 

SECTION 5.13         Incremental Loans.

 

(a)          At any time, the Borrower may by written notice to the Administrative Agent elect to request the establishment of:

 

(i)          one or more incremental term loan commitments (any such incremental term loan commitment, an “Incremental Term Loan Commitment”) to make one or more additional term loans, which may be of the same tranche as the outstanding term loans, if any, with the latest maturity or a new tranche of term loans (any such increase or additional term loans, an “Incremental Term Loan”); or

 

(ii)         one or more increases in the Revolving Credit Commitments (any such increase, an “Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment” and, together with the Incremental Term Loan Commitments, the “Incremental Loan Commitments”) to make revolving credit loans under the Revolving Credit Facility (any such loan, an “Incremental Revolving Credit Loan” and, together with the Incremental Term Loans, the “Incremental Loans”);

 

provided that (1) the total aggregate principal amount for all such Incremental Loan Commitments and Incremental Loans shall not (as of any date of incurrence thereof) exceed $75,000,000 and (2) the total aggregate amount for each Incremental Loan Commitment (and the Incremental Loans made thereunder) shall not be less than a minimum principal amount of $5,000,000 or, if less, the remaining amount permitted pursuant to the foregoing clause (1).  Each such notice shall specify the date (each, an “Increased Amount Date”) on which the Borrower proposes that any Incremental Loan Commitment shall be effective, which shall be a date not less than five (5) Business Days after the date on which such notice is delivered to Administrative Agent (or such later date as may be approved by the Administrative Agent).  The Borrower may invite any Lender, any Affiliate of any Lender and/or any Approved Fund, and/or any other Person reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to provide an Incremental Loan Commitment (any such Person, an “Incremental Lender”).  Any proposed Incremental Lender offered or approached to provide all or a portion of any Incremental Loan Commitment may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide such Incremental Loan Commitment.  Any Incremental Loan Commitment shall become effective as of such Increased Amount Date; provided that, subject to Section 1.13, each of the following conditions has been satisfied or waived as of such Increased Amount Date:

 

(A)          no Default or Event of Default shall exist on such Increased Amount Date immediately before or immediately after giving effect to (1) any Incremental Loan Commitment, (2) the making of any Incremental Loans pursuant thereto and (3) any Permitted Acquisition consummated in connection therewith;

 

(B)          the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received from the Borrower an Officer’s Compliance Certificate demonstrating, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 9.14 (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase unless such Incremental Loan Commitment is being used to finance a Material Acquisition) based on the financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b), as applicable, both before and after giving effect (on a Pro Forma Basis) to (x) any Incremental Loan Commitment, (y) the making of any Incremental Loans pursuant thereto (with any Incremental Loan Commitment being deemed to be fully funded) and (z) any Permitted Acquisition consummated in connection therewith;

 

(C)          each of the representations and warranties contained in Article VII shall be true and correct in all material respects, except to the extent any such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, in which case, such representation and warranty shall be true, correct and complete in all respects, on such Increased Amount Date with the same effect as if made on and as of such date (except for any such representation and warranty that by its terms is made only as of an earlier date, which representation and warranty shall remain true and correct as of such earlier date);

 

(D)          the proceeds of any Incremental Loans shall be used for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including Permitted Acquisitions);

 

(E)          each Incremental Loan Commitment (and the Incremental Loans made thereunder) shall constitute Obligations of the Borrower and shall be secured and guaranteed with the other Extensions of Credit on a pari passu basis;

 

(F)          (1)          in the case of each Incremental Term Loan (the terms of which shall be set forth in the relevant Lender Joinder Agreement):

 

(x)       such Incremental Term Loan will mature and amortize in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, the Incremental Lenders making such Incremental Term Loan and the Borrower, but will not in any event have a maturity date earlier than the Maturity Date;

 

(y)       the Applicable Margin and pricing grid, if applicable, for such Incremental Term Loan shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Incremental Lenders and the Borrower on the applicable Increased Amount Date; and

 

(z)        except as provided above, all other terms and conditions applicable to any Incremental Term Loan shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

(2)          in the case of each Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment and the related Incremental Revolving Credit Loans (the terms of which shall be set forth in the relevant Lender Joinder Agreement):

 

(w)         such Incremental Revolving Credit Loans shall mature on the Maturity Date, shall bear interest and be entitled to fees (other than upfront fees), in each case at the rate applicable to the Revolving Credit Loans, and shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as the Revolving Credit Loans;

 

(x)         the outstanding Revolving Credit Loans and Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages of Swingline Loans and L/C Obligations will be reallocated by the Administrative Agent on the applicable Increased Amount Date among the Revolving Credit Lenders (including the Incremental Lenders providing such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments) in accordance with their revised Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages (and the Revolving Credit Lenders (including the Incremental Lenders providing such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments) agree to make all payments and adjustments necessary to effect such reallocation and the Borrower shall pay any and all costs required pursuant to Section 5.9 in connection with such reallocation as if such reallocation were a repayment);

 

(y)         except as provided above, all of the other terms and conditions applicable to such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments shall, except to the extent otherwise provided in this Section 5.13, be identical to the terms and conditions applicable to the Revolving Credit Facility; and

 

(z)          any Incremental Lender with an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall be entitled to the same voting rights as the existing Revolving Credit Lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility and any Extensions of Credit made in connection with each Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall receive proceeds of prepayments on the same basis as the other Revolving Credit Loans made hereunder;

 

(G)         such Incremental Loan Commitments shall be effected pursuant to one or more Lender Joinder Agreements executed and delivered by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Incremental Lenders (which Lender Joinder Agreement may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 5.13); and

 

(H)         the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered any customary legal opinions or other documents (including, without limitation, a resolution duly adopted by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of each Credit Party authorizing such Incremental Loan and/or Incremental Loan Commitment), as may be reasonably requested by Administrative Agent in connection with any such transaction.

 

(b)          The Incremental Lenders shall be included in any determination of the Required Lenders and, unless otherwise agreed, the Incremental Lenders will not constitute a separate voting class for any purposes under this Agreement.

 

(c)    (i)           On any Increased Amount Date on which any Incremental Term Loan Commitment becomes effective, subject to the foregoing terms and conditions, each Incremental Lender with an Incremental Term Loan Commitment shall make, or be obligated to make, an Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower in an amount equal to its Incremental Term Loan Commitment and shall become a Lender hereunder with respect to such Incremental Term Loan Commitment and the Incremental Term Loan made pursuant thereto.

 

(ii)          On any Increased Amount Date on which any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment becomes effective, subject to the foregoing terms and conditions, each Incremental Lender with an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall become a Revolving Credit Lender hereunder with respect to such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

SECTION 5.14         Cash Collateral.  At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one Business Day following the written request of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) or the Swingline Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender and/or the Swingline Lender, as applicable, with respect to such Defaulting Lender (determined after giving effect to Section 5.15(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender) in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount.

 

(a)          Grant of Security Interest.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such Cash Collateral as security for the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans, to be applied pursuant to subsection (b) below.  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency (after giving effect to any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

(b)          Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, Cash Collateral provided under this Section 5.14 or Section 5.15 in respect of Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans shall be applied to the satisfaction of the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

 

(c)          Termination of Requirement.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender and/or the Swingline Lender, as applicable, shall no longer be required to be held as Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 5.14 following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender), or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided that, subject to Section 5.15, the Person providing Cash Collateral, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender may agree that Cash Collateral shall be held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations; and provided further that to the extent that such Cash Collateral was provided by the Borrower, such Cash Collateral shall remain subject to the security interest granted pursuant to the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 5.15          Defaulting Lenders.

 

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

 

(i)           Waivers and Amendments.  Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Required Lenders and Section 12.2.

 

(ii)          Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article X or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 12.4 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 5.14; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan or funded participation in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (A) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans and funded participations under this Agreement and (B) Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 5.14; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (1) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or funded participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (2) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 6.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and funded participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or funded participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments without giving effect to Section 5.15(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 5.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

(iii)        Certain Fees.

 

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

 

(B)         Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive letter of credit commissions pursuant to Section 3.3 for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 5.14.

 

(C)         With respect to any Commitment Fee or letter of credit commission not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (1) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (2) pay to the Issuing Lender and Swingline Lender, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to the Issuing Lender’s or Swingline Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (3) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

(iv)        Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Credit Commitment Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment.  Subject to Section 12.23, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(v)        Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swingline Loans.  If the reallocation described in clause (iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, (x) first, repay Swingline Loans in an amount equal to the Swingline Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 5.14.

 

(b)          Defaulting Lender Cure.  If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), such Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments (without giving effect to Section 5.15(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Non-Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

CONDITIONS OF CLOSING AND BORROWING

 

SECTION 6.1          Conditions to Closing and Initial Extensions of Credit.  Except for those items that are permitted to be satisfied on a post-closing basis pursuant to Section 8.18, the obligation of the Lenders to close this Agreement and to make the initial Loans or issue or participate in the initial Letter of Credit, if any, is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:

 

(a)          Executed Loan Documents.  This Agreement, a Revolving Credit Note in favor of each Revolving Credit Lender requesting a Revolving Credit Note, a Swingline Note in favor of the Swingline Lender (in each case, if requested thereby), the Reaffirmation Agreement, together with any other applicable Loan Documents to be executed on the Closing Date, shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent by the parties thereto, shall be in full force and effect and no Default or Event of Default shall exist hereunder or thereunder.

 

(b)          Closing Certificates; Etc.  The Administrative Agent shall have received each of the following in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

 

(i)          Officer’s Certificate.  A certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to the effect that each of the Credit Parties, as applicable, has satisfied each of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1 (except to the extent relating to the satisfaction of any condition the satisfaction of which (A) is dependent upon the discretion of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders or (B) is waived by the Lenders).

 

(ii)          Certificate of Secretary of each Credit Party.  A certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Credit Party certifying as to the incumbency and genuineness of the signature of each officer of such Credit Party executing Loan Documents to which it is a party and certifying that attached thereto is a true, correct and complete copy of (A) the articles or certificate of incorporation or formation (or equivalent), as applicable, of such Credit Party and all amendments thereto, certified as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority in its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation (or equivalent), as applicable, (B) the bylaws or other governing document of such Credit Party as in effect on the Closing Date, (C) resolutions duly adopted by the board of directors (or other governing body) of such Credit Party authorizing and approving the transactions contemplated hereunder and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (D) each certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(iii).

 

(iii)        Certificates of Good Standing.  Certificates as of a recent date of the good standing of each Credit Party under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation (or equivalent), as applicable and, in the case of the Borrower, the State of California.

 

(iv)        Opinions of Counsel.  Opinions of counsel to the Credit Parties addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the Credit Parties, the Loan Documents and such other matters as the Administrative Agent shall request (which such opinions shall expressly permit reliance by permitted successors and assigns of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders).

 

(c)          Personal Property Collateral.

 

(i)         The Administrative Agent shall have received (A) each original certificate representing the shares of Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Collateral Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the applicable pledgor thereof and (B) each original promissory note (if any) pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the applicable pledgor thereof.

 

(ii)         Each document (including, without limitation, any UCC financing statements and any intellectual property security agreements to be filed with the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as applicable) required by the Collateral Agreement or under Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected Lien on Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Permitted Liens) or to evidence such Liens, shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation and all filing and recording fees and taxes in connection therewith shall have been paid in full by the Borrower.

 

(iii)        The Administrative Agent shall have received all searches (including UCC and other lien searches and intellectual property searches) reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with the security interests in, and Liens on, the Collateral which shall indicate that the assets and Properties of the Credit Parties are free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens).

 

(iv)         The Administrative Agent shall have received any documents reasonably requested thereby or as required by the terms of the Security Documents to evidence its security interest in the Collateral (including, without limitation, any landlord waivers or collateral access agreements, deposit or securities account control agreements, notices and assignments of claims required under Applicable Laws, bailee or warehouseman letters or filings with any applicable Governmental Authority); provided, that if such documents cannot be obtained by the Closing Date after the Credit Parties’ use of commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such documents then such action shall not constitute a condition precedent to the availability of the Credit Facility on the Closing Date, but shall instead be taken pursuant to Section 8.18.

 

(d)          [Reserved].

 

(e)          Real Property Collateral.  With respect to any Material Real Property on the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received:

 

(i)          Title Search.  A title search, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent with respect to the El Segundo Property prepared by a nationally recognized title insurance company reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (the “Title Company”) evidencing that the Mortgage on the El Segundo Property is a first priority Lien on the real property described therein, free of any other Liens except for Permitted Liens.

 

(ii)          Matters Relating to Flood Hazard Properties.  (A) A completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to the El Segundo Property (together with a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance, which, if applicable, shall be duly executed by the applicable Credit Party relating to such Material Real Property) and (B) if the El Segundo Property is located in an area determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to have special flood hazards, evidence of such flood insurance as may be required under Applicable Law, including Regulation H of the Board of Governors and the other Flood Insurance Laws and as required under Section 8.6.

 

(f)          Financial Statements.  The Arrangers shall have received:

 

(i)          projections prepared by management of the Borrower of balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Arrangers; and

 

(ii)          a certificate from the chief financial officer of the Borrower (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers), in his corporate capacity and not in an individual capacity, certifying that (A) after giving pro forma effect to each element of the Transactions occurring on the Closing Date, the Credit Parties (taken as a whole) are Solvent and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated basis, are Solvent, (B) attached thereto are calculations of the pro forma Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the Closing Date after giving effect to the Transactions, and (C) the financial projections previously delivered to the Administrative Agent represent the good faith estimates (utilizing reasonable assumptions) of the financial condition and operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

(g)          Payments at Closing.  The Borrower shall have paid or made arrangements to pay contemporaneously with closing (i) to the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders the fees set forth or referenced in Section 5.3 and any other accrued and unpaid fees or commissions due hereunder, (ii) all reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent accrued and unpaid prior to or on the Closing Date and invoiced prior to the Closing Date (or as set forth in a funds flow or settlement statement that is executed by the Borrower), plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent), (iii) all expenses of the Administrative Agent and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC to the extent accrued and unpaid prior to or on the Closing Date and invoiced prior to the Closing Date and (iv) to any other Person such amount as may be due thereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including all taxes, fees and other charges in connection with the execution, delivery, recording, filing and registration of any of the Loan Documents.

 

(h)          [Reserved].

 

(i)          Miscellaneous.

 

(i)           Notice of Account Designation.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Account Designation specifying the account or accounts to which the proceeds of any Loans made on or after the Closing Date are to be disbursed.

 

(ii)          Existing Indebtedness.  All existing Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including Indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement but excluding Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 9.1) shall have been repaid in full on the Closing Date, or shall be refinanced in full, substantially simultaneously with the making of the Loans made on the Closing Date.

 

(iii)         PATRIOT Act, etc.

 

(A)          The Arrangers shall have received, at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information required by Governmental Authorities under applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws, including without limitation, any applicable “know your customer” rules and regulations and the PATRIOT Act, that has been requested by any Arranger at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

 

(B)          The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent and directly to any Lender requesting the same, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in respect of the Borrower (or a certification that the Borrower qualifies for an express exclusion from the “legal entity customer” definition under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation) at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

 

(iv)         No Material Adverse Effect.  Since December 31, 2019, no event has occurred or condition arisen, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)          No Default.  No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the Transactions occurring on the Closing Date.

 

(vi)          Representations and Warranties.  Each of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents is true and correct in all material respects, except for any representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, which such representation and warranty is true and correct in all respects (except for any such representation and warranty that by its terms is made only as of an earlier date, which representation and warranty is true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, except for any representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, which such representation and warranty is true and correct in all respects as of such earlier date).

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 11.3(c), for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 6.1, the Administrative Agent and each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

SECTION 6.2          Conditions to All Extensions of Credit.  Subject to Section 1.13, the obligations of the Lenders to make or participate in any Extensions of Credit, convert or continue any Loan and/or the Issuing Lender to issue or extend any Letter of Credit are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent on the relevant borrowing, continuation, conversion, issuance or extension date:

 

(a)          Continuation of Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects, except for any representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, which such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects, on and as of such borrowing, issuance or extension date with the same effect as if made on and as of such date (except for any such representation and warranty that by its terms is made only as of an earlier date, which representation and warranty shall remain true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, except for any representation and warranty that is qualified by materiality or reference to Material Adverse Effect, which such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects as of such earlier date).

 

(b)         No Existing Default.  No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) on the borrowing, continuation or conversion date with respect to such Loan or after giving effect to the Loans to be made, continued or converted on such date or (ii) on the issuance or extension date with respect to such Letter of Credit or after giving effect to the issuance or extension of such Letter of Credit on such date.

 

(c)         Notices.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing, Letter of Credit Application, or Notice of Conversion/Continuation, as applicable, from the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.3(a), Section 3.2 or Section 5.2, as applicable.

 

(d)        New Swingline Loans/Letters of Credit.  So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, (i) the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loans unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect to such Swingline Loan and (ii) the Issuing Lender shall not be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect thereto.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE CREDIT PARTIES

 

To induce the Administrative Agent and Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make Extensions of Credit, the Credit Parties hereby represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders both before and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereunder, which representations and warranties shall be deemed made on the Closing Date and as otherwise set forth in Section 6.2, that:

 

SECTION 7.1          Organization; Power; Qualification.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, (b) has the power and authority to own its Properties and to carry on its business as now being and hereafter proposed to be conducted and (c) is duly qualified and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the character of its Properties or the nature of its business requires such qualification and authorization except in jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The jurisdictions in which each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof are organized and qualified to do business as of the Closing Date are described on Schedule 7.1. No Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is an Affected Financial Institution.

 

SECTION 7.2          Ownership.  Each Subsidiary of each Credit Party as of the Closing Date is listed on Schedule 7.2.  As of the Closing Date, the capitalization of each Credit Party and its Subsidiaries consists of the number of shares, authorized, issued and outstanding, of such classes and series, with or without par value, described on Schedule 7.2.  All outstanding shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights, except as described in Schedule 7.2.  As of the Closing Date, there are no outstanding stock purchase warrants, subscriptions, options, securities, instruments or other rights of any type or nature whatsoever, which are convertible into, exchangeable for or otherwise provide for or require the issuance of Equity Interests of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, except as described on Schedule 7.2.

 

SECTION 7.3          Authorization; Enforceability.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof has the right, power and authority and has taken all necessary corporate and other action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents to which it is a party in accordance with their respective terms.  This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the duly authorized officers of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof that is a party thereto, and each such document constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof that is a party thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar state or federal Debtor Relief Laws from time to time in effect which affect the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general and the availability of equitable remedies and requirements of reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing.

 

SECTION 7.4          Compliance of Agreement, Loan Documents and Borrowing with Laws, Etc.  The execution, delivery and performance by each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof of the Loan Documents to which each such Person is a party, in accordance with their respective terms, the Extensions of Credit hereunder and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby do not and will not (a) require any Governmental Approval (other than a Governmental Approval that has been previously obtained and remains in  full force and effect) or violate any Applicable Law relating to any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof where the failure to obtain such Governmental Approval or such violation could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, (c) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which such Person is a party or by which any of its properties may be bound or any Governmental Approval relating to such Person, which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (d) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property now owned or hereafter acquired by such Person other than Permitted Liens or (e) require any consent or authorization of, filing with, or other act in respect of, an arbitrator or Governmental Authority and no consent of any other Person is required in connection with the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of this Agreement other than (i) consents, authorizations, filings or other acts or consents for which the failure to obtain or make could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) consents or filings under the UCC, (iii) filings with the United States Copyright Office and/or the United States Patent and Trademark Office and (iv) Mortgage filings with the applicable county recording office or register of deeds.

 

SECTION 7.5          Compliance with Law; Governmental Approvals.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof (a) has all Governmental Approvals required by any Applicable Law for it to conduct its business, each of which is in full force and effect, is final and not subject to review on appeal and is not the subject of any pending or, to its knowledge, threatened attack by direct or collateral proceeding, (b) is in compliance with each Governmental Approval applicable to it and in compliance with all other Applicable Laws relating to it or any of its respective properties and (c) has timely filed all material reports, documents and other materials required to be filed by it under all Applicable Laws with any Governmental Authority and has retained all material records and documents required to be retained by it under Applicable Law except in each case of clause (a), (b) or (c) where the failure to have, comply or file could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.6          Tax Returns and Payments.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof has duly filed or caused to be filed all federal, state and other material tax returns required by Applicable Law to be filed (except for extensions duly obtained), and has paid, or made adequate provision for the payment of, all federal, state, and other material taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it and its property, income, profits and assets which are due and payable (other than any amount the validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided for on the books of the relevant Credit Party).  Such returns accurately reflect in all material respects all liability for taxes of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof for the periods covered thereby.  As of the Closing Date, except as set forth on Schedule 7.6, there is no ongoing audit or examination or, to its knowledge, other investigation by any Governmental Authority of the tax liability of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof.  No Governmental Authority has asserted any Lien or other claim against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof with respect to unpaid taxes which has not been discharged or resolved (other than (a) any amount the validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided for on the books of the relevant Credit Party and (b) Permitted Liens).  The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof in respect of federal, state, local and other taxes for all Fiscal Years and portions thereof since the organization of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof are in the judgment of the Borrower adequate, and the Borrower does not anticipate any additional taxes or assessments for any of such years.

 

SECTION 7.7          Intellectual Property Matters.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof owns or possesses rights to use all material franchises, licenses, copyrights, copyright applications, patents, patent rights or licenses, patent applications, trademarks, trademark rights, service mark, service mark rights, trade names, trade name rights, copyrights and other rights with respect to the foregoing which are reasonably necessary to conduct its business.  No event has occurred which permits, or after notice or lapse of time or both would permit, the revocation or termination of any such rights, and no Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is liable to any Person for infringement under Applicable Law with respect to any such rights as a result of its business operations, which, in either case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.8          Environmental Matters.

 

(a)        To its knowledge, the properties owned, leased or operated now or in the past by each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof do not contain, and to their knowledge have not previously contained, any Hazardous Materials in amounts or concentrations which constitute or constituted a violation of applicable Environmental Laws;

 

(b)         To its knowledge, each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof and such properties and all operations conducted in connection therewith are in compliance, and have been in compliance, with all applicable Environmental Laws, and there is no contamination at, under or about such properties that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to interfere with the continued operation of such properties or materially impair the fair saleable value thereof;

 

(c)         No Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof has received any written notice of violation, alleged violation, non-compliance, liability or potential liability regarding environmental matters, Hazardous Materials, or compliance with Environmental Laws with respect to a Credit Party or a Subsidiary thereof or properties leased or owned by a Credit Party or Subsidiary thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, nor does any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof have knowledge that any such notice will be received or is being threatened;

 

(d)         To its knowledge, Hazardous Materials have not been transported or disposed of to or from the properties owned, leased or operated by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in violation of, or in a manner or to a location which could reasonably be expected give rise to liability of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof under, Environmental Laws, nor have any Hazardous Materials been generated, treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of such properties in violation by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof of, or in a manner that could give rise to liability of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof under, any applicable Environmental Laws;

 

(e)         No judicial proceedings or governmental or administrative action is pending, or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, under any Environmental Law to which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof is or, with respect to those threatened, will be named as a potentially responsible party, nor are there any consent decrees or other decrees, consent orders, administrative orders or other orders, or other administrative or judicial requirements outstanding under any applicable Environmental Law with respect to any Credit Party, any Subsidiary thereof, with respect to any real property owned, leased or operated by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof or operations conducted in connection therewith that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(f)         To its knowledge, there has been no release or threat of release, of Hazardous Materials at or from properties owned, leased or operated by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary, now or in the past, in violation of or in amounts or in a manner that could reasonably be expected to give rise to liability under applicable Environmental Laws that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.9          Employee Benefit Matters.

 

(a)          As of the Closing Date, neither any Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate maintains or contributes to, or has any obligation under, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan;

 

(b)          Each Employee Benefit Plan is in compliance with all applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder except for any required amendments for which the remedial amendment period as defined in Section 401(b) of the Code has not yet expired and except where a failure to so comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Each Employee Benefit Plan sponsored, maintained, contributed to by any Credit Party, or to which any Credit Party has an obligation to make contributions to, that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has been determined by the IRS to be so qualified or is the adoption of a prototype or volume submitter plan that may rely upon an IRS opinion letter to the prototype or volume submitter sponsor, and each trust related to such plan has been determined to be exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code or may rely upon an IRS opinion letter to the prototype or volume submitter sponsor that it is so exempt, except for such plans that have not yet received determination letters or opinion letters but for which the remedial amendment period for submitting a determination letter or opinion letter request has not yet expired, in each case except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No liability has been incurred by any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate which remains unsatisfied for any taxes or penalties assessed with respect to any Pension Plan or any Multiemployer Plan, except in each case for a liability that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)         Except where the failure of any of the following representations to be correct could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Pension Plan has been terminated, nor has any Pension Plan become subject to funding based benefit restrictions under Section 436 of the Code, nor has any funding waiver from the IRS been received or requested with respect to any Pension Plan, nor has any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate failed to make any contributions or to pay any amounts due and owing as required by Sections 412 or 430 of the Code, Section 302 of ERISA or the terms of any Pension Plan on or prior to the due dates of such contributions under Sections 412 or 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, nor has there been any event requiring any disclosure under Section 4041(c)(3)(C) or 4063(a) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan;

 

(d)         Except where the failure of any of the following representations to be correct could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Credit Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has:  (i) engaged in a nonexempt prohibited transaction described in Section 406 of the ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan, (ii) incurred any liability to the PBGC which remains outstanding other than the payment of premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, (iii) failed to make a required contribution or payment to a Multiemployer Plan, or (iv) failed to make a required installment or other required payment under Sections 412 or 430 of the Code with respect to any Pension Plan;

 

(e)          No Termination Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that either individually or in the aggregate has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(f)          Except where the failure of any of the following representations to be correct could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, no proceeding, claim (other than a benefits claim in the ordinary course of business), lawsuit and/or investigation is existing or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan.

 

(g)          As of the Closing Date the Borrower is not nor will be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

SECTION 7.10          Margin Stock.  No Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is engaged principally or as one of its activities in the business of extending credit for the purpose of “purchasing” or “carrying” any “margin stock” (as each such term is defined or used, directly or indirectly, in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).  No part of the proceeds of any of the Loans or Letters of Credit will be used for purchasing or carrying margin stock (other than the permitted repurchase of the Borrower’s shares in a manner that does not violate the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of such Board of Governors) or for any purpose which violates, or which would be inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of such Board of Governors.  Following the application of the proceeds of each Extension of Credit, not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 9.2 or Section 9.5 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness in excess of the Threshold Amount will be “margin stock”.

 

SECTION 7.11          Government Regulation.  No Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is registered or required to be registered as an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” (as each such term is defined or used in the Investment Company Act).

 

SECTION 7.12          Material Contracts.  Schedule 7.12 sets forth a complete and accurate list of all Material Contracts of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof in effect as of the Closing Date.  Other than as set forth in Schedule 7.12, as of the Closing Date, each such Material Contract is, and after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents will be, in full force and effect in accordance with the terms thereof.  To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof has delivered to the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of each Material Contract required to be listed on Schedule 7.12 or any other Schedule hereto.  As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof (nor, to its knowledge, any other party thereto) is in breach of or in default under any Material Contract in any material respect.

 

SECTION 7.13          Employee Relations.  As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is party to any collective bargaining agreement, nor has any labor union been recognized as the representative of its employees.  The Borrower knows of no pending, threatened or contemplated strikes, work stoppage or other collective labor disputes involving its employees or those of its Subsidiaries that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.14          Burdensome Provisions.  The Credit Parties and their respective Subsidiaries do not presently anticipate that future expenditures needed to meet the provisions of any statutes, orders, rules or regulations of a Governmental Authority will be so burdensome as to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Subsidiary is party to any agreement or instrument or otherwise subject to any restriction or encumbrance that restricts or limits its ability to make dividend payments or other distributions in respect of its Equity Interests to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or to transfer any of its assets or properties to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary in each case other than existing under or by reason of the Loan Documents or Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 7.15          Financial Statements.  The audited and unaudited financial statements that have been most recently publicly filed by the Borrower prior to the Closing Date are complete and correct and fairly present, in all material respects, on a Consolidated basis the assets, liabilities and financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as at such dates, and the results of the operations and changes of financial position for the periods then ended (other than customary year-end adjustments for unaudited financial statements and the absence of footnotes from unaudited financial statements).  All such financial statements, including the related schedules and notes thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP.  Such financial statements show all material indebtedness and other material liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of the date thereof, including material liabilities for taxes, material commitments, and Indebtedness, in each case, to the extent required to be disclosed under GAAP.  The projections delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(f)(i) were prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions are believed to be reasonable in light of then existing conditions except that such financial projections and statements shall be subject to normal year end closing and audit adjustments (it being recognized by the Lenders that projections are not to be viewed as facts and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by such projections may vary materially from such projections).

 

SECTION 7.16          No Material Adverse Change.  Since December 31, 2019, there has been no material adverse change in the properties, business, operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and no event has occurred or condition arisen, either individually or in the aggregate, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.17          Solvency.  The Credit Parties (taken as a whole), are Solvent.

 

SECTION 7.18          Title to Properties.  As of the Closing Date, the real property listed on Schedule 7.18 constitutes all of the real property that is owned, leased, subleased or used by any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries.  Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof has such title to the real property owned or leased by it as is necessary or desirable to the conduct of its business and valid and legal title to all of its personal property and assets, except those which have been disposed of by the Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries, or in the case of leases or subleases, those which have terminated, subsequent to such date which dispositions or terminations have been in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise expressly permitted hereunder.

 

SECTION 7.19          Litigation.  There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending nor, to its knowledge, threatened in writing against or in any other way relating adversely to or affecting any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective properties in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.20          Anti-Corruption Laws; Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Sanctions.

 

(a)         The Credit Parties and their Subsidiaries have conducted their business in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

(b)         None of (i) the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or Affiliates, or (ii) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent or representative of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, (A) is a Sanctioned Person or currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (B) is controlled by or is acting on behalf of a Sanctioned Person, (C) has its assets located in a Sanctioned Country, (D) is under administrative, civil or criminal investigation for an alleged violation of, or received notice from or made a voluntary disclosure to any governmental entity regarding a possible violation of, Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws or Sanctions by a governmental authority that enforces Sanctions or any Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws, or (E) directly or indirectly derives revenues from investments in, or transactions with, Sanctioned Persons.

 

(c)         The Borrower has not requested any Extension of Credit, and no Credit Party nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents have used the proceeds of any Extension of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any prohibited activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

 

(d)       Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates with all Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

SECTION 7.21          Absence of Defaults.  No event has occurred or is continuing (a) which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default, or (b) which constitutes, or which with the passage of time or giving of notice or both would constitute, a default or event of default by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof under (i) any Material Contract or (ii) any judgment, decree or order to which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof is a party or by which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective properties may be bound or which would require any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof to make any payment thereunder prior to the scheduled maturity date therefor that, in any case under this clause (b), could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 7.22          Security Documents.  The provisions of the Security Documents are effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable perfected first priority Lien, subject to Permitted Liens, on all right, title and interest of the respective Credit Parties in the Collateral, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar state or federal Debtor Relief Laws from time to time in effect which affect the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general and the availability of equitable remedies.  Except for any filings completed on or prior to the Closing Date and as contemplated hereby and by the Security Documents, no filing or other action will be necessary to perfect or protect such Liens.

 

SECTION 7.23          Senior Indebtedness Status.  The Obligations of each Credit Party and each Subsidiary thereof under this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents ranks and shall continue to rank at least senior in priority of payment to all Subordinated Indebtedness and is designated as “Senior Indebtedness” (or the equivalent term) under all instruments and documents, now or in the future, relating to all Subordinated Indebtedness of such Person.

 

SECTION 7.24          Disclosure.  No financial statement, material report, material certificate or other material information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) (excluding projected financial information, pro forma financial information, estimated financial information and other projected or estimated information contained in such information) , taken together as a whole, contains any untrue statement of a material 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. As of the Closing Date, all of the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct.

 

SECTION 7.25          Flood Hazard Insurance.  With respect to each parcel of real property subject to a Mortgage, the Administrative Agent has received (a) such flood hazard certifications, notices and confirmations thereof, and effective flood hazard insurance policies as are described in Section 6.1(e) with respect to real property collateral on the Closing Date, (b) all flood hazard insurance policies required hereunder have been obtained and remain in full force and effect, and the premiums thereon have been paid in full, and (c) except as the Borrower has previously given written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, there has been no redesignation of any real property into or out of a special flood hazard area.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until all of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Revolving Credit Commitments terminated, each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to:

 

SECTION 8.1          Financial Statements and Budgets.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a)         Annual Financial Statements.  As soon as practicable and in any event within seventy-five (75) days (or, if earlier, on the date of any required public filing thereof) after the end of each Fiscal Year, an audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such Fiscal Year and audited Consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows including the notes thereto, all in reasonable detail setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures as of the end of and for the preceding Fiscal Year and prepared in accordance with GAAP and, if applicable, containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during the year.  Such annual financial statements shall be audited by an independent certified public accounting firm of recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and accompanied by a report and opinion thereon by such certified public accountants prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards that is not subject to any “going concern” or similar qualification or exception or any qualification as to the scope of such audit (other than with respect to, or resulting solely from, an upcoming maturity date under any Indebtedness) or with respect to accounting principles followed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries not in accordance with GAAP.

 

(b)          Quarterly Financial Statements.  As soon as practicable and in any event within forty (40) days (or, if earlier, on the date of any required public filing thereof) after the end of the first three fiscal quarters of each Fiscal Year, an unaudited Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and unaudited Consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows and a report containing management’s discussion and analysis of such financial statements for the fiscal quarter then ended and that portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, including the notes thereto, all in reasonable detail setting forth in comparative form the corresponding figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period in the preceding Fiscal Year and prepared by the Borrower in accordance with GAAP and, if applicable, containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during the period, and certified by the chief financial officer of the Borrower to present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis as of their respective dates and the results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the respective periods then ended, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

(c)          Annual Business Plan and Budget.  As soon as practicable and in any event within sixty (60) days after the end of each Fiscal Year, a business plan and operating and capital budget of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the ensuing four (4) fiscal quarters, such plan to be prepared in accordance with GAAP and to include, on a quarterly basis, the following:  a quarterly operating and capital budget, a projected income statement, statement of cash flows and balance sheet, calculations demonstrating projected compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 9.14 and a report containing management’s discussion and analysis of such budget with a reasonable disclosure of the key assumptions and drivers with respect to such budget, accompanied by a certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to the effect that such budget contains good faith estimates (utilizing assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time of delivery of such budget) of the financial condition and operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period.

 

SECTION 8.2          Certificates; Other Reports.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a)          at each time financial statements are delivered pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) or (b), a duly completed Officer’s Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower together with (i) a report containing management’s discussion and analysis of such financial statements and (ii) solely in connection with the delivery of financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) or (b), a certification of the Consolidated EBITDA and the Consolidated Total Assets attributable to Immaterial Subsidiaries;

 

(b)        promptly upon receipt thereof, copies of all material reports, if any, submitted to any Credit Party, any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective boards of directors by their respective independent public accountants in connection with their auditing function, including, without limitation, any management report and any management responses thereto;

 

(c)          promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any statement or report furnished to any holder of Indebtedness of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in excess of the Threshold Amount pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement;

 

(d)          promptly after the assertion or occurrence thereof, written notice of any action or proceeding against or of any noncompliance by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof with any Environmental Law that could (i) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) cause any Property described in the Mortgages to be subject to any restrictions on ownership, occupancy, use or transferability under any Environmental Law;

 

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

 

(f)          promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each notice or other material correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof;

 

(g)          promptly upon the request thereof, such other information and documentation required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” rules and regulations, the PATRIOT Act or any applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws or Anti-Corruption Laws, in each case as from time to time reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender; and

 

(h)          such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.1(a) or (b) or Section 8.2(e) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed in Section 12.1; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (x) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (y) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions of such documents.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the Officer’s Compliance Certificates required by Section 8.2 to the Administrative Agent.  Except for such Officer’s Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on the Platform and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”).  The Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (w) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, means that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 12.10); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.”  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.

 

SECTION 8.3          Notice of Litigation and Other Matters.  Promptly (but in no event later than ten (10) days after any Responsible Officer of any Credit Party obtains knowledge thereof) notify the Administrative Agent in writing of (which shall promptly make such information available to the Lenders in accordance with its customary practice):

 

(a)          the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

 

(b)         the commencement of all proceedings and investigations by or before any Governmental Authority and all actions and proceedings in any court or before any arbitrator against or involving any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective properties, assets or businesses in each case that if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)          any notice of any violation received by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof from any Governmental Authority including, without limitation, any notice of violation of Environmental Laws which in any such case could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(d)          the occurrence of any labor controversy involving employees of any Credit Party or Subsidiary thereof that has resulted in, or threatens to result in, a strike or other work stoppage or other collective labor dispute against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof;

 

(e)          any attachment, judgment, lien, levy or order exceeding the Threshold Amount that may be assessed against or threatened against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof;

 

(f)          any event of which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has either given notice to the other contracting party or has received notice from the other contracting party, which constitutes or with the passage of time or giving of notice or both would constitute a default or event of default under any Material Contract to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof or any of their respective properties may be bound which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(g)          (i) all notices received by a Credit Party of  the refusal by the IRS to grant a favorable determination letter for which a request has been made by any Credit Party or opinion letter, in each case with respect to an Employee Benefit Plan, (ii) all notices received by any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate of the PBGC’s intent to terminate any Pension Plan or to have a trustee appointed to administer any Pension Plan, (iii) all notices received by any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor concerning the imposition or amount of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA and (iv) the Borrower obtaining knowledge that any Credit Party or any ERISA Affiliate has filed or intends to file a notice of intent to terminate any Pension Plan under a distress termination within the meaning of Section 4041(c) of ERISA; and

 

(h)          any event which makes any of the representations set forth in Article VII that is subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications inaccurate in any respect or any event which makes any of the representations set forth in Article VII that is not subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications inaccurate in any material respect.

 

Each notice pursuant to Section 8.3 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.  Each notice pursuant to Section 8.3(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

 

SECTION 8.4          Preservation of Corporate Existence and Related Matters.  Except as permitted by Section 9.4, (a) preserve and maintain (i) its separate corporate (or other organizational) existence and (ii) all rights, franchises, licenses and privileges necessary to the conduct of its business, and (b) qualify and remain qualified as a foreign corporation or other entity and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 8.5          Maintenance of Property and Licenses.

 

(a)          In addition to the requirements of any of the Security Documents, protect and preserve all Properties necessary in and material to its business, including copyrights, patents, trade names, service marks and trademarks; maintain in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, all buildings, equipment and other tangible real and personal property; and from time to time make or cause to be made all repairs, renewals and replacements thereof and additions to such Property necessary for the conduct of its business, so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner, in each case except as such action or inaction would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)          Maintain, in full force and effect in all material respects, each and every license, permit, certification, qualification, approval or franchise issued by any Governmental Authority required for each of them to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted in accordance with Section 9.11.

 

SECTION 8.6          Insurance.  Maintain insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies against at least such risks and in at least such amounts as are customarily maintained by similar businesses and as may be required by Applicable Law and as are required by any Security Documents (including, without limitation, hazard and business interruption insurance).  All such insurance shall, (a) provide that no cancellation or material modification thereof shall be effective until at least 30 days after receipt by the Administrative Agent of written notice thereof (except as a result of non-payment of premium in which case only 10 days’ prior written notice shall be required), (b) name the Administrative Agent as an additional insured party thereunder and (c) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, name the Administrative Agent as lender’s loss payee or mortgagee, as applicable.  On the Closing Date and from time to time thereafter deliver to the Administrative Agent upon its request information in reasonable detail as to the insurance then in effect, stating the names of the insurance companies, the amounts and rates of the insurance, the dates of the expiration thereof and the properties and risks covered thereby. If any portion of any Material Real Property subject to a Mortgage is at any time located in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) as a special flood hazard area with respect to which flood insurance has been made available under the Flood Insurance Laws, then the Borrower shall, or shall cause the applicable Credit Party to, (i) maintain, or cause to be maintained, with a financially sound and reputable insurer, flood insurance in a reasonable total amount required by the Administrative Agent and otherwise sufficient to comply with all applicable rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Flood Insurance Laws, (ii) reasonably cooperate with the Administrative Agent and provide information reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to comply with the Flood Insurance Laws, (iii) deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence of such compliance in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, including, without limitation, evidence of annual renewals of such insurance and (iv) furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any re-designation of any such Material Real Property into or out of a special flood hazard area.

 

SECTION 8.7          Accounting Methods and Financial Records.  Maintain a system of accounting, and keep proper books, records and accounts (which shall be true and complete in all material respects) as may be required or as may be necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and in compliance with the regulations of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it or any of its Properties.

 

SECTION 8.8          Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations.  Pay and perform (a) all taxes, assessments and other governmental charges that may be levied or assessed upon it or any of its Property (provided, that the Borrower or such Subsidiary may contest any such item in good faith so long as adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP) and (b) all other Indebtedness, obligations and liabilities in accordance with customary trade practices; except where the failure to pay or perform such items described in this Section could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 8.9          Compliance with Laws and Approvals.  Observe and remain in compliance with all Applicable Laws and maintain in full force and effect all Governmental Approvals, in each case applicable to the conduct of its business except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 8.10          Environmental Laws.  In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 8.9, (a) comply with, and require such compliance by all tenants and subtenants with all applicable Environmental Laws and obtain and comply with and maintain, and require that all tenants and subtenants, if any, obtain and comply with and maintain, any and all licenses, approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by applicable Environmental Laws and (b) conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under Environmental Laws, and promptly comply with all lawful orders and directives of any Governmental Authority regarding Environmental Laws in each case except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 8.11          Compliance with ERISA.  In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 8.9, (a) except where the failure to so comply could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) comply with applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to all Employee Benefit Plans, and (ii) not take any action or fail to take action the result of which could reasonably be expected to result in a Termination Event and (b) furnish to the Administrative Agent promptly after receipt of the Administrative Agent’s request such additional information about any Employee Benefit Plan (not including any plan participant or beneficiary personal information) as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 8.12          Compliance with Material Contracts.  Comply in all respects with and maintain each Material Contract, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 8.13          Visits and Inspections.  Permit representatives of the Administrative Agent, from time to time upon not less than five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice and at such times during normal business hours and subject to any applicable public health orders then in effect, which, subject to proviso below, shall be at the expense of the Borrower, to visit and inspect its properties; inspect, audit and make extracts from its books, records and files, including, but not limited to, management letters prepared by independent accountants; and discuss with its principal officers, and its independent accountants, its business, assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations and business prospects; provided that excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of a Default or Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than one (1) time during any calendar year at the Borrower’s expense; provided further that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of a Default or an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may do any of the foregoing during normal business hours at the expense of the Borrower at any time without advance notice.  Upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, participate in a meeting of the Administrative Agent and Lenders once during each Fiscal Year, which meeting will be held at the Borrower’s corporate offices (or such other location as may be agreed to by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) at such time as may be agreed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 8.14          Additional Subsidiaries and Real Property.

 

(a)          Additional Domestic Subsidiaries.  Promptly notify the Administrative Agent of (i) the creation or acquisition (including by statutory division) of any Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) or (ii) a Domestic Subsidiary ceasing to be an Immaterial Subsidiary, and, in any event, within forty-five (45) days after such creation, acquisition or change in status (as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) cause such Domestic Subsidiary to (A) become a Subsidiary Guarantor by delivering to the Administrative Agent a duly executed supplement to the Guaranty Agreement or such other document as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably deem appropriate for such purpose, (B) grant a security interest in all Collateral (subject to the exceptions specified in the Collateral Agreement) owned by such Domestic Subsidiary by delivering to the Administrative Agent a duly executed supplement to each applicable Security Document or such other document as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably deem appropriate for such purpose and comply with the terms of each applicable Security Document, (C) deliver to the Administrative Agent such opinions, documents and certificates referred to in Section 6.1 as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, (D) if such Equity Interests are certificated, deliver to the Administrative Agent such original certificated Equity Interests or other certificates and stock or other transfer powers evidencing the Equity Interests of such Domestic Subsidiary, (E) deliver to the Administrative Agent such updated Schedules to the Loan Documents as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to such Domestic Subsidiary, and (F) deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)         Additional First Tier Foreign Subsidiaries.  Promptly notify the Administrative Agent of (i) the creation or acquisition (including by statutory division) of a First Tier Foreign Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) or (ii) a First Tier Foreign Subsidiary ceasing to be an Immaterial Subsidiary, and, in any event, within forty five (45) days after the creation, acquisition or change in status (as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), cause the applicable Credit Party to (A) deliver to the Administrative Agent Security Documents pledging sixty‑five percent (65%) of the total outstanding voting Equity Interests (and one hundred percent (100%) of the non-voting Equity Interests) of any such First Tier Foreign Subsidiary and a consent thereto executed by such First Tier Foreign Subsidiary (including, without limitation, if applicable, original certificated Equity Interests (or the equivalent thereof pursuant to the Applicable Laws and practices of any relevant foreign jurisdiction) evidencing the Equity Interests of such First Tier Foreign Subsidiary, together with an appropriate undated stock or other transfer power for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof), (B) deliver to the Administrative Agent such updated Schedules to the Loan Documents as requested by the Administrative Agent with regard to such First Tier Foreign Subsidiary, (C) deliver to the Administrative Agent such opinions, documents and certificates referred to in Section 6.1 as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, and (D) deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documents as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided that the Administrative Agent may (after consultation with the Lenders) waive any or all of the foregoing requirements of this clause (b)).

 

(c)         Real Property Collateral.  (i) Promptly after the acquisition of any Material Real Property (or after any owned real property becomes Material Real Property) by any Credit Party that is not subject to a Mortgage (and, in any event, within ten (10) days after such acquisition or event, as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof and (ii) if requested by the Administrative Agent, promptly thereafter (and in any event, within sixty (60) days of such acquisition or event (as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent, or such requirement is waived by the Administrative Agent, in each case in its sole discretion)), deliver the following with respect such Material Real Property: (A) a Mortgage duly executed and delivered by the record owner of such Material Real Property (together with UCC fixture filings, if requested by the Administrative Agent), (B) a policy or policies of title insurance (or marked up title insurance commitments having the effect of policies of title insurance) in the amount equal to the fair market value of such Material Real Property and fixtures, as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, issued by a Title Company insuring the Lien of each such Mortgage as a first priority Lien on the Material Real Property described therein, free of any other Liens except Permitted Liens, together with such customary endorsements as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, together with evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent of payment of all expenses and premiums of the Title Company and all other sums required in connection with the issuance of each title policy and all recording and stamp taxes (including mortgage recording and intangible taxes) payable in connection with recording such Mortgage in the appropriate real estate records, (C) such affidavits, certificates, information (including financial data and environmental reports if requested by the Title Company) and instruments of indemnification as shall be reasonably required to induce the Title Company to issue the title policies and endorsements contemplated above and which are reasonably requested by such Title Company, (D) a completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each such Material Real Property (together with a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance, which, if applicable, shall be duly executed by the applicable Credit Party relating to such Material Real Property), (E) if any such Material Real Property is located in an area determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to have special flood hazards, evidence of such flood insurance as may be required under Applicable Law, including Regulation H of the Board of Governors and the other Flood Insurance Laws and as required under Section 8.6, (F) a survey for each such Material Real Property, together with an affidavit of no change, if applicable, in favor of the Title Company, sufficient to allow the Title Company to issue the applicable policy of title insurance without a standard survey exception and (G) customary legal opinions and evidence of organizational approval in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent with respect to the mortgagor of such Mortgage and the enforceability and perfection of such Mortgage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing the Administrative Agent shall not enter into any Mortgage in respect of any Material Real Property acquired by the Borrower or any Credit Party after the Closing Date until the earlier of (x) the date that is thirty (30) days after the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (which may be delivered electronically) the items required by clauses (D) and (E) of the prior sentence and (y) the receipt of written confirmation (which may be by electronic mail) from each of the other Lenders that flood insurance due diligence and flood insurance compliance has been completed by the Lenders (such written confirmation not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

 

(d)          Merger Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent any new Subsidiary is created solely for the purpose of consummating a merger transaction, equity purchase transaction or asset purchase transaction pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition, and such new Subsidiary at no time holds any assets or liabilities other than any merger consideration contributed to it contemporaneously with the closing of such merger transaction, equity purchase transaction or asset purchase transaction such new Subsidiary shall not be required to take the actions set forth in Section 8.14(a) or (b), as applicable, until the consummation of such Permitted Acquisition (at which time, the surviving entity of the respective merger transaction, equity purchase transaction or asset purchase transaction shall be required to so comply with Section 8.14(a) or (b), as applicable, within ten (10) Business Days of the consummation of such Permitted Acquisition, as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion).

 

(e)          Immaterial Subsidiaries.  If at the time of delivery of the financial statements under Sections 8.1(a) or (b), the Subsidiaries that constitute Immaterial Subsidiaries account for, in the aggregate, more than (i) five percent (5%) of the Consolidated Total Assets or (ii) two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the Consolidated EBITDA, then the Borrower shall (A) identify in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more Subsidiaries to be removed from its designation as an Immaterial Subsidiary so that the Subsidiaries constituting Immaterial Subsidiaries account for, in the aggregate, not more than (1) five percent (5%) of the Consolidated Total Assets and (2) two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the Consolidated EBITDA and (B) cause such identified Subsidiaries to comply with the applicable provisions of Section 8.14(a) within the time provided therein.

 

SECTION 8.15          Use of Proceeds.

 

(a)          Use the proceeds of the Revolving Extensions of Credit (i) to finance the Transactions and (ii) for working capital and general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

(b)          Use the proceeds of any Incremental Term Loan and any Incremental Revolving Credit Loan as permitted pursuant to Section 5.13, as applicable.

 

(c)          Not request any Extension of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall ensure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Extension of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws or Anti-Money Laundering Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

 

SECTION 8.16          Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws; Beneficial Ownership Regulation, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Sanctions.  (a) Maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with all Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and applicable Sanctions, (b) notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender that previously received a Beneficial Ownership Certification (or a certification that the Borrower qualifies for an express exclusion to the “legal entity customer” definition under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation) of any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified therein (or, if applicable, the Borrower ceasing to fall within an express exclusion to the definition of “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation) and (c) promptly upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide the Administrative Agent or directly to such Lender, as the case may be, any information or documentation requested by it for purposes of complying with the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

 

SECTION 8.17          Further Assurances.  Promptly, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements and other documents), which may be required under any Applicable Law, or which the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, to effectuate the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or to grant, preserve, protect or perfect the Liens created or intended to be created by the Security Documents or the validity or priority of any such Lien, all at the expense of the Credit Parties.  The Borrower also agrees to provide to the Administrative Agent, from time to time upon the reasonable request by the Administrative Agent, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Security Documents.

 

SECTION 8.18          Post-Closing Matters.  Execute and deliver the documents, take the actions and complete the tasks set forth on Schedule 8.18, in each case within the corresponding time limits specified on such schedule.

 

SECTION 8.19         Flood Insurance Matters.  The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, if there is any Material Real Property subject to a Mortgage, any increase, extension, or renewal of any of the Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments (including any Incremental Loan and any Incremental Commitment, but excluding any continuation or conversion of borrowings) shall be subject to (and conditioned upon) the earlier to occur of (x) the date that is thirty (30) days after the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders participating in such increase, extension or renewal (which may be delivered electronically) the items required by clauses (D) and (E) of the first sentence of Section 8.14(c) with respect to such Material Real Property and (y) the receipt of written confirmation (which may be by electronic mail) from each of the other Lenders participating in such increase, extension or renewal that flood insurance due diligence and flood insurance compliance with respect to such Material Real Property has been completed by the Lenders (such written confirmation not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

 

ARTICLE IX

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until all of the Obligations (other than contingent, indemnification obligations not then due) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash, all Letters of Credit have been terminated or expired (or been Cash Collateralized) and the Revolving Credit Commitments terminated, the Credit Parties will not, and will not permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to:

 

SECTION 9.1          Indebtedness.  Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness except:

 

(a)          the Obligations;

 

(b)         Indebtedness (i) owing under Hedge Agreements entered into in order to manage existing or anticipated interest rate, exchange rate or commodity price risks and not for speculative purposes and (ii) owing under Secured Cash Management Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(c)         Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 9.1, and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions of such Indebtedness; provided that (i) the principal amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and the direct or contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, as a result of, or in connection with, such refinancing; (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would be caused by such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension; (iii) such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending  Indebtedness shall have a maturity date that is equal to or later than the final maturity date of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; (iv) the terms of the subordination (if any) and other material terms taken as whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are (A) no less favorable in any material respect to the Credit Parties or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended or (B) otherwise permitted under subclause (i) of this clause (c); and (v) the interest rate applicable to any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate;

 

(d)          Capital Lease Obligations and Indebtedness incurred in connection with purchase money Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(e)          Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person became a Subsidiary or assets were acquired from such Person in connection with an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 9.3, to the extent that (i) such Indebtedness was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary or the acquisition of such assets, (ii) neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary thereof (other than such Person or any other Person that such Person merges with or that acquires the assets of such Person) shall have any liability or other obligation with respect to such Indebtedness and (iii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f)          Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness permitted pursuant to subsections (a) through (e) of this Section;

 

(g)         unsecured intercompany Indebtedness:

 

(i)          owed by any Credit Party to another Credit Party;

 

(ii)          owed by any Credit Party to any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary (provided that such Indebtedness shall be subordinated to the Obligations in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent);

 

(iii)          owed by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary; and

 

(iv)          owed by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to any Credit Party to the extent permitted pursuant to Section 9.3(a)(vi);

 

(h)         Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or other similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i)         (i) unsecured Subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Credit Party; provided that (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would be caused by the incurrence of such Indebtedness; (B) after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the receipt and application of the proceeds thereof, (1) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis and determined based on the financial information received for the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness for which financial statements have been delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b), as applicable (or the most recently publicly filed financial statements if no financial statements have been delivered under Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b) at such time), and assuming the funding in full of such Indebtedness) would be at least 0.50 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14 (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase unless such Indebtedness is being used to finance a Material Acquisition) and (2) the Borrower is in compliance (on a Pro Forma Basis) with the financial covenants set forth in Section 9.14 (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase unless such Indebtedness is being used to finance a Material Acquisition); (C) such Indebtedness does not mature, require any scheduled payment of principal, require any mandatory payment, redemption or repurchase prior to the date that is six months after the latest of the maturity dates of all Commitments in effect at the time of issuance of such Indebtedness; (D) such Indebtedness does not include any financial performance “maintenance” covenants (whether stated as a covenant, default or otherwise, although “incurrence-based” financial tests may be included) or cross-defaults (but may include cross-payment defaults, cross-defaults at the final stated maturity thereof and cross-acceleration); and (E) such Indebtedness bears interest at a rate that has been approved by the Borrower’s board of directors (or other equivalent governing body); and (ii) any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions of such Indebtedness; provided that (A) the principal amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and the direct or contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, as a result or in connection with such refinancing; (B) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would be caused by such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension; (C) such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending  Indebtedness shall have a maturity date that is equal to or later than the final maturity date of the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; (D) the terms of the subordination (if any) and other material terms taken as whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are (1) no less favorable in any material respect to the Credit Parties or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended or (2) otherwise permitted under subclause (i) of this clause (i); and (E) the interest rate applicable to any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate;

 

(j)          Indebtedness under performance bonds, surety bonds, release, appeal and similar bonds, statutory obligations or with respect to workers’ compensation claims, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business, and reimbursement obligations in respect of any of the foregoing;

 

(k)         Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes issued to current or former officers, directors and employees (or their respective family members, estates or trusts or other entities for the benefit of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries to purchase or redeem Equity Interests or options of the Borrower permitted pursuant to Section 9.6(d); provided that the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed $250,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(l)          unsecured Indebtedness of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof not otherwise permitted pursuant to this Section in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $7,500,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(m)        [Reserved]; and

 

(n)        unsecured Indebtedness in the form of earn-out or similar obligations (which, in the case of any such obligations incurred in connection with a Permitted Acquisition shall, if requested by the Administrative Agent prior to the closing of such Acquisition, be subordinated to the Secured Obligations in a manner and pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent).

 

SECTION 9.2          Liens.  Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, any Lien on or with respect to any of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:

 

(a)         Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents (including, without limitation, Liens in favor of the Swingline Lender and/or the Issuing Lender, as applicable, on Cash Collateral granted pursuant to the Loan Documents);

 

(b)        Liens in existence on the Closing Date and described on Schedule 9.2, and the replacement, renewal or extension thereof (including Liens incurred, assumed or suffered to exist in connection with any refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 9.1(c) (solely to the extent that such Liens were in existence on the Closing Date and described on Schedule 9.2)); provided that the scope of any such Lien shall not be increased, or otherwise expanded, to cover any additional property or type of asset, as applicable, beyond that in existence on the Closing Date, except for products and proceeds of the foregoing;

 

(c)         Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies (excluding any Lien imposed pursuant to Section 303(k) of ERISA or Section 430(k) of the Code or Environmental Laws or a violation of Section 206(g) of ERISA or Section 436 of the Code) (i) not yet due or as to which the period of grace (not to exceed thirty (30) days), if any, related thereto has not expired or (ii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate reserves are maintained to the extent required by GAAP;

 

(d)        the claims of materialmen, mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, processors or landlords for labor, materials, supplies or rentals incurred in the ordinary course of business, which (i) are not overdue for a period of more than sixty (60) days, or if more than sixty (60) days overdue, such Liens are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate reserves are maintained to the extent required by GAAP and (ii) do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(e)          deposits or pledges made in the ordinary course of business in connection with, or to secure payment of, obligations under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security or similar legislation, or to secure the performance of bids, earnest money, trade contracts and operating leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation), performance bonds, payment obligations in connection with health, disability, other employee benefits or self-insurance and similar obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, in each case, so long as no foreclosure sale or similar proceeding has been commenced with respect to any portion of the Collateral on account thereof;

 

(f)          encumbrances in the nature of zoning restrictions, easements and rights or restrictions of record on the use of real property, which in the aggregate are not substantial in amount and which do not, in any case, materially detract from the value of such property or impair the use thereof in the ordinary conduct of business;

 

(g)         Liens arising from the filing of precautionary UCC financing statements relating solely to personal property leased pursuant to operating leases entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(h)        Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.1(d); provided that (i) such Liens shall be created within sixty (60) days of the acquisition, repair, improvement or lease, as applicable, of the related Property, (ii) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the Property financed by such Indebtedness and the proceeds thereof, (iii) the amount of Indebtedness secured thereby is not increased and (iv) the principal amount of Indebtedness secured by any such Lien shall at no time exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the original price for the purchase, repair improvement or lease amount (as applicable) of such Property at the time of purchase, repair, improvement or lease (as applicable);

 

(i)          Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 10.1(l) or securing appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments;

 

(j)        (i) Liens on Property (i) of any Subsidiary which are in existence at the time that such Subsidiary is acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition and (ii) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such tangible property or tangible assets are purchased or otherwise acquired by the Borrower or such Subsidiary thereof pursuant to a transaction permitted pursuant to this Agreement; provided that, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), (A) such Liens are not incurred in connection with, or in anticipation of, such Permitted Acquisition, purchase or other acquisition, (B) such Liens are applicable only to specific Property, (C) such Liens are not “blanket” or all asset Liens, (D) such Liens do not attach to any other Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (E) the Indebtedness secured by such Liens is permitted under Section 9.1(e) of this Agreement);

 

(k)         (i) Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction and (ii) Liens of any depositary bank in connection with statutory, common law and contractual rights of set-off and recoupment with respect to any deposit account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof;

 

(l)          (i) contractual or statutory Liens of landlords to the extent relating to the property and assets subject to any lease agreements with such landlord, and (ii) contractual Liens of suppliers (including sellers of goods) or customers granted in the ordinary course of business to the extent limited to the property or assets relating to such contract;

 

(m)       any interest or title of a licensor, sublicensor, lessor or sublessor with respect to any assets under any license or lease agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or materially detract from the value of the relevant assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or (ii) secure any Indebtedness; and

 

(n)         Liens not otherwise permitted hereunder on assets other than the Collateral securing Indebtedness or other obligations in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding.

 

SECTION 9.3          Investments.  Purchase, own, invest in or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions), by division or otherwise, directly or indirectly, any Equity Interests, interests in any partnership or joint venture (including, without limitation, the creation or capitalization of any Subsidiary), evidence of Indebtedness or other obligation or security, substantially all or a portion of the business or assets of any other Person or any other investment or interest whatsoever in any other Person, make any Acquisition, or make or permit to exist, directly or indirectly, any loans, advances or extensions of credit to, or any investment in cash or by delivery of Property in, any Person (all the foregoing, “Investments”) except:

 

(a)          (i)          Investments existing on the Closing Date in Subsidiaries existing on the Closing Date;

 

(ii)            Investments existing on the Closing Date (other than Investments in Subsidiaries existing on the Closing Date) and described on Schedule 9.3;

 

(iii)           Investments made after the Closing Date by any Credit Party in any other Credit Party;

 

(iv)          Investments made after the Closing Date by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary in any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary;

 

(v)           Investments made after the Closing Date by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary in any Credit Party; and

 

(vi)         Investments made after the Closing Date by any Credit Party in any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed (A) $1,000,000 less (B) the amount of outstanding Investments made pursuant to Section 9.3(g)(ii) (provided that any Investments in the form of loans or advances made by any Credit Party to any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary pursuant to this clause (vi) shall be evidenced by a demand note in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall be pledged and delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Documents);

 

(b)         Investments in cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(c)         Investments by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries consisting of Capital Expenditures (other than Acquisitions) permitted by this Agreement;

 

(d)         deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure the performance of leases or other obligations as permitted by Section 9.2;

 

(e)         Hedge Agreements permitted pursuant to Section 9.1;

 

(f)          purchases of assets or advances for purchases of goods or services in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)         Investments by the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof in the form of:

 

(i)          Permitted Acquisitions to the extent that any Person or Property acquired in such Acquisition becomes a part of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor or, concurrently with the closing of such Acquisition, becomes (whether or not such Person is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) a Subsidiary Guarantor in the manner contemplated by Section 8.14; and

 

(ii)           Permitted Acquisitions to the extent that any Person or Property acquired in such Acquisition does not become a Subsidiary Guarantor or a part of a Subsidiary Guarantor in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed (A) $1,000,000 less (B) the amount of outstanding Investments made pursuant to Section 9.3(a)(vi);

 

(h)         Investments in the form of loans and advances to officers, directors and employees in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding $1,000,000 (determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs of such loans or advances);

 

(i)          Investments in the form of Restricted Payments permitted pursuant to Section 9.6;

 

(j)          Guarantees permitted pursuant to Section 9.1;

 

(k)       Investments (other than Acquisitions) not otherwise permitted under this Section 9.3; provided that, immediately before and immediately after giving pro forma effect to any such Investments and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith (in each case, determined at the time of such Investment based on the financial statements most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b), as applicable (or the most recently publicly filed financial statements if no financial statements have been delivered under Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b) at such time)):

 

(i)             no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom,

 

(ii)           the Borrower is in compliance with each covenant contained in Section 9.14;

 

(iii)          as of the date of such Investment and after giving effect thereto and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith, the pro forma Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall be at least 0.50 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14(a) (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase); provided that if the required Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio under Section 9.14(a) at such time is 3.00 to 1.00 or less, then the pro forma Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall be at least 0.25 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14(a) (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase); and

 

(iv)          Liquidity shall not be less than $20,000,000.

 

For purposes of determining the amount of any Investment outstanding for purposes of this Section 9.3, such amount shall be deemed to be the amount of such Investment when made, purchased or acquired (without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment) less any amount realized in respect of such Investment upon the sale, collection or return of capital (not to exceed the original amount invested).

 

SECTION 9.4          Fundamental Changes.  Merge, consolidate or enter into any similar combination with (including by division), or enter into any Asset Disposition of all or substantially all of its assets (whether in a single transaction or a series of transactions) with, any other Person or liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution) except:

 

(a)         (i) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may be merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower (provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving entity) or (ii) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may be merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into any Subsidiary Guarantor (provided that the Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving entity or simultaneously with such transaction, the continuing or surviving entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor and the Borrower shall comply with Section 8.14 in connection therewith);

 

(b)         (i) any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary may be merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into, or be liquidated into, any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary and (ii) any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary may be merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into, or be liquidated into, any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary;

 

(c)        any Subsidiary may dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation, dissolution, winding up, division or otherwise) to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor; provided that, with respect to any such disposition by any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, the consideration for such disposition shall not exceed the fair value of such assets;

 

(d)         (i) any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary may dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation, dissolution, winding up, division or otherwise) to any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary and (ii) any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary may dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation, dissolution, winding up or otherwise) to any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary;

 

(e)        any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge with or into the Person such Wholly-Owned Subsidiary was formed to acquire in connection with any acquisition permitted hereunder (including, without limitation, any Permitted Acquisition permitted pursuant to Section 9.3(g)); provided that in the case of any merger involving a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary, (i) a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving entity or (ii) simultaneously with such transaction, the continuing or surviving entity shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor and the Borrower shall comply with Section 8.14 in connection therewith;

 

(f)        any Person may merge into the Borrower or any of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries in connection with a Permitted Acquisition permitted pursuant to Section 9.3(g); provided that (i) in the case of a merger involving the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor and (ii) the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower; and

 

(g)         Asset Dispositions permitted by Section 9.5.

 

SECTION 9.5           Asset Dispositions.  Make any Asset Disposition except:

 

(a)         (i) the sale of obsolete, worn-out or surplus assets (including, without limitation, outdated technology or systems) no longer used or usable in the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) the abandonment of immaterial intellectual property no longer used or usable in the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries so long as such abandonment does not interfere, individually or in the aggregate, in any material respect with the conduct of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(b)         non-exclusive licenses and sublicenses of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business not interfering, individually or in the aggregate, in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(c)         leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses of real or personal property granted by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to others in the ordinary course of business not detracting from the value of such real or personal property or interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any of the foregoing occurring on any Material Real Property, which, at the request of the Administrative Agent, shall be subject to a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent);

 

(d)         Asset Dispositions in connection with Insurance and Condemnation Events; and

 

(e)         Asset Dispositions not otherwise permitted pursuant to this Section; provided that (i) at the time of such Asset Disposition, no Default or Event of Default shall exist or would result from such Asset Disposition, (ii) such Asset Disposition is made for fair market value and the consideration received shall be no less than seventy-five percent (75%) in cash or Cash Equivalents, and (iii) the aggregate fair market value of all property disposed of in reliance on this clause (e) shall not exceed $5,000,000 in any Fiscal Year.

 

SECTION 9.6          Restricted Payments.  Declare or pay any dividend on, or make any payment or other distribution on account of, or purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire (directly or indirectly), or set apart assets for a sinking or other analogous fund for the purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition of, any class of Equity Interests of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, make any payment with respect to any earn-out or similar obligation incurred in connection with an Acquisition permitted hereunder, or make any distribution of cash, property or assets to the holders of shares of any Equity Interests of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof (all of the foregoing, the “Restricted Payments”) provided that:

 

(a)         so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may pay earn-outs in the form of Qualified Equity Interests or dividends in shares of its own Qualified Equity Interests;

 

(b)         any Subsidiary of the Borrower may pay cash dividends to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(c)         (i) any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary (and, if applicable, to other holders of its outstanding Equity Interests on a ratable basis) and (ii) any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to any other Non-Guarantor Subsidiary (and, if applicable, to other holders of its outstanding Equity Interests on a ratable basis); and

 

(d)        so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire shares of its Equity Interests or options or other equity or phantom equity in respect of its Equity Interests from present or former officers, employees, directors or consultants (or their family members or trusts or other entities for the benefit of any of the foregoing) (i) to the extent that such purchase is made with the Net Cash Proceeds of any offering of Qualified Equity Interests of or capital contributions to the Borrower or (ii) otherwise in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000 during any Fiscal Year;

 

(e)         so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom the Borrower may make Restricted Payments not otherwise permitted under this Section 9.6 (after taking into account limitations hereunder that would result in the proposed Restricted Payment not being permitted under this Section 9.6); provided that after giving effect to such Restricted Payments and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith (in each case, determined at the time of such Restricted Payment is made based on the financial statements most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b), as applicable (or the most recently publicly filed financial statements if no financial statements have been delivered under Section 8.1(a) or 8.1(b) at such time)):

 

(i)            the Borrower is in compliance with each covenant contained in Section 9.14;

 

(ii)          the pro forma Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall be at least 0.50 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14(a) (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase); provided that if the required Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio under Section 9.14(a) at such time is 3.00 to 1.00 or less, then the pro forma Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall be at least 0.25 to 1.00 below the then applicable ratio set forth in Section 9.14(a) (without giving effect to any Leverage Ratio Increase); and

 

(iii)          Liquidity shall not be less than $20,000,000; and

 

(f)          so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may make Restricted Payments with respect to any earn-out or similar obligation incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition; provided that immediately before and immediately after giving effect to any such payment pursuant to this clause (ii) and any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith, the Borrower is in compliance on a pro forma basis with each covenant contained in Section 9.14.

 

SECTION 9.7          Transactions with Affiliates.  Directly or indirectly enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property, the rendering of any service or the payment of any management, advisory or similar fees, with (a) any officer, director, holder of any Equity Interests in, or other Affiliate of, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (b) any Affiliate of any such officer, director or holder, other than:

 

(i)            transactions permitted by Sections 9.1, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 and 9.13;

 

(ii)           transactions existing on the Closing Date and described on Schedule 9.7;

 

(iii)          transactions among Credit Parties;

 

(iv)          other transactions in the ordinary course of business on terms at least as favorable to the Credit Parties and their respective Subsidiaries as would be obtained by it on a comparable arm’s-length transaction with an independent, unrelated third party as determined in good faith by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower;

 

(v)           employment and severance arrangements (including equity incentive plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements) with their respective officers and employees in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(vi)          payment of customary fees and reasonable out of pocket costs to, and indemnities for the benefit of, directors, officers and employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 9.8          Accounting Changes; Organizational Documents.

 

(a)         Change its Fiscal Year end, or make (without the consent of the Administrative Agent) any material change in its accounting treatment and reporting practices except as required by GAAP.

 

(b)         Amend, modify or change its articles of incorporation (or corporate charter or other similar organizational documents) or amend, modify or change its bylaws (or other similar documents) in any manner materially adverse to the rights or interests of the Lenders.

 

SECTION 9.9        Payments and Modifications of Certain Indebtedness.

 

(a)         Amend, modify, waive or supplement (or permit the modification, amendment, waiver or supplement of) any of the terms or provisions of any Subordinated Indebtedness, in each case in any respect which would materially and adversely affect the rights or interests of the Administrative Agent and Lenders hereunder.

 

(b)        Cancel, forgive, make any payment or prepayment on, or redeem or acquire for value (including, without limitation, (x) by way of depositing with any trustee with respect thereto money or securities before due for the purpose of paying when due and (y) at the maturity thereof) any Subordinated Indebtedness, except:

 

(i)             refinancings, refundings, renewals, extensions or exchange of any Subordinated Indebtedness permitted by Section 9.1(c), (g)(ii), (i) or (l), and by any subordination provisions applicable thereto;

 

(ii)           payments and prepayments of any Subordinated Indebtedness made solely with the proceeds of Qualified Equity Interests; and

 

(iii)          the payment of interest, expenses and indemnities in respect of Subordinated Indebtedness incurred under Section 9.1(c), (g)(ii), (i) or (l) (other than any such payments prohibited by any subordination provisions applicable thereto).

 

SECTION 9.10          No Further Negative Pledges; Restrictive Agreements.

 

(a)         Enter into, assume or be subject to any agreement prohibiting or otherwise restricting the creation or assumption of any Lien upon its properties or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or requiring the grant of any security for such obligation if security is given for some other obligation, except (i) pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) pursuant to any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Sections 9.1(d) or 9.1(e) (provided that any such restrictions contained therein relate only to the asset or assets financed thereby), (iii) customary restrictions contained in the organizational documents of any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary as of the Closing Date, (iv) customary restrictions in connection with any Permitted Lien or any document or instrument governing any Permitted Lien (provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject to such Permitted Lien) and (v) customary restrictions contained in any agreement with respect to Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 9.1(i) that are based on incurrence based financial tests that are no more restrictive than the financial ratio requirements in Sections 9.1(i) and 9.14 and which expressly permit Liens securing the Secured Obligations.

 

(b)        Create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof to (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to any Credit Party or any Subsidiary on its Equity Interests or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, (ii) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Credit Party or (iii) make loans or advances to any Credit Party, except in each case for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (A) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (B) Applicable Law.

 

(c)        Create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof to (i) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to any Credit Party or (ii) act as a Credit Party pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof, except in each case for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (A) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (B) Applicable Law, (C) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 9.1(d) (provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets acquired in connection therewith), (D) any Permitted Lien or any document or instrument governing any Permitted Lien (provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject to such Permitted Lien), (E) obligations that are binding on a Subsidiary at the time such Subsidiary first becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, so long as such obligations are not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary, (F) customary restrictions contained in an agreement related to the sale of Property (to the extent such sale is permitted pursuant to Section 9.5) that limit the transfer of such Property pending the consummation of such sale, (G) customary restrictions in leases, subleases, licenses and sublicenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted by this Agreement so long as such restrictions relate only to the assets subject thereto and (H) customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business.

 

SECTION 9.11          Nature of Business.  Engage in any business other than the business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date and business activities reasonably related or ancillary thereto or that are reasonable extensions thereof.

 

SECTION 9.12          Amendments of Other Documents.  Amend, modify, waive or supplement (or permit modification, amendment, waiver or supplement of) any of the terms or provisions of any Material Contract in any manner which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 9.13         Sale Leasebacks.  Directly or indirectly become or remain liable as lessee or as guarantor or other surety with respect to any lease, whether an operating lease or a capital lease, of any Property (whether real, personal or mixed), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, (a) which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof has sold or transferred or is to sell or transfer to a Person which is not another Credit Party or Subsidiary of a Credit Party or (b) which any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party intends to use for substantially the same purpose as any other Property that has been sold or is to be sold or transferred by such Credit Party or such Subsidiary to another Person which is not another Credit Party or Subsidiary of a Credit Party in connection with such lease.

 

SECTION 9.14          Financial Covenants.

 

(a)         Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter to be greater than 3.00 to 1.00 (the “Maximum Permitted Leverage Ratio”); provided that upon the consummation of any Material Acquisition and upon written request of the Borrower, the Maximum Permitted Leverage Ratio shall be increased to 3.50 to 1.00 which such increase shall be applicable (i) with respect to a Permitted Acquisition that is not a Limited Conditionality Acquisition, for the fiscal quarter in which such Permitted Acquisition is consummated and the three (3) consecutive quarterly test periods thereafter or (ii) with respect to a Permitted Acquisition that is a Limited Conditionality Acquisition, for purposes of determining compliance on a Pro Forma Basis with this Section 9.14(a) on the LCA Test Date, for the fiscal quarter in which such Permitted Acquisition is consummated and for the three (3) consecutive quarterly test periods after which such Permitted Acquisition is consummated (each, a “Leverage Ratio Increase”); provided that (x) such increase shall apply solely with respect to compliance with this Section 9.14(a) and any determination of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio for purposes of the definition of Permitted Acquisition and any incurrence test with respect to any Indebtedness used to finance a Permitted Acquisition and shall not apply to any other incurrence test set forth in this Agreement, (y) the Borrower may only request up to two Leverage Ratio Increases and (z) as a condition precedent to the second Leverage Ratio Increase the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the end of each of the two most recently completed Reference Periods (excluding for this purpose any Reference Period ending on or prior the last day of the fiscal quarter during which the first Leverage Ratio Increase was requested) shall have been no greater than 3.00 to 1.00.

 

(b)         Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter to be less than 3.50 to 1.00.

 

ARTICLE X

 

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

SECTION 10.1          Events of Default.  Each of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

(a)          Default in Payment of Principal of Loans and Reimbursement Obligations.  The Borrower shall default in any payment of principal of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation when and as due (whether at maturity, by reason of acceleration or otherwise).

 

(b)        Other Payment Default.  The Borrower shall default in the payment when and as due (whether at maturity, by reason of acceleration or otherwise) of interest on any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation or the payment of any other Obligation, and such default shall continue for a period of three (3) Business Days.

 

(c)        Misrepresentation.  Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in this Agreement, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith that is subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications, shall be incorrect or misleading in any respect when made or deemed made or any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith that is not subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications, shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made.

 

(d)        Default in Performance of Certain Covenants.  Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall default in the performance or observance of any covenant or agreement contained in Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.3(a), 8.4 (with respect to existence), 8.12, 8.13, 8.14, 8.15, 8.16, 8.17 or 8.18 or Article IX.

 

(e)         Default in Performance of Other Covenants and Conditions.  Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall default in the performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than as specifically provided for in this Section) or any other Loan Document and such default shall continue for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier of (i) the Administrative Agent’s delivery of written notice thereof to the Borrower and (ii) a Responsible Officer of any Credit Party having obtained actual knowledge thereof.

 

(f)         Indebtedness Cross-Default.  Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall (i) default in the payment of any Indebtedness (other than the Loans or any Reimbursement Obligation) the aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts), or with respect to any Hedge Agreement, the Hedge Termination Value, of which is in excess of the Threshold Amount beyond the period of grace if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created, or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness (other than the Loans or any Reimbursement Obligation) the aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts), or with respect to any Hedge Agreement, the Hedge Termination Value, of which is in excess of the Threshold Amount or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice and/or lapse of time, if required, any such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity (any applicable grace period having expired).

 

(g)         Change in Control.  Any Change in Control shall occur.

 

(h)         Voluntary Bankruptcy Proceeding.  Any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof shall (i) commence a voluntary case under any Debtor Relief Laws, (ii) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any Debtor Relief Laws, (iii) consent to or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner any petition filed against it in an involuntary case under any Debtor Relief Laws, (iv) apply for or consent to, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee, or liquidator of itself or of a substantial part of its property, domestic or foreign, (v) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due, (vi) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (vii) take any corporate action for the purpose of authorizing any of the foregoing.

 

(i)          Involuntary Bankruptcy Proceeding.  A case or other proceeding shall be commenced against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof in any court of competent jurisdiction seeking (i) relief under any Debtor Relief Laws, or (ii) the appointment of a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or the like for any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof or for all or any substantial part of their respective assets, domestic or foreign, and such case or proceeding shall continue without dismissal or stay for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days, or an order granting the relief requested in such case or proceeding (including, but not limited to, an order for relief under such federal bankruptcy laws) shall be entered.

 

(j)          Failure of Agreements.  Any material provision of this Agreement or any provision of any other Loan Document shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof party thereto or any such Person shall so state in writing, or any Loan Document shall for any reason cease to create a valid and perfected first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) on, or security interest in, any of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, in each case other than in accordance with the express terms hereof or thereof.

 

(k)         ERISA Events.  The occurrence of any Termination Event that either individually or in the aggregate results in, or is reasonably likely to result in, any Credit Party incurring a liability in excess of the Threshold Amount.

 

(l)         Judgment.  One or more judgments, orders or decrees shall be entered against any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof by any court and any such judgment, order or decree shall continue without having been discharged, vacated or stayed for a period of forty-five (45) consecutive days after the entry thereof and such judgment, order or decree is either (i) for the payment of money, individually or in the aggregate (not paid or fully covered by insurance or a binding and enforceable indemnity as to which the relevant indemnitor or insurance company has expressly acknowledged coverage in writing), equal to or in excess of the Threshold Amount or (ii) for injunctive relief and could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 10.2          Remedies.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower:

 

(a)        Acceleration; Termination of Credit Facility.  Terminate the Revolving Credit Commitment and declare the principal of and interest on the Loans and the Reimbursement Obligations at the time outstanding, and all other amounts owed to the Lenders and to the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, all L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented or shall be entitled to present the documents required thereunder) and all other Obligations, to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by each Credit Party, anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, and terminate the Credit Facility and any right of the Borrower to request borrowings or Letters of Credit thereunder; provided, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 10.1(h) or (i), the Credit Facility shall be automatically terminated and all Obligations shall automatically become due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by each Credit Party, anything in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

(b)         Letters of Credit.  With respect to all Letters of Credit with respect to which presentment for honor shall not have occurred at the time of an acceleration pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the Borrower shall at such time deposit in a Cash Collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent an amount equal to the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit.  Amounts held in such Cash Collateral account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to the payment of drafts drawn under such Letters of Credit, and the unused portion thereof after all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, if any, shall be applied to repay the other Secured Obligations in accordance with Section 10.4.  After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, the Reimbursement Obligation shall have been satisfied and all other Secured Obligations shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such Cash Collateral account shall be returned to the Borrower.

 

(c)         General Remedies.  Exercise on behalf of the Secured Parties all of its other rights and remedies under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and Applicable Law, in order to satisfy all of the Secured Obligations.

 

SECTION 10.3          Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Non-Waiver; etc.

 

(a)          The enumeration of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders set forth in this Agreement is not intended to be exhaustive and the exercise by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of any right or remedy shall not preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies, all of which shall be cumulative, and shall be in addition to any other right or remedy given hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or that may now or hereafter exist at law or in equity or by suit or otherwise.  No delay or failure to take action on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right, power or privilege shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege or shall be construed to be a waiver of any Event of Default.  No course of dealing between the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or their respective agents or employees shall be effective to change, modify or discharge any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or to constitute a waiver of any Event of Default.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Credit Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 10.2 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the Issuing Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as the Issuing Lender or Swingline Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 12.4 (subject to the terms of Section 5.6), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Credit Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 10.2 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 5.6, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

 

SECTION 10.4          Crediting of Payments and Proceeds.  In the event that the Obligations have been accelerated pursuant to Section 10.2 or the Administrative Agent or any Lender has exercised any remedy set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, all payments received on account of the Secured Obligations and all net proceeds from the enforcement of the Secured Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 5.14 and 5.15, be applied by the Administrative Agent as follows:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts, including attorney fees, payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees (other than Commitment Fees and Letter of Credit Fees payable to the Revolving Credit Lenders), indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender under the Loan Documents, including attorney fees, ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting Commitment Fees and Letter of Credit Fees payable to the Revolving Credit Lenders and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations, ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, Reimbursement Obligations and obligations then owing under Secured Hedge Agreements and Secured Cash Management Agreements, ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth payable to them;

 

Fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender, to Cash Collateralize any L/C Obligations then outstanding; and

 

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

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Secured Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be following such acceleration or exercise of remedies and at least three (3) Business Days prior to the application of the proceeds thereof.  Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article XI for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

SECTION 10.5          Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Credit Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(a)         to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Secured Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Administrative Agent under Sections 3.3, 5.3 and 12.3) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

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

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the Issuing Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 3.3, 5.3 and 12.3.

 

SECTION 10.6          Credit Bidding.

 

(a)         The Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties, shall have the right exercisable at the direction of the Required Lenders to credit bid and purchase for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties all or any portion of Collateral at any sale thereof conducted by the Administrative Agent under the provisions of the UCC, including pursuant to Sections 9-610 or 9-620 of the UCC, at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including Section 363 thereof, or a sale under a plan of reorganization, or at any other sale or foreclosure conducted by the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with Applicable Law.  Such credit bid or purchase may be completed through one or more acquisition vehicles formed by the Administrative Agent to make such credit bid or purchase and, in connection therewith, the Administrative Agent is authorized, on behalf of itself and the other Secured Parties, to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles, and assign the applicable Secured Obligations to any such acquisition vehicle in exchange for Equity Interests and/or debt issued by the applicable acquisition vehicle (which shall be deemed to be held for the ratable account of the applicable Secured Parties on the basis of the Secured Obligations so assigned by each Secured Party); provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof, shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 12.2.

 

(b)        Each Lender hereby agrees, on behalf of itself and each of its Affiliates that is a Secured Party, that, except as otherwise provided in any Loan Document or with the written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, it will not take any enforcement action, accelerate obligations under any of the Loan Documents, or exercise any right that it might otherwise have under Applicable Law to credit bid at foreclosure sales, UCC sales or other similar dispositions of Collateral.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

SECTION 11.1          Appointment and Authority.

 

(a)        Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably appoints Wells Fargo to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, and neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary thereof shall have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions.  It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any Applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

(b)        The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacity as a potential Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank) and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the Issuing Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Credit Parties to secure any of the Secured Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto (including, without limitation, to enter into additional Loan Documents or supplements to existing Loan Documents on behalf of the Secured Parties).  In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Article XI for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Security Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of Articles XI and XII (including Section 12.3, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 11.2          Rights as a Lender.  The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

SECTION 11.3          Exculpatory Provisions.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(iii)          shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, 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 or Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

(b)          The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.2 and Section 10.2) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final nonappealable judgment.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default unless and until notice describing such Default or Event of Default and indicating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the Issuing Lender.

 

(c)          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 or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article VI or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or (vi) the utilization of the Issuing Lender’s L/C Commitment (it being understood and agreed that the Issuing Lender shall monitor compliance with its own L/C Commitment without any further action by the Administrative Agent).

 

SECTION 11.4          Reliance by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the Issuing Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the Issuing Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the Issuing Lender prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit.  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 11.5          Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facility as well as activities as Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub‑agents.

 

SECTION 11.6          Resignation of Administrative Agent.

 

(a)         The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower and, so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such resignation, subject to the consent of the Borrower (such consent, if applicable, not to unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders or consented to by the Borrower and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)        If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person, remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and be continuing at the time of such removal, the consent of the Borrower (such consent, if applicable, not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders or consented to by the Borrower and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

(c)         With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable), (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuing Lender under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the Issuing Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 12.3 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

(d)        Any resignation by, or removal of, Wells Fargo as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Lender, if in its sole discretion it elects to, and Swingline Lender, (b) the retiring Issuing Lender and Swingline Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor Issuing Lender, if in its sole discretion it elects to, shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring Issuing Lender to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuing Lender with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

SECTION 11.7          Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.  Each Lender and the Issuing Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender and the Issuing Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

SECTION 11.8          No Other Duties, Etc.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the syndication agents, documentation agents, co-agents, arrangers or bookrunners listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the Issuing Lender hereunder.

 

SECTION 11.9          Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

 

(a)          Each of the Lenders (including in its or any of its Affiliate’s capacities as a potential Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank) irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion:

 

(i)            to release any Lien on any Collateral granted to or held by the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, under any Loan Document (A) upon the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment and payment in full of all Secured Obligations (other than (1) contingent indemnification obligations and (2) obligations and liabilities under Secured Cash Management Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank shall have been made) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender shall have been made), (B) that is sold or otherwise disposed of or to be sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition to a Person other than a Credit Party permitted under the Loan Documents, or (C) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing in accordance with Section 12.2;

 

(ii)           to subordinate any Lien on any Collateral granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien permitted pursuant to Section 9.2(h); and

 

(iii)          to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under any Loan Documents if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents.

 

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.9.  In each case as specified in this Section 11.9, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Credit Party such documents as such Credit Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Security Documents or to subordinate its interest in such item, or to release such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty Agreement, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 11.9.  In the case of any such sale, transfer or disposal of any property constituting Collateral in a transaction constituting an Asset Disposition to a Person other than a Credit Party permitted pursuant to Section 9.5, the Liens created by any of the Security Documents on such property shall be automatically released without need for further action by any person.

 

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

 

SECTION 11.10          Secured Hedge Agreements and Secured Cash Management Agreements.  No Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 10.4 or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Security Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XI to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE XII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 12.1          Notices.

 

(a)          Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in 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 facsimile as follows:

 

If to the Borrower:

 

Stamps.com Inc.

1990 E. Grand Avenue

El Segundo, CA  90245

Attention of:   Corporate Secretary

Telephone No.: 310-482-5800

Facsimile No.: 310-482-5900

 

With copies to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Proskauer Rose LLP

2029 Century Park East, Suite 2400

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Attention of:  Ben Orlanski and Andrew Bettwy

Telephone No.:  (310) 284-5653 and (212) 969-3180

Facsimile No.:  (310) 557-2193

E-mail:  borlanski@proskauer.com and abettwy@proskauer.com

 

If to Wells Fargo as Administrative Agent:

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

MAC D1109-019

1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd.

Charlotte, NC  28262

Attention of:  Syndication Agency Services

Telephone No.:  (704) 590-2703

Facsimile No.:  (704) 715-0092

 

With copies to:

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

1800 Century Park E, Floor 11

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Attention of: Aron Solomon, Vice President

Telephone No.: (310) 789-5312

E-mail:  Aron.Solomon@wellsfargo.com

 

If to any Lender:

 

To the address set forth on the Register

 

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

 

(b)         Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the Issuing Lender pursuant to Article II or III if such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  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.  Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or other communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.

 

(c)        Administrative Agent’s Office.  The Administrative Agent hereby designates its office located at the address set forth above, or any subsequent office which shall have been specified for such purpose by written notice to the Borrower and Lenders, as the Administrative Agent’s Office referred to herein, to which payments due are to be made and at which Loans will be disbursed and Letters of Credit requested.

 

(d)          Change of Address, Etc.  Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(e)          Platform.

 

(i)            Each Credit Party agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Borrower Materials available to the Issuing Lender and the other Lenders by posting the Borrower Materials on the Platform.

 

(ii)          The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.”  The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the Borrower Materials or the adequacy of the Platform, and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Borrower Materials.  No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Borrower Materials or the Platform.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Credit Party, any Lender or any other Person or entity for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Credit Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through the Internet (including, without limitation, the Platform), except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or 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 Agent Party; provided that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to any Credit Party, any Lender, the Issuing Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages, losses or expenses (as opposed to actual damages, losses or expenses).

 

(f)         Private Side Designation.  Each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and Applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Applicable Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities Applicable Laws.

 

SECTION 12.2          Amendments, Waivers and Consents.  Except as set forth below or as specifically provided in any Loan Document, any term, covenant, agreement or condition of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents may be amended or waived by the Lenders, and any consent given by the Lenders, if, but only if, such amendment, waiver or consent is in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and delivered to the Administrative Agent and, in the case of an amendment, signed by the Borrower; provided, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(a)          [reserved];

 

(b)          increase the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Revolving Credit Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 10.2) or the amount of Loans of any Lender, in any case, without the written consent of such Lender;

 

(c)          waive, extend or postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(d)         reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation, or (subject to clauses (iv) and (vii) of the proviso set forth in the paragraph below) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the rate set forth in Section 5.1(b) during the continuance of an Event of Default or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Obligation or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

 

(e)          change Section 5.6 or Section 10.4 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments or order of application required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(f)          [reserved];

 

(g)        except as otherwise permitted by this Section 12.2 change any provision of this Section or reduce the percentages specified in the definitions of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(h)         consent to the assignment or transfer by any Credit Party of such Credit Party’s rights and obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party (except as permitted pursuant to Section 9.4), in each case, without the written consent of each Lender;

 

(i)          release (i)  all of the Subsidiary Guarantors or (ii) Subsidiary Guarantors comprising substantially all of the credit support for the Secured Obligations, in any case, from any Guaranty Agreement (other than as authorized in Section 11.9), without the written consent of each Lender; or

 

(j)          release all or substantially all of the Collateral or release any Security Document (other than as authorized in Section 11.9 or as otherwise specifically permitted or contemplated in this Agreement or the applicable Security Document) without the written consent of each Lender;

 

provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Issuing Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Issuing Lender under this Agreement or any Letter of Credit Application relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swingline Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swingline Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or modify Section 12.24 hereof; (iv) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto, (v) each Letter of Credit Application may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto; provided that a copy of such amended Letter of Credit Application shall be promptly delivered to the Administrative Agent upon such amendment or waiver, (vi) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend any provision of the Loan Documents (and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document) if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error or any error, ambiguity, defect or inconsistency or omission of a technical or immaterial nature in any such provision and (vii) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend any provision of the Loan Documents (and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document) if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error or any error, ambiguity, defect or inconsistency or omission of a technical or immaterial nature in any such provision and (viii) the Administrative Agent (and, if applicable, the Borrower) may, without the consent of any Lender, enter into amendments or modifications to this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or to enter into additional Loan Documents in order to implement any Benchmark Replacement or any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes or otherwise effectuate the terms of Section 5.8(c) in accordance with the terms of Section 5.8(c).  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that (A) the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender, and (B) any amendment, waiver, or consent hereunder which requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms disproportionately and adversely affects any such Defaulting Lender relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each Lender hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent on its behalf, and without further consent, to (x) amend and restate this Agreement if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated), the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Lender shall have terminated, such Lender shall have no other commitment or other obligation hereunder and shall have been paid in full all principal, interest and other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement and (y) enter into amendments or modifications to this Agreement (including, without limitation, amendments to this Section 12.2) or any of the other Loan Documents or to enter into additional Loan Documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems appropriate in order to effectuate the terms of Section 5.13 (including, without limitation, as applicable, (1) to permit the Incremental Term Loans and the Incremental Revolving Credit Loans to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (2) to include the Incremental Term Loan Commitments and the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, or outstanding Incremental Term Loans and outstanding Incremental Revolving Credit Loans, as applicable, in any determination of (i) Required Lenders or (ii) similar required lender terms applicable thereto); provided that no amendment or modification shall result in any increase in the amount of any Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment or any increase in any Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage, in each case, without the written consent of such affected Lender.

 

SECTION 12.3          Expenses; Indemnity.

 

(a)         Costs and Expenses.  The Borrower and any other Credit Party, jointly and severally, shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of one firm of counsel to the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, a single specialty counsel for the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, for each relevant specialty, and, if reasonably necessary, a single firm of local counsel for the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction, in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facility, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender (including the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of (A) one firm of counsel to the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, a single specialty counsel for the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, for each relevant specialty, and, if reasonably necessary, a single firm of local counsel for the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction, and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional firm of counsel in each specialty or jurisdiction, as the case may be, to the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, taken as a whole, and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional firm of counsel in each specialty or jurisdiction, as the case may be, to each group of similarly situated affected Persons, taken as a whole and (B) one firm of counsel to the Lenders, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, a single specialty counsel for the Lenders, taken as a whole, for each relevant specialty, and, if reasonably necessary, a single firm of local counsel for the Lenders, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction, and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional firm of counsel in each specialty or jurisdiction, as the case may be, to each group of similarly situated affected Lenders, taken as a whole), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (x) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (y) 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)         Indemnification by the Credit Parties.  The Borrower and each other Credit Party shall jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the Issuing 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, and shall pay or reimburse any such Indemnitee for, any and all losses, claims (including, without limitation, any Environmental Claims), penalties, damages, liabilities and related costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented fees, disbursements, settlement costs, and other charges of one firm of counsel to all Indemnitees, taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, a single specialty counsel for all Indemnitees, taken as a whole, for each relevant specialty, and, if reasonably necessary, a single firm of local counsel for all Indemnitees, taken as a whole, in each relevant jurisdiction, and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest of any of the foregoing firms, one additional firm of counsel in each specialty or jurisdiction, as the case may be, to each of the similarly situated affected Indemnitees, taken as a whole), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower or any other Credit Party), other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties, arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Lender 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 any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, or any Environmental Claim related in any way to any Credit Party or any Subsidiary, (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, or (v) any claim (including, without limitation, any Environmental Claims), investigation, litigation or other proceeding (whether or not the Administrative Agent or any Lender is a party thereto) and the prosecution and defense thereof, arising out of or in any way connected with the Loans, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (A) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or any Related Indemnified Party (as defined below), (B) result from a claim brought by any Credit Party or any Subsidiary thereof against an Indemnitee for material breach of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Credit Party or such Subsidiary has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or (c) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from any dispute solely among the Indemnitees (other than any claims (1) against any Indemnitee in its respective capacity as, or fulfilling its role as, Administrative Agent or an Arranger or any similar role under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or (2) arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of their respective Affiliates).  This Section 12.3(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.  “Related Indemnified Party”: of an Indemnitee means (x) a Controlled Affiliate of such Indemnitee and (y) the respective directors, officers, employees, partners or Controlled Persons of such Indemnitee or any of its Subsidiaries or Controlled Affiliates; provided that each reference to a Controlled Affiliate or Controlled Person in this sentence pertains to a Controlled Affiliate or Controlled Person involved in the negotiation or syndication of this Agreement.

 

(c)         Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under clause (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the  Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure at such time, or if the Total Credit Exposure has been reduced to zero, then based on such Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure immediately prior to such reduction) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender); provided that with respect to such unpaid amounts owed to the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender solely in its capacity as such, only the Revolving Credit Lenders shall be required to pay such unpaid amounts, such payment to be made severally among them based on such Revolving Credit Lenders’ Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought or, if the Revolving Credit Commitment has been reduced to zero as of such time, determined immediately prior to such reduction); provided, further, that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 5.7.

 

(d)         Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower and each other Credit Party 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, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in clause (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

(e)          Payments.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor, which demand shall be accompanied by a statement from the applicable Person to whom such payment is due setting forth such amounts in reasonable detail.

 

(f)          Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section shall survive the termination of the Loan Documents and payment of the obligations hereunder.

 

SECTION 12.4          Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Credit Party (including, without limitation, obligations under any Secured Cash Management Agreement) against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Credit Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender or any of their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or any such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Credit Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or such Affiliate different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender or any Affiliate thereof shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.4 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender or Affiliate of a Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender or its Affiliate shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Secured Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender or any of its Affiliates as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender or their respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender, such Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender agree to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent reasonably promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

SECTION 12.5          Governing Law; Jurisdiction, Etc.

 

(a)          Governing Law.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claim, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

(b)          Submission to Jurisdiction.  The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Lender, the Swingline Lender, or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, in such federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action, litigation or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or any other Credit Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)         Waiver of Venue.  The Borrower and each other Credit Party irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)         Service of Process.  Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 12.1.  Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 12.6          Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

(a)       EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  IF AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE FOREGOING WAIVER OF THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL IS UNENFORCEABLE FOR ANY REASON IN SUCH FORUM, EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY CONSENTS TO THE ADJUDICATION OF ALL CLAIMS PURSUANT TO JUDICIAL REFERENCE AS PROVIDED IN CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTION 638, AND THE JUDICIAL REFEREE SHALL BE EMPOWERED TO HEAR AND DETERMINE ALL ISSUES IN SUCH REFERENCE, WHETHER FACT OR LAW.  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND CONSENT AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 12.7          Reversal of Payments.  To the extent any Credit Party makes a payment or payments to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of any of the Secured Parties or to any Secured Party directly or the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party receives any payment or proceeds of the Collateral or any Secured Party exercises its right of setoff, which payments or proceeds (including any proceeds of such setoff) or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside and/or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any Debtor Relief Law, other Applicable Law or equitable cause, then, to the extent of such payment or proceeds repaid, the Secured Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent, and each Lender and the Issuing Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable ratable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent plus interest thereon at a per annum rate equal to the Federal Funds Rate from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made to the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 12.8          Injunctive Relief.  The Borrower recognizes that, in the event the Borrower fails to perform, observe or discharge any of its obligations or liabilities under this Agreement, any remedy of law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Lenders. Therefore, the Borrower agrees that the Lenders, at the Lenders’ option, shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages.

 

SECTION 12.9          Successors and Assigns; Participations.

 

(a)          Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither the Borrower nor any other Credit Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of paragraph (e) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in paragraph (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

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

 

(i)          Minimum Amounts.

 

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

 

(B)          in any case not described in paragraph (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Revolving Credit Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if a “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have given its consent ten (10) Business Days after the date written notice thereof has been delivered by the assigning Lender (through the Administrative Agent) unless such consent is expressly refused by the Borrower prior to such tenth (10th) Business Day;

 

(ii)          Proportionate Amounts.  Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loan or the Revolving Credit Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate classes on a non-pro rata basis;