UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 15, 2018

 

 

  

COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

001-04329

(Commission
File Number)

34-4297750

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

701 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio

(Address of principal executive offices)

45840

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (419) 423-1321

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company   ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ¨

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Amendment

 

On February 15, 2018 (the “Closing Date”), Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement (the “Amendment”), by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent (the “Agent”). The Amendment modified the terms of that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of May 27, 2015 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Revolving Credit Agreement”), by and among the Company, the lenders from time to time party thereto, and the Agent, which amended the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement to, among other things:

 

· Extend the maturity date of the revolving credit facility to February 15, 2023;
· Modify the definition of Applicable Rate;
· Modify certain negative covenants to permit additional indebtedness and liens by foreign subsidiaries of the Company;
· Modify the asset sale covenant; and
· Increase the basket for permitted dividends.

 

The summary set forth in this Current Report on Form 8-K may not contain all the information that is important to you and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amendment, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Agent and certain of the lenders to the Credit Agreement have in the past provided, currently provide and may in the future provide advisory and lending services to, or engage in transactions with, the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates (including through certain subsidiaries or affiliates of the Agent and such lenders). These parties have received, and may in the future receive, customary compensation from the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates for such services and in respect of such transactions.

 

Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement

 

On the Closing Date, the Company, Cooper Receivables, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CRLLC”), and PNC Bank, National Association (“PNC”) entered into a Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement (the “Second A&R Receivables Purchase Agreement”). The Second A&R Receivables Purchase Agreement amends and restates the receivables purchase agreement entered into on August 30, 2006 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Receivables Purchase Agreement”). The Second A&R Receivables Purchase Agreement amended and restated the terms of the Existing Receivables Purchase Agreement to, among other things:

 

· Extend the maturity date from May 27, 2018 to February 12, 2021;
· Modify various provisions relating to Letters of Credit; and
· Eliminate the concept of a Minimum Usage Amount.

 

The Second A&R Receivables Purchase Agreement has a purchase limit of $150,000,000. The interest rate spread of the receivables facility is between 0.50% and 4.00% based on interest rate type, and the servicing fee of the receivables facility is 1.00%. The Second A&R Receivables Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties, covenants and events of default. Other material terms are consistent with the terms of the Existing Receivables Purchase Agreement.

 

The summary set forth in this Current Report on Form 8-K may not contain all the information that is important to you and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Second A&R Receivables Purchase Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

PNC has in the past provided, currently provides and may in the future provide advisory and lending services to, or engage in transactions with, the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates (including through certain subsidiaries or affiliates of PNC). PNC has received, and may in the future receive, customary compensation from the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates for such services and in respect of such transactions.

 

 

 

 

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation.

 

The information set forth in “Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement” is hereby incorporated by reference into this “Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation.”

 

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

On February 16, 2018, John H. Shuey, a member of the Board of Directors (the "Board"), informed the Board of his intention to retire as a director of the Company at the end of his current term and not stand for re-election at the Company's 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Mr. Shuey has served as a director of the Company since 1996. Mr. Shuey, age 72, has reached the retirement age for the Board and his decision not to stand for re-election was based on personal reasons and not the result of any disagreement with the Company.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number   Description
     
10.1   Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated February 15, 2018, by and among Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
     
10.2   Second Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement, dated February 15, 2018, by and among Cooper Receivables LLC, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, and PNC Bank, National Association

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date:  February 20, 2018   COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
     
    By: /s/ Jack Jay McCracken
    Name:  Jack Jay McCracken
    Title: Assistant General Counsel & Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

Execution Copy

 

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2018 (this “ Amendment ”), is among Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, a Delaware corporation, as a borrower (the “ Company ”), the Lenders party hereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Amended Credit Agreement referenced below.

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Company, the Lenders party thereto, and the Administrative Agent are parties to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of May 27, 2015 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date (as defined below), the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders amend the Existing Credit Agreement as set forth herein, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto have agreed to so amend the Existing Credit Agreement upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.            Amendments to the Existing Credit Agreement . Upon the Second Amendment Effective Date, the parties hereto agree that the Existing Credit Agreement (but not the Exhibits or Schedules thereto, except as set forth in the next sentence) is hereby amended as reflected by the amended Credit Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Amended Credit Agreement ”) and any term or provision of the Existing Credit Agreement which is different from that set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement shall be replaced and superseded in all respects by the terms and provisions of the Amended Credit Agreement. In addition to the foregoing, the Commitment Schedule and Schedules 3.13, 3.14 and 3.20 to the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby, on the Second Amendment Effective Date, amended and restated in their entirety in the form attached hereto as Annex I.

 

2.            Conditions Precedent . This Amendment shall become effective as the date hereof (the “ Second Amendment Effective Date ”) when all of the following conditions have been satisfied:

 

(a)          the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of (i) this Amendment, duly executed by the Company, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, and (ii) the consent and agreement to this Amendment, duly executed by each Guarantor; and

 

(b)         the Administrative Agent shall have received and be reasonably satisfied with such other documents, and the Borrowers shall have satisfied such other conditions, as the Administrative Agent may have reasonably requested.

 

The Administrative Agent shall provide the Company and the Lenders written notice immediately upon the occurrence of the Second Amendment Effective Date. Each of the amendments and other modifications set forth in this Amendment shall be effective on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date.

 

  1  

 

 

3.            Departing Lender .    The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. (the “ Departing Lender ”) has agreed pursuant to a separate departing lender consent that it shall no longer constitute a Lender under the Credit Agreement as of the Second Amendment Effective Date. The Departing Lender shall not have a Commitment on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date. The Departing Lender shall cease to be a party to the Credit Agreement as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, with no rights, duties or obligations thereunder. The consent of a Departing Lender is not required to give effect to the changes contemplated by this Amendment. The Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to take such steps under the Credit Agreement as reasonably required to give effect to the departure of the Departing Lender, including, without limitation, reallocating outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement among the remaining Lenders ratably based on their Commitments, and all amounts owing to the Departing Lender shall be paid by the Company, or as otherwise determined by the Administrative Agent in connection with such reallocation, to the Departing Lender as of the Second Amendment Effective Date. The Company and each Lender agrees with and consents to the foregoing.

 

4.            Representations and Warranties . To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto to enter into this Amendment, the Company hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

(a)          This Amendment constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

(b)         As of the date hereof and after giving effect to the terms of this Amendment, (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing and (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if such representation or warranty is qualified by Material Adverse Effect or other materiality qualifier) with the same effect as though made on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that any such representation or warranty specifically refers to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty is true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if such representation or warranty is qualified by Material Adverse Effect or other materiality qualifier) as of such earlier date.

 

5.            Reference to and Effect on the Credit Agreement .

 

(a)         Upon the effectiveness hereof, each reference to the Credit Agreement in the Amended Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document shall mean and be a reference to the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

(b)         The Amended Credit Agreement and all other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby reaffirmed, ratified and confirmed, and the Company acknowledges and agrees that it has no set off, counterclaim, defense or other claim or dispute with respect to any Loan Document.

 

(c)         The liens and security interests in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties securing payment of the Secured Obligations (and all filings with any Governmental Authority in connection therewith) are in all respects continuing and in full force and effect with respect to all Secured Obligations.

 

(d)         Except with respect to the subject matter hereof, the execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Existing Credit Agreement or any other documents, instruments and agreements executed and/or delivered in connection therewith.

 

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(e)         This Amendment is a Loan Document under (and as defined in) the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

6.            Release of Claims .

 

In further consideration of the execution by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto of this Amendment, the Company and its successors and assigns (collectively, the “ Releasors ”) each hereby confirms that (a) it does not have any grounds, and hereby agrees not to challenge (or to allege or to pursue any matter, cause or claim arising under or with respect to), in any case based upon acts or omissions of the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders, the effectiveness, genuineness, validity, collectibility or enforceability of the Amended Credit Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, the Secured Obligations, the Liens securing such Secured Obligations, or any of the terms or conditions of any Loan Document and (b) it does not possess and hereby completely, voluntarily, knowingly, and unconditionally releases and forever discharges the Administrative Agent, each of the Lenders, each of their advisors, professionals and employees, each affiliate of the foregoing and all of their respective successors and assigns (collectively, the “ Releasees ”), from any and all claims, actions, suits, and other liabilities, including, without limitation, any so-called “lender liability” claims or defenses (collectively, “ Claims ”), whether arising in law or in equity, which any of the Releasors ever had, now has or hereinafter can, shall or may have against any of the Releasees for, upon or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever from time to time occurred on or prior to the date hereof, in any way concerning, relating to, or arising from (i) any of the Releasors, (ii) the Secured Obligations, (iii) the Collateral, (iv) the Amended Credit Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, (v) the financial condition, business operations, business plans, prospects or creditworthiness of any Loan Party and/or (vi) the negotiation, documentation and execution of this Amendment and any documents relating hereto. The Releasors hereby acknowledge that they have been advised by legal counsel of the meaning and consequences of this release.

 

7.            Miscellaneous .

 

(a)          Governing Law . This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

 

(b)          Headings . Section headings in this Amendment are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Amendment for any other purpose.

 

(c)           Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed by one or more of the parties hereto on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by facsimile, PDF or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

  3  

 

 

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

 

  COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
     
  By: /s/ Ginger M. Jones
  Name: Ginger M. Jones
  Its: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually, and as Administrative Agent, Swingline Lender and an Issuing Bank
     
  By: /s/ Richard Barritt
  Name:  Richard Barritt
  Title:  Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., individually, and as a Syndication Agent and an Issuing Bank
     
  By: /s/ Sara Just
  Name: Sara Just
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually, and as a Syndication Agent and an Issuing Bank
     
  By: /s/ Lisa B. Lisi
  Name: Lisa B. Lisi
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  HSBC BANK USA, N.A.,
  individually and as a Documentation Agent
     
  By: /s/ Jeffrey P. Huening
  Name: Jeffrey P. Huening
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
  individually and as a Documentation Agent
     
  By: /s/ Peter Toth
  Name: Peter Toth
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  FIFTH THIRD BANK,
  individually and as a Documentation Agent
     
  By: /s/ Mike Gifford
  Name: Mike Gifford
  Title: Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.,
  individually and as a Documentation Agent
     
  By: /s/ Betsy Phillips
  Name: Betsy Phillips
  Title: Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
     
  By: /s/ Brett M. Justman
  Name: Brett M. Justman
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

CONSENT AND AGREEMENT

 

As of the date and year first above written:

 

(a)         Each of the undersigned hereby fully consents to the terms and provisions of the above Amendment and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and acknowledges and agrees to all of the representations, covenants, terms and provisions of the above Amendment applicable to it.

 

(b)         Except as expressly amended hereby, each of the undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Amended Credit Agreement and all Loan Documents to which it is a party are ratified and confirmed and shall remain in full force and effect, and (ii) it has no set off, counterclaim, defense or other claim or dispute with respect to any Loan Document.

 

(c)         To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party thereto to enter into the above Amendment, each of the undersigned hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

(i)           Solely with respect to the Company, this Amendment constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of it, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

(ii)          As of the date hereof and after giving effect to the terms of this Amendment, (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing and (ii) the representations and warranties of it set forth in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if such representation or warranty is qualified by Material Adverse Effect or other materiality qualifier) with the same effect as though made on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that any such representation or warranty specifically refers to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty is true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if such representation or warranty is qualified by Material Adverse Effect or other materiality qualifier) as of such earlier date.

 

 

 

 

  COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
     
  By: /s/ Ginger M. Jones
  Name: Ginger M. Jones
  Its: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
     
  CTBX COMPANY
     
  By: /s/ Gerald C. Bialek
  Name: Gerald C. Bialek
  Its: Vice President and Treasurer
   
  CTTG INC.
     
  By: /s/ Gerald C. Bialek
  Name: Gerald C. Bialek
  Its: Vice President and Treasurer
   
  MAX-TRAC TIRE CO., INC.
     
  By: /s/ Gerald C. Bialek
  Name: Gerald C. Bialek
  Its: Assistant Treasurer
     
  MICKEY THOMPSON PERFORMANCE
  RACING INC.
     
  By: /s/ Gerald C. Bialek
  Name: Gerald C. Bialek
  Its: Assistant Treasurer

 

Signature Page to Consent and Agreement to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A – Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

May 27, 2015

 

among

 

COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY

 

The Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers Party Hereto

 

The Lenders Party Hereto

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

and

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Syndication Agents

 

 

HSBC BANK USA, N.A.,

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

FIFTH THIRD BANK,

and

BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.

as Documentation Agents

 

 

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC,

 

as Lead Left Bookrunner

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC,

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

and

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

 

as Joint Lead Arrangers/Bookrunners

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

  Page
   
ARTICLE I. Definitions 1
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms 1
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. 34
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. 34
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP 35
SECTION 1.05. Pro Forma Adjustments for Acquisitions and Dispositions 35
SECTION 1.06. Status of Obligations 36
SECTION 1.07. Calculation of Obligations under Swap Agreements 36
ARTICLE II. The Credits 36
SECTION 2.01. Revolving Commitments 36
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings 36
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings 37
SECTION 2.04. Increase in Commitments 38
SECTION 2.05. Swingline Loans. 40
SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit 42
SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings. 47
SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections. 48
SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments 50
SECTION 2.10. Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt. 50
SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans 51
SECTION 2.12. Fees. 52
SECTION 2.13. Interest 53
SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest. 54
SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs. 55
SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments. 56
SECTION 2.17. Taxes 57
SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs 61
SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. 63
SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders 64
SECTION 2.21. Returned Payments 65
SECTION 2.22. Banking Services and Swap Agreements 66
SECTION 2.23. Judgment Currency 66
SECTION 2.24. Designation and Termination of Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers 67
SECTION 2.25. Extension of Revolving Credit Maturity Date 68
ARTICLE III. Representations and Warranties 69
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers 69
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability; No Conflicts. 70
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals. 70
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change 70
SECTION 3.05. Properties, etc. 70
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters. 70
SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default. 71
SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status. 71
SECTION 3.09. Taxes. 71

 

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SECTION 3.10. ERISA 71
SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. 71
SECTION 3.12. Solvency. 72
SECTION 3.13. Insurance. 72
SECTION 3.14. Capitalization and Subsidiaries. 72
SECTION 3.15. Security Interest in Collateral 72
SECTION 3.16. Employment Matters 72
SECTION 3.17. Federal Reserve Regulations 73
SECTION 3.18. Use of Proceeds 73
SECTION 3.19. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions 73
SECTION 3.20. Cash Pooling 73
SECTION 3.21. Common Enterprise 73
SECTION 3.22. Representations as to Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers 73
SECTION 3.23. EEA Financial Institutions 74
ARTICLE IV. Conditions 75
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date 75
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. 77
ARTICLE V. Affirmative Covenants 77
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information 77
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. 79
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business 80
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. 80
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties 80
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights 80
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. 80
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds. 81
SECTION 5.09. Accuracy of Information 81
SECTION 5.10. Insurance 81
SECTION 5.11. Guarantors; Collateral; Further Assurances 81
ARTICLE VI. Negative Covenants 82
SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness. 83
SECTION 6.02. Liens. 85
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. 87
SECTION 6.04. Investments and Acquisitions 88
SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales 90
SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions 92
SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements 92
SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness. 93
SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates. 94
SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements. 95
SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents 95
SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants 95
ARTICLE VII. Events of Default 96
ARTICLE VIII. The Administrative Agent 99
SECTION 8.01. Appointment 99
SECTION 8.02. Rights as a Lender 99
SECTION 8.03. Duties and Obligations 99
SECTION 8.04. Reliance 100
SECTION 8.05. Actions through Sub-Agents 100
SECTION 8.06. Resignation 100
SECTION 8.07. Non-Reliance 101

 

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SECTION 8.08. Other Agency Titles 102
SECTION 8.09. Not Partners or Co-Venturers; Administrative Agent as Representative of the Secured Parties 102
SECTION 8.10. Credit Bidding 102
ARTICLE IX. Miscellaneous 103
SECTION 9.01. Notices 103
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. 106
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. 109
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns 110
SECTION 9.05. Survival 114
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution 114
SECTION 9.07. Severability 115
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. 115
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. 115
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. 116
SECTION 9.11. Headings. 116
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. 116
SECTION 9.13. Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law 117
SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act 117
SECTION 9.15. Disclosure 117
SECTION 9.16. Appointment for Perfection 118
SECTION 9.17. Interest Rate Limitation 118
SECTION 9.18. Marketing Consent 118
SECTION 9.19. No Fiduciary Duty, etc. 118
SECTION 9.20. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions 119
ARTICLE X. The Borrower Representative 119
SECTION 10.01. Appointment; Nature of Relationship 119
SECTION 10.02. Powers 119
SECTION 10.03. Employment of Agents 120
SECTION 10.04. Notices 120
SECTION 10.05. Successor Borrower Representative 120
SECTION 10.06. Execution of Loan Documents 120
ARTICLE XI. Bifurcation 120

 

SCHEDULES :

 

Commitment Schedule

Schedule 1.01-A – Pre-Approved Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers

Schedule 1.01-B – Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 3.05 – Properties etc.

Schedule 3.06 – Litigation and Environmental Matters

Schedule 3.13 – Insurance

Schedule 3.14 – Capitalization and Subsidiaries

Schedule 3.20 - Cash Pooling

Schedule 6.01 – Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 – Liens

Schedule 6.04 – Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions

Schedule 6.05 – Dispositions

Schedule 6.10 – Restrictive Agreements

 

iii

 

 

EXHIBITS :

 

Exhibit A – Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B – Borrowing Request Form

Exhibit C – Interest Election Request Form

Exhibit D – Joinder Agreement

Exhibit E – Note

Exhibit F-1 – U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit F-2 – U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit F-3 – U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit F-4 – U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit G - Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Termination Notice

Exhibit H – Compliance Certificate

 

iv

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of May 27, 2015 (as it may be amended or modified from time to time, this “ Agreement ”), among Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, a Delaware corporation, any Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers party hereto from time to time, as Borrowers, the Lenders party hereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

 

The parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

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

 

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

 

Account ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

Acquisition ” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the Effective Date, by which any Person (a) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any other Person, 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 Equity Interests of another Person which has ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other similar management personnel of such Person (other than Equity Interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests of such Person.

 

Additional Commitment Lender ” is defined in Section 2.25(d).

 

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

 

Administrative Agent ” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder, and including any of its Affiliates (including, without limitation, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) performing any of the functions of the Administrative Agent at any time, and any successor thereto appointed pursuant to Article VIII hereof.

 

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

 

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

 

Aggregate Credit Exposure ” means, at any time, the aggregate Credit Exposure of all the Lenders at such time.

 

  1  

 

 

Aggregate Revolving Commitments ” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments at such time.

 

Aggregate Revolving Exposure ” means, at any time, the aggregate Revolving Exposure of all the Lenders at such time (with the Swingline Exposure of each Lender calculated assuming that that all of the Lenders have funded their participations in all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time).

 

Agreed Currencies ” means (i) Dollars, (ii) Euros, (iii) British Pounds Sterling, and (iv) any other currency (x) that is a lawful currency that is readily available and freely transferable and convertible into Dollars, (y) for which a LIBOR Screen Rate is available in the Administrative Agent’s determination or, if a LIBOR Screen Rate is not available, the Administrative Agent, the Company and each of the Lenders shall have agreed in writing to an alternative method for determining the “LIBO Rate” to be applicable to such currency, and (z) that is agreed to by the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders; provided , however, that solely with respect to Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans, Agreed Currencies shall include any currency agreed from time to time by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative and the applicable Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender, as applicable.

 

Agreed All Lender Currencies ” means all Agreed Currencies without giving effect to the proviso at the end of the definition of Agreed Currencies.

 

Alternate Base Rate ” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that, for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.14 hereof, then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clause (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Alternate Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Anti-Corruption Laws ” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to any Borrower or Subsidiary from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

 

Applicable Percentage ” means, at any time with respect to any Lender, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Revolving Commitments at such time (provided that, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon such Lender’s share of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure at such time); provided that, in accordance with Section 2.20, so long as any Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment shall be disregarded in the calculations above.

 

Applicable Rate ” means, for any day, with respect to any Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Commitment Fee Rate”, “Applicable Rate - ABR Loans”, or “Applicable Rate - Eurocurrency Loans and Letters of Credit” or as the case may be, based upon the Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date:

 

  2  

 

 

Level   Leverage Ratio   Commitment Fee Rate   Applicable Rate – ABR
Loans
  Applicable Rate –
Eurocurrency
Loans and Letters of
Credit
                 
I   ≤ 1.25:1.0   20.0 bps   50.0 bps   150.0 bps
                 
II  

> 1.25:1.0

but

≤ 1.75:1.0

  22.5 bps   62.5 bps   162.5 bps
                 
III  

> 1.75:1.0

but

≤ 2.25:1.0

  25.0 bps   75.0 bps   175.0 bps
                 
IV  

> 2.25:1.0

but

≤ 2.75:1.0

  30.0 bps   87.5 bps   187.5 bps
                 
V   > 2.75:1.0   35.0 bps   100.0 bps   200.0 bps

 

For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the Applicable Rate shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company, based upon the Company’s quarterly financial statements for the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year and the audited year-end financial statements for the last fiscal quarter delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2018, and (b) each change in the Applicable Rate, if any, shall be effective five Business Days after the Administrative Agent is scheduled to receive the applicable financial statements. If the Company fails to deliver the financials to the Administrative Agent at the time required, after giving effect to any applicable cure period, then the Applicable Margin shall be Level VI until five days after such financials are so delivered. The Applicable Rate shall be set at Level I at the Second Amendment Effective Date and the Applicable Rate shall be re-determined for the first time thereafter based on the financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2018.

 

If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that the financial statements upon which the Applicable Rate was determined were incorrect (whether based on a restatement, fraud or otherwise), the Borrowers shall be required to retroactively pay any additional amount that the Borrowers would have been required to pay if such financial statements had been accurate at the time they were delivered .

 

Approved Fund ” has the meaning assigned to the term in Section 9.04(b).

 

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption agreement entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Authorized Officer ” means the President, Chief Executive Officer, any Senior Vice President, the General Counsel or any Financial Officer of a Loan Party.

 

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Availability ” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments minus (b) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure (calculated, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, as if such Defaulting Lender had funded its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Borrowings).

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Bank of America ” means Bank of America, N.A., a national banking association.

 

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

 

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

 

Bankruptcy Event ” means, with respect to any Person, when such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the U.S. or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

 

Beneficial Owner ” means, with respect to any U.S. federal withholding Tax, the beneficial owner, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to whom such Tax relates.

 

Board ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the U.S.

 

Borrower ” or “ Borrowers ” means, individually or collectively, the Company and each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower.

 

Borrower Representative ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.01.

 

  4  

 

 

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

 

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

 

Borrowing Request Form ” means a written request for a Borrowing substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B or such other form agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative.

 

British Pounds Sterling ” or “ £ ” means the lawful currency of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 

Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Chicago or New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurocurrency Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in the relevant Agreed Currency in the London interbank market or the principal financial center of such Agreed Currency (and, if the Borrowings which are the subject of a borrowing, drawing, payment, reimbursement or rate selection are denominated in Euro, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which the TARGET2 payment system is not open for the settlement of payments in Euro). Without limiting the foregoing, for any Swingline Loan or other Loan denominated in any Foreign Currency, “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which commercial banks in London are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

Capital Lease Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, any lease (or similar arrangement) that would constitute an “operating lease” under GAAP as in effect on the Effective Date (or would have constituted an “operating lease” had such lease or similar arrangement been in effect on the Effective Date) shall constitute an “operating lease” hereunder and the obligations thereunder shall not constitute Capital Lease Obligations.

 

Cash Pooling Arrangement ” means any centralized cash pooling arrangement among the Company and any group of its Subsidiaries with a Cash Pooling Bank under which the Company and such Subsidiaries make deposits with and receive advances from such Cash Pooling Bank in order to facilitate the efficient deployment of cash of such Subsidiaries.

 

Cash Pooling Availability ” means, with respect to any Cash Pooling Arrangement, the aggregate amount of cash of the Company and its Subsidiaries on deposit with the applicable Cash Pooling Bank under such Cash Pooling Arrangement plus any overdraft or similar arrangement with the applicable Cash Pooling Bank and related to such Cash Pooling Arrangement in an aggregate amount not to exceed $7,500,000.

 

  5  

 

 

Cash Pooling Bank ” means each of (a) China Construction Bank and its Affiliates, (b) Bank Mendes Gans N.V. and its Affiliates, (c) Affiliates of HSBC Bank USA, N.A. and (d) each other bank that is a provider of Cash Pooling Arrangements to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, provided that each such other bank described in this clause (c) is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (it being agreed that each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is acceptable to the Administrative Agent).

 

Cash Pooling Guaranty Obligations ” means the obligations of the Company to guaranty the Cash Pooling Obligations under any Cash Pooling Arrangement.

 

Cash Pooling Obligations ” means, with respect to any Cash Pooling Arrangement, the aggregate outstanding amount of borrowings by the Company and its Subsidiaries under such Cash Pooling Arrangement.

 

Change of Control ” means (a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the Second Amendment Effective Date), other than employee or retiree benefit plans or trusts sponsored or established by the Company, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the Equity Interests of the Company; or (b) persons who were (i) directors of the Company on the Second Amendment Effective Date, (ii) nominated by the board of directors of the Company or (iii) appointed by directors who were directors of the Company on the Second Amendment Effective Date or were nominated as provided in clause (ii) above, ceasing to occupy a majority of the seats on the board of directors of the Company.

 

Change in Law ” means the occurrence after the Second Amendment Effective Date 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 and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

Charges ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

 

Chinese Subsidiaries ” means Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties and that are located in, and organized under the laws of, China.

 

Chinese Subsidiary Secured Debt Limitation ” means $250,000,000 minus the aggregate outstanding principal amount (which shall include, for purposes of this definition, the undrawn committed or available amounts under the applicable facility) of all Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations.

 

Class ”, when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, Incremental Term Loans, or Swingline Loans, (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Revolving Commitment or a Term Commitment, and (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment of a particular Class.

 

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

 

  6  

 

 

Collateral ” means any and all property owned, leased or operated by a Person subject to a Lien pursuant to the Collateral Documents and any and all other property of any Loan Party, now existing or hereafter acquired, that may at any time be, become or intended to be, subject to a security interest or Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Lenders and other Secured Parties, to secure the Secured Obligations as required under Section 5.11, in each case, other than Excluded Collateral.

 

Collateral Documents ” means, collectively, the Security Agreement and any other agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection with this Agreement that are intended to create, perfect or evidence Liens to secure the Secured Obligations, including, without limitation, all other security agreements, pledge agreements, guarantees, subordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, notices, financing statements and all other written matter whether theretofore, now or hereafter executed by any Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the sum of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and Term Commitments. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on the Commitment Schedule , or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.

 

Commitment Schedule ” means the Schedule attached hereto identified as such.

 

Commodity Exchange Act ” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

 

Communications ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01(d).

 

Company ” means Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, a Delaware corporation.

 

Competitor ” means (i) a Person primarily engaged in the industry represented by SIC code 3011(as in effect in the Second Amendment Effective Date), (ii) a Person directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with any Person identified in the preceding clause (i), (iii) a Subsidiary of any Person identified in the preceding clause (i) or (ii), and (iv) a Person who controls any Person identified in the preceding clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), which determination may be made solely on the basis of a representation by such Person and in consultation with the Company, provided that each Competitor shall be specifically identified by name on a list designated as the “Competitor List” provided to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Effective Date, as such list may be updated from time to time after the Effective Date upon the written request of the Company to the Administrative Agent and consented to in writing by the Administrative Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, and not to be withheld if the proposed Competitor is of a type described in clause (i) above (the “Competitor List”), provided that no Person that is already a Lender or Participant or any Affiliate of the foregoing at the time of such identification by the Company to the Administrative Agent shall be deemed a Competitor; provided, further, that in connection with any assignment or participation, the assignee or participant with respect to such proposed assignment or participation that is an investment bank, a commercial bank, a finance company, a fund, or other Person which merely has an economic interest in any such direct competitor, and is not itself such a direct competitor of the Companies, shall not be deemed to be a direct competitor for the purposes of this definition.

 

Competitor List ” is defined in the definition of the Competitor.

 

Computation Date ” is defined in Section 2.02(e).

 

  7  

 

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

Credit Event ” means a Borrowing, the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit, an LC Disbursement or any of the foregoing.

 

Credit Exposure ” means, as to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) such Lender’s Revolving Exposure at such time plus (b) an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of its Incremental Term Loans outstanding at such time.

 

Credit Party ” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.

 

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

 

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

 

Disclosed Matters ” means the actions, suits, proceedings and environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06 .

 

  8  

 

 

Disqualified Stock ” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Equity Interest that is not Disqualified Stock and/or cash in lieu of fractional shares), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Equity Interest that is not Disqualified Stock and/or cash in lieu of fractional shares), in whole or in part, in each case, prior to the date that is 180 days after the latest maturity date hereunder except in each case as a result of a change in control or asset sale so long as any right of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change in control or asset sale event shall be subject to the occurrence of the repayment in full of all the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable, the cancellation or expiration of all Letters of Credit or collateralization thereof in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank and the termination or expiration of the Commitments.

 

Division Disposition ” a transaction or a series of related transactions for aggregate consideration in excess of $10,000,000 in which the Company or a Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of all or the majority of the Equity Interests of any Subsidiary, all or substantially all of the assets of any Subsidiary or a line of business or other going business, whether through sale, merger or otherwise.

 

Dollar Amount ” of any currency at any date means (i) the amount of such currency if such currency is Dollars or (ii) the equivalent amount thereof in Dollars if such currency is a Foreign Currency, calculated on the basis of the Exchange Rate for such currency, on or as of the most recent Computation Date provided for in Section 2.02(e).

 

dollars ” or “ Dollars ” or “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the U.S.

 

Domestic Loan Party ” means the Company and each Domestic Subsidiary of the Company that is a Guarantor.

 

Domestic Subsidiary ” means each Subsidiary of the Company which is organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state thereof or the District of Columbia or, unless such Subsidiary is a "controlled foreign corporation" under Section 957 of the Code, any territory or possession or other political subdivision of the U.S.

 

EBITDA ” means, for any period, Net Income for such period plus

 

(a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Net Income for such period, the sum of

 

(i) Interest Expense for such period,

 

(ii) income tax expense for such period,

 

(iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period,

 

(iv) expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions,

 

(v) any non-cash charges, losses or expenses for such period (but excluding any non-cash charge that results from the write-down or write-off of accounts receivable or that is in respect of any other item that was included in Net Income in a prior period, any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of inventory, any additions to bad debt reserves or bad debt expense and any non-cash charge to the extent it represents an accrual of or a reserve for cash expenditures in any future period),

 

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(vi) non-recurring charges, costs and expenses incurred during such period in connection with proposed or closed Acquisitions or Investments (including, without limitation, legal costs and accounting fees), incurrence of Indebtedness or issuance of Equity Interests (in each case, whether or not consummated), including amendments thereof,

 

(vii) losses from sales of property or assets, other than from sales in the ordinary course of business,

 

(viii) the amount of net cost savings, operating expense reductions, other operating improvements and acquisition synergies projected by the Company in good faith to be realized (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such items had been realized on the first day of such period) as a result of actions taken or to be taken in connection with any acquisition, disposition, restructuring or operational change by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such period that are otherwise included in the calculation of EBITDA from such actions; provided that (A) an officer of the Company shall certify (in form and detail reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) in the Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(d) that (x) such cost savings, operating expense reductions, other operating improvements and synergies are reasonably anticipated to be realized within the timeframes set forth in clause (y) below and are factually supportable and identifiable as reasonably determined in good faith by the Company, and (y) such actions have been taken or are to be taken within six months after the consummation of the acquisition, disposition, restructuring or operational change which is expected to result in such cost savings, expense reductions, operating improvements or synergies, (B) no cost savings, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and synergies shall be added pursuant to this clause (viii) to the extent duplicative of any expenses or charges otherwise added to Net Income, whether through a pro forma adjustment or otherwise, for such period, (C) projected amounts (and not yet realized) may no longer be added in calculating EBITDA pursuant to this clause (viii) to the extent occurring more than four full fiscal quarters after the specified action taken in order to realize such projected cost savings, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and synergies, and (D) such cost savings, operating expense reductions, other operating improvements and synergies consist of plant closures, employee severance costs, equipment relocation costs, and lease and contract termination costs,

 

(ix) to the extent deducted in calculating Net Income, fees, costs and expenses associated with the refinancing of existing indebtedness on the Second Amendment Effective Date (including the Second Amendment) and the negotiation and preparation of the Loan Documents (including any supplements, modifications, or amendments thereto), and

 

(x) non-recurring costs and expenses incurred in connection with sale of CCT (the Company’s joint venture in the People’s Republic of China) in 2014; minus

 

(b) without duplication and to the extent included in Net Income,

 

(i) any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(v) taken in a prior period,

 

(ii) any non-cash items of income for such period, and

 

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(iii) gains from sales of property or assets, other than from sales in the ordinary course of business; all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

Notwithstanding the above (x) the aggregate amount added back pursuant to clauses (a)(vi), (vii) and (viii) above for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters shall not exceed an amount equal to 5% of EBITDA (as determined without giving effect to any adjustments pursuant to clauses (a)(vi), (vii) and (viii) above) for such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, and (y) for purposes of calculating EBITDA for any period, if during such period the Company or any Subsidiary makes any Acquisition or Investment permitted pursuant to Section 6.04 or disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business permitted by Section 6.05, EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto in accordance with Section 1.05.

 

ECP ” means an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1(a)(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and the applicable rules issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or the SEC.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Effective Date ” means May 27, 2015.

 

Electronic Signature ” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

 

Electronic System ” means any electronic system, including e-mail, e-fax, Intralinks®, ClearPar®, Debt Domain, Syndtrak and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank and any of its respective Related Parties or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

 

Eligible Subsidiary ” means:

 

(a) the Foreign Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 1.01-A provided that, at the time such Foreign Subsidiary becomes a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower (i) all necessary internal branch and Affiliate approvals of each Lender shall have been obtained by each such Lender to the extent funding is required from a branch or Affiliate of such Lender and such approval is required by such Lender, (ii) no change in any applicable Requirement of Law or the application thereof to any Lender that would make it illegal, unlawful or subject any Lender to any penalty or censure for lending to such Foreign Subsidiary shall have occurred on or after the Second Amendment Effective Date, (iii) no change in the Lender’s internal policies or the application thereof that would prohibit lending to such Foreign Borrower shall have occurred on or after the Second Amendment Effective Date, and (iv) no change in the legal or economic market with respect to the jurisdiction of organization of such Foreign Borrower that would prohibit or materially impair lending to such Foreign Borrower shall have occurred on or after the Second Amendment Effective Date; and

 

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(b) any other Foreign Subsidiaries that are approved in writing from time to time by the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders in their sole discretion.

 

Environmental Laws ” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, or binding orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters with respect to Hazardous Materials.

 

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

 

Equity Interests ” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any of the foregoing.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Euro ” and/or “ EUR ” means the single currency of the Participating Member States.

 

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

 

Eurocurrency Payment Office ” of the Administrative Agent means, for each Foreign Currency, the office, branch, affiliate or correspondent bank of the Administrative Agent for such currency as specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent to the Company and each Lender.

 

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

 

Exchange Rate ” means, on any day, with respect to any Foreign Currency, the rate at which such Foreign Currency may be exchanged into Dollars, as set forth at approximately 11:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date on the Reuters World Currency Page for such Foreign Currency. In the event that such rate does not appear on any Reuters World Currency Page, the Exchange Rate with respect to such Foreign Currency shall be determined by reference to such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as may be reasonably selected by the Administrative Agent or, in the event no such service is selected, such Exchange Rate shall instead be calculated on the basis of the arithmetical mean of the buy and sell spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent or LC Issuer, as applicable, for such Foreign Currency on the London market at 11:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date for the purchase of Dollars with such Foreign Currency, for delivery two Business Days later; provided, that if at the time of any such determination, for any reason, no such spot rate is being quoted, the Administrative Agent, after consultation with the Company, may use any reasonable method it deems appropriate to determine such rate, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error; provided, further, with respect to the determination of fronting fees on Letters of Credit payable under Section 2.12(b)(ii), the “Exchange Rate” may be such other exchange rate as agreed upon between the Borrower Representative and the applicable Issuing Bank.

 

Excluded Collateral ” means (a) the Equity Interests of (i) Cooper Tyre & Rubber Company UK Limited and its Subsidiaries, (ii) Cooper (Kunshan) Tire Co., Ltd., (iii) Cooper Tire (China) Investment Co., Ltd., and (iv) Cooper Tire Asia-Pacific (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd., (b) assets included within the Cash Pooling Arrangements, (c) Accounts, general intangibles, chattel paper, payment intangibles and supporting obligations (as those terms are defined in the UCC), in each case solely to the extent sold, purportedly sold (but re-characterized as financed), transferred, assigned, contributed or otherwise conveyed to the Receivables Securitization Facility, provided that the security interest in the equity interests of Cooper Receivables LLC and Receivables Securitization Facility Subordinated Note shall be Collateral, subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement, (d) Real Property, including any leasehold interest therein, (e) governmental licenses or state or local franchises, charters and authorizations to the extent security interest is prohibited by applicable law, (f) pledges and security interests prohibited by applicable law, (g) any lease, license, permit or agreement or any property subject to such lease, license, permit or agreement to the extent that a grant of a security interest therein would violate or invalidate such lease, license, permit or agreement or create a right of termination in favor of any other party thereto or otherwise require consent thereunder (after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the UCC or other applicable law), other than proceeds thereof, the assignment of which is expressly deemed effective under the UCC or other applicable law notwithstanding such prohibition, (h) any assets to the extent a security interest in such assets could result in materially adverse tax consequences as reasonably determined by the Company and the Administrative Agent, (i) any intent-to-use trademark application prior to the filing of a “Statement of Use” or “Amendment to Allege Use” with respect thereto, (j) interests in joint ventures and non-Wholly Owned Subsidiaries which cannot be pledged without the consent of third parties, (k) any property subject to a purchase money arrangement permitted to be incurred hereunder to the extent other liens are prohibited, (l) any motor vehicles (except to the extent a security interest therein may be perfected solely by filing a UCC financing statement) and (m) other assets where the cost of obtaining a security interest therein exceeds the practical benefit to the Lenders afforded thereby, in each case, as reasonably determined by the Company and the Administrative Agent, and (n) in respect of any Obligations of the Company or any other Domestic Loan Party, (i) any Collateral owned by a Foreign Subsidiary, and (ii) any Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary or Foreign Subsidiary Holdco to the extent a security interest therein is not required under Section 5.11(b).

 

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Excluded Swap Obligation ” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any 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 Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an ECP at the time the Guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. 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.

 

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

 

Existing Letters of Credit ” means the letters of credit issued by Bank of America for the account of the Company listed on Schedule 1.01-B that are outstanding as of the Effective Date.

 

Existing Indenture ” means that certain Indenture dated as of March 17, 1997 between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as trustee.

 

Existing Maturity Date ” is defined in Section 2.25(a).

 

Existing Senior Unsecured Notes ” means those notes evidencing the Company’s obligations under the Existing Indenture.

 

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Extending Lender ” is defined in Section 2.25(b).

 

Extension Date ” is defined in Section 2.25(a).

 

FATCA ” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the Second Amendment Effective Date (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 agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation or rules adopted pursuant to such intergovernmental agreement.

 

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

 

Financial Officer ” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Borrower.

 

Financial Statements ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01.

 

Foreign Currencies ” means Agreed Currencies other than Dollars.

 

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

 

Foreign Loan Party ” means any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Loan Party.

 

Foreign Pension Plan ” means any plan, fund (including, without limitation, any superannuation fund) or other similar program established or maintained outside the United States by the Company or any one or more of the Subsidiaries primarily for the benefit of employees of the Company or any Subsidiary residing outside the United States, which plan, fund or other similar program provides, or results in, retirement income, a deferral of income in contemplation of retirement or payments to be made upon termination or severance of employment, and which plan is not subject to ERISA or the Code.

 

Foreign Subsidiary ” means each Subsidiary which is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

Foreign Subsidiary Borrower ” means each Wholly-Owned Foreign Subsidiary of the Company that is an Eligible Subsidiary and that shall become a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower pursuant to Section 2.24, in each case so long as any such Subsidiary shall remain a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower hereunder. As of the Second Amendment Effective Date, there are no Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers.

 

Foreign Subsidiary Holdco ” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company (a) that is an entity disregarded from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that owns the Equity Interests of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and/or other Foreign Subsidiary Holdcos and does not own any other material assets, or (b) substantially all the assets of which consists of Equity Interests of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and/or other Foreign Subsidiary Holdcos.

 

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" Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations " means all unpaid principal of, accrued and unpaid interest and fees and reimbursement obligations, and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations under or with respect to, any loans, letters of credit, acceptances, guarantees, overdraft facilities, other credit extensions or accommodations or similar obligations owing by any Foreign Subsidiary (other than Obligations under this Agreement) to any Lender or any office, branch or Affiliate of any Lender and designated as such in a written agreement between a Foreign Subsidiary and such Lender and its Affiliate, in each case whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor); provided that (i) such Lender shall have provided the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof on or prior to the date any of the foregoing is incurred, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may have reasonably requested from the applicable Lender or its Affiliates with respect thereto, and (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount (which shall include, for purposes of this definition, the undrawn committed or available amounts under the applicable facility) of all Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations shall not exceed $250,000,000 minus the aggregate outstanding principal amount (which shall include, for purposes of this definition, the undrawn committed or available amounts under the applicable facility) of all Indebtedness outstanding under Section 6.01(r). In connection with incurring any Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations, each Lender may rely on a representation of the Company that the amount of the Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations does not exceed the amount of Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations permitted hereunder unless it has received written notice to the contrary from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or from the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders at least one Business Day prior to the incurrence of any Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations.

 

Funding Account ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(h).

 

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S.

 

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

 

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

 

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Guarantors ” means (a) with respect to all Secured Obligations, the Company and all direct existing and future Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiaries of any Domestic Loan Party other than (i) Immaterial Domestic Subsidiaries, (ii) Cooper Receivables LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, (iii) Cooper Tire & Rubber Foundation, Cooper Tire Foundation, Inc. and any other charitable trust or organization, provided that, in each case, it continues solely as a charitable trust consistent with past practice, and (iv) with respect to Secured Obligations of any Domestic Loan Party, Cooper Tire Holding Company, an Ohio corporation, Cooper International Holding Corporation, an Ohio corporation (so long as such Subsidiaries are Foreign Subsidiary Holdcos) and any other Foreign Subsidiary Holdco, and (b) with respect to all Secured Obligations of any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower (and in addition to the Guarantors under clause (a) of this definition), all existing and future Wholly-Owned Foreign Subsidiaries of such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower to the extent such Foreign Subsidiaries are organized in the same jurisdiction of such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower (excluding any such Foreign Subsidiary that has a direct or indirect parent company owned directly or indirectly by such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower which is not organized in the same jurisdiction of such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower), all direct and indirect parent companies of such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower to the extent such parent companies are organized in the same jurisdiction of such Foreign Borrower and any direct parent company (even if not organized in the same jurisdiction of such Foreign Borrower), in each case under this clause (b) other than (x) Immaterial Foreign Subsidiaries, and (y) Cooper Tyre & Rubber UK Limited, provided that the determination of whether any Foreign Subsidiary is a Guarantor hereunder is further subject to (1) the absence of any materially adverse tax consequence as a result of such Foreign Subsidiary becoming a Guarantor, and (2) a determination by the Administrative Agent that such Foreign Subsidiary becoming a Guarantor is permitted by law and contract, feasible and not cost prohibitive.

 

Guaranty ” means, collectively, that certain Guaranty dated as of the Effective Date (including any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Guarantor, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and any other guarantee by any Guarantor of the Secured Obligations in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

Hazardous Materials ” means: (a) any substance, material, or waste that is included within the definitions of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous materials,” “hazardous waste,” “toxic substances,” “toxic materials,” “toxic waste,” or words of similar import in any Environmental Law; (b) those substances listed as hazardous substances by the United States Department of Transportation (or any successor agency) as set forth in 49 C.F.R. 172.101 and amendments thereto or by the Environmental Protection Agency (or any successor agency) as set forth in 40 C.F.R. Part 302 and amendments thereto; and (c) any substance, material, or waste that is petroleum, petroleum-related, or a petroleum by-product, asbestos or asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, flammable, explosive, radioactive, freon gas, radon, or a pesticide, herbicide, or any other agricultural chemical regulated by any Environmental Law.

 

Hostile Acquisition ” means (a) the Acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such Equity Interests which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by the board of directors (or any other applicable governing body) of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation and (b) any such Acquisition as to which such approval has been withdrawn.

 

Immaterial Domestic Subsidiary ” means each Domestic Subsidiary that is an Immaterial Subsidiary.

 

Immaterial Foreign Subsidiary ” means each Foreign Subsidiary that is an Immaterial Subsidiary.

 

Immaterial Subsidiary ” means a Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Material Subsidiary.

 

Impacted Interest Period ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “LIBO Rate”.

 

Increased Amount Date ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

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Incremental Term Lender ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

Incremental Term Loan ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

Incremental Term Loan Amendment ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

Indebtedness ” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, but only to the extent of such property’s fair market value if such Indebtedness is non-recourse to such Person, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations and Non-Owned IRB Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person under any Disqualified Stock, (k) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (l) obligations under any earn-out to the extent shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, (m) any other Off-Balance Sheet Liability and (n) obligations, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (i) any and all Swap Agreements, and (ii) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor. Notwithstanding anything in this definition to the contrary, Owned IRB Obligations shall not constitute Indebtedness for purposes of this Agreement.

 

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

 

Indemnitee ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(b).

 

Ineligible Institution ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

 

Information ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.12.

 

Intercompany Subordination Agreement ” means the subordination agreement or agreements with respect to loans between the Company and its Subsidiaries in a form reasonably agreed to between the Company and the Administrative Agent.

 

Intercreditor Agreement ” means the Intercreditor Agreement dated as of the Effective Date, between PNC Bank, National Association and the Administrative Agent relating to the Receivables Securitization Facility, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Company, the ratio of (a) EBITDA for the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company then ending to (b) cash Interest Expense for the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company then ending.

 

Interest Expense ” means, with reference to any period, total interest expense of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, any lease (or similar arrangement) that would constitute an “operating lease” under GAAP as in effect on the Effective Date (or would have constituted an “operating lease” had such lease or similar arrangement been in effect on the Effective Date) shall constitute an “operating lease” hereunder and any payments owed thereunder shall not constitute or be included in total interest expense.

 

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

 

Interest Election Request Form ” means a written request to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08 substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C or such other form agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative.

 

Interest Payment Date ” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date or such other day as may be agreed upon between the Borrower Representative and the Swingline Lender.

 

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

 

Interpolated Rate ” means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time; provided that, if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

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Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person, or (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other Indebtedness or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which such investing Person Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, but excluding any Acquisition.

 

IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

Issuing Bank ” means, individually and collectively, each of JPMCB, Bank of America, PNC Bank and any other Revolving Lender from time to time designated by the Borrower Representative as an Issuing Bank, with the consent of such Revolving Lender and the Administrative Agent, in each case in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and their respective successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). Any Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by its Affiliates, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate (it being agreed that such Issuing Bank shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, comply with the requirements of Section 2.06 with respect to such Letters of Credit). At any time there is more than one Issuing Bank, all singular references to the Issuing Bank means any Issuing Bank, either Issuing Bank, each Issuing Bank, the Issuing Bank that has issued the applicable Letter of Credit, or both (or all) Issuing Banks, as the context may require.

 

Issuing Bank Sublimits ” means, as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, (i) in the case of JPMCB, $36,666,667, (ii) in the case of Bank of America, $36,666,667, (iii) in the case of PNC Bank, $36,666,666, and (iv) as to any other Issuing Bank, such amount as shall be agreed to in writing among the Administrative Agent, the Company and such other Issuing Bank. Each Issuing Bank Sublimit may be (x) decreased at any time by agreement between the Company and the Administrative Agent (and without the consent or approval of any other parties) and (y) increased at any time by agreement between the Company, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank increasing its Issuing Bank Sublimit (and without the consent or approval of any other parties).

 

JPMCB ” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a national banking association, in its individual capacity, and its successors.

 

Joinder Agreement ” means a Joinder Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit D .

 

LC Collateral Account ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(j).

 

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

 

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

 

Lender Notice Date ” is defined in Section 2.25(b).

 

Lenders ” means the Persons listed on the Commitment Schedule and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereunder pursuant to Section 2.04, 2.25 or an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a Lender hereunder pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Banks.

 

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Letters of Credit ” means the letters of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Existing Letters of Credit) and the term “ Letter of Credit ” means any one of them or each of them singularly, as the context may require.

 

Leverage Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Total Indebtedness on such date to (b) EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on or most recently prior to such date.

 

LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in any Agreed Currency for any applicable Interest Period or for any ABR Borrowing, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate) for such Agreed Currency for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as shall be selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion (in each case, the “ LIBO Screen Rate ”) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on the Quotation Day for such currency and Interest Period; provided that , (x) if the LIBO Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement and (y) if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for a period equal in length to such Interest Period (an “ Impacted Interest Period ”), then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate at such time, subject to Section 2.14 in the event that the Administrative Agent shall conclude that it shall not be possible to determine such Interpolated Rate (which conclusion shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error); provided further , that , if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, (1) to the extent that “LIBO Rate” or “Adjusted LIBO Rate” is used in connection with an ABR Borrowing, such rate shall be determined as modified by the definition of Alternate Base Rate, and (2) if the Agreed Currency is not a currency for which rates are quoted in the London interbank market, then the “LIBO Rate” for such Agreed Currency shall be a reference rate as proposed by the Administrative Agent and agreed to by the Company and each of the Revolving Lenders.

 

LIBO Screen Rate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “LIBO Rate”.

 

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

 

Liquidity ” means, at any time the same is to be determined, the sum of (i) the Dollar Amount of Unrestricted Cash at such time, plus (ii) the aggregate Availability at such time.

 

Loan Documents ” means, collectively, this Agreement, each promissory note issued pursuant to this Agreement, each Letter of Credit application, each Collateral Document, each Guaranty, the Intercreditor Agreement and each other agreement, instrument, document and certificate identified in Section 4.01 executed and delivered to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lender and including each other pledge, power of attorney, consent, assignment, contract, letter of credit agreement and each other written matter whether heretofore, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, excluding any agreement entered into or in connection with any transaction arising out of any Banking Services or Swap Agreement Obligation. Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to this Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.

 

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Loan Parties ” means, collectively, the Borrowers and the Guarantors and their successors and assigns, and the term “Loan Party” means any one of them or all of them individually, as the context may require.

 

Loans ” means the loans and advances made by the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement, including Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans, any Loans under any New Revolving Commitments and any Incremental Term Loans.

 

Local Time ” means (i) Chicago time in the case of a Loan, Borrowing or LC Disbursement denominated in Dollars and (ii) local time in the case of a Loan, Borrowing or LC Disbursement denominated in a Foreign Currency (it being understood that such local time means London, England time unless otherwise notified by the Administrative Agent).

 

Material Adverse Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations, financial condition or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform any of its material obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) any material portion of the Collateral, or the Administrative Agent’s Liens (on behalf of itself and the other Secured Parties) on any material portion of the Collateral or the priority of such Liens.

 

Material Permitted Acquisition ” means any Permitted Acquisition for which the aggregate consideration (including the purchase price, any earn-out, any Indebtedness assumed and any other consideration) paid or payable exceeds $200,000,000.

 

Material Subsidiary ” means, as of any date, any Subsidiary (a) whose total assets as of the last day of the most recent fiscal period for which financials have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) (each such date, a “Test Date”) were equal to or greater than 5.0% of Total Assets at such Test Date or (b) whose revenues during the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such Test Date were equal to or greater than 5.0% of the consolidated revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if, at any time and from time to time, Subsidiaries that are not Material Subsidiaries have, in the aggregate, (i) total assets as of the most recent Test Date equal to or greater than 10.0% of Total Assets at such date or (ii) revenues during the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such Test Date equal to or greater than 10.0% of the consolidated revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP, then the Company shall, no later than five Business Days subsequent to the date on which financial statements for such fiscal period are delivered pursuant to this Agreement, designate in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more of such Subsidiaries as “Material Subsidiaries” such that, following such designation(s), Immaterial Subsidiaries have, in the aggregate (i) total assets as of the most recent Test Date of less than 5.0% of the Total Assets at such date and (ii) total revenues during the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such Test Date of less than 5.0% of the consolidated revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Maximum Rate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

 

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Modified Net Leverage Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Modified Total Net Indebtedness on such date to (b) EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on or most recently prior to such date.

 

Modified Total Net Indebtedness ” means, at any date, the difference of (a) Total Indebtedness at such date, minus (b) the lesser of (i) the aggregate amount of all Unrestricted Cash in excess of $25,000,000 at such date or (ii) $225,000,000.

 

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

 

Multiemployer Plan ” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

Net Income ” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary) in which the Company or any Subsidiary has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Company or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary, to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

 

Net Leverage Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Total Net Indebtedness on such date to (b) EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on or most recently prior to such date.

 

New Commitments ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

New Lender ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

New Revolving Commitments ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

New Revolving Lender ” is defined in Section 2.04.

 

Non-Consenting Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(d).

 

Non-Extending Lender ” is defined in Section 2.25(a).

 

Non-Owned IRB Obligations ” means the obligations of the Company and its Domestic Subsidiaries incurred under, including any guaranty of, Non-Owned IRBs.

 

Non-Owned IRBs ” means Permitted IRBs that are not Owned IRBs.

 

Non-U.S. Lender ” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

 

NYFRB ” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

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NYFRB Rate ” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Banking Day, for the immediately preceding Banking Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a Federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Obligations ” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and indebtedness (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding), obligations and liabilities of any of the Loan Parties to any of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or any indemnified party, individually or collectively, existing on the Effective Date or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint or several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise, arising or incurred under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or in respect of any of the Loans made or reimbursement or other obligations incurred or any of the Letters of Credit or other instruments at any time evidencing any thereof.

 

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

 

Off-Balance Sheet Liability ” of a Person means (a) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (b) any indebtedness, liability or obligation under any so-called “synthetic lease” or "tax ownership operating lease" transaction entered into by such Person, (c) all Receivables Transaction Attributed Indebtedness or (d) any indebtedness, liability or obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheet of such Person (other than operating leases, but including any factoring other than Permitted Foreign Factoring), in all of the foregoing cases, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the outstanding amount of any Off-Balance Sheet Liability shall be calculated based on the aggregate outstanding amount of obligations outstanding under the legal documents entered into as part of any such transaction on any date of determination that would be characterized as principal if such transaction were structured as a secured lending transaction, whether or not shown as a liability on a consolidated balance sheet of such Person, in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Overnight Bank Funding Rate ” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions (as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate (from and after such date as the NYFRB shall commence to publish such composite rate).

 

Overnight Foreign Currency Rate ” means, for any amount payable in a Foreign Currency, the rate of interest per annum as determined by the Administrative Agent at which overnight or weekend deposits in the relevant currency (or if such amount due remains unpaid for more than three (3) Business Days, then for such other period of time as the Administrative Agent may elect) for delivery in immediately available and freely transferable funds would be offered by the Administrative Agent to major banks in the interbank market upon request of such major banks for the relevant currency as determined above and in an amount comparable to the unpaid principal amount of the related Credit Event, plus any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed upon, or charged to, the Administrative Agent by any relevant correspondent bank in respect of such amount in such relevant currency.

 

Owned IRBs ” means any Permitted IRB owned in its entirety by the Company or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries.

 

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

 

Participant ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

 

Participant Register ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

 

Participating Member State ” means any member state of the European Union that adopts or has adopted the Euro as its lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the European Union relating to economic and monetary union.

 

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

 

Permitted Acquisition ” means any Acquisition by any Loan Party in a transaction that satisfies each of the following requirements:

 

(a) such Acquisition is not a Hostile Acquisition;

 

(b) both before and immediately after giving effect to such Acquisition and the Loans (if any) requested to be made in connection therewith, each of the representations and warranties in the Loan Documents is true and correct in all material respects (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects) and no Default exists, will exist, or would result therefrom;

 

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(c) in the case of any Material Acquisition, not less than five (5) days prior to such Acquisition (or such shorter time period agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion), the Borrower Representative has provided the Administrative Agent (i) notice of such Acquisition and (ii) a copy of all business and financial information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, in each case to the extent available to the Borrowers;

 

(d) if such Acquisition is an acquisition of Equity Interests, such Acquisition will not result in any violation of Regulation U;

 

(e) if such Acquisition involves a merger or a consolidation involving a Borrower, a Borrower shall be the surviving entity, or if such Acquisition involves a merger or a consolidating involving a Loan Party that is not a Borrower, a Loan Party shall be the surviving entity, or the survivor shall become a Borrower or a Loan Party, as applicable, upon the consummation thereof;

 

(f) after giving effect to the completion of such Acquisition on a pro forma basis acceptable to the Administrative Agent, (i) the Net Leverage Ratio is at least 0.25 less than the level then required under Section 6.12(a) and (ii) no Default will exist or be caused thereby; provided, however, that in the case of any Material Permitted Acquisition, the Borrowers shall deliver a certificate to the Administrative Agent demonstrating compliance with subclause (i) of this clause (f); and

 

(g) the Borrower Representative shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the final executed material documentation relating to such Acquisition within 10 days following the consummation thereof.

 

Permitted Encumbrances ” means:

 

(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet overdue by more than 30 days (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

 

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

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

 

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

 

(g) Liens securing insurance premiums financing arrangements in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(h) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of Law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business.

 

Permitted Foreign Factoring ” means any factoring of receivables generated by a Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to factoring programs on market terms reasonable for such transactions and without recourse to such Foreign Subsidiary.

 

Permitted Investments ” means:

 

(a) readily marketable obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed or insured by, the U.S. (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(b) Investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, a rating not less than A-1 from S&P or P-1 from Moody’s;

 

(c) Investments in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

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

 

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

 

(f) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, other Investments that are similar to the foregoing, are of comparable credit quality and are customarily used by companies in the jurisdiction of such Foreign Subsidiary for cash management purposes or approved by the Administrative Agent; and

 

(g) any other Investments and Investment types listed on Schedule 1.01-C.

 

Permitted IRBs ” means any industrial revenue bonds or similar instrument related to a project or other transaction by the Company or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries, in each case, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented, renewed, refinanced, replaced or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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Permitted Owned IRB Obligations ” means the obligations of the Company and its Domestic Subsidiaries incurred under, including any guaranty of, the Owned IRBs.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

PNC Bank ” means PNC Bank, National Association, a national banking association.

 

Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMCB as its prime rate in effect at its principal offices in New York City. Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

Projections ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(f).

 

Public-Sider ” means a Lender whose representatives may trade in securities of the Company or its controlling person or any of its Subsidiaries while in possession of the financial statements provided by the Company under the terms of this Agreement.

 

Quotation Day ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest Period, (i) if the currency is Euro, the day that is two (2) TARGET2 Days before the first day of such Interest Period, and (ii) for any other currency, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period (unless, in each case, market practice differs in the relevant market where the LIBO Rate for such currency is to be determined, in which case the Quotation Day will be determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with market practice in such market (and if quotations would normally be given on more than one day, then the Quotation Day will be the last of those days)).

 

Real Property ” means all real property that was, is now or may hereafter be owned, occupied or otherwise controlled by any Loan Party pursuant to any contract of sale, lease or other conveyance of any legal interest in any real property to any Loan Party.

 

Receivables Purchase Agreement ” means the Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, among the Company, Cooper Receivables LLC, the various Purchasers and Purchaser Agents from time to time party thereto and PNC Bank, National Association, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified, supplemented, renewed, replaced or refinanced from time to time to the extent permitted hereunder.

 

Receivables Securitization Facility ” means the accounts receivable securitization facility provided for by (a) the Receivables Purchase Agreement, (b) the Receivables Securitization Facility Subordinated Note, (c) certain purchase and sale agreements and (d) all documents, agreements, and instruments relating to any of the foregoing, in each case, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified, supplemented, renewed, replaced or refinanced through the Second Amendment Effective Date and from time to time thereafter to the extent permitted hereunder.

 

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Receivables Securitization Facility Subordinated Note ” means the Company Note dated August 30, 2006 executed by Cooper Receivables LLC in favor of the Company, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified, supplemented, renewed, replaced or refinanced and from time to time thereafter to the extent permitted hereunder.

 

Receivables Transaction Attributed Indebtedness” means the amount of obligations outstanding under the legal documents entered into as part of any asset securitization facility (including the Receivables Securitization Facility) on any date of determination that would be characterized as principal if such facility were structured as a secured lending transaction rather than as a purchase.

 

Recipient ” means, as applicable, (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, or any combination thereof (as the context requires).

 

Refinance Indebtedness ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(f).

 

Register ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b)(iv).

 

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

 

Release ” means any releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, migrating, disposing, or dumping of any substance into the environment.

 

Report ” means reports prepared by the Administrative Agent or another Person showing the results of appraisals, field examinations or audits pertaining to the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries from information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrowers, after the Administrative Agent has exercised its rights of inspection pursuant to this Agreement, which Reports may be distributed to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent.

 

Required Lenders ” means, at any time, Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) having Credit Exposure and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Credit Exposure and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII or the Commitments expire or terminate, then, as to each Lender, clause (a) of the definition of Swingline Exposure shall only be applicable for purposes of determining its Revolving Exposure to the extent such Lender shall have funded its participation in the outstanding Swingline Loans.

 

Requirement of Law ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents of such Person and (b) any statute, law (including common law), treaty, rule, regulation, code, ordinance, order, decree, writ, judgment, injunction or determination of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority (including Environmental Laws), in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

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

 

Revolving Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate permitted amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (a) Section 2.04 and (b) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment is set forth on the Commitment Schedule , or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Revolving Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments is $400,000,000.

 

Revolving Credit Maturity Date ” means the fifth anniversary of the Second Amendment Effective Date (if the same is a Business Day, or if not then the immediately next succeeding Business Day), or any earlier date on which the Revolving Commitments are reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof, and subject to extension (in the case of each Lender consenting thereto) as provided in Section 2.25.

 

Revolving Exposure ” means, with respect to any Lender, at any time, the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Revolving Lender ” means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with a Revolving Commitment or, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.

 

Revolving Loan ” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

 

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.

 

Sale and Leaseback Transaction ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.06.

 

Sanctioned Country ” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions.

 

Sanctioned Person ” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

 

Sanctions ” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority.

 

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SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the U.S.

 

Second Amendment ” means the Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2018, by and among the Company, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

 

Second Amendment Effective Date ” means February 15, 2018.

 

Secured Obligations ” means, collectively, (i) the Obligations, (ii) Banking Services Obligations, (iii) the Swap Agreement Obligations owing to one or more Lenders or their Affiliates, and (iv) the Foreign Subsidiary Secured Obligations; provided, however, that the definition of “Secured Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor.

 

Secured Parties ” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) the Lenders, (c) each Issuing Bank, (d) each provider of Banking Services, to the extent the Banking Services Obligations in respect thereof constitute Secured Obligations, (e) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement, to the extent the obligations thereunder constitute Secured Obligations, (f) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document, and (g) the successors and permitted assigns of each of the foregoing.

 

Security Agreement ” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements thereto), dated as of the date hereof, among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, and any other pledge or security agreement entered into, after the date of this Agreement by any other Loan Party (as required by this Agreement or any other Loan Document) or any other Person for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Specified Default ” means any Event of Default under clause (a) of Article VII hereof due to the failure to pay the Obligations at the final maturity thereof (whether at the stated final maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise) or any Event of Default under clause (g) or (h) of Article VII hereof.

 

Statement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.18(g).

 

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

 

Subordinated Indebtedness ” of a Person means any Indebtedness of such Person, the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the Secured Obligations in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (such acceptance not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

 

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subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent ”) at any date, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.

 

Subsidiary ” means any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company, a Borrower or a Loan Party, as applicable. Unless otherwise specified, the term “Subsidiary” shall refer to any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company.

 

Swap Agreement ” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, spot, future, credit default or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

Swap Agreement Obligations ” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any Swap Agreement permitted hereunder with a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, and (b) any cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction permitted hereunder with a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

 

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

 

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

 

Swingline Exposure ” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be the sum of (a) its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time other than with respect to any Swingline Loans made by such Revolving Lender in its capacity as the Swingline Lender and (b) the principal amount of all Swingline Loans made by such Revolving Lender in its capacity as the Swingline Lender outstanding at such time (less the amount of participations funded by the other Lenders in such Swingline Loans).

 

Swingline Lender ” means JPMCB, in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder. Any consent required of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to be required of the Swingline Lender and any consent given by JPMCB in its capacity as Administrative Agent or Issuing Bank shall be deemed given by JPMCB in its capacity as Swingline Lender as well.

 

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

 

TARGET2 ” means the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET2) payment system (or, if such payment system ceases to be operative, such other payment system (if any) reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be a suitable replacement) for the settlement of payments in Euros.

 

TARGET2 Day ” means a day that TARGET2 is open for the settlement of payments in Euros.

 

Taxes ” means any and 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 and value added taxes and any other goods, services, use or sales related taxes.

 

Threshold Amount ” means $50,000,000.

 

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

 

Total Indebtedness ” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at such date, excluding (a) Cash Pooling Obligations or Cash Pooling Guaranty Obligations, (b) Indebtedness described in clause (n) of the definition of Indebtedness and (c) the lesser of the amount of Indebtedness with respect to undrawn letters of credit or $10,000,000.

 

Total Net Indebtedness ” means, at any date, the difference of (a) Total Indebtedness at such date, minus (b) the lesser of (i) the aggregate amount of all Unrestricted Cash in excess of $25,000,000 or (ii) $175,000,000.

 

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

 

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

 

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or in any other state, the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests.

 

Unliquidated Obligations ” means, at any time, any Secured Obligations (or portion thereof) that are contingent in nature or unliquidated at such time, including any Secured Obligation that is: (i) an obligation to reimburse a bank for drawings not yet made under a letter of credit issued by it; (ii) any other obligation (including any guarantee) that is contingent in nature at such time; or (iii) an obligation to provide collateral to secure any of the foregoing types of obligations.

 

Unrestricted Cash ” means, at any date, the sum of (a) 100% of the unrestricted cash owned by the Company and its Domestic Subsidiaries in which the Administrative Agent has a first priority, perfected security interest pursuant to the Collateral Documents, and (b) 65% of the unrestricted cash of the Company’s Foreign Subsidiaries that is not subject to any Liens (other than in favor of the Administrative Agent and any customary liens of depositary banks) or restrictions on repatriation to the U.S. Without limiting the other exclusions in this definition, “Unrestricted Cash” shall not include any cash held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in escrow, trust or other fiduciary capacity for or on behalf of any Person or subject to any other restriction.

 

 

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

 

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

 

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(B)(3).

 

USA PATRIOT Act ” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.

 

Wholly-Owned ” means, when used in reference to a subsidiary of any Person, that all the Equity Interests in such subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares and other nominal amounts of Equity Interests that are required to be held by other Persons under applicable law) are owned, beneficially and of record, by such Person, another wholly-owned subsidiary of such Person or any combination thereof.

 

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

 

Withholding Agent ” means any Loan Party and the Administrative Agent, as applicable.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 1.03.     Terms Generally . The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply) and all judgments, orders and decrees of all Governmental Authorities. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignments set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (f) any reference in any definition to the phrase “at any time” or “for any period” shall refer to the same time or period for all calculations or determinations within such definition, and (g) 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.

 

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SECTION 1.04.     Accounting Terms; GAAP . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein including the definition of Capital Lease Obligations, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if after the Second Amendment Effective Date there occurs any change in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of any provision hereof and the Borrower Representative notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrowers request an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower Representative that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

SECTION 1.05.    Pro Forma Adjustments for Acquisitions and Dispositions . To the extent a Borrower or any Subsidiary makes any Acquisition or Investment permitted pursuant to Section 6.04 or disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business permitted by Section 6.05 during the period of four fiscal quarters of the Company most recently ended, the Leverage Ratio, Net Leverage Ratio, Modified Net Leverage Ratio and Interest Coverage Ratio, and any other financial covenant or definition, shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to the Acquisition, Investment or the disposition of assets, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case as determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as interpreted by the SEC, or, in the case of add backs pursuant to clause (viii) of the definition of EBITDA, determined on a basis consistent with such clause (viii), and as certified by a Financial Officer of such Borrower), as if such Acquisition or Investment or such disposition (and any related incurrence, repayment or assumption of Indebtedness) had occurred in the first day of such four-quarter period.

 

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SECTION 1.06.    Status of Obligations . In the event that any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have outstanding any Subordinated Indebtedness, such Borrower shall take or cause such other Loan Party to take all such actions as shall be necessary to cause the Secured Obligations to constitute senior indebtedness (however denominated) in respect of such Subordinated Indebtedness and to enable the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness. Without limiting the foregoing, the Secured Obligations are hereby designated as “senior indebtedness” and as “designated senior indebtedness” and words of similar import under and in respect of any indenture or other agreement or instrument under which such Subordinated Indebtedness is outstanding and are further given all such other designations as shall be required under the terms of any such Subordinated Indebtedness in order that the Lenders may have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

SECTION 1.07     Calculation of Obligations under Swap Agreements . For purposes of determining the “principal amount” or the outstanding amount of the obligations of a Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time, such principal amount shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

ARTICLE II

 

(i)                                   The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01.    Revolving Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers in Agreed Currencies from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) subject to Sections 2.02(e) and 2.11(b), the Dollar Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, or (b) subject to Sections 2.02(e) and 2.11(b), the sum of the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

SECTION 2.02.   Loans and Borrowings .

 

(a)   Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required. Any Swingline Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05.

 

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(b)   Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Loans as the Borrower Representative may request in accordance herewith, provided that all Revolving Borrowings (i) made on the Effective Date must be made as ABR Borrowings but may be converted into Eurocurrency Borrowings in accordance with Section 2.08, and (ii) all Borrowings denominated in any Foreign Currency shall be made solely as Eurocurrency Loans. Each Swingline Loan shall bear interest as provided in Section 2.13(a). Each Lender at its option may make any Eurocurrency Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan (and in the case of an Affiliate, the provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 shall apply to such Affiliate to the same extent as to such Lender); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(c)   At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 (or, if such Borrowing is denominated in a Foreign Currency, 500,000 units of such currency) and not less than $1,000,000 (or, if such Borrowing is denominated in a Foreign Currency, 1,000,000 units of such currency). At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $250,000 and not less than $500,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Revolving Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 (or, in the case of any Swingline Loan denominated in any Foreign Currency, the Dollar Amount thereof shall be approximately $100,000) and not less than $100,000 (or, in the case of any Swingline Loan denominated in any Foreign Currency, the Dollar Amount thereof shall be approximately $100,000) or such other amounts as agreed to by the Swingline Lender. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten Eurocurrency Borrowings outstanding.

 

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

 

(e)   The Administrative Agent will determine the Dollar Amount of (i) each Eurocurrency Borrowing as of the date two (2) Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing or, if applicable, the date of conversion/continuation of any Borrowing as a Eurocurrency Borrowing, (ii) the LC Exposure as of the date of each request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, and (iii) all outstanding Credit Exposure on and as of the last Business Day of each calendar month of, if required by the Administrative Agent, each calendar week, and, during the continuation of an Event of Default, on any other Business Day elected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion or upon instruction by the Required Lenders. Each day upon or as of which the Administrative Agent determines Dollar Amounts as described in the preceding clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) is herein described as a “Computation Date” for which a Dollar Amount is determined on or as of such day.

 

SECTION 2.03.    Requests for Borrowings . To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request either in writing (delivered by hand, facsimile or e-mail transmission) by a Borrowing Request Form signed by the Borrower Representative or, other than a Revolving Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency or to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing to the Company denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, (b) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Euros or any Eurocurrency Borrowing to any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., London time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, (c) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in any Foreign Currency other than Euros, not later than such time required by the Administrative Agent three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (d) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the Business Day of the proposed Borrowing; provided , that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement in Dollars as contemplated by Section 2.05(e) may be given not later than 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or e-mail transmission to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request Form signed by the applicable Borrower. Each Borrowing Request to fund a Permitted Acquisition or other transaction may be conditioned upon such Permitted Acquisition or transaction, provided that any such conditioning shall not avoid any payment that may be owing under Section 2.15. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.01:

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(i) the Class of Borrowing, the aggregate principal amount of the requested Borrowing, and a breakdown of the separate wires comprising such Borrowing;

 

(ii) name of the applicable Borrower(s);

 

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

 

(iv) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing; and

 

(v) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Agreed Currency and the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period.”

 

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

 

SECTION 2.04.     Increase in Commitments .

 

(a)   New Commitments . At any time, the Company may by written notice to the Administrative Agent elect to request an increase to the existing Revolving Commitments (any such increase, the “ New Revolving Commitments ”) and/or enter into one or more tranches of term loans (any such tranche, the “ Incremental Term Loans ” and together with the New Revolving Commitments, if any, the “ New Commitments ”), by an amount not in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate or a lesser amount in integral multiples of $25,000,000. Such notice shall specify the date (an “ Increased Amount Date ”) on which the Company proposes that the New Commitments and, in the case of Incremental Term Loans, the date for borrowing, as applicable, be made available. The Company shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing of the identity of each Lender or other financial institution (each, a “ New Revolving Lender ”, an “ Incremental Term Lender ” or generally, a “ New Lender ”; provided that no Ineligible Institution may be a New Lender, each New Lender (other than a New Lender that is an existing Lender or an Approved Fund of an existing Lender or, in the case of an Incremental Term Lender, an Affiliate of an existing Lender) must be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any New Revolving Lender, each LC Issuer (such acceptance, in each case, not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned)) to whom the New Commitments have been (in accordance with the prior sentence) allocated and the amounts of such allocations; provided that any Lender approached to provide all or a portion of the New Commitments may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide a New Commitment. The New Commitments shall become effective as of such Increased Amount Date, and in the case of Incremental Term Loans, shall be made on such Increased Amount Date or such other date agreed to by the applicable New Lenders; provided that (1) the conditions set forth in paragraphs of (a), (b) and (c) of Section 4.02 shall be satisfied or waived by the Required Lenders on such Increased Amount Date before or after giving effect to such New Commitments and Loans; (2) such increase in the Revolving Commitments and/or the Incremental Term Loans shall be evidenced by one or more joinder agreements executed and delivered to Administrative Agent by each New Lender, as applicable, and each shall be recorded in the Register, each of which shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and subject to the requirements set forth in Section 2.17; and (3) the Borrowers shall make any payments required pursuant to Section 2.16 in connection with the provisions of the New Commitments.

 

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(b)  On any Increased Amount Date on which New Revolving Commitments are effected, subject to the satisfaction of the foregoing terms and conditions, (i) each of the existing Lenders shall assign to each of the New Revolving Lenders, and each of the New Revolving Lender shall purchase from each of the existing Lenders, at the principal amount thereof, such interests in the outstanding Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans outstanding on such Increased Amount Date that will result in, after giving effect to all such assignments and purchases, such Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans being held by existing Lenders and New Revolving Lenders ratably in accordance with their Revolving Commitments after giving effect to the addition of such New Revolving Commitments to the Revolving Commitments, (ii) each New Revolving Commitment shall be deemed for all purposes a Revolving Commitment and each Loan made thereunder shall be deemed, for all purposes, a Revolving Loan and have the same terms as any existing Revolving Loan and (iii) each New Revolving Lender shall become a Lender with respect to the Revolving Commitments and all matters relating thereto.

 

(c)  On any Increased Amount Date on which Incremental Term Loans are effected and/or borrowed, subject to the satisfaction of the foregoing terms and conditions, (i) each Incremental Term Loan shall be deemed for all purposes a Loan made hereunder, (ii) each Incremental Term Lender shall become a Lender hereunder and (iii) the Incremental Term Loans (x) shall rank pari passu or junior in right of payment with the Revolving Loans, (y) shall not mature earlier than the then applicable Revolving Credit Maturity Date (but may have amortization and mandatory prepayments prior to such date) and (z) the terms applicable to such Incremental Term Loan in effect prior to the then applicable Revolving Credit Maturity Date (other than pricing, amortization, mandatory prepayments and fees), when taken as a whole, are not more restrictive than the terms applicable to the Revolving Loans. All Incremental Term Loans made on any Increased Amount Date will be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.03.

 

(d)  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receipt of the Company’s notice of an Increased Amount Date and, in respect thereof, the New Commitments and the New Lenders.

 

(e)  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, including Section 9.02 , Incremental Term Loans may be made hereunder pursuant to an amendment or restatement (an “ Incremental Term Loan Amendment ”) of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrowers, each Lender providing such Incremental Term Loans and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Term Loan Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.04 and make other required technical or other changes to the extent such changes, when taken as a whole, are not materially adverse to such Lenders.

 

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(f)  Nothing contained in this Section 2.04 shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase any of its Commitments hereunder, or provide Incremental Term Loans, at any time.

 

SECTION 2.05.     Swingline Loans .

 

(a)         Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender may, in its sole discretion, make Swingline Loans to the Borrowers, from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $40,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeding the Aggregate Revolving Commitment. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans. To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower Representative or the applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed in a writing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent if requested by the Administrative Agent, provided that any request for a Swingline Loan denominated in a Foreign Currency or to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower shall be in writing in a form reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent), not later than (i) noon Chicago time on the day of any proposed Swingline Loan in the case of any Swingline Loan to the Company denominated in Dollars, (ii) 10:00 a.m. London time on the day of any proposed Swingline Loan in the case of any Swingline Loan denominated in Euros, or (iii) 10:00 a.m. London time on the Business Day prior to the day of any proposed Swingline Loan in the case of any other Swingline Loan; or, in each of the foregoing cases, such other times or methods agreed to between the applicable Borrower and the Administrative Agent. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify (A) the requested date (which shall be a Business Day), (B) whether such Swingline Loan is to be denominated in Dollars or a Foreign Currency, (C) the amount of the requested Swingline Borrowing, and (D) such other information reasonably required by the Swingline Lender. The Administrative Agent shall promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from a Borrower. Any funding of a Swingline Loan by the Swingline Lender shall be made in accordance with this Section 2.05(a) on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 3:00 p.m., Local Time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Swingline Lender. The Administrative Agent may make such Swingline Loan available to the applicable Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to the general deposit account of the applicable Borrower with the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a Swingline Borrowing made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), by remittance to the applicable Issuing Bank). Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.05 or elsewhere to the contrary, (x) the Swingline Lender and the applicable Borrower may agree to make any other arrangements for the making of Swingline Loans, including without limitation by way of an overdraft facility or other credit extensions, and the obligations thereunder shall constitute Swingline Loans hereunder if designated as such by the Administrative Agent, (y) the Swingline Lender shall have no obligation to make any Swingline Loan, and (z) the Swingline Loans shall bear interest at the rate or rates separately agreed to in writing between the Swingline Lender and the Company. Unless the Swingline Lender has received written notice from any Revolving Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one (1) Business Day prior to the requested date of the making of a Swingline Loan, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Section 4.02 or in this Section 2.05 shall not then be satisfied, the Swingline Lender shall be entitled to entitled to rely on the representation by the applicable Borrower that all such conditions are satisfied.

 

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(b)         The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time (or 10:00 a.m. London time in the case of any Swingline Loan denominated in any Foreign Currency or made to any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower), on any Business Day require the Revolving Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day (or two Business Days thereafter in the case of any Swingline Loan denominated in any Foreign Currency or made to any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower) in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which the Revolving Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Revolving Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. If such payment relates to a Swingline Loan denominated in any Foreign Currency such payment shall be made in such Foreign Currency, provided that, if requested by the Swingline Lender or if such Foreign Currency is not an Agreed All Lender Currency, then automatically and with no further action required, the obligation of each Revolving Lender to make such payment shall be permanently converted into an obligation to reimburse the Dollar Amount thereof calculated as of the date when such payment was due, and each Revolving Lender shall make such payment in Dollars; provided further that, if such payment shall not be adequate on the date of that payment to purchase in accordance with normal banking procedures a sum denominated in the applicable Agreed Currency equal to such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans, each such Lender agrees, as a separate and independent obligation, to indemnify the Swingline Lender for the loss resulting from its inability on that date to purchase the Agreed Currency in the full amount of such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Revolving Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Revolving Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower Representative of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrowers (or other party on behalf of the Borrowers) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrowers for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrowers of any default in the payment thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.06.    Letters of Credit .

 

(a)           General . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower Representative, on behalf of a Borrower, may request the issuance of Letters of Credit denominated in an Agreed Currency as the applicant thereof for the support of the obligations of any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrowers to, or entered into by the Borrowers with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. Each Borrower unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that, in connection with any Letter of Credit issued for the support of any Subsidiary’s obligations as provided in the first sentence of this paragraph, such Borrower will be fully responsible for the reimbursement of LC Disbursements in accordance with the terms hereof, the payment of interest thereon and the payment of fees due under Section 2.12(b) to the same extent as if it were the sole account party in respect of such Letter of Credit (each Borrower hereby irrevocably waiving any defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of the obligations of such Subsidiary that is an account party in respect of any such Letter of Credit). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Issuing Bank shall have no obligation hereunder to issue, and shall not issue, any Letter of Credit (i) the proceeds of which would be made available to any Person (A) to fund any activity or business of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of any Sanctions or (B) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement, (ii) if any binding order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms enjoin or restrain the Issuing Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Requirement of Law relating to the Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated under Section 2.15 hereof or otherwise hereunder) not in effect on the Second Amendment Effective Date, or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Second Amendment Effective Date, which the Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated under Section 2.15 hereof or otherwise hereunder and which the Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it, or (iii) if the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof, and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements 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 not to be in effect on the Second Amendment Effective Date for purposes of clause (ii) above, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented. Letters of Credit may be issued in any Agreed Currencies. The Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed (i) Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement by the Issuing Bank and shall be subject to the terms of this Agreement and (ii) issued on the Second Amendment Effective Date for purposes of determining fees payable hereunder.

 

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(b)          Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions . To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower Representative shall hand deliver or facsimile (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, but in any event no less than three Business Days or such shorter time period agreed to by the applicable Issuing Bank) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit (provided that the Dollar Amount of any Letter of Credit denominated in any Foreign Currency or for the account of any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower shall be in a minimum Dollar Amount of $50,000 or such other amount agreed upon between the applicable Issuing Bank and the Borrowing Representative), the name and address of the beneficiary thereof, the Agreed Currency applicable thereto and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the applicable Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrowers shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (in each case, subject to Section 2.02(e) and Section 2.11) (i) the Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure shall not exceed $110,000,000, (ii) the Dollar Amount of such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Exposure shall not exceed its Revolving Commitment and (iii) the Dollar Amount of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Unless the applicable Issuing Bank has received written notice from any Revolving Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one (1) Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Section 4.02 or in this Section 2.06 shall not then be satisfied, such Issuing Bank shall be entitled to entitled to rely on the representation by the Borrower requesting the Letter of Credit that all such conditions are satisfied. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary contained herein, no Issuing Bank shall be obligated to issue or modify any Letter of Credit if, immediately after giving effect thereto, the Dollar Amount of the outstanding LC Exposure in respect of all Letters of Credit issued by such Person and its Affiliates would exceed such Issuing Bank’s Issuing Bank Sublimit. Without limiting the foregoing and without affecting the limitations contained herein, it is understood and agreed that any Borrower may from time to time request that an Issuing Bank issue Letters of Credit in excess of its individual Issuing Bank Sublimit in effect at the time of such request, and each Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, issue Letters of Credit in excess of its individual Issuing Bank Sublimit. Any Letter of Credit so issued by an Issuing Bank in excess of its individual Issuing Bank Sublimit then in effect shall nonetheless constitute a Letter of Credit for all purposes of the Credit Agreement, and shall not affect the Issuing Bank Sublimit of any other Issuing Bank, subject to the limitations on the aggregate LC Exposure set forth in clause (i) of this Section 2.06(b).

 

(c)          Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination or non-renewal by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, including, without limitation, any automatic renewal provision, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is one year after the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

 

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

 

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(e)          Reimbursement . If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrowers, subject to Article XI, shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent in Dollars the Dollar Amount equal to such LC Disbursement, calculated as of the date the Issuing Bank made such LC Disbursement (or if the Issuing Bank shall so elect in its sole discretion by notice to the Borrower, in such other Agreed Currency which was paid by the Issuing Bank pursuant to such LC Disbursement in an amount equal to such LC Disbursement) not later than 12:00 noon, Local Time, on the Business Day immediately following the date on which the Borrowers receive notice that such LC Disbursement is to be made; provided that the Borrowers may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with (i) to the extent such LC Disbursement was made in Dollars, an ABR Revolving Borrowing, Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in Dollars in an amount equal to such LC Disbursement or (ii) to the extent that such LC Disbursement was made in a Foreign Currency, a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing in such Foreign Currency in an amount equal to such LC Disbursement and, in each case, to the extent so financed, the Borrowers’ obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing, Eurocurrency Borrowing or Swingline Loan, as applicable. If the Borrowers fail to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrowers in respect thereof, and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrowers, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders. If such payment by a Revolving Lender relates to a Letter of Credit denominated in any Foreign Currency such payment shall be made in such Foreign Currency, provided that, if requested by the applicable Issuing Bank or if such Foreign Currency is not an Agreed All Lender Currency, then automatically and with no further action required, the obligation of each Revolving Lender to make such payment shall be permanently converted into an obligation to reimburse the Dollar Amount thereof calculated as of the date when such payment was due, and each Revolving Lender shall make such payment in Dollars; provided further that, if such payment shall not be adequate on the date of that payment to purchase in accordance with normal banking procedures a sum denominated in the applicable Agreed Currency equal to such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrowers, each such Lender agrees, as a separate and independent obligation, to indemnify the applicable Issuing Bank for the loss resulting from its inability on that date to purchase the Agreed Currency in the full amount of such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such payment then due from the Borrowers. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrowers pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank, as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Revolving Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement. If any Borrower’s reimbursement of, or obligation to reimburse, any amounts in any Foreign Currency would subject the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or any Lender to any stamp duty, ad valorem charge or similar tax that would not be payable if such reimbursement were made or required to be made in Dollars, the applicable Borrower shall, at its option, either (x) pay the amount of any such tax requested by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Issuing Bank or the applicable Lender or (y) reimburse each LC Disbursement made in such Foreign Currency in Dollars, in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount thereof, on the date such LC Disbursement is made, of such LC Disbursement.

 

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(f)          Obligations Absolute . Subject to Article XI, the Borrowers’ obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein or herein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) any payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrowers’ obligations hereunder. None of the Administrative Agent, the Revolving Lenders or the Issuing Bank, or any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit, or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrowers to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by any Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)         Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Bank, any Issuing Bank may resign as an Issuing Bank at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative and the Lenders, in which case, such Issuing Bank shall be replaced in the Borrower Representative’s sole discretion in accordance with Section 2.06(i) above.

 

(j)          Cash Collateralization . If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day following the day that the Borrower Representative receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, or if any Letters of Credit are outstanding on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, the Borrowers, subject to Article XI, shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Revolving Lenders (the “ LC Collateral Account ”), an amount in cash equal to 105% of the Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus, to the extent invoiced prior to such issuance, any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to any Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII or the occurrence of the Revolving Credit Maturity Date. The Borrowers, subject to Article XI, also shall deposit cash collateral in accordance with this paragraph as and to the extent required by Section 2.11(b) or 2.20. Each such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the LC Obligations. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over the LC Collateral Account and the Borrowers hereby grant the Administrative Agent a security interest in the LC Collateral Account and all moneys or other assets on deposit therein or credited thereto. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrowers’ risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Subject to Article XI, moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrowers for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrowers within three (3) Business Days after all such Events of Default have been cured or waived. If the Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrowers within three (3) Business Days after each applicable Letter of Credit have expired or been terminated (and the original thereof returned to the applicable Issuing Bank in the case of any termination) and all Obligations (other than unasserted contingent obligations) shall have been paid in full. If the Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.20, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrowers as promptly as practicable to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, the Issuing Banks shall not have any exposure in respect of any outstanding Letter of Credit that is not fully covered by the Revolving Commitments of the Non-Defaulting Lenders and/or the remaining cash collateral.

 

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(k)          Issuing Bank Reports to the Administrative Agent . Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section, report in writing to the Administrative Agent (i) periodic activity (for such period or recurrent periods as shall be requested by the Administrative Agent) in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, including all issuances, extensions, amendments and renewals, all expirations and cancellations and all disbursements and reimbursements, (ii) reasonably prior to the time that such Issuing Bank issues, amends, renews or extends any Letter of Credit, the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, and the stated amount of the Letters of Credit issued, amended, renewed or extended by it and outstanding after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed), (iii) on each Business Day on which such Issuing Bank makes any LC Disbursement, the date and amount of such LC Disbursement, (iv) on any Business Day on which a Borrower fails to reimburse an LC Disbursement required to be reimbursed to such Issuing Bank on such day, the date of such failure and the amount of such LC Disbursement, and (v) on any other Business Day, such other information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request as to the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

 

(l)          LC Exposure Determination . For all purposes of this Agreement, the amount of a Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at the time of determination.

 

SECTION 2.07.     Funding of Borrowings .

 

(a)         Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds (i) in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars, by 1:00 p.m., Chicago time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders and (ii) in the case of each Loan denominated in a Foreign Currency, by 12:00 noon, Local Time, in the city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency and at such Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency, in each case an amount equal to such Lender's Applicable Percentage; provided that, Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the relevant Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to (x) the Funding Account(s) in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars and (y) an account of such Borrower in the relevant jurisdiction and designated by such Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request, in the case of Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency; provided that Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

 

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(b)         Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the relevant 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 such 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 such Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation (including without limitation the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate in the case of Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency) or (ii) in the case of such Borrower, the interest rate applicable to such Borrowing. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

 

(c)         Each Lender at its option may make any Loan to any Borrower by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan (and in the case of an Affiliate, the provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 shall apply to such Affiliate to the same extent as to such Lender); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the relevant Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(d)         Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to any matter under any of the Loan Documents relating to any Loan or Letter of Credit with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, in any applicable jurisdiction, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender or any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of any such Lender used to make such Loans under Section 2.07(c) (a “Designated Lender”) determines that any Requirement of Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender or its applicable Designated Lender to (i) perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (ii) to fund or maintain its participation in any Loan or (iii) issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, such Person shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent, then, upon the Administrative Agent notifying the Company, and until such notice by such Person is revoked, any obligation of such Person to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Loan or Letter of Credit shall be suspended, and to the extent required by applicable Requirement of Law, cancelled. Upon receipt of such notice, the applicable Borrower shall, (A) repay that Person’s participation in the Loans or other applicable Obligations on the last day of the Interest Period for each Loan or other Obligation occurring after the Administrative Agent has notified the Company or, if earlier, the date specified by such Person in the notice delivered to the Administrative Agent (being no earlier than the last day of any applicable grace period permitted by applicable Law) and (B) take all reasonable actions requested by such Person to mitigate or avoid such illegality.

 

SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections .

 

(a)    Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower Representative may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower Representative may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

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(b)   To make an election pursuant to this Section, a Borrower, or the Borrower Representative on its behalf, shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election (by telephone or irrevocable written notice writing (delivered by hand, facsimile or e-mail transmission) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars or by irrevocable written notice (delivered by hand, facsimile or e-mail transmission) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency) by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if such Borrower were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request Form signed by the relevant Borrower, or the Borrower Representative on its behalf. Notwithstanding any contrary provision herein, this Section shall not be construed to permit any Borrower to (i) change the currency of any Borrowing, (ii) elect an Interest Period for Eurocurrency Loans that does not comply with this Agreement or (iii) convert any Borrowing to a Borrowing of a Type not available under such Borrowing.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrowers shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

 

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

 

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(e)   If the relevant Borrower or the Borrower Representative fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period (i) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing and (ii) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency in respect of which the applicable Borrower shall have failed to deliver an Interest Election Request prior to the third (3rd ) Business Day preceding the end of such Interest Period, such Borrowing shall automatically continue as a Eurocurrency Borrowing in the same Agreed Currency with an Interest Period of one month unless such Eurocurrency Borrowing is or was repaid in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower Representative, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing denominated in Dollars may be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing, (ii) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto and (iii) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency shall automatically be continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of one month.

 

SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments .

 

(a)   Unless previously terminated, all the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

 

(b)   The Borrowers may at any time terminate the Revolving Commitments upon (i) the payment in full of all outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Disbursements, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (ii) the cancellation and return of all outstanding Letters of Credit (or alternatively, with respect to each such Letter of Credit, the furnishing to the Administrative Agent of a cash deposit (or a backup standby letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank) in an amount equal to 105% of the LC Exposure as of such date), (iii) the payment in full of the accrued and unpaid fees, and (iv) the payment in full of all reimbursable expenses to the extent invoiced and other Obligations (other than unasserted contingent obligations).

 

(c)   The Borrowers may from time to time reduce the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $10,000,000 and not less than $25,000,000 and (ii) the Borrowers shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, the Dollar Amount of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure would exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

(d)  The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower Representative pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Borrower Representative may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or other transaction, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower Representative (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Commitments.

 

SECTION 2.10.   Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt .

 

(a)  The Borrowers, subject to Article XI, hereby unconditionally promise to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and the Business Day the Swingline Lender requests repayment of such Swingline Loan so long as made before 10:00 a.m. New York time, or within one (1) Business Day if not.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(e)   Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrowers shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender and its registered assigns and in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the payee named therein and its registered assigns. Upon either (a) payment in full of the Loans evidenced by any such promissory note and termination of the Commitments relating thereto or (b) the assignment of such Loans and Commitments in accordance with Section 9.04 hereof, each such promissory note shall be returned to the Borrowers by the payee named therein at the request of the Borrowers.

 

SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans .

 

(a)   The Borrowers shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part without premium or penalty (except as provided in Section 2.16), subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section and, if applicable, payment of any break funding expenses under Section 2.16.

 

(b)   If at any time, (i) if the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all of the Revolving Exposures (calculated, with respect to those Credit Events denominated in Foreign Currencies, as of the most recent Computation Date with respect to each such Credit Event) exceeds the Aggregate Revolving Commitment on any Computation Date or the date any Loan is made or Letter of Credit issued or (ii) solely as a result of fluctuations in currency exchange rates, the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all of the Revolving Exposures (so calculated) exceeds 105% of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrowers, subject to Article XI, shall in each case within two (2) Business Days after notice from the Administrative Agent repay Revolving Borrowings or, if required after the payment of all Revolving Borrowings, cash collateralize LC Exposure pursuant to this Agreement, as applicable, in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess.

 

(c)   All prepayments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.11(b) shall be applied, first to prepay the Revolving Loans (including Swingline Loans) without a corresponding reduction in the Revolving Commitments and second to cash collateralize outstanding LC Exposure.

 

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(d)   The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by fax or other electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent and/or the Swingline Lender) of any prepayment under this Section: (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, on the date of prepayment; provided that the applicable Borrower, or the Borrower Representative on behalf of the applicable Borrower, shall notify the Administrative Agent by written notice of any prepayment hereunder in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, four (4) Business Days before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09. Promptly following receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing or Term Loan shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Subject to Article XI, each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and (ii) break funding payments to the extent required pursuant to Section 2.16.

 

SECTION 2.12. Fees . In each case subject to Article XI:

 

(a)   The Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent a commitment fee for the account of each Revolving Lender, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the undrawn portion of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments terminate; it being understood that the LC Exposure of a Lender shall be included and the Swingline Exposure of a Lender shall be excluded in the drawn portion of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender for purposes of calculating the commitment fee. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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(b)   The Borrowers agree to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans on the daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the applicable Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the daily amount of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance, amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Accrued participation fees and fronting fees shall be payable on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). All participation fees and fronting fees in respect of the Letters of Credit shall be paid in Dollars based on the Dollar Amount thereof.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 2.13. Interest .

 

(a)   The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; provided that each Swingline Loan shall bear interest at either (x) the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate or (y) such other rate, if any, as may be separately agreed upon by the Borrower and the Swingline Lender.

 

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

 

(c)   Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, the Required Lenders may, at their option, by notice to the Borrower Representative (which notice may be revoked at the option of the Required Lenders notwithstanding any provision of Section 9.02 requiring the consent of “each Lender affected thereby” for reductions in interest rates), declare that (i) all Loans shall bear interest at 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loans as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount outstanding hereunder, such amount shall accrue at 2% plus the rate applicable to such fee or other obligation as provided hereunder.

 

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

 

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

 

(f)   Notwithstanding the above, the Swingline Lender and the applicable Borrower may separately agree that any Swingline Loan may bear interest at any other rate as agreed to in writing between the Swingline Lender and the applicable Borrower.

 

SECTION 2.14.   Alternate Rate of Interest; Illegality .

 

(a) If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing:

 

(i)     the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable (including, without limitation, by means of an Interpolated Rate or because the LIBO Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis) for such Interest Period; or

 

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

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower Representative and the Lenders by electronic communication as provided in Section 9.01 as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower Representative and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (A) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurocurrency Borrowing shall be ineffective and any such Eurocurrency Borrowing shall be repaid or, if such Eurocurrency Borrowing is denominated in Dollars, converted into an ABR Borrowing on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, and (B) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing, if such Borrowing is denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing and if such Borrowing is not denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing shall not be made.

 

(b)           If any Lender determines that any Requirement of Law has made it unlawful, or if any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable lending office to make, maintain, fund or continue any Eurocurrency Borrowing, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower Representative through the Administrative Agent, any obligations of such Lender to make, maintain, fund or continue Eurocurrency Loans or to convert ABR Borrowings to Eurocurrency Borrowings will be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the applicable Borrowers will upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), either prepay all Eurocurrency Borrowings of such Lender or, with respect to Eurocurrency Borrowings denominated in Dollars, convert such Eurocurrency Borrowings to ABR Borrowings, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Borrowings to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Loans. Upon any such conversion or prepayment, the applicable Borrowers will also pay accrued interest on the amount so converted or prepaid.

 

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(c)           If at any time the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (i) the circumstances set forth in clause (a)(i) have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the circumstances set forth in clause (a)(i) have not arisen but the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the LIBO Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 9.02, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement so long as the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date notice of such alternate rate of interest is provided to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that such Required Lenders object to such amendment. Until an alternate rate of interest shall be determined in accordance with this clause (c) (but, in the case of the circumstances described in clause (ii) of the first sentence of this Section 2.14(c), only to the extent the LIBO Screen Rate for such Interest Period is not available or published at such time on a current basis), (x) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurocurrency Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (y) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing if such Eurocurrency Borrowing is denominated in Dollars and such Borrowing shall not be made if such requested Eurocurrency Borrowing is not denominated in Dollars; provided that, if such alternate rate of interest shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting into or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then, subject to Article XI, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered as reasonably determined by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient (which determination shall be made in good faith (and not on an arbitrary or capricious basis) and generally consistent with similarly situation customers of such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as applicable and in each case as determined by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient), under agreements having provisions similar to this Section 2.15, after consideration of such factors as such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as applicable, then reasonably determines to be relevant.

 

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(b)           If any Lender or Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time, subject to Article XI, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered as reasonably determined by such Lender or such Issuing Bank (which determination shall be made in good faith (and not on an arbitrary or capricious basis) and generally consistent with similarly situated customers of such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable and in each case as determined by such Lender or such Issuing Bank, under agreements having provisions similar to this Section 2.15, after consideration of such factors as such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable, then reasonably determines to be relevant).

 

(c)   A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.

 

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

 

 

SECTION 2.16.   Break Funding Payments . In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a result of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11), (b) the conversion of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurocurrency Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09 and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.19 or 9.02(d), then, in any such event, the Borrowers, subject to Article XI, shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event; provided that each such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to mitigate any such loss, cost and expense in accordance with Section 2.19. Such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in the relevant currency of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurocurrency market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section, including, if requested by the Borrower, a description in reasonable detail of the basis for such compensation and a calculation of such amount or amounts (but excluding any confidential or proprietary information of such Lender), shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers, subject to Article XI, shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.17.   Taxes .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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(e)     Indemnification by the Lenders . Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

 

(f)     Status of Lenders .

 

(i)    Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent and at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent or prescribed by applicable law 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 Representative or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

  

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

 

(A)  any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower Representative 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 Representative or the Administrative Agent), an executed IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding Tax;

 

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower Representative 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 Representative or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

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

 

(2) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, an executed 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 F-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 a 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) an executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor form); or

 

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

 

(D)  if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative 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 Representative or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower Representative 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 Second Amendment Effective Date.

 

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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 Representative and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)          (i) Defined Terms . For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

 

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SECTION 2.18.     Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs .

 

(a)    Each Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to (i) in the case of payments denominated in Dollars, 2:00 p.m., Chicago time and (ii) in the case of payments denominated in a Foreign Currency, 2:00 p.m., Local Time, in the city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency, in each case on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim (but without prejudice to the Borrowers’ rights with respect to any Defaulting Lender under Section 2.20 hereof). Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made (i) in the same currency in which the applicable Credit Event was made (or where such currency has been converted to Euro, in Euro) and (ii) to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 10 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 or, in the case of a Credit Event denominated in a Foreign Currency, the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency, except payments to be made directly to the applicable Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments denominated in the same currency received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if, after the making of any Credit Event in any Foreign Currency, currency control or exchange regulations are imposed in the country which issues such currency with the result that the type of currency in which the Credit Event was made (the “ Original Currency ”) no longer exists or any Borrower is not able to make payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders in such Original Currency, then all payments to be made by such Borrower hereunder in such currency shall instead be made in Dollars no later than the first Business Day following the date that such payment would otherwise be due hereunder in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount (as of the date of repayment) of such payment due, it being the intention of the parties hereto that the Borrowers take all risks of the imposition of any such currency control or exchange regulations.

 

(b)   Subject to Article XI, any proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent (i) not constituting either (A) a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents (which shall be applied as specified by the Borrowers), or (B) a mandatory prepayment (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.11) or (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct, shall be applied ratably first , to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements including amounts then due to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Banks from the Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), second , to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), and third , to the payment of any other Secured Obligations due from the Borrowers or any other Loan Party, ratably . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, unless so directed by the Borrower Representative, or unless a Default is in existence, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall apply any payment which it receives to any Eurocurrency Loan of a Class, except (i) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (ii) in the event, and only to the extent, that there are no outstanding ABR Loans of the same Class and, in any such event, the Borrowers shall pay the break funding payment required in accordance with Section 2.16. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to any portion of the Secured Obligations.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Secured Obligations arising under Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations shall be excluded from the application described above and paid after other Secured Obligations in clause third if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may have reasonably requested from the applicable provider of such Banking Services or Swap Agreements.

 

 

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(c)   Subject to Article XI, at the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees, costs and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder, whether made following a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.05 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of the Borrowers maintained with the Administrative Agent. Subject to Article XI, the Borrowers hereby irrevocably authorize (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agree that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans (including Swingline Loans), and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Sections 2.03 or 2.05, as applicable, and (ii) if an Event of Default exists or the Borrower Representative agrees in writing, the Administrative Agent to charge any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.

 

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

  

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

 

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(f)    If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it hereunder, then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank to satisfy such Lender’s obligations hereunder until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender hereunder. Application of amounts pursuant to (i) and (ii) above shall be made in such order as may be determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

 

(g)  The Administrative Agent may from time to time provide the Borrowers with account statements or invoices with respect to any of the Secured Obligations (the “ Statements ”). The Administrative Agent is under no duty or obligation to provide Statements, which, if provided, will be solely for the Borrowers’ convenience. Statements may contain estimates of the amounts owed during the relevant billing period, whether of principal, interest, fees or other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers pay the full amount indicated on a Statement on or before the due date indicated on such Statement, the Borrowers shall not be in default of payment with respect to the billing period indicated on such Statement; provided, that acceptance by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, of any payment that is less than the total amount actually due at that time (including but not limited to any past due amounts) shall not constitute a waiver of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ right to receive payment in full at another time.

 

SECTION 2.19.    Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .

 

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

 

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(b)   If (i) any Lender (or its Affiliate) requests compensation under Section 2.15, or (ii) if any Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender (or its Affiliate) or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender (or its Affiliate) pursuant to Section 2.17, or (iii) if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, or (iv) any Lender has refused to consent to any proposed amendment, modification, waiver, termination or consent with respect to any provision of this Agreement or any Loan Document that, pursuant to Section 9.02, requires the consent of all Lenders or each Lender affected thereby and with respect to which Lenders constituting the Required Lenders have consented to such proposed amendment, modification, waiver, termination or consent, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement and other Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrowers shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and in circumstances where its consent would be required under Section 9.04, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) subject to the Borrowers’ rights with respect to Defending Lenders under Section 2.20 hereof, such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and funded participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts), (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments, and (iv) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Lender’s refusal to consent to a proposed amendment, modification, waiver , termination or consent, the assignee shall approve the proposed amendment, modification, waiver, termination or consent. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

(iii)        SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders .

 

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

 

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

 

(b)   such Defaulting Lender shall not have the right to vote on any issue on which voting is required (other than to the extent expressly provided in Section 9.02(b)) and the Commitment and Revolving Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document; provided that, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender directly affected thereby;

 

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

 

(iv)       all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender (other than the portion of such Swingline Exposure referred to in clause (b) of the definition of such term) shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only (x) to the extent that the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless any Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, such Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time) and (y) to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Exposure to exceed its Revolving Commitment;

 

(ii)       if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrowers shall within one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first , prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second , cash collateralize, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank, the Borrowers’ obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and on the date of such readjustment such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

SECTION 2.21.    Returned Payments . If, after receipt of any payment which is applied to the payment of all or any part of the Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff), the Administrative Agent or any Lender is for any reason compelled to surrender such payment or proceeds to any Person because such payment or application of proceeds is invalidated, declared fraudulent, set aside, determined to be void or voidable as a preference, impermissible setoff, or a diversion of trust funds, or for any other reason (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion), then the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued and this Agreement shall continue in full force as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent or such Lender. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall be and remain effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may have been taken by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in reliance upon such payment or application of proceeds. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 2.22.    Banking Services and Swap Agreements . Each Lender or Affiliate thereof providing Banking Services for, or having Swap Agreements with, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party, including any existing on the Second Amendment Effective Date, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, promptly after entering into such Banking Services or Swap Agreements (or on or promptly after the Second Amendment Effective Date with respect to any existing on the Second Amendment Effective Date), written notice setting forth the aggregate amount of all Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations of such Loan Party or Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof to such Lender or Affiliate (whether matured or unmatured, absolute or contingent). The existing Banking Services Obligations and the existing Swap Agreement Obligations of JPMCB, Bank of America, PNC Bank and their respective Affiliates referenced in the payoff letter of Bank of America delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(g) hereof shall be deemed to automatically satisfy the written notice required hereunder for Banking Services Obligations and the Swap Agreement Obligations existing on the Second Amendment Effective Date. In furtherance of that requirement, each such Lender or Affiliate thereof shall furnish the Administrative Agent, from time to time after a significant change therein or upon a request therefor, a summary of the amounts due or to become due in respect of such Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations. The most recent information provided to the Administrative Agent shall be used in determining which tier of the waterfall, contained in Section 2.18(b), such Banking Services Obligations and/or Swap Agreement Obligations will be placed.

 

SECTION 2.23.    Judgment Currency . If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from any Borrower hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s main New York City office on the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is given. The obligations of each Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) may in accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency. If the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency, each Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency and (b) any amounts shared with other Lenders as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment to such Lender under Section 2.19, such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, agrees to remit such excess to such Borrower.

 

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SECTION 2.24.      Designation and Termination of Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers .

 

(a)   Designation . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Section, the Company may, at any time or from time to time upon not less than five Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period which is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent), request that a Wholly-Owned Eligible Subsidiary of the Company specified in such notice become a party to this Agreement as a Borrower. The Administrative Agent shall upon receipt of such notice from the Company promptly notify each Lender of such designation. Upon the satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions specified in paragraph (b) of this Section, such Subsidiary shall become a party to this Agreement as a Borrower hereunder and shall be entitled to borrow Revolving Credit Loans and request Letters of Credit on and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of such designation.

 

(b)    Conditions Precedent to Designation Effectiveness . The designation by the Company of any Wholly-Owned Eligible Subsidiary of the Company as a Borrower hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received each of the following documents (each of which shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders): (i) a Joinder Agreement, duly completed and executed by the relevant Subsidiary delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five Business Days before the date on which such Subsidiary is proposed to become a Borrower (or such shorter period which is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent); (ii) a favorable written opinion of counsel to such Subsidiary (or such other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and as to such matters as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request, (iii) a Guaranty and any additional Collateral Documents with respect to the Secured Obligations of such Subsidiary, duly executed by each applicable Loan Party, (iv) such organizational documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request (including certified copies of the organizational documents of such Subsidiary and of each Guarantor and other Loan Party required to execute any Guaranty or Collateral Document in connection with such Subsidiary becoming a Borrower, and of resolutions of their respective boards of directors (or similar body) authorizing such Subsidiary becoming a Borrower hereunder and each such Guarantor and other Loan Party executing and delivering any Guaranty or Collateral Document, and of all documents evidencing all other necessary organizational or other action required with respect to such Subsidiary becoming party to this Agreement and each such Guarantor and other Loan Party executing and delivering any Guaranty or Collateral Document); (v) all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including USA PATRIOT Act, and a properly completed and signed applicable IRS Form W-8 for such Subsidiary becoming a Borrower hereunder, and (vi) such other documents relating thereto as the Administrative Agent or its counsel or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

(c)    Termination of Foreign Subsidiary Borrower . So long as no Loans, Letters of Credit or any other amounts hereunder or under any other Loan Documents shall be outstanding to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, the Company may, at any time terminate such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower as a Borrower hereunder by delivering to the Administrative Agent a written notice thereof (each a “ Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Termination Notice ”), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit G. Any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Termination Notice furnished hereunder shall be effective upon receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly so notify the Lenders), whereupon all commitments of the Lenders to make Loans to, and all obligations of the Lenders to acquire participations in Swingline Loans and Letter of Credit to, such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower and all of the rights of such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower hereunder shall terminate and such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower shall cease to be a Borrower hereunder.

 

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SECTION 2.25.     Extension of Revolving Credit Maturity Date . .

 

(a) Requests for Extension .  The Company may, by notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall promptly notify the Lenders) at any time (each such date, an “ Extension Date ”), request that each Lender extend such Lender’s Revolving Credit Maturity Date to a date after the Revolving Credit Maturity Date then in effect for such Lender (the “ Existing Maturity Date ”); provided that any such request shall be made no later than 30 days prior to the applicable Existing Maturity Date.

 

(b) Lender Elections to Extend .  Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent given not later than the date that is 15 days after the date on which the Administrative Agent received the Company’s extension request (the “ Lender Notice Date ”), advise the Administrative Agent whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (each Lender that determines to so extend its Revolving Credit Maturity Date, an “ Extending Lender ”).  Each Lender that determines not to so extend its Revolving Credit Maturity Date (a “ Non-Extending Lender ”) shall notify the Administrative Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than the Lender Notice Date), and any Lender that does not so advise the Administrative Agent on or before the Lender Notice Date shall be deemed to be a Non-Extending Lender.  The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree, and it is understood and agreed that no Lender shall have any obligation whatsoever to agree to any request made by the Company for extension of the Revolving Credit Maturity Date.

 

(c) Notification by Administrative Agent .  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Company of each Lender’s determination under this Section no later than the date that is 15 days prior to the applicable Extension Date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day).

 

(d) Additional Commitment Lenders .  The Company shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, on or before the applicable Revolving Credit Maturity Date for any Non-Extending Lender to replace such Non-Extending Lender with, and add as “Lenders” under this Agreement in place thereof, one or more financial institutions that are not Ineligible Institutions (each, an “ Additional Commitment Lender ”) approved by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the procedures provided in Section 2.19(b), each of which Additional Commitment Lenders shall have entered into an Assignment and Assumption (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04, with the Company or replacement Lender obligated to pay any applicable processing or recordation fee) with such Non-Extending Lender, pursuant to which such Additional Commitment Lenders shall, effective on or before the applicable Revolving Credit Maturity Date for such Non-Extending Lender, assume a Commitment (and, if any such Additional Commitment Lender is already a Lender, its Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s Commitment hereunder on such date).  Prior to any Non-Extending Lender being replaced by one or more Additional Commitment Lenders pursuant hereto, such Non-Extending Lender may elect, in its sole discretion, by giving irrevocable notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Company (which notice shall set forth such Lender’s new Revolving Credit Maturity Date), to become an Extending Lender.  The Administrative Agent may effect such amendments to this Agreement as are reasonably necessary to provide for any such extensions with the consent of the Company but without the consent of any other Lenders.

 

(e)  Effective Date of Extension .  Effective as of the applicable Extension Date, the Revolving Credit Maturity Date of each Extending Lender and of each Additional Commitment Lender shall be extended to the date that is one year after the Existing Maturity Date (except that, if such date is not a Business Day, such Revolving Credit Maturity Date as so extended shall be the next preceding Business Day) and each Additional Commitment Lender shall thereupon become a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement and shall be bound by the provisions of this Agreement as a Lender hereunder and shall have the obligations of a Lender hereunder.

 

(f)    Conditions to Effectiveness of Extension .  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any extension of any Revolving Credit Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.25 shall not be effective with respect to any Extending Lender unless:

 

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(i)    no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the applicable Extension Date and immediately after giving effect thereto;

 

(ii)    the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made on and as of the applicable Extension Date (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects); and

 

(iii)    the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from the Company signed by a Financial Officer of the Company, delivered on behalf of the Company, (A) certifying the accuracy of the foregoing clause (i) and (B) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by each Borrower approving or consenting to such extension (or to the extent the resolutions delivered on the Second Amendment Effective Date approve such matters, a certification from the Borrowers (or the Company on behalf of the Borrowers) that the resolutions delivered on the Second Amendment Effective Date remain in full force and effect and have not been amended or otherwise modified since the adoption thereof).

 

(g)    Maturity Date for Non-Extending Lenders .  On the Revolving Credit Maturity Date of each Non-Extending Lender, (i) the Commitment of each Non-Extending Lender shall automatically terminate and (ii) the Company shall repay such Non-Extending Lender in accordance with Section 2.10 (and shall pay to such Non-Extending Lender all of the other Obligations owing to it under this Agreement) and after giving effect thereto shall prepay any Revolving Loans outstanding on such date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 2.16) to the extent necessary to keep outstanding Revolving Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages of the respective Lenders effective as of such date, and the Administrative Agent shall administer any necessary reallocation of the Revolving Exposures (without regard to any minimum borrowing, pro rata borrowing and/or pro rata payment requirements contained elsewhere in this Agreement).

 

(h)    Conflicting Provisions .  This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.18 or Section 9.02 to the contrary.

 

ARTICLE III

 

(v)                    Representations and Warranties

 

Each Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that (and where applicable, agrees):

 

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

 

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SECTION 3.02.     Authorization; Enforceability; No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party are within such Loan Party’s corporate or other powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien (except for any Liens that may arise under the Loan Documents) under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) except as would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) except as would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, violate any Requirement of Law. No Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any Law, the violation of which could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.03.     Governmental Approvals . The Transactions do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 3.04.     Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .

 

(a) The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, reported on by Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

(b) No event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, since December 31, 2016.

 

SECTION 3.05.    Properties, etc .

 

(a) Each of the Loan Parties and each Subsidiary has good and indefeasible title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its real and personal property, free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02.

 

(b) Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to its business as currently conducted. A correct and complete list of all trademarks, copyrights and patents owned by a Loan Party that are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office, as applicable, as of the date of this Agreement, are set forth on Schedule 3.05 . To the knowledge of the Loan Parties, the use of the intellectual property that is necessary to their business does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.06.     Litigation and Environmental Matters .

 

(a)  There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters set forth on Schedule 3.06 ) or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.

 

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(b)    Except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law or (B) has become subject to any Environmental Liability.

 

(c)    Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.07.   Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default . Except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is in compliance with (i) all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property and (ii) all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

SECTION 3.08.   Investment Company Status . No Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

  

SECTION 3.09.    Taxes . Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.10.     ERISA . No ERISA Event has occurred that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each Foreign Pension Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and in compliance with the requirements of any and all applicable laws, statutes, rules, regulations and orders (including all funding requirements and the respective requirements of the governing documents for each such Foreign Pension Plan) and has been maintained, where required, in good standing with applicable regulatory authorities and (b) all contributions required to be made with respect to a Foreign Pension Plan have been timely made. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination of or withdrawal from any Foreign Pension Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No actions or proceedings have been taken or instituted to terminate or wind-up a Foreign Pension Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.11.    Disclosure . None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other written factual information (other than projections, forward-looking statements and information of a general economic nature) furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, when taken as a whole, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date.

 

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SECTION 3.12.   Solvency . (a) Immediately after the consummation of the transactions to occur on the Second Amendment Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Loan Parties, when taken as a whole, at a fair valuation, will exceed their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Loan Parties, when taken as a whole, will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Loan Parties, when taken as a whole, will be able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Loan Parties, when taken as a whole, will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which they are engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Second Amendment Effective Date.

 

(b)         No Loan Party intends to, nor will permit any Material Subsidiary to, and no Loan Party believes that it or any Material Subsidiary will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it or any such Material Subsidiary and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness or the Indebtedness of any such Material Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 3.13.     Insurance . Schedule 3.13 sets forth a description of all material insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the Second Amendment Effective Date. As of the Second Amendment Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance that are due and owing have been paid. The Loan Parties believe in their reasonable business judgment that the insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries is adequate and is customary for companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

SECTION 3.14.    Capitalization and Subsidiaries . Schedule 3.14 sets forth, as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Company of each Subsidiary, (b) a listing of the owner of each Subsidiary and the percentage of the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary owned, and (c) the type of entity of the Company and each Subsidiary. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

 

SECTION 3.15. Security Interest in Collateral . The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with all filings and other actions necessary to perfect, protect or create legal and valid Liens on all the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral to the extent set forth in the Collateral Documents, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party and all third parties, and having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except (a) Liens permitted under Section 6.02, to the extent such Liens have priority over the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to applicable law or agreement, and (b) in the case of Liens perfected only by possession (including possession of any certificate of title), to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain possession of such Collateral.

 

SECTION 3.16. Employment Matters . As of the Second Amendment Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened. Except where the failure would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters, and (ii) all payments due from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary.

 

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SECTION 3.17. Federal Reserve Regulations . No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit has been used or will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.

 

SECTION 3.18. Use of Proceeds . The proceeds of the Loans have been used and will be used, whether directly or indirectly as set forth in Section 5.08.

 

SECTION 3.19.    Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions . Each Loan Party has, in its reasonable business judgment, implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance in all material respects by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws applicable to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries and applicable Sanctions, and such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees and, to the knowledge of such Loan Party, its directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, in each case, in all material respects and are not knowingly engaged in any activity that would reasonably be expected to result in any Loan Party being designated as a Sanctioned Person. None of (a) any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Subsidiary, any agent of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds, Transaction or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

 

SECTION 3.20     Cash Pooling . Schedule 3.20 is a correct and complete list of all Cash Pooling Arrangements of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the Second Amendment Effective Date. The Cash Pooling Availability under each Cash Pooling Arrangement exceeds the Cash Pooling Obligations outstanding thereunder, and no Cash Pooling Bank has made extensions of third party financing pursuant to any Cash Pooling Arrangement in excess of the Cash Pooling Availability thereunder.

 

SECTION 3.21.    Common Enterprise . Each Loan Party expects to derive benefit (and its board of directors or other governing body has determined that it may reasonably be expected to derive benefit), directly and indirectly, from (a) successful operations of each of the other Loan Parties and (b) the credit extended by the Lenders to the Borrowers hereunder, both in their separate capacities and as members of the group of companies. Each Loan Party has determined that execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and any other Loan Documents to be executed by such Loan Party is within its purpose, in furtherance of its direct and/or indirect business interests, will be of direct and indirect benefit to such Loan Party, and is in its best interest.

 

SECTION 3.22.    Representations as to Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers . Each of the Company and each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

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(a)    Such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is subject to civil, commercial and common laws with respect to its obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party (collectively as to such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, the “Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents”), and the execution, delivery and performance by such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower of the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents constitute and will constitute private and commercial acts and not public or governmental acts. Neither such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower nor any of its material property has any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) under the laws of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing in respect of its obligations under the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents.

 

(b)    The Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents are in proper legal form under the Laws of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing for the enforcement thereof against such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower under the Laws of such jurisdiction (or such other law as shall be specified in such documents), and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability (except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally), priority and admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents. It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents that the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents be filed, registered or recorded with, or executed or notarized before, any court or other authority in the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing or that any registration charge or stamp or similar tax be paid on or in respect of the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents or any other document, except for (i) any such filing, registration, recording, execution or notarization as has been made or is not required to be made until the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Document or any other document is sought to be enforced and (ii) any charge or tax as has been timely paid.

 

(c)    There is no tax, levy, impost, duty, fee, assessment or other governmental charge, or any deduction or withholding, imposed by any Governmental Authority in or of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing either (i) on or by virtue of the execution or delivery of the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents or (ii) on any payment to be made by such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower pursuant to the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents, except for those that have been paid by a Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

 

(d)   The execution, delivery and performance of the Applicable Foreign Subsidiary Borrower Documents executed by such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower are, under applicable foreign exchange control regulations of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower is organized and existing, not subject to any notification or authorization except (i) such as have been made or obtained or (ii) such as cannot be made or obtained until a later date ( provided that any notification or authorization described in clause (ii) shall be made or obtained as soon as is reasonably practicable).

 

SECTION 3.23.     EEA Financial Institutions . No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01.    Effective Date . The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

 

(a)    Credit Agreement and Loan Documents . The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include fax or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and (ii) duly executed copies of the Loan Documents, including any promissory notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.10 payable to each such requesting Lender and its registered assigns and a written opinion of the Loan Parties’ counsel, addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders in form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)    Projections . The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2014, and (ii) satisfactory Projections for five years.

 

 

(c)      Closing Certificates; Certified Certificate of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates . The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date and executed by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, which shall (A) certify the resolutions of its Board of Directors, members or other body authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (B) identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of a Borrower, its Financial Officers, and (C) contain appropriate attachments, including the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation of each Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party and a true and correct copy of its bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, and (ii) a long form good standing certificate for each Loan Party from its jurisdiction of organization.

 

(d)      No Default Certificate . The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by a Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of the Effective Date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, and (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of such date (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects).

 

(e)      Fees . The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses required to be reimbursed for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), on or before the Effective Date.

 

(f)      Lien Searches . The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search in the jurisdiction of organization of each Loan Party and each jurisdiction where material assets of the Loan Parties are located, and such search shall reveal no Liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a payoff letter or other documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(g)      Payoff Letter . The Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory payoff letters for all existing Indebtedness required to be repaid and which confirms that all Liens upon any of the property of the Loan Parties constituting Collateral will be terminated concurrently with such payment and all letters of credit issued or guaranteed as part of such Indebtedness shall either (i) constitute Existing Letters of Credit or (ii) have been cash collateralized or supported by a Letter of Credit.

 

(h)      Funding Account . The Administrative Agent shall have received a notice setting forth the deposit account of the Borrowers (the “ Funding Account ”) to which the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrowers to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(i)      Solvency . The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the Company dated the Effective Date in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(j)        Pledged Equity Interests; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes . The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing the Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any) pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof.

 

(k)      Filings, Registrations and Recordings . Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Collateral Documents or under 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 Secured Parties, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.

 

(l)      Insurance . The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of the insurance required to be in compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents.

 

(m)      Letter of Credit Application . The Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed letter of credit application (whether standalone or pursuant to a master agreement, as applicable) if the issuance of a Letter of Credit will be required on the Effective Date.

 

(n)      USA PATRIOT Act, Etc . The Administrative Agent and Lenders shall have received all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including USA PATRIOT Act, and a properly completed and signed IRS Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable, for each Loan Party.

 

(o)      Other Documents . The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or their respective counsel may have reasonably requested.

 

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, on May 29, 2015 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

 

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

 

(a)    The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects).

 

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

 

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

 

ARTICLE V

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated (or have been cash collateralized in accordance with Section 2.06), in each case without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION   5.01.   Financial Statements and Other Information . The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent for delivery to each Lender, including their Public-Siders:

 

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

 

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(b)   within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, its unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year;

 

(c)   The Company represents and warrants that it files its financial statements with the SEC and, accordingly, the Company hereby (i) authorizes the Administrative Agent to make the financial statements to be provided under Section 5.01(a) and (b) above (collectively or individually, as the context requires, the “ Financial Statements ”), along with the Loan Documents, available to Public-Siders and (ii) agree that at the time such Financial Statements are provided hereunder, they shall already have been made available to holders of its securities. The Company will not request that any other material be posted to Public-Siders without expressly representing and warranting to the Administrative Agent in writing that such materials do not constitute material non-public information within the meaning of the federal securities laws or that the Company has no outstanding publicly traded securities, including 144A securities, and in no event shall the Administrative Agent post compliance certificates or budgets to Public-Siders;

 

(d)   concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative in substantially the form of Exhibit H (i) certifying, in the case of the Financial Statements delivered under clause (b) above, as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and, if a Default has occurred and is continuing, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12, and (iv) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations with respect to the determination of Immaterial Subsidiaries, and designating each Immaterial Subsidiary;

 

(e)   concurrently with any delivery of Financial Statements under clause (a) above, a certificate stating whether any material changes in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the most recently delivered audited financial statements and, if any such material change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the Financial Statements delivered in connection with such certificate;

 

(f)    no later than sixty (60) days after the end of, and no earlier than sixty (60) days prior to the end of, each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) of the Company for each quarter of the upcoming fiscal year (the “ Projections ”) in reasonable detail;

 

(g)     promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Company to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;

 

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(h)    promptly after any reasonable request therefor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k)(1) of ERISA that the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l)(1) of ERISA that the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the Company or the applicable ERISA Affiliate shall promptly make a request for such documents and notices from such administrator or sponsor and shall provide copies of such documents and notices promptly after receipt thereof; and

 

(i) promptly provide such additional information regarding the business, financial, legal or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

 

The Borrower Representative shall be deemed to have furnished to the Lenders the financial statements and certificates required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 5.01(a) and (b) and the reports and other material required by Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(g) upon (i) the filing of such financial statements or material by the Company through the SEC’s EDGAR system (or any successor electronic gathering system) or the publication by the Company of such financial statements on its website, so long as such system or website is publicly available; provided that, at the request of any Lender, the Borrower Representative shall promptly deliver electronic or paper copies of such filings together all accompanying exhibits, attachments, calculations, or other supporting documentation included with such filing. Information required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 5.01 may also be delivered by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 5.02.    Notices of Material Events . The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt (but in any event within any time period that may be specified below) written notice following an Authorized Officer becoming aware of the following:

 

(a)   the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)    receipt of any notice of any investigation by a Governmental Authority or any litigation or proceeding commenced or threatened against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that (i) results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a liability to the Company and its Subsidiaries in excess of $25,000,000, (ii) seeks injunctive relief that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) alleges criminal misconduct by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)   the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000; and

 

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

 

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

 

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SECTION 5.03.    Existence; Conduct of Business . Except where the failure would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits material to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

 

SECTION 5.04.    Payment of Obligations . Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay or discharge all Taxes, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) (i) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceeding and (ii) such Loan Party has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP to the extent required or (b) the failure to make payment would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.05.    Maintenance of Properties . Each Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep and maintain all property material and necessary to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except to the extent any failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.06.   Books and Records; Inspection Rights . Each Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries, in all material respects, are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. Each Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, within five (5) Business Days of delivery of the notice referred to below, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and, to the extent the Borrowers are provided prior written notice and the opportunity to participate in such discussion, independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided , however, that unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time such inspection commences, (a) the Borrower shall not be required to pay expenses relating to more than one inspection by the Administrative Agent in any twelve consecutive calendar months and (b) the Borrower shall not be required to pay the expenses of any Lender for any inspection; provided , further, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the reasonable expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours, without advance notice and without limitation as to frequency. The Loan Parties acknowledge that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain Reports pertaining to the Loan Parties’ assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

 

SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. Each Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (i) comply with each Requirement of Law applicable to it or its property (including without limitation Environmental Laws) and (ii) perform in all material respects its obligations under material agreements to which it is a party, except, in each case, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Borrower will, in its reasonable business judgment, maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance, in all material respects, by such Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws applicable to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries and applicable Sanctions.

 

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SECTION 5.08.    Use of Proceeds .

 

(a)       The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will be used only for working capital needs and for general corporate purposes of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, Investments, Acquisitions, Restricted Payments and other transactions not prohibited by the terms of the Loan Documents) and to refinance certain Indebtedness. No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, (i) for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X or (ii) to make any Acquisition other than a Permitted Acquisition and Acquisitions solely among the Company and its Subsidiaries that are not prohibited under this Agreement.

 

(b)       The Borrowers will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and no Borrower shall use, and each Borrower shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (a) 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, (b) 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 (c) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

 

SECTION 5.09.    Accuracy of Information . The Loan Parties will ensure that any written factual information (other than projections, forward-looking statements and information of a general economic nature), including financial statements or other documents, furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), when taken as a whole, contains no material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, when taken as a whole, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that, with respect to the Projections, the Loan Parties will cause the Projections to be prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time prepared.

 

SECTION 5.10.    Insurance . Each Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks as is customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent, upon the written request of the Administrative Agent, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.

 

SECTION 5.11.    Guarantors; Collateral; Further Assurances .

 

(a)   Subject to applicable Requirements of Law, the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries formed or acquired after the date of this Agreement that is a Guarantor to become a Loan Party by executing a Joinder Agreement to the applicable Collateral Document and Guaranty or otherwise executing appropriate Collateral Documents and a Guaranty. Upon execution and delivery thereof, each such Person (i) shall automatically become a Guarantor and thereupon shall have all of the rights, benefits, duties, and obligations in such capacity under the Loan Documents and (ii) will grant Liens to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, in any property of such Loan Party which constitutes Collateral pursuant to the applicable Collateral Documents.

 

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(b) Each Loan Party will execute and deliver Collateral Documents granting a valid and enforceable Lien and security interest, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 6.02, on all present and future accounts, chattel paper, commercial tort claims, deposit accounts, documents, farm products, fixtures, chattel paper, equipment, general intangibles, goods, instruments, inventory, investment property, letter-of-credit rights (as terms are defined in the UCC) and all other personal property of each Loan Party, but not any Excluded Collateral; provided that, with respect to the Secured Obligations of the Company and any other Domestic Loan Party, the lien with respect to Equity Interests of Foreign Subsidiaries and Foreign Subsidiary Holdcos shall be limited to 65% (or, if due to a change in applicable law after the date hereof, such materially greater percentage that (1) could not reasonably be expected to cause the undistributed earnings of such Foreign Subsidiary as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes to be treated as a deemed dividend to such Foreign Subsidiary's U.S. parent and (2) could not reasonably be expected to cause any material adverse tax consequences) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)).

 

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary (to the extent required to make the security interest enforceable or perfect the security interest) to, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative Agent such documents, agreements and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by any Requirement of Law or which the Administrative Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents in all Collateral, all at the expense of the Loan Parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Administrative Agent will not (i) require the delivery of original stock certificates for the Equity Interests of any Immaterial Subsidiary or (ii) make any security interest filings with respect to the intellectual property of the Company or any Domestic Subsidiary in any jurisdictions outside the U.S.

 

(d) If any material assets that constitute Collateral are acquired by any Loan Party after the Effective Date (other than assets constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement that become subject to the Lien under the Security Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the Borrower Representative will promptly (i) notify the Administrative Agent, and, if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, subject to Article XI, cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations and (ii) take, and cause each applicable Loan Party to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (c) of this Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable under any Loan Document shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated (or have been cash collateralized in accordance with Section 2.06), in each case without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

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SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness . No Borrower will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a) the Secured Obligations;

 

(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and any extensions, renewals, refinancings and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) hereof;

 

(c) Indebtedness of the Company to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to the Company or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (ii) Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being agreed that the terms of the Intercompany Subordination Agreement are satisfactory);

 

(d) Guarantees by any Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of any Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01, (ii) Guarantees by any Borrower or other Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (iii) Guarantees of any Loan Party permitted under this clause (d) shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations to the extent that, and on substantially the same terms as, the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is subordinated to the Secured Obligations;

 

(e) Indebtedness of any Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets (whether or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), including Non-Owned IRB Obligations, Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) below; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) below, shall not exceed $40,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f) Indebtedness which represents extensions, renewals, refinancing or replacements (such Indebtedness being so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced being referred to herein as the “Refinance Indebtedness”) of any of the Indebtedness described in clauses (b) , (e) , (i) , (j) , (k) and (t) hereof (such Indebtedness being referred to herein as the “Original Indebtedness”); provided that (i) such Refinance Indebtedness does not increase the principal amount of the Original Indebtedness (other than attributable to the accretion of original issue discount, interest, capitalization of interest or payment premiums in respect of the Indebtedness being refinanced and costs and expenses related thereto), (ii) any Liens securing such Refinance Indebtedness are not extended to any additional property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (iii) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary that is not originally obligated with respect to repayment of such Original Indebtedness is required to become obligated with respect to such Refinance Indebtedness, (iv) such Refinance Indebtedness does not result in a shortening of the average weighted maturity of such Original Indebtedness and (v) if such Original Indebtedness was subordinated in right of payment to the Secured Obligations, then the terms and conditions of such Refinance Indebtedness must include subordination terms and conditions that, when taken as a whole, are at least as favorable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as those that were applicable to such Original Indebtedness;

 

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

 

(h) Indebtedness of any Loan Party in respect of performance bonds, performance and completion guarantees, bid bonds, customs and appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations or obligations in respect of letters of credit related thereto, in each case provided in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i) Subordinated Indebtedness if immediately prior to, and after, the incurrence of such Subordinated Indebtedness (i) no Default exists or would be caused thereby, (ii) such Subordinated Indebtedness shall not have a final maturity earlier than the date that is 181 days after the then current Revolving Credit Maturity Date, and (iii) the weighted average life to maturity, covenants, events of default and other terms are reasonably customary for similar issuances of Subordinated Indebtedness by comparable companies or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(j) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with any Borrower or Subsidiary and Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets, in each case, pursuant to a transaction not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement after the date hereof; provided that such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or at the time of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, as applicable, and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such merger, consolidation or acquisition, as applicable;

 

(k) Indebtedness under the Receivables Securitization Facility in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $200,000,000;

 

(l) Cash Pooling Obligations, provided that Cash Pooling Availability under each Cash Pooling Arrangement shall at all times be in excess of the Cash Pooling Obligations outstanding thereunder;

 

(m) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of any Loan Party or any other Subsidiary;

 

(n) Indebtedness incurred in a Permitted Acquisition or disposition under agreements providing for indemnification, the adjustment of the purchase price or similar adjustments;

 

(o) Indebtedness and other obligations in respect of netting services, overdraft protections and similar arrangements in each case in connection with cash management agreements and deposit accounts in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p) Indebtedness consisting of (A) the financing of insurance premiums or (B) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(q) Indebtedness in respect of any trade letters of credit, warehouse receipts or similar facilities entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(r) Indebtedness of Chinese Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed the Chinese Subsidiary Secured Debt Limitation, provided that such Indebtedness is without any direct or indirect recourse to the Company or any Subsidiary (other than Chinese Subsidiaries);

 

(s) Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $100,000,000, provided that such Indebtedness is without any direct or indirect recourse to the Company or any Domestic Subsidiary; and

 

(t) other unsecured Indebtedness if after immediately prior to, and after, the incurrence of such unsecured Indebtedness (i) the Net Leverage Ratio (on a pro forma basis reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) is at least 0.25 less than the level then required under Section 6.12(a) and (ii) no Default exists or would be caused thereby; provided , however , solely in respect of Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries in an initial principal amount in excess of $50,000,000, (x) the final maturity of such Indebtedness shall not be earlier than the date that is six (6) months after the then current Revolving Credit Maturity Date and the weighted average life to maturity of such Indebtedness shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (y) the financial covenants and events of default to which such Indebtedness is subject shall not be more restrictive in any material respect than the covenants in Section 6.12 and Events of Default hereunder, as determined in the good faith judgment of the Company, unless the Company agrees to amend this Agreement such that the condition described in this proviso would be satisfied.

 

SECTION 6.02. Liens . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including Accounts) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a) Liens securing the Secured Obligations created pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

(b) Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(c) any Lien on any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02 ; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of such Borrower or Subsidiary or any other Borrower or Subsidiary (other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien and (B) and proceeds or products thereof) and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and Refinance Indebtedness thereof permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(f);

 

(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by any Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Liens secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, or the incurrence of the Non-Owned IRB Obligations, (iii) other than with respect to Non-Owned IRBs, the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such Liens shall not apply to any property or assets of any Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and any accessions thereto and the proceeds and products thereof and related property; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross-collateralized to other financings provided by such lender and incurred under clause (e) of Section 6.01;

 

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(e) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party (other than the proceeds or products thereof and after-acquired property subject to a Lien pursuant to terms existing at the time of such acquisition, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition) and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Loan Party, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

(f) Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the UCC in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(g) Liens arising out of Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

(h) Liens arising in connection with the Receivables Securitization Facility;

 

(i) Liens on assets that constitute Principal Property (as defined in the Existing Indenture) and sale and leaseback transactions (as defined in the Existing Indenture) of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case to the extent permitted by the terms of the Existing Indenture (assuming that, at the time of incurrence, such Existing Indenture are in full force and effect);

 

(j) Liens on cash of Subsidiaries on deposit with any Cash Pooling Bank securing Cash Pooling Obligations owed to such Cash Pooling Bank;

 

(k) Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of the Company or another Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness owed by such Subsidiary;

 

(l) (A) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to other Persons (including with respect to intellectual property and software) which do not (1) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (2) secure any Indebtedness for borrowed money or (B) the rights reserved or vested in any Person by the terms of any lease, license, franchise, grant or permit held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by a statutory provision, to terminate any such lease, license, franchise, grant or permit, or to require annual or periodic payments as a condition to the continuance thereof;

 

(m) Liens (A) (1) on advances of cash or cash equivalents in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in Permitted Acquisitions to be applied against the purchase price for such Permitted Acquisition and (2) consisting of an agreement to dispose of any property in a disposition permitted under Section 6.05, in each case solely to the extent such Investment or disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien, and (B) reasonable earnest money deposits of cash or cash equivalents made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted hereunder;

 

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(n) Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statement filings (or similar filings under other applicable Law) in connection with operating leases and other ordinary course transaction and which, in each case, do not relate to any Indebtedness;

 

(o) Liens on cash and cash equivalents on deposit with Lenders and Affiliates of Lenders securing obligations owing to such Persons under any treasury, depository, overdraft or other cash management services agreements or arrangements with the Company or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (A) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (B) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft of similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, including with respect to credit card chargebacks and similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, or (C) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers, suppliers or service providers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(q) non-recourse Liens on Equity Interests in joint ventures which are not Subsidiaries securing obligations of such joint ventures which are not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(r) to the extent constituting Liens, dispositions expressly permitted under Section 6.05;

 

(s) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(t) Liens on assets of Chinese Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(r);

 

(u) Liens on the applicable fixed or capital assets under any Permitted Owned IRB Obligation securing the applicable Permitted Owned IRB Obligations;

 

(v) Liens on assets of Foreign Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(s); and

 

(w) other Liens securing obligations in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding.

 

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes .

 

(a) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (i) any Subsidiary of any Borrower may merge into or consolidate with or liquidate or dissolve into a Borrower in a transaction in which a Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Subsidiary (other than any Borrower) may merge into or consolidate with or liquidate or dissolve into any other Subsidiary, provided that when any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party is merging or consolidating with another Subsidiary, a Loan Party shall be the surviving entity, (iii) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may merge or consolidate with any other Person in order to effect a Permitted Acquisition or an Investment permitted under Section 6.04 so long as the surviving entity is or shall become a Loan Party and, if the Company is involved, the surviving entity is or shall be the Company, and (iv) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrowers determine in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrowers and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.

 

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(b) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on the Second Amendment Effective Date and businesses reasonably related, incidental or complimentary thereto.

 

(c) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to change its fiscal year or any fiscal quarter from the basis in effect on the Second Amendment Effective Date, except to conform the fiscal year or fiscal quarter of a Subsidiary to that of the Company.

 

(d) No Loan Party will change the accounting basis upon which its financial statements are prepared, except to the extent required or permitted by GAAP.

 

SECTION 6.04. Investments and Acquisitions . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make any Investment or Acquisition, except:

 

(a) Permitted Investments;

 

(b) Investments in existence on the date hereof and described in Schedule 6.04 , and any modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof that does not increase the amount thereof;

 

(c) Investments or Acquisitions by the Company and its Subsidiaries in or of Domestic Loan Parties, provided that (i) the payment of any such Investments that are loans and advances owing by any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or owing by any Domestic Loan Party to any Domestic Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or any Foreign Subsidiary shall be subordinated to the payment of the Secured Obligations on terms and by written agreement satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (ii) in any Acquisition involving a Domestic Loan Party, a Domestic Loan Party shall be the surviving entity, provided that if any such Acquisition involves the Company, the Company shall be the surviving entity;

 

(d) Investments or Acquisitions by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in or of the Company or any other Subsidiaries, provided that (i) the payment of any Investments that are loans and advances by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to a Loan Party or owing by any Domestic Loan Party to any Domestic Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or any Foreign Subsidiary shall be subordinated to the payment of the Secured Obligations on terms and by written agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (it being agreed that the terms of the Intercompany Subordination Agreement are satisfactory) and (ii) in any Acquisition involving a Domestic Loan Party, a Domestic Loan Party shall be the surviving entity, provided that if any such Acquisition involves the Company, the Company shall be the surviving entity;

 

(e) so long as no Default exists or would be caused thereby, the Company and its Subsidiaries may make other Investments (including in any Foreign Subsidiary or foreign joint venture) as follows:

 

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(i) without limit under this Section 6.04(e) if the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio is less than 2.50:1.0 after giving effect to such Investment,

 

(ii) in an aggregate amount in any fiscal year of the Company, when added to the Restricted Payments made under Section 6.08(a)(v) in such fiscal year, not to exceed $125,000,000 in such fiscal year if the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio is less than 3.00:1.0 but greater than or equal to 2.50:1.0 after giving effect to such Investment, and

 

(iii) in an aggregate amount in any fiscal year of the Company, when added to the Restricted Payments made under Section 6.08(a)(v) in such fiscal year, not to exceed $50,000,000 in such fiscal year if the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio is greater than or equal to 3.00:1.0 after giving effect to such Investment (and for purposes of this Section 6.04, the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio shall be on a pro forma basis in accordance with Section 1.05 and, if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, supported by a certificate of the Company with such pro forma calculation in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and the amount of all Investments under this Section 6.04(e) shall in each case be determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

 

(f) notes payable, or stock or other securities or other Investments issued by account debtors to a Loan Party or Subsidiary pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to settlement of such account debtor’s Accounts in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practices;

 

(g) Investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

 

(h) Investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company or consolidates or merges with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition), so long as such Investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;

 

(i) Investments received in connection with the disposition of assets permitted by Section 6.05;

 

(j) Investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Encumbrances”;

 

(k) Permitted Acquisitions and any Investment in any Subsidiaries to the extent required to make such Permitted Acquisition, provided that, if any such Permitted Acquisition does not close and an Investment was made by any Loan Party in any Subsidiary (other than a Domestic Subsidiary that is a Guarantor) to close to such Permitted Acquisition, then such Investment shall be promptly returned to such Loan Party;

 

(l) advances to employees, officers and directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to meet expenses incurred by such employees in the ordinary course of business;

 

(m) Investments consisting of endorsements of instruments for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with (1) the bankruptcy or reorganization of any Person and in settlement of obligations of, or disputes with, any Person arising and upon foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment and (2) the non-cash proceeds of any disposition permitted by Section 6.05;

 

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(o) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p) Guarantees by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of leases (other than capitalized leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(q) Investments to the extent the consideration paid therefor consists of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company;

 

(r) Guarantees permitted under Section 6.01;

 

(s) Investments consisting of the licensing or contribution of intellectual property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons;

 

(t) advances to any supplier consisting of prepayments for raw materials purchased for consumption or processing in the ordinary course of business and pursuant to arrangements designed to assure an adequate supply of such raw materials;

 

(u)       the purchase of the Owned IRBs; and

 

(v) Restricted Payments permitted by 6.08, fundamental changes permitted by Section 6.03 and dispositions permitted by Section 6.05.

 

SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will any Borrower permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to another Borrower or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except:

 

(a) sales, transfers and dispositions of inventory sold in the ordinary course of business, sales of scrap, obsolete or worn-out assets or other assets no longer used or useful to the business (including, without limitation, material or equipment and the lapse and transfer of intellectual property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is no longer useful or material to their business);

 

(b) sales, transfers and dispositions of assets to any Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions by a Loan Party to a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be considered an Investment and shall be required to be made in compliance with Section 6.04 and 6.09;

 

(c) sales, transfers and dispositions of Accounts (excluding sales or dispositions in a factoring arrangement) in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;

 

(d) sales, transfers and dispositions of cash, Permitted Investments and other Investments permitted by clauses (i) and (j) of Section 6.04;

 

(e) Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

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(f) dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

(g) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses of real or personal property in the ordinary course of business, in each case that do not materially interfere with the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

 

(h) the termination, surrender or sublease of leases (as lessee), licenses (as licensee), subleases (as sublessee) and sublicenses (as sublicensee) in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i) sales of Accounts, general intangibles, chattel paper, payment intangibles and supporting obligations (as those terms are defined in the UCC), in each case solely to the extent sold, purportedly sold (but re-characterized as financed), transferred, assigned, contributed or otherwise conveyed to the Receivables Securitization Facility;

 

(j) so long as no Event of Default is continuing, sales of Accounts owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries that are owed by foreign account debtors;

 

(k) any sale, transfer or lease of fixed assets which are replaced by comparable fixed assets within 180 days of such sale, transfer or lease; provided that such substitute assets, if owned by a Loan Party, constitute Collateral;

 

(l) any sale, transfer, lease or other disposition of non-core assets, including Equity Interests, acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition after the Effective Date to the extent the Company identified such assets to the Administrative Agent promptly after such Permitted Acquisition;

 

(m) dispositions of Investments in joint ventures, to the extent required by the agreements between the joint venture parties set forth in the applicable joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

 

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

 

(o) the termination of any Swap Agreement;

 

(p) sales, transfers and dispositions of assets described on Schedule 6.05;

 

(q) any like kind exchange of property;

 

(r) any transaction or series of related transactions for which the Company or its Subsidiaries receives aggregate consideration of less than $5,000,000;

 

(s) the sale or transfer of fixed or capital assets to governmental or similar entities required in connection with Owned IRBs to obtain the tax advantage thereof, provided such assets are simultaneously leased back by the Company or a Domestic Subsidiary and title reverts back to the Company or applicable Domestic Subsidiary at the termination of the applicable Owned IRB;

 

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(t) the sale or transfer of fixed or capital assets to governmental or similar entities required in connection with Non-Owned IRBs to obtain the tax advantage thereof, provided such assets are simultaneously leased back by the Company or a Domestic Subsidiary and the Non-Owned IRB Obligations in connection therewith are permitted under Section 6.01(e); and

 

(u) any other sale, lease, license, transfer, assignment or other disposition, provided that (x) immediately before and after any such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (y) the aggregate amount of assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries sold pursuant to this clause (u) in the fiscal quarter in which such transaction occurs and the prior three fiscal quarter period does not, on a pro forma basis, exceed 10% of the Total Assets as shown in the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Sections 5.01(a) and (b) hereof, and (z) solely with respect to a Division Disposition (and in addition to the requirements of clauses (x) and (y)), the aggregate amount of consolidated net sales or consolidated net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to Division Dispositions made pursuant to this clause (u) in the fiscal quarter in which such transaction occurs and the prior three fiscal quarter period do not, on a pro forma basis, exceed either 10% of the consolidated net sales or 10% of the consolidated net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries as reflected in the financial statements referred to in clause (y) above; provided further that (1) if such disposition occurs after the signing of a definitive agreement for such disposition, then the calculations in clause (y) and (z) above shall only be calculated as of the time of the signing of such definitive agreement and (2) if such consolidated net sales with respect to any Division Disposition is less than zero then such amount shall be deemed zero and if such consolidated net income with respect to any Division Disposition is less than zero then such amount shall be deemed zero.

 

provided that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted under this Section 6.05 (other than those permitted between Loan Parties or by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to a Loan Party) shall be made for fair value.

 

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred (a “ Sale and Leaseback Transaction ”), except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by any Borrower or any Subsidiary (a) that is made in connection with the Owned IRBs and permitted under Section 6.05(r), (b) that is made in connection with Non-Owned IRBs and permitted under Section 6.01(e) hereof or (c) (i) that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset, (ii) in respect of which the net cash proceeds received in connection therewith does not exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate for all such Sale and Leaseback Transactions on or after the Second Amendment Effective Date, determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Subsidiaries, and (iii) that is consummated within 180 days after such Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset.

 

SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except Swap Agreements entered into for bona fide hedging purposes and not for speculation.

 

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SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness .

 

(a) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except:

 

(i) the Company may declare and pay Restricted Payments with respect to its Equity Interests or repurchase any of its Equity Interests, in each case payable solely in shares of its common stock, and, with respect to its preferred stock, payable solely in additional shares of such preferred stock or in shares of its common stock,

 

(ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay Restricted Payments ratably with respect to their Equity Interests,

 

(iii) so long as no Default exists or would be caused thereby, the Company may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $7,500,000 during any fiscal year of the Company plus any required Restricted Payments to directors of the Company, pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for directors, management or employees of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries;

 

(iv) so long as no Default exists or would be caused thereby, the Company may make scheduled quarterly dividends in an aggregate amount not to exceed $15,000,000 during any fiscal quarter of the Company, provided , that nothing in this Section 6.08(a)(iv) shall operate to prevent the making of a previously declared Restricted Payment by the Company so long as (i) at the declaration date or execution date, such Restricted Payment was permitted by the foregoing and (ii) such Restricted Payment is consummated within the earlier of 60 days and any date under applicable Law on which such dividend or repurchase must be consummated;

 

(v) so long as no Default exists or would be caused thereby, the Company and its Subsidiaries may make other Restricted Payments as follows:

 

(x) without limit if the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio is less than 2.50:1.0 after giving effect to such Restricted Payment,

 

(y) in an aggregate amount in any fiscal year of the Company, when added to the Investments made under Section 6.04(e) in such fiscal year, not to exceed $125,000,000 in such fiscal year if the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio is less than 3.00:1.0 but greater than or equal to 2.50:1.0 after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, and

 

(z) in an aggregate amount in any fiscal year of the Company, when added to the Investments made under Section 6.04(e) in such fiscal year, not to exceed $50,000,000 in such fiscal year if the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio is greater than or equal to 3.00:1.0 after giving effect to Restricted Payment (and the pro forma Modified Net Leverage Ratio determined under this Section 6.04(e) shall be on a pro forma basis in accordance with Section 1.05 and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, supported by a certificate of the Company with such pro forma calculation in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent);

 

(vi) noncash repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options; and

 

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(vii) Restricted Payments which are not material in the aggregate, the proceeds of which are used by the Company to make cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Interests of the Company.

 

(b) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness or series of related Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $50,000,000 (other than the Secured Obligations), any Subordinated Indebtedness and the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes (collectively, the “Specified Indebtedness”), or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Specified Indebtedness, in each case, of the Company and its Subsidiaries except:

 

(i) payment of Secured Obligations;

 

(ii) payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01, other than payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof;

 

(iii) refinancings of Indebtedness to the extent permitted by Section 6.01;

 

(iv) payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by the terms of Section 6.05; and

 

(v) other prepayments of Indebtedness (other than Subordinated Indebtedness to the extent prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof), provided that immediately before and after giving effect to such prepayment on a pro forma basis, (x) the Net Leverage Ratio is at least 0.25 less than the level then required under Section 6.12(a), and (y) no Default will exist or be caused thereby.

 

SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) transactions that are at prices and on terms and conditions, when taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to such Loan Party or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Loan Parties (or any entity that becomes a Loan Party as a result of such transactions) not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any Investment involving only the Company and its Subsidiaries if permitted by Section 6.04, (d) any Indebtedness solely among the Company and its Subsidiaries permitted under Section 6.01, (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08, (f) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04(l) and (o), (g) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of any Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of such Borrower or any Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, (h) transactions with joint ventures for the Purchase or sale of goods, equipment and services entered into in the ordinary course of business, (i) transaction among Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, (j) transactions permitted by Section 6.03, and (k) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by a Borrower’s board of directors.

 

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SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly enter into, incur or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to any Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by any Requirement of Law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to (x) a sale or other disposition permitted hereunder, (y) a Permitted Acquisition or (z) Owned IRBs or Non-Owned IRBs, (iv) binding on a Subsidiary at the time such Subsidiary first becomes a Subsidiary, so long as such agreements or other arrangements were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary, (v) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures, (vi) imposed by any agreement related to Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, to the extent such restrictions, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, are not more restrictive, taken as a whole, than the restrictions contained in this Agreement, (vii) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest, (viii) are customary provisions restricting assignment or transfer of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business; (ix) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business or (x) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (ix) above; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of the Company, no more restrictive with respect to such Restricted Payment and other payment restrictions than those contained in the Restricted Payment or other payment restrictions prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing and (y) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to (i) restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (ii) customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.

 

SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents . No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness to the extent prohibited by the terms of the subordination agreement or subordination provisions applicable thereto, (b) its Organization Documents to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be adverse to the Lenders in any material manner, and (c) the Receivables Securitization Facility in any manner that is not on reasonable market terms for an comparable asset securitization or, except as set forth in the Intercreditor Agreement, which would impair the Lien of the Administrative Agent or Lenders in the Collateral.

 

SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants .

 

(a) Net Leverage Ratio . The Company will not permit the Net Leverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter, to be greater than 3.25:1.00; provided that, for the twelve month period starting as of the date of any Material Permitted Acquisition, the Net Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 3.50:1.00 as of the last day of any fiscal quarter ending during such twelve month period

 

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(b) Interest Coverage Ratio . The Company will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter, to be less than 3.00:1.00.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Events of Default

 

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

 

(a) the Borrowers shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

(b) the Borrowers shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;

 

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in, or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;

 

(d) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to a Loan Party’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;

 

(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d)), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of (i) 10 days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of Section 5.01, 5.02 (other than Section 5.02(a)), 5.06 or 5.10 of this Agreement or (ii) 30 days, in each case after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of any other Section of this Agreement or of any other Loan Document;

 

(f) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than the Obligations) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount;

 

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(g) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness or Guarantee having an aggregate principal amount of more than the Threshold Amount or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or there occurs under any Swap Agreement an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Agreement) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Agreement as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Agreement) or (B) any Termination Event (as defined in such Swap Agreement) under such Swap Agreement as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is an Affected Party (as defined in such Swap Agreement) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(k) There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments and orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of the potential claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, there is a period of forty-five (45) consecutive days during which the same shall not have been paid, discharged, vacated or stayed, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise;

 

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(l) an ERISA Event or circumstance in respect of any Foreign Pension Plan shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events and circumstance in respect of any Foreign Pension Plan that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, provided that the filing of any Liens by the PBGC shall be deemed to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(m) a Change of Control shall occur;

 

(n) (i) except as permitted by the terms hereof or any applicable Loan Document, any Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Guaranty, or any Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under any Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect, including, but not limited to notice of termination delivered pursuant to any Guaranty or (ii) any Guarantor sends a notice under any applicable Guaranty that it is terminating any of its obligations under such Guaranty;

 

(o) except as permitted by the terms hereof or in the applicable Collateral Document, (i) any Collateral Document shall for any reason (other than as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder) fail to create a valid security interest in any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, or (ii) any Lien on any material portion of Collateral securing any Secured Obligation shall cease to be a perfected, first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Encumbrances), except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from the actions, errors or other acts of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party;

 

(p) except as permitted by the terms of the applicable Loan Document, any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or any Loan Party shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction that evidences its assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms); or

 

(q) Liquidity shall at any time during the 90 day period prior to the maturity date of any Existing Senior Unsecured Notes be less than the amount of the payment due on the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes at such maturity date.

 

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower Representative, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times:  (i) terminate the Commitments, whereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, but ratably as among the Classes of Loans and the Loans of each Class at the time outstanding, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), whereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other Secured Obligations accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers; and in the case of any event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other Secured Obligations accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Required Lenders, increase the rate of interest applicable to the Loans and other Obligations as set forth in this Agreement and exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

 

The Administrative Agent

 

SECTION 8.01. Appointment . Each of the Lenders, on behalf of itself and any of its Affiliates that are Secured Parties and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf, including execution of the other Loan Documents, and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. In addition, to the extent required under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the U.S., each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby grants to the Administrative Agent any required powers of attorney to execute any Collateral Document governed by the laws of such jurisdiction on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s behalf. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (including the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank), and the Loan Parties shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions, other than the rights of the Company in connection with a successor Administrative Agent under Section 8.06. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” as used herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead, such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.

 

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

 

SECTION 8.03. Duties and Obligations . The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and, (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower Representative or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection with any Loan Document, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral or the existence of the Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 8.06. Resignation . Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower Representative. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor (which successor shall be consented to by the Borrower, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, however, if an Event of Default shall exist at such time, no consent of the Borrower shall be required hereunder). If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank (which successor shall be consented to by the Borrower, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, however, if an Event of Default shall exist at such time, no consent of the Borrower shall be required hereunder). Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by its successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrowers and such successor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrowers, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (a) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Collateral Document for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this paragraph (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duly or obligation to take any further action under any Collateral Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any such security interest), and (b) the Required Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, provided that (i) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (ii) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall also directly be given or made to each Lender and each Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article, Section 2.17(d) and Section 9.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (a) above.

 

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SECTION 8.07. Non-Reliance .

 

(a) Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and letters of credit and not investments in a business enterprise or securities. Each Lender further represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any arranger of this credit facility or any amendment thereto or any other Lender and their respective 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 as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder. Each Lender shall, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any arranger of this credit facility or any amendment thereto or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the U.S. securities laws concerning the Borrowers and their Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder and in deciding whether or to the extent to which it will continue as a Lender or assign or otherwise transfer its rights, interests and obligations hereunder.

 

(b) Each Lender hereby agrees that (i) it has requested a copy of each Report prepared by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent; (ii) the Administrative Agent (A) makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the completeness or accuracy of any Report or any of the information contained therein or any inaccuracy or omission contained in or relating to a Report and (B) shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report; (iii) the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, and that any Person performing any field examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and will rely significantly upon the Loan Parties’ books and records, as well as on representations of the Loan Parties’ personnel and that the Administrative Agent undertakes no obligation to update, correct or supplement the Reports; (iv) it will keep all Reports confidential and strictly for its internal use, not share the Report with any Loan Party or any other Person except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this Agreement; and (v) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, (A) it will hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from any action the indemnifying Lender may take or conclusion the indemnifying Lender may reach or draw from any Report in connection with any extension of credit that the indemnifying Lender has made or may make to the Borrower, or the indemnifying Lender’s participation in, or the indemnifying Lender’s purchase of, a Loan or Loans; and (B) it will pay and protect, and indemnify, defend, and hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Administrative Agent or any such other Person as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.

 

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SECTION 8.08. Other Agency Titles . None of the Lenders or their Affiliates identified in this Agreement as a Joint Lead Arranger/Bookrunner, Lead Left Bookrunner, Syndication Agent, or Documentation Agent shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to the relevant Lenders and their Affiliates in their capacities as a Joint Lead Arranger/Bookrunner, Lead Left Bookrunner, Syndication Agent, or Documentation Agent, as applicable, as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.

 

SECTION 8.09. Not Partners or Co-Venturers; Administrative Agent as Representative of the Secured Parties . (a) The Lenders are not partners or co-venturers, and no Lender shall be liable for the acts or omissions of, or (except as otherwise set forth herein in case of the Administrative Agent) authorized to act for, any other Lender. The Administrative Agent shall have the exclusive right on behalf of the Lenders to enforce the payment of the principal of and interest on any Loan after the date such principal or interest has become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

(vi) In its capacity, the Administrative Agent is a “representative” of the Secured Parties within the meaning of the term “secured party” as defined in the UCC. Each Lender authorizes the Administrative Agent to enter into the Intercreditor Agreement and each of the Collateral Documents to which it is a party and to take all action contemplated by such documents. Each Lender agrees that no Secured Party (other than the Administrative Agent) shall have the right individually to seek to realize upon the security granted by any Collateral Document, it being understood and agreed that such rights and remedies may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties upon the terms of the Collateral Documents. In the event that any Collateral is hereafter pledged by any Person as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and deliver on behalf of the Secured Parties any Loan Documents necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties.

 

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SECTION 8.10. Credit Bidding . Credit Bidding. The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including by accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Credit Party is subject, or (b) at any other sale, foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that shall vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) for the asset or assets so purchased (or for the equity interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are issued in connection with such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles and to assign any successful credit bid to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles (ii) each of the Secured Parties’ ratable interests in the Obligations which were credit bid shall be deemed without any further action under this Agreement to be assigned to such vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of closing such sale, (iii) the Administrative shall be authorized to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or equity interests thereof, shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by, and the governing documents shall provide for, control by the vote of the Required Lenders or their permitted assignees under the terms of this Agreement or the governing documents of the applicable acquisition vehicle or vehicles, as the case may be, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 9.02 of this Agreement), (iv) the Administrative Agent on behalf of such acquisition vehicle or vehicles shall be authorized to issue to each of the Secured Parties, ratably on account of the relevant Obligations which were credit bid, interests, whether as equity, partnership, limited partnership interests or membership interests, in any such acquisition vehicle and/or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (v) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of Obligations credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Secured Parties pro rata and the equity interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of such Obligations shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action. Notwithstanding that the ratable portion of the Obligations of each Secured Party are deemed assigned to the acquisition vehicle or vehicles as set forth in clause (ii) above, each Secured Party shall execute such documents and provide such information regarding the Secured Party (and/or any designee of the Secured Party which will receive interests in or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the formation of any acquisition vehicle, the formulation or submission of any credit bid or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such credit bid.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01. Notices .

 

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

 

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(i) if to any Loan Party, to it in care of the Borrower Representative at:

 

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

701 Lima Avenue

Findlay, Ohio 45840

Attention: Vice President and Treasurer

Facsimile: (419) 424-7320

Email: Cooper_Legal@coopertire.com

 

with a copy:

 

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

701 Lima Avenue

Findlay, Ohio 45840

Attention: Vice President and Treasurer

Facsimile: (419) 429-6785

Email: Treasury@coopertire.com

 

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent or the Swingline Lender,

 

(A) in the case of Borrowings to the Company denominated in Dollars, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at:

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Suite IL1-0480

Chicago, IL, 60603-2300

Attention: Dustin Thompson

Fax No: 844-490-5663

Email: jpm.agency.cri@jpmorgan.com

 

(B) in the case of Borrowings denominated in Foreign Currencies or to any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at the address below, and with a copy to the address in clause (A) above:

 

J.P. Morgan Europe Limited

Loans Agency 6th Floor

25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf

London E14 5JP

United Kingdom

Attention: Loans Agency

Facsimile: +44 20 7777 2360

 

(iii) if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as an Issuing Bank, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at:

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

131 South Dearborn Street

Mail Code IL1-0236, Floor 05

Chicago, IL 60603-5506

Attention: Katherine Moses

Fax No: 312-233-2266

Email: katherine.m.moses@jpmchase.com.

 

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(iv) if to any other Lender, including any Lender in its capacity as an Issuing Bank, to it at its address or fax number set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

All such notices and other communications (i) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail shall be deemed to have been given when received, (ii) sent by fax shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient, or (iii) delivered through Electronic Systems to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.

 

(b)       Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by Electronic Systems pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II or to compliance and no Default certificates delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (on behalf of the Loan Parties) may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by Electronic Systems 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 proscribes, all such notices and other communications (i) 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), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) 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, e-mail or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient.

 

(c) Any party hereto may change its address, facsimile number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(d) Electronic Systems .

 

(i)     Each Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar Electronic System.

 

(ii)     Any Electronic System used by the Administrative Agent is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of such Electronic Systems and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or any Electronic System. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “ Agent Parties ”) have any liability to any Borrower or the other Loan Parties, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise), arising out of any Borrower’s, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through an Electronic System, except to the extent of direct or actual damages (but not any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages) as are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party. “ Communications ” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Electronic System.

 

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SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments .

 

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

 

(b)       Except as provided in Section 2.04 with respect to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, Section 2.14(c) or Section 2.25 with respect to an extension of the maturity date, neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Required Lenders or (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto, with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (A) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender), (B) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby (except that (x) any amendment or modification of the financial covenants in this Agreement (or defined terms used in the financial covenants in this Agreement) shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees for purposes of this clause (B) and (y) only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be required to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the rate prescribed in Section 2.13(c)), (C) postpone any scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (D) change Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the manner in which payments are shared, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (E) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (F) change Section 2.20, without the consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (G) release any material Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents), without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), or (H) except as provided in clause (c) of this Section or in any Collateral Document, release all or substantially all of the Collateral without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or any Issuing Bank hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be (it being understood that any amendment to Section 2.20 shall require the consent of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Banks). The Administrative Agent may also amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.04. Any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the Lenders of one or more Classes (but not the Lenders of any other Class), may be effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the requisite number or percentage in interest of each affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time.

 

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(c)       The Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to release any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral (i) upon the termination of all of the Commitments, payment and satisfaction in full in cash of all Secured Obligations (other than Unliquidated Obligations), and the cash collateralization (or receipt of a backstop letter of credit) of all Unliquidated Obligations in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if the Company certifies to the Administrative Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), and to the extent that the property being sold or disposed of constitutes 100% of the Equity Interests of a Subsidiary, the Administrative Agent is authorized to release such Subsidiary from its obligations hereunder and the other Loan Documents, including any Guaranty provided by such Subsidiary, (iii) constituting property leased to a Loan Party under a lease which has expired or been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, (iv) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of such Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article VII or (v) in the event that such Collateral (A) constitutes property of a Subsidiary in the event such Subsidiary ceases to be a Loan Party, (B) constitutes Excluded Collateral or (C) constitute the Equity Interest of a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or a Material Subsidiary. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent will not release any Liens on Collateral without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders or, if required under Section 9.02(b), all of the Lenders (and it is acknowledged and agreed that the Administrative Agent may release any Collateral with such written authorization); provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion, release its Liens on Collateral valued in the aggregate not in excess of $10,000,000 during any calendar year without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders (it being agreed that the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on one or more certificates of the Borrower Representative as to the value of any Collateral to be so released, without further inquiry). Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Secured Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly being released) upon (or obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral. In connection with any release pursuant to this Section, the Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Secured Party to) execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense and without recourse or warranty to or by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such release. Any execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent of documents in connection with any such release shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

 

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(d)       If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of “each Lender” or “each Lender affected thereby,” the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but has not been obtained being referred to herein as a “ Non-Consenting Lender ”), then the Borrowers may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrowers, subject to Article XI, shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non-Consenting Lender by the Borrowers hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent, and the Borrowers (i) to add one or more additional credit facilities (in addition to Incremental Term Loans as provided in Section 2.04) to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Incremental Term Loans and the Revolving Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders (it being understood and agreed that any such amendment (i) in connection with new or increases to the Commitments and/or Incremental Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.04 or (ii) in connection with any extension in accordance with Section 2.25 shall, in any such case, require solely only the consent of the parties prescribed by such Sections and shall not require the consent of the Required Lenders).

 

(f)       Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower Representative only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to (i) integrate any Incremental Term Loans or New Revolving Commitments in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (ii) to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.

 

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SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver .

 

(a)  The Borrowers (subject to Article XI) shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (which shall be limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of one primary counsel, and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for the Administrative Agent) in connection with the syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through an Electronic System) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender (which shall be limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of one primary counsel, and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for the Administrative Agent, and not more than one outside counsel, and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for all of the other Lenders and, solely in the case of an actual or reasonably perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel for each affected Lender) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and any other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit. While an Event of Default exists or if the Borrower Representative agrees in writing, subject to Article XI, all of the foregoing fees, costs and expenses may be charged to the Borrowers as Revolving Loans or to another deposit account, all as described in Section 2.18(c).

 

(b) The Borrowers (subject to Article XI) shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Lender, each Lender and its Affiliate identified as a Syndication Agent, Joint Lead Arranger/Bookrunner, Lead Left Bookrunner or Documentation Agent, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities and related expenses (which shall be limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of one primary counsel, and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for the Administrative Agent, and not more than one outside counsel, and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, for all of the other Lenders and, solely in the case of an actual or reasonably perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel for each affected Lender) incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or a Subsidiary giving rise to any Environmental Liability, or any other Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from (x) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee (or any of its Controlled Related Parties (as defined below)), (y) the material breach by such Indemnitee of its express obligations under this Agreement pursuant to a claim initiated by the Borrower or (z) any disputes solely among Indemnitees and not arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates (other than (A) any proceeding against any Indemnitee solely in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank, Swingline Lender, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent, lead arranger, bookrunner or any other similar role with respect to the credit facility evidenced by this Agreement or (B) arising as a result of an act or omission by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates). As used above, a “Controlled Related Party” of an Indemnitee means (1) any Controlling Person or Controlled Affiliate of such Indemnitee, (2) the respective directors, officers, or employees of such Indemnitee or any of its Controlling Persons or Controlled Affiliates and (3) the respective agents or representatives of such Indemnitee or any of its Controlling Persons or Controlled Affiliates, in the case of this clause (3), acting on behalf of or at the instructions of such Indemnitee, Controlling Person or such Controlled Affiliate; provided that each reference to a Controlled Affiliate in this sentence pertains to a Controlled Affiliate involved in the structuring, arrangement, negotiation or syndication of the credit facility evidenced by this Agreement. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agrees, on behalf of itself and its Controlled Related Party, that any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, respectively, and its Controlled Related Party in connection with a claim or proceeding for which an indemnity claim is made against the Borrower pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be so entered into in good faith and not on an arbitrary or capricious basis. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

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(c) To the extent that any Loan Party fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank (or any Related Party of any of the foregoing) under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank (or any Related Party of any of the foregoing), as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount (it being understood that the Borrowers’ failure to pay any such amount shall not relieve the Borrowers of any default in the payment thereof); provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, penalty, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or any Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.

 

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, no party hereto shall assert, and each party hereto hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, (i) for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), or (ii) on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this paragraph (d) shall relieve any Loan Party of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

 

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

 

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns .

 

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by a Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of (x) any Revolving Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender with a Revolving Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment and (y) all or any portion of an Incremental Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

 

(C) the Issuing Banks, provided that no consent of the Issuing Banks shall be required for an assignment of all or any portion of an Incremental Term Loan, if any; and

 

(D) the Swingline Lender, provided that no consent of the Swingline Lender shall be required for an assignment of all or any portion of an Incremental Term Loan, if any.

 

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

 

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

 

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;

 

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

 

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(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Company, the other Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including federal and state securities laws.

 

(E) unless a Specified Default exists, the assignee may not be a Competitor.

 

For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms “ Approved Fund ” and “ Ineligible Institution ” have the following meanings:

 

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

 

Ineligible Institution ” means a (a) natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender, (c) company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, such company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (i) has been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (ii) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (iii) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business or (d) a Loan Party or a Subsidiary or other Affiliate of a Loan Party.

 

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

 

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

 

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(v) Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section, the tax forms required by Section 2.17(f) and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05, 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

 

(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Banks, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “ Participant ”), other than an Ineligible Institution and, unless a Specified Default exists, other than a Competitor, in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. The Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Sections 2.17(f) and (g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender, except that the information and documentation required under Section 2.17(f)(ii)(D) will be delivered to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.15 or 2.17 with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.

 

Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowers’ request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(d) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

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

 

(e) The Borrowers acknowledge and agree that the Competitor List may be provided to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly provide the Competitor List to each Lender upon the request of such Lender. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility or liability for determining whether any assignee or Participant is a Competitor or otherwise monitoring the Competitor List or enforcing provisions relating to Competitors, and (ii) each Lender that is an assignor under an Assignment and Assumption or selling a Participation shall be solely responsible for determining that the assignee under such Assignment and Assumption or applicable Participant satisfies the requirements relating to Ineligible Institutions and Competitors.

 

SECTION 9.05. Survival . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

 

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

 

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(b) Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept electronic signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent.

 

SECTION 9.07. Severability . Any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any of and all the Secured Obligations held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be unmatured. The applicable Lender shall notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent of such set-off or application, provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such set-off or application under this Section. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

 

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

 

(a) The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws (and not the law of conflicts) of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

 

(b)  Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any U.S. federal or New York state court sitting in New York, New York in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such state court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER AGENT (INCLUDING ANY ATTORNEY) OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

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

 

SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality . Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by any Requirement of Law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (x) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, in each case, other than a Competitor unless a Specified Default exists, or (y) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Loan Parties and their obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower Representative or (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers. For the purposes of this Section, “ Information ” means all information received from the Borrowers relating to the Borrowers or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrowers and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrowers after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

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EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION (AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION 9.12) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWERS, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWERS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWERS, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

SECTION 9.13. Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law . The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of the Board) for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein. Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrowers in violation of any Requirement of Law.

 

SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act . Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act hereby notifies each Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Borrower, which information includes the name and address of such Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Borrower in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

SECTION 9.15. Disclosure . Each Borrower, each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with, any of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.

 

  117  

 

 

SECTION 9.16. Appointment for Perfection . Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable law can be perfected only by possession or control. Should any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) obtain possession or control of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s instructions.

 

SECTION 9.17. Interest Rate Limitation . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “ Charges ”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “ Maximum Rate ”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

 

SECTION 9.18. Marketing Consent . The Borrowers hereby authorize JPMCB and its affiliates (including without limitation JPMorgan Securities LLC) (collectively, the “ JPMCB Parties ”), at their respective sole expense, but without any prior approval by the Borrowers, to publish such tombstones and give such other publicity to this Agreement as each may from time to time determine in its sole discretion. The foregoing authorization shall remain in effect unless the Borrower Representative notifies JPMCB in writing that such authorization is revoked.

 

SECTION 9.19. No Fiduciary Duty, etc . Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its subsidiaries’ understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations hereunder except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Borrowers with respect to the Loan Documents and the transaction contemplated therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, any Borrower or any other person. Each Borrower agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Credit Party is advising any Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. The Borrowers shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to any Borrower with respect thereto.

 

Each Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its affiliates, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrowers and other companies with which the Borrowers may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.

 

  118  

 

 

In addition, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which the Borrowers may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from any Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with the Borrowers in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. Each Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to any Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies.

 

SECTION 9.20. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(vii)       ARTICLE X

 

The Borrower Representative .

 

SECTION 10.01. Appointment; Nature of Relationship . The Company is hereby appointed by each of the Borrowers as its contractual representative (herein referred to as the “Borrower Representative”) hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of the Borrowers irrevocably authorizes the Borrower Representative to act as the contractual representative of such Borrower with the rights and duties expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. The Borrower Representative agrees to act as such contractual representative upon the express conditions contained in this Article X. Additionally, the Borrowers hereby appoint the Borrower Representative as their agent to receive all of the proceeds of the Loans in the Funding Account(s), at which time the Borrower Representative shall promptly disburse such Loans to the appropriate Borrower(s). The Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their respective officers, directors, agents or employees, shall not be liable to the Borrower Representative or any Borrower for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 10.01.

 

  119  

 

 

SECTION 10.02. Powers . The Borrower Representative shall have and may exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to the Borrower Representative by the terms of each thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Borrower Representative shall have no implied duties to the Borrowers, or any obligation to the Lenders to take any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan Documents to be taken by the Borrower Representative.

 

SECTION 10.03. Employment of Agents . The Borrower Representative may execute any of its duties as the Borrower Representative hereunder and under any other Loan Document by or through Authorized Officers.

 

SECTION 10.04. Notices . Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Borrower Representative of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder, refer to this Agreement, describe such Default or Event of Default, and state that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Borrower Representative receives such a notice, the Borrower Representative shall give prompt notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Any notice provided to the Borrower Representative hereunder shall constitute notice to each Borrower on the date received by the Borrower Representative.

 

SECTION 10.05. Successor Borrower Representative . Upon the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative may resign at any time, such resignation to be effective upon the appointment of a successor Borrower Representative. The Administrative Agent shall give prompt written notice of such resignation to the Lenders.

 

SECTION 10.06. Execution of Loan Documents . The Borrowers hereby empower and authorize the Borrower Representative, on behalf of the Borrowers, to (a) execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the Loan Documents and all related agreements, certificates, documents, or instruments as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the Compliance Certificates, Borrowing Requests and Interest Election Request, and (b) execute and deliver any amendments, consents, waivers or other instruments related to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents on behalf of such Borrower and any such amendment, consent, waiver or other instrument shall be binding upon and enforceable against such other Borrower to the same extent as if made directly by such Borrower (but Agent shall be entitled to require execution thereof by all Borrowers). Each Borrower agrees that any action taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, and the exercise by the Borrower Representative of its powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Borrowers.

 

ARTICLE XI

Bifurcation .

 

For the avoidance of doubt, each of the Loan Parties and each of the Credit Parties acknowledges and agrees that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and notwithstanding that the Company and the other Domestic Loan Parties each are jointly and severally liable with certain Foreign Loan Parties for the Obligations of certain Foreign Loan Parties, the Obligations of the Foreign Loan Parties under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents shall be separate and distinct from the Obligations of any Domestic Loan Party, including, without limitation, the Company, and shall be expressly limited to the Obligations of the Foreign Loan Parties. In furtherance of the foregoing, each of the Loan Parties and the Credit Parties acknowledges and agrees that (a) the liability of any Foreign Loan Party for the payment and performance of its covenants, representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be several from but not joint with the Obligations of the Company and any other Domestic Loan Party, (b) the Foreign Loan Parties shall not guarantee any Obligations of the Company or any other Domestic Loan Party, and (c) the Collateral of the Foreign Loan Parties shall not secure or be applied in satisfaction, by way of payment, prepayment, or otherwise, of all or any portion of the Obligations of the Company or any other Domestic Loan Party.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

  120  

 

 

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

 

  COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
   
  By:  
  Name: Ginger M. Jones
  Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

  121  

 

 

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

 

  122  

 

 

  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., individually, and as a Syndication Agent and an Issuing Bank
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  123  

 

 

  PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually, and as a Syndication Agent and an Issuing Bank
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  124  

 

 

  HSBC BANK USA, N.A.,
individually and as a Documentation Agent
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  125  

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

individually and as a Documentation Agent

   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  126  

 

 

 

FIFTH THIRD BANK,

individually and as a Documentation Agent

   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  127  

 

 

 

BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.,

individually and as a Documentation Agent

   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  128  

 

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  129  

 

  

COMMITMENT SCHEDULE

 

Lender   Title   Revolving Commitment  
           
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.   Administrative Agent   $ 67,500,000.00  
Bank of America, N.A.   Syndication Agent   $ 67,500,000.00  
PNC Bank, National Association   Syndication Agent   $ 67,500,000.00  
HSBC Bank USA, N.A.   Documentation Agent   $ 52,500,000.00  
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.   Documentation Agent   $ 52,500,000.00  
Fifth Third Bank   Documentation Agent   $ 32,500,000.00  
BMO Harris Bank, N.A.   Documentation Agent   $ 32,500,000.00  
U.S. Bank National Association       $ 27,500,000.00  
Total       $ 400,000,000.00  

 

Commitment Schedule

 

  

 

  Exhibit 10.2

 

 

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

dated as of February 15, 2018

 

among

 

COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC,
as Seller

 

COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY,
as Servicer

 

THE VARIOUS PURCHASER GROUPS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO,

 

THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO

as LC Participants

 

and

 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Administrator and LC Bank

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE I  
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE PURCHASES 2
     
Section 1.1 Purchase Facility 2
     
Section 1.2 Making Purchases 3
     
Section 1.3 Purchased Interest Computation 5
     
Section 1.4 Settlement Procedures 5
     
Section 1.5 Fees 10
     
Section 1.6 Payments and Computations, Etc. 10
     
Section 1.7 Increased Costs 11
     
Section 1.8 Requirements of Law 11
     
Section 1.9 Funding Losses 12
     
Section 1.10 Taxes 12
     
Section 1.11 Inability to Determine Euro-Rate or LMIR 13
     
Section 1.12 Letters of Credit 13
     
Section 1.13 Issuance of Letters of Credit 14
     
Section 1.14 Requirements For Issuance of Letters of Credit 15
     
Section 1.15 Disbursements, Reimbursement 15
     
Section 1.16 Repayment of Participation Advances 16
     
Section 1.17 Documentation 16
     
Section 1.18 Determination to Honor Drawing Request 17
     
Section 1.19 Nature of Participation and Reimbursement Obligations 17
     
Section 1.20 Indemnity 18
     
Section 1.21 Liability for Acts and Omissions 19
     
Section 1.22 Extension of Termination Date 20
     
ARTICLE II  
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; COVENANTS; TERMINATION EVENTS 20
     
Section 2.1 Representations and Warranties; Covenants 20
     
Section 2.2 Termination Events 21

 

  - i -  

 

 

Table of Contents

(continued)

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE III  
INDEMNIFICATION 21
     
Section 3.1 Indemnities by the Seller 21
     
Section 3.2 Indemnities by the Servicer 22
     
ARTICLE IV  
  ADMINISTRATION AND COLLECTIONS 23
     
Section 4.1 Appointment of the Servicer 23
     
Section 4.2 Duties of the Servicer 24
     
Section 4.3 Lock-Box Account Arrangements 25
     
Section 4.4 Enforcement Rights 25
     
Section 4.5 Responsibilities of the Seller 26
     
Section 4.6 Servicing Fee 26
     
ARTICLE V  
  THE AGENTS 27
     
Section 5.1 Appointment and Authorization 27
     
Section 5.2 Delegation of Duties 28
     
Section 5.3 Exculpatory Provisions 28
     
Section 5.4 Reliance by Agents 28
     
Section 5.5 Notice of Termination Events 29
     
Section 5.6 Non-Reliance on Administrator, Purchaser Agents and Other Purchasers 30
     
Section 5.7 Administrators and Affiliates 30
     
Section 5.8 Indemnification 30
     
Section 5.9 Successor Administrator 31
     
  ARTICLE VI
  MISCELLANEOUS 31
     
Section 6.1 Amendments, Etc. 31
     
Section 6.2 Notices, Etc. 32
     
Section 6.3 Successors and Assigns; Participations; Assignments 32
     
Section 6.4 Costs, Expenses and Taxes 34
     
Section 6.5 No Proceedings; Limitation on Payments 35
     
Section 6.6 GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION 35

 

  - ii -  

 

 

Table of Contents

(continued)

 

    Page
     
Section 6.7 Confidentiality 36
     
Section 6.8 Execution in Counterparts 36
     
Section 6.9 Survival of Termination 36
     
Section 6.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL 36
     
Section 6.11 Sharing of Recoveries 37
     
Section 6.12 Right of Setoff 37
     
Section 6.13 Entire Agreement 37
     
Section 6.14 Headings 37
     
Section 6.15 Purchaser Groups’ Liabilities 37
     
Section 6.16 USA Patriot Act 38

 

  - iii -  

 

 

EXHIBIT I Definitions
   
EXHIBIT II Conditions of Purchases
   
EXHIBIT III Representations and Warranties
   
EXHIBIT IV Covenants
   
EXHIBIT V Termination Events
   
SCHEDULE I Credit and Collection Policy
   
SCHEDULE II Lock-Box Banks and Lock-Box Accounts
   
SCHEDULE III Trade Names
   
SCHEDULE IV Actions and Proceedings
   
ANNEX A Form of Information Package
   
ANNEX B Form of Purchase Notice
   
ANNEX C Form of Assumption Agreement
   
ANNEX D Form of Transfer Supplement
   
ANNEX E Form of Paydown Notice
   
ANNEX F Form of Letter of Credit Application
   
ANNEX G Closing Memorandum

 

  - i -  

 

 

This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of February 15, 2018, among COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as seller (the “ Seller ”), COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (together with its successors and permitted assigns, “ Cooper Tire ”), as initial servicer (in such capacity, together with its successors and permitted assigns in such capacity, the “ Servicer ”), THE VARIOUS PURCHASERS AND PURCHASER AGENTS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS LISTED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO AS LC PARTICIPANTS (in such capacity, together with their successors and assigns in such capacity, the “ LC Participants ”) and PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrator (in such capacity, together with its successors and assigns in such capacity, the “ Administrator ”) and as issuer of Letters of Credit (in such capacity, together with its successors and assigns in such capacity, the “ LC Bank ”).

 

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS. Certain terms that are capitalized and used throughout this Agreement are defined in Exhibit I . References in the Exhibits hereto to the “Agreement” refer to this Agreement, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

The Seller (i) desires to sell, transfer and assign an undivided variable percentage interest in a pool of receivables, and the Purchasers desire to acquire such undivided variable percentage interest, as such percentage interest shall be adjusted from time to time based upon, in part, reinvestment payments that are made by such Purchasers and (ii) may, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, request that the LC Bank issue or cause the issuance of one or more Letters of Credit.

 

This Agreement amends and restates in its entirety, as of the Restatement Date, that certain Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 14, 2007 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to the date hereof, the “ Original Agreement ”), among the Seller, the Servicer, the Purchasers and Purchaser Agents from time to time party thereto and the Administrator. This Agreement does not constitute a novation or replacement of the Original Agreement, but hereby ratifies and reaffirms the Original Agreement as amended and restated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the amendment and restatement of the Original Agreement by this Agreement, (i) the Seller and Servicer shall continue to be liable to each Indemnified Party and Affected Person (as such terms are defined in the Original Agreement) for fees and expenses which are accrued and unpaid under the Original Agreement on the date hereof (collectively, the “Original Agreement Outstanding Amounts”) and all agreements to indemnify such parties in connection with events or conditions arising or existing prior to the effective date of this Agreement and (ii) the security interest created under the Original Agreement shall remain in full force and effect as security for such Original Agreement Outstanding Amounts until such Original Agreement Outstanding Amounts shall have been paid in full. Upon the effectiveness of this Agreement, PNC, as LC Bank, and PNC and each other LC Participant noted on the signature pages hereto shall become a party to this Agreement and each reference to the Original Agreement in any other document, instrument or agreement shall mean and be a reference to this Agreement.

 

In consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained herein, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE PURCHASES

 

Section 1.1            Purchase Facility .

 

(a)          On the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, the Seller may, from time to time before the Facility Termination Date, (i) request that the Purchasers ratably make purchases with regard to the Purchased Interest from the Seller from time to time from the date hereof to the Facility Termination Date in accordance with Section 1.2 . Each purchase requested by the Seller shall be made ratably by the respective Purchaser Groups, and each Purchaser Group’s ratable share of each purchase shall be made and funded (x) if such Purchaser Group contains a Conduit Purchaser and such Conduit Purchaser elects (in its sole discretion) to make and fund such portion of such Purchase, by such Conduit Purchaser, or (y) if such Purchaser Group does not contain a Conduit Purchaser or if the Conduit Purchaser in such Purchaser Group declines (in its sole discretion) to make or fund such portion of such Purchase, by the Related Committed Purchaser in such Purchaser Group and (ii) request that the LC Bank issue or cause the issuance of Letters of Credit, in each case subject to the terms hereof (each such purchase, reinvestment or issuance is referred to herein as a “ Purchase ”). Subject to Section 1.4(b) , concerning reinvestments, at no time will a Conduit Purchaser have any obligation to make a purchase. Each Related Committed Purchaser severally hereby agrees, on the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, to make purchases of and reinvestments in undivided percentage ownership interests with regard to the Purchased Interest from the Seller from time to time from the date hereof to the Facility Termination Date, based on the applicable Purchaser Group’s Ratable Share of each purchase requested pursuant to Section 1.2(a) (and, in the case of each Related Committed Purchaser, its Commitment Percentage of its Purchaser Group’s Ratable Share of such Purchase) and, on the terms of and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the LC Bank agrees to issue Letters of Credit in return for (and each LC Participant hereby severally agrees to make participation advances in connection with any draws under such Letters of Credit equal to such LC Participant’s Pro Rata Share of such draws), undivided percentage ownership interests with regard to the Purchased Interest from the Seller from time to time from the date hereof to the Facility Termination Date; provided , however , that under no circumstances shall any Purchaser make any purchase or reinvestment or issue any Letters of Credit hereunder, as applicable, if, after giving effect to such Purchase, the (i) aggregate outstanding amount of the Capital funded by such Purchaser, when added to all other Capital funded by all other Purchasers in such Purchaser’s Purchaser Group would exceed (A) its Purchaser Group’s Group Commitment (as the same may be reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 1.1(c) ) minus (B) the related LC Participant’s Pro Rata Share of the face amount of any outstanding Letters of Credit or (ii) the aggregate outstanding Capital plus the LC Participation Amount would exceed the Purchase Limit.

 

The Seller may, subject to the requirements and conditions herein, use the proceeds of any purchase by the Purchasers, hereunder, to satisfy its Reimbursement Obligation to the LC Bank and the LC Participants (ratably, based on the outstanding amounts funded by the LC Bank and each such LC Participant) pursuant to Section 1.15 below.

 

(b)          [Reserved].

 

  - 2 -  

 

 

(c)          The Seller may, upon 60 days’ written notice to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent, reduce the unfunded portion of the Purchase Limit in whole or in part (but not below the amount which would cause the Group Capital of any Purchaser Group to exceed its Group Commitment (after giving effect to such reduction)); provided that each partial reduction shall be in the amount of at least $5,000,000, or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and the Purchase Limit shall in no event be reduced below $20,000,000. Each reduction in the Commitments hereunder shall be made ratably among the Purchasers in accordance with their respective pro rata shares. The Administrator shall promptly advise the Purchaser Agents of any notice received by it pursuant to this Section 1.1(c) ; it being understood that (in addition to and without limiting any other requirements for termination, prepayment and/or the funding of the LC Collateral Account hereunder) no such termination or reduction shall be effective unless and until (i) in the case of a termination, the amount on deposit in the LC Collateral Account is at least equal to the then outstanding LC Participation Amount plus the LC Fee Expectation and (ii) in the case of a partial reduction, the amount on deposit in the LC Collateral Account is at least equal to the positive difference between the then outstanding LC Participation Amount and the Purchase Limit as so reduced by such partial reduction.

 

Section 1.2            Making Purchases . (a) Each Funded Purchase (but not reinvestment) of undivided percentage ownership interests with regard to the Purchased Interest hereunder may be made on any day upon the Seller’s irrevocable written notice in the form of Annex B (each, a “ Purchase Notice ”) delivered to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent in accordance with Section 6.2 not later than (i) 2:00 p.m. New York City time on the date that is one Business Day prior to the requested Purchase Date or (ii) solely in the case of a Funded Purchase in an amount less than or equal to $50,000,000, 12:00 p.m. New York City time on the requested Purchase Date, in either case, which notice shall specify: (A) in the case of a Funded Purchase, the amount requested to be paid to the Seller (such amount, which shall not be less than $300,000 (or such lesser amount as agreed to by the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents) and shall be in integral multiples of $100,000, with respect to each Purchaser Group, (B) the date of such Funded Purchase (which shall be a Business Day) and (C) the pro forma calculation of the Purchased Interest after giving effect to the increase in the Aggregate Capital.

 

(b)          On the date of each Funded Purchase (but not reinvestment, issuance of a Letter of Credit of undivided percentage ownership interests with regard to the Purchased Interest hereunder, each applicable Conduit Purchaser or Related Committed Purchaser, as the case may be, shall, upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Exhibit II , make available to the Seller in same day funds, at such account as may be so designated in writing by the Seller to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent from time to time an amount equal to the portion of Capital relating to the undivided percentage ownership interest then being funded by such Purchaser.

 

(c)          Effective on the date of each Funded Purchase or other Purchase pursuant to this Section 1.2 and each reinvestment pursuant to Section 1.4 , the Seller hereby sells and assigns to the Administrator for the benefit of the Purchasers (ratably, based on the sum of Capital plus the LC Participation Amount outstanding at such time for each such Purchaser’s Capital) an undivided percentage ownership interest in: (i) each Pool Receivable then existing, (ii) all Related Security with respect to such Pool Receivables, and (iii) all Collections with respect to, and other proceeds of, such Pool Receivables and Related Security.

 

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(d)          To secure all of the Seller’s obligations (monetary or otherwise) under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, whether now or hereafter existing or arising, due or to become due, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, the Seller hereby grants to the Administrator, for the benefit of the Purchasers, a security interest in all of the Seller’s right, title and interest (including any undivided interest of the Seller) in, to and under all of the following, whether now or hereafter owned, existing or arising: (i) all Pool Receivables, (ii) all Related Security with respect to such Pool Receivables, (iii) all Collections with respect to such Pool Receivables, (iv) (A) the Lock-Box Accounts and all amounts on deposit therein, and all certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time evidencing such Lock-Box Accounts and amounts on deposit therein and (B) the LC Collateral Account and all amounts on deposit therein, and all certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time evidencing such LC Collateral Account and amounts on deposit therein, (v) all rights (but none of the obligations) of the Seller under the Sale Agreement, (vi) all proceeds of, and all amounts received or receivable under any or all of, the foregoing and (vii) all of its other property (collectively, the “ Pool Assets ”). The Seller hereby authorizes the Administrator to file financing statements describing as the collateral covered thereby as "all of the debtor's personal property or assets" or words to that effect, notwithstanding that such wording may be broader in scope than the collateral described in this Agreement. The Administrator, for the benefit of the Purchasers, shall have, with respect to the Pool Assets, and in addition to all the other rights and remedies available to the Administrator and the Purchasers, all the rights and remedies of a secured party under any applicable UCC. The Seller hereby acknowledges and agrees that pursuant to the Original Agreement, the Seller granted to the Administrator a security interest in all of the Seller’s right, title and interest in, to and under the Pool Assets (as defined in the Prior Agreement). The Seller hereby confirms such security interest and acknowledges and agrees that such security interest is continuing and is supplemented and restated by the security interest granted by the Seller pursuant to this Section 1.2(d) .

 

(e)          [Reserved].

 

(f)           The Seller may, with the written consent of the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent (and, in the case of a new related LC Participant, the LC Bank), add additional Persons as Purchasers (either to an existing Purchaser Group or by creating new Purchaser Groups) or cause an existing Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant to increase its Commitment in connection with a corresponding increase in the Purchase Limit; provided , however , that the Commitment of any Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant may only be increased with the prior written consent of such Purchaser. Each new Conduit Purchaser, Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant (or Purchaser Group) shall become a party hereto, by executing and delivering to the Administrator and the Seller, an Assumption Agreement in the form of Annex C hereto (which Assumption Agreement shall, in the case of any new Conduit Purchaser, Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant, be executed by each Person in such new Purchaser’s Purchaser Group).

 

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(g)          Each Related Committed Purchaser’s and related LC Participant’s obligations hereunder shall be several, such that the failure of any Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant to make a payment in connection with any purchase hereunder, or drawing under a Letter of Credit hereunder, as the case may be, shall not relieve any other Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant of its obligation hereunder to make payment for any Funded Purchase or such drawing. Further, in the event any Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant fails to satisfy its obligation to make a purchase or payment with respect to such drawing as required hereunder, upon receipt of notice of such failure from the Administrator (or any relevant Purchaser Agent), subject to the limitations set forth herein, the non-defaulting Related Committed Purchasers or related LC Participants in such defaulting Related Committed Purchaser’s or related LC Participant’s Purchaser Group shall fund the defaulting Related Committed Purchaser’s or related LC Participant’s Commitment Percentage of the related Purchase or drawing pro rata in proportion to their relative Commitment Percentages (determined without regard to the Commitment Percentage of the defaulting Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant; it being understood that a defaulting Related Committed Purchaser’s or related LC Participant’s Commitment Percentage of any Purchase or drawing shall be first put to the Related Committed Purchasers or related LC Participants in such defaulting Related Committed Purchaser’s or related LC Participant’s Purchaser Group and thereafter if there are no other Related Committed Purchasers or related LC Participants in such Purchaser Group or if such other Related Committed Purchasers or related LC Participants are also defaulting Related Committed Purchasers or related LC Participants, then such defaulting Related Committed Purchaser’s or related LC Participant’s Commitment Percentage of such Purchase or drawing shall be put to each other Purchaser Group ratably and applied in accordance with this paragraph (g) ). Notwithstanding anything in this paragraph (g) to the contrary, no Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant shall be required to make a Purchase or payment with respect to such drawing pursuant to this paragraph for an amount which would cause the aggregate Capital of such Related Committed Purchaser or Pro Rata Share of the face amount of any outstanding Letter of Credit of such related LC Participant (after giving effect to such Purchase or payment with respect to such drawing) to exceed its Commitment.

 

Section 1.3            Purchased Interest Computation . The Purchased Interest shall be initially computed on the Restatement Date. Thereafter, until the Facility Termination Date, such Purchased Interest shall be automatically recomputed (or deemed to be recomputed) on each Business Day other than a Termination Day. From and after the occurrence of any Termination Day, the Purchased Interest shall (until the event(s) giving rise to such Termination Day are satisfied or are waived by the Administrator in accordance with Section 2.2 ) be deemed to be 100%. The Purchased Interest shall become zero on the Final Payout Date.

 

Section 1.4            Settlement Procedures .

 

(a)          The collection of the Pool Receivables shall be administered by the Servicer in accordance with this Agreement. The Seller shall provide to the Servicer on a timely basis all information needed for such administration, including notice of the occurrence of any Termination Day and current computations of the Purchased Interest.

 

(b)          The Servicer shall, on each day on which Collections of Pool Receivables are received (or deemed received) by the Seller or the Servicer:

 

(i)           set aside and hold in trust (and shall, at the request of the Administrator, segregate in a separate account approved by the Administrator) for the benefit of each Purchaser Group, out of such Collections, first, an amount equal to the Aggregate Discount accrued through such day for each Portion of Capital and not previously set aside, second, an amount equal to the fees set forth in each Purchaser Group Fee Letter accrued and unpaid through such day, and third, to the extent funds are available therefor, an amount equal to the aggregate of each Purchasers’ Share of the Servicing Fee accrued through such day and not previously set aside,

 

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(ii)          subject to Section 1.4(f) , if such day is not a Termination Day, remit to the Seller, ratably, on behalf of each Purchaser Group, the remainder of such Collections. Such remainder shall, to the extent representing a return on the Aggregate Capital, ratably, according to each Purchaser’s Capital, be automatically reinvested in Pool Receivables, and in the Related Security, Collections and other proceeds with respect thereto; provided , howeve r, that if the Purchased Interest would exceed 100%, then the Servicer shall not reinvest, but shall set aside and hold in trust for the benefit of the Purchasers (and shall, at the request of the Administrator, segregate in a separate account approved by the Administrator) a portion of such Collections that, together with the other Collections set aside pursuant to this paragraph, shall equal the amount necessary to reduce the Purchased Interest to 100%, which amount shall be deposited ratably to each Purchaser Agent’s account (for the benefit of its related Purchasers) on the next Settlement Date in accordance with Section 1.4(c) ; provided , further , that (x) in the case of any Purchaser that is a Conduit Purchaser, if such Purchaser has provided notice (a “ Declining Notice ”) to its Purchaser Agent, the Administrator, and the Servicer that such Purchaser (a “ Declining Conduit Purchaser ”) no longer wishes Collections with respect to any Portion of Capital funded or maintained by such Purchaser to be reinvested pursuant to this clause (ii) , and (y) in the case of any Purchaser that has provided notice (an “ Exiting Notice ”) to its Purchaser Agent of either its refusal, pursuant to Section 1.22 , to extend its Commitment hereunder (an “ Exiting Purchaser ”) then in either case (x) or (y), above, such Collections shall not be reinvested and shall instead be held in trust for the benefit of such Purchaser and applied in accordance with clause (iii) , below.

 

(iii)         if such day is a Termination Day (or any day following the provision of a Declining Notice or an Exiting Notice), set aside, segregate and hold in trust (and shall, at the request of the Administrator, segregate in a separate account approved by the Administrator) for the benefit of each Purchaser Group the entire remainder of such Collections (or in the case of a Declining Conduit Purchaser or an Exiting Purchaser an amount equal to such Purchaser’s ratable share of such Collections based on its Capital; provided , that solely for the purpose of determining such Purchaser’s ratable share of such Collections, such Purchaser’s Capital shall be deemed to remain constant from the date of the provision of a Declining Notice or an Exiting Notice, as the case may be, until the date such Purchaser’s Capital has been paid in full; it being understood that if such day is also a Termination Day, such Declining Conduit Purchaser’s or Exiting Purchaser’s Capital shall be recalculated taking into account amounts received by such Purchaser in respect of this parenthetical and thereafter Collections shall be set aside for such Purchaser ratably in respect of its Capital (as recalculated)); provided , that if amounts are set aside and held in trust on any Termination Day of the type described in clause (a) of the definition of “Termination Day” (or any day following the provision of a Declining Notice or an Exiting Notice) and, thereafter, the conditions set forth in Section 2 of Exhibit II are satisfied or waived by the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents (or in the case of a Declining Notice or an Exiting Notice, such Declining Notice or Exiting Notice, as the case may be, has been revoked by the related Declining Conduit Purchaser or Exiting Purchaser, respectively and written notice thereof has been provided to the Administrator, the related Purchaser Agent and the Servicer), such previously set-aside amounts shall, to the extent representing a return on Aggregate Capital (or the Capital of the Declining Conduit Purchaser or Exiting Purchaser, as the case may be) and ratably in accordance with each Purchaser’s Capital, be reinvested in accordance with clause (ii) on the day of such subsequent satisfaction or waiver of conditions or revocation of Declining Notice or Exiting Notice, as the case may be, and

 

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(iv)         release to the Seller (subject to Section 1.4(f) ) for its own account any Collections in excess, if any, of: (x) amounts required to be reinvested in accordance with clause (ii) or the proviso to clause (iii) plus (y) the amounts that are required to be set aside pursuant to clause (i) , the proviso to clause (ii) and clause (iii) plus (z) the Seller’s Share of the Servicing Fee accrued and unpaid through such day and all reasonable and appropriate out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Servicer for servicing, collecting and administering the Pool Receivables.

 

(c)          The Servicer shall, in accordance with the priorities set forth in Section 1.4(d) , below, deposit into each applicable Purchaser Agent’s account (or such other account designated by such applicable Purchaser or its Purchaser Agent), on each Settlement Date (for any Portion of Investment), Collections held for each Purchaser with respect to such Purchaser’s Portion(s) of Capital pursuant to clause (b)(i) or (f) , plus the amount of Collections then held for the related Purchasers pursuant to clauses (b)(ii) and (iii) of Section 1.4 ; provided , that if Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof is the Servicer, such day is not a Termination Day and the Administrator has not notified Cooper Tire (or such Affiliate) that such right is revoked, Cooper Tire (or such Affiliate) may retain the portion of the Collections set aside pursuant to clause (b)(i) that represents the aggregate of each Purchasers’ Share of the Servicing Fee.

 

(d)          The Servicer shall distribute the amounts described (and at the times set forth) in Section 1.4(c) , as follows:

 

(i)           if such distribution occurs on a day that is not a Termination Day and the Purchased Interest does not exceed 100%, first to each Purchaser Agent ratably according to the Discount accrued during such Yield Period (for the benefit of the relevant Purchasers within such Purchaser Agent’s Purchaser Group) in payment in full of all accrued Discount and Fees (other than Servicing Fees) with respect to each Portion of Capital maintained by such Purchasers; it being understood that each Purchaser Agent shall distribute such amounts to the Purchasers within its Purchaser Group ratably according to Discount, and second , if the Servicer has set aside amounts in respect of the Servicing Fee pursuant to clause (b)(i) and has not retained such amounts pursuant to clause (c) , to the Servicer’s own account (payable in arrears on each Settlement Date) in payment in full of the aggregate of the Purchasers’ Share of accrued Servicing Fees so set aside, and

 

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(ii)          if such distribution occurs on a Termination Day or on a day when the Purchased Interest exceeds 100%, first if Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof is not the Servicer, to the Servicer’s own account in payment in full of the Purchasers’ Share of all accrued Servicing Fees, second to each Purchaser Agent ratably (based on the aggregate accrued and unpaid Discount and Fees (other than Servicing Fees) payable to all Purchasers at such time) (for the benefit of the relevant Purchasers within such Purchaser Agent’s Purchaser Group) in payment in full of all accrued Discount with respect to each Portion of Capital funded or maintained by the Purchasers within such Purchaser Agent’s Purchaser Group, third to each Purchaser Agent ratably according to the aggregate of the Capital of each Purchaser in each such Purchaser Agent’s Purchaser Group (for the benefit of the relevant Purchasers within such Purchaser Agent’s Purchaser Group) in payment in full of each Purchaser’s Capital (or, if such day is not a Termination Day, the amount necessary to reduce the Purchased Interest to 100%) (determined as if such Collections had been applied to reduce the Aggregate Capital); it being understood that each Purchaser Agent shall distribute the amounts described in the first and second clauses of this Section 1.4(d)(ii) to the Purchasers within its Purchaser Group ratably according to Discount and Capital, respectively, fourth , to the LC Collateral Account for the benefit of the LC Bank and the LC Participants (x) the amount necessary to cash collateralize the LC Participation Amount until the amount of cash collateral held in such LC Collateral Account (other than amount representing LC Fee Expectation) equals 100% of the aggregate outstanding amount of the LC Participation Amount) and (y) if such day is a Termination Day of the type described in clause (b) of the definition thereof or a Termination Event is continuing, an amount equal to the LC Fee Expectation at such time (or such portion thereof not currently on deposit in the LC Collateral Account); fifth , if the Aggregate Capital and accrued Aggregate Discount with respect to each Portion of Capital for all Purchaser Groups have been reduced to zero, and the Purchasers’ Share of all accrued Servicing Fees payable to the Servicer (if other than Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof) have been paid in full, to each Purchaser Group ratably, based on the amounts payable to each (for the benefit of the Purchasers within such Purchaser Group), the Administrator and any other Indemnified Party or Affected Person in payment in full of any other amounts owed thereto by the Seller or Servicer hereunder and, sixth , to the Servicer’s own account (if the Servicer is Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof) in payment in full of the aggregate of the Purchasers’ Share of all accrued Servicing Fees.

 

After the Aggregate Capital, Aggregate Discount, fees payable pursuant to each Purchaser Group Fee Letter and Servicing Fees with respect to the Purchased Interest, and any other amounts payable by the Seller and the Servicer to each Purchaser Group, the Administrator or any other Indemnified Party or Affected Person hereunder, have been paid in full, and (on and after a Termination Day) after an amount equal to 100% of the LC Participation Amount and the LC Fee Expectation has been deposited in the LC Collateral Account, all additional Collections with respect to the Purchased Interest shall be paid to the Seller for its own account.

 

(e)          For the purposes of this Section 1.4 :

 

(i)           if on any day the Outstanding Balance of any Pool Receivable is reduced or adjusted as a result of any defective, rejected, returned, repossessed or foreclosed goods or services, or any revision, cancellation, allowance, rebate, discount or other adjustment made by the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller, or the Servicer or any Affiliate of the Servicer, or any setoff or dispute between the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller, or the Servicer or any Affiliate of the Servicer and an Obligor, the Seller shall be deemed to have received on such day a Collection of such Pool Receivable in the amount of such reduction or adjustment and shall immediately pay any and all such amounts in respect thereof to a Lock-Box Account for the benefit of the Purchasers and their assigns and for application pursuant to Section 1.4 ;

 

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(ii)          if on any day any of the representations or warranties in Sections 1(j) or 3(a) of Exhibit III is not true with respect to any Pool Receivable, the Seller shall be deemed to have received on such day a Collection of such Pool Receivable in full and shall immediately pay any and all such amounts to a Lock-Box Account (or as otherwise directed by the Administrator at such time) for the benefit of the Purchasers and their assigns and for application pursuant to this Section 1.4 (Collections deemed to have been received pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) of this paragraph (e) are hereinafter sometimes referred to as “ Deemed Collections ”);

 

(iii)         except as otherwise required by applicable law or the relevant Contract, all Collections received from an Obligor of any Receivable shall be applied to the Receivables of such Obligor in the order of the age of such Receivables, starting with the oldest such Receivable, unless such Obligor designates in writing its payment for application to specific Receivables; and

 

(iv)         if and to the extent the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser shall be required for any reason to pay over to an Obligor (or any trustee, receiver, custodian or similar official in any Insolvency Proceeding) any amount received by it hereunder, such amount shall be deemed not to have been so received by such Person but rather to have been retained by the Seller and, accordingly, such Person shall have a claim against the Seller for such amount, payable when and to the extent that any distribution from or on behalf of such Obligor is made in respect thereof.

 

(f)           If at any time the Seller shall wish to cause the reduction of Aggregate Capital (but not to commence the liquidation, or reduction to zero, of the entire Aggregate Capital) the Seller may do so as follows:

 

(i)           the Seller shall give the Administrator, each Purchaser Agent and the Servicer written notice in the form of Annex E (each, a “ Paydown Notice ”) not later than 2:00 p.m. New York City time on the date that is one Business Day prior to the date of such reduction for any reduction of the Aggregate Capital, and each such Paydown Notice shall include, among other things, the amount of such proposed reduction and the proposed date on which such reduction will commence;

 

(ii)          on the proposed date of commencement of such reduction and on each day thereafter, the Servicer shall cause Collections not to be reinvested until the amount thereof not so reinvested shall equal the desired amount of reduction; and

 

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(iii)         the Servicer shall hold such Collections in trust for the benefit of each Purchaser ratably according to its Capital, for payment to each such Purchaser (or its related Purchaser Agent for the benefit of such Purchaser) on the next Settlement Date (or such other date as agreed to by the Administrator) with respect to any Portions of Capital maintained by such Purchaser immediately following the related current Yield Period, and the Aggregate Capital (together with the Capital of any related Purchaser) shall be deemed reduced in the amount to be paid to such Purchaser (or its related Purchaser Agent for the benefit of such Purchaser) only when in fact finally so paid;

 

provided , that:

 

(A)         the amount of any such reduction shall be not less than $100,000 for each Purchaser Group and shall be an integral multiple of $100,000; and

 

(B)         with respect to any Portion of Capital, the Seller shall choose a reduction amount, and the date of commencement thereof, so that to the extent practicable such reduction shall commence and conclude in the same Yield Period.

 

Section 1.5            Fees . The Seller shall pay to each Purchaser Agent for the benefit of the Purchasers and Liquidity Providers in the related Purchaser Group in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 1.4(d) certain fees in the amounts and on the dates set forth in one or more fee letter agreements, dated the Restatement Date (or dated the date any such Purchaser and member of its related Purchaser Group become a party hereto pursuant to an Assumption Agreement, a Transfer Supplement or otherwise), among the Servicer, the Seller, and the applicable Purchaser Agent, respectively (as any such fee letter agreement may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, each, a “ Purchaser Group Fee Letter ”) and each of the Purchaser Group Fee Letters may be referred to collectively as, the “ Fee Letters ”).

 

Section 1.6            Payments and Computations, Etc .

 

(a)          All amounts to be paid or deposited by the Seller or the Servicer hereunder shall be made without reduction for offset or counterclaim and shall be paid or deposited no later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the day when due in same day funds to the account for each Purchaser maintained by the applicable Purchaser Agent (or such other account as may be designated from time to time by such Purchaser Agent to the Seller and the Servicer). All amounts received after 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) will be deemed to have been received on the next Business Day.

 

(b)          The Seller or the Servicer, as the case may be, shall, to the extent permitted by law, pay interest on any amount not paid or deposited by the Seller or the Servicer, as the case may be, when due hereunder, at an interest rate equal to 2.0% per annum above the Base Rate, payable on demand.

 

(c)          All computations of interest under clause (b) and all computations of Discount, Fees and other amounts hereunder shall be made on the basis of a year of 360 (or 365 or 366, as applicable, with respect to Discount or other amounts calculated by reference to the Base Rate) days for the actual number of days elapsed. Whenever any payment or deposit to be made hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment or deposit shall be made on the next Business Day and such extension of time shall be included in the computation of such payment or deposit.

 

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Section 1.7            Increased Costs . (a) If, after the date hereof, the Administrator, any Purchaser, Purchaser Agent, Liquidity Provider or Program Support Provider or any of their respective Affiliates (each an “ Affected Person ”) determines that any Change in Law affects or would affect the amount of capital required or expected to be maintained by such Affected Person, and such Affected Person determines that the amount of such capital is increased by or based upon the existence of any commitment to make purchases of (or otherwise to maintain the investment in) Pool Receivables or issue any Letter of Credit or any related liquidity facility, credit enhancement facility and other commitments of the same type, then, upon demand by such Affected Person (with a copy to the Administrator), the Seller shall promptly pay such Affected Person, from time to time as specified by such Affected Person, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Affected Person in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Affected Person determines such increase in capital to be allocable to the existence of any of such commitments.

 

(b)          If due to any Change in Law, there shall be any increase after the Restatement Date in the cost to any Affected Person of agreeing to purchase or purchasing, or maintaining the ownership of, the Purchased Interest (or its portion thereof) in respect of which Discount is computed by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR, then, upon demand by such Affected Person, the Seller shall promptly pay to such Affected Person, from time to time as specified by such Affected Person, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Affected Person for such increased costs.

 

(c)          A certificate of an Affected Person setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Affected Person or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in clause (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Seller, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Seller shall pay such Affected Person the amount shown as due on any such certificate on the first Settlement Date occurring after the Seller’s receipt of such certificate.

 

(d)          Failure or delay on the part of any Affected Person to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Affected Person’s right to demand such compensation.

 

Section 1.8            Requirements of Law . If, after the date hereof, any Change in Law:

 

(a)          does or shall subject such Affected Person to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any increase in the Purchased Interest (or its portion thereof) or in the amount of Capital relating thereto, or does or shall change the basis of taxation of payments to such Affected Person on account of Collections, Discount or any other amounts payable hereunder, or

 

(b)          does or shall impose, modify or hold applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan or similar requirement against assets held by, or deposits or other liabilities in or for the account of, purchases, advances or loans by, or other credit extended by, or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of such Affected Person that are not otherwise included in the determination of the Euro-Rate or LMIR hereunder,

 

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and the result of any of the foregoing is: (A) to increase the cost to such Affected Person of agreeing to purchase or purchasing or maintaining the ownership of undivided percentage ownership interests with regard to, or issuing any Letter of Credit in respect of, the Purchased Interest (or interests therein) or any Portion of Capital, or (B) to reduce any amount receivable hereunder (whether directly or indirectly), then, in any such case, upon demand by such Affected Person, the Seller shall promptly pay to such Affected Person additional amounts necessary to compensate such Affected Person for such additional cost or reduced amount receivable. All such amounts shall be payable as incurred.

 

Section 1.9           Funding Losses . The Seller shall compensate each Affected Person, upon written request by such Person for all losses, expenses and liabilities (including any interest paid by such Affected Person to lenders of funds borrowed by it to fund or maintain any Portion of Capital hereunder at an interest rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR and any loss sustained by such Person in connection with the re-employment of such funds), which such Affected Person may sustain with respect to funding or maintaining such Portion of Capital at the Euro-Rate or LMIR if, for any reason, at the applicable request by the Seller to fund or maintain such Portion of Capital at an interest rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate does not occur on a date specified therefor.

 

Section 1.10          Taxes . The Seller agrees that:

 

Any and all payments by the Seller under this Agreement and any other Transaction Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any and all current or future taxes, stamp or other taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto (all such taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as “ Taxes ”). If the Seller shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder to any Purchaser, any Liquidity Provider, Program Support Provider or the Administrator, then the sum payable shall be increased by the amount necessary to yield to such Person (after payment of all Taxes) an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made.

 

Whenever any Taxes are payable by the Seller, as promptly as possible thereafter, the Seller shall send to the Administrator for its own account or for the account of any Purchaser or any Liquidity Provider or other Program Support Provider, as the case may be, a certified copy of an original official receipt showing payment thereof or such other evidence of such payment as may be available to the Seller and acceptable to the taxing authorities having jurisdiction over such Person. If the Seller fails to pay any Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority or fails to remit to the Administrator the required receipts or other required documentary evidence, the Seller shall indemnify the Administrator and/or any other Affected Person, as applicable, for any incremental taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by such party as a result of any such failure.

 

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Section 1.11          Inability to Determine Euro-Rate or LMIR. (a) If the Administrator (or any Purchaser Agent) determines before the first day of any Yield Period (or solely with respect to LMIR, on any day) (which determination shall be final and conclusive) that, by reason of circumstances affecting the interbank eurodollar market generally, (i) deposits in dollars (in the relevant amounts for such Yield Period) are not being offered to banks in the interbank eurodollar market for such Yield Period, (ii) adequate means do not exist for ascertaining the Euro-Rate or LMIR for such Yield Period (or portion thereof) or (iii) the Euro-Rate or LMIR does not accurately reflect the cost to any Purchaser (as determined by the related Purchaser or the applicable Purchaser Agent) of maintaining any Portion of Capital during such Yield Period (or portion thereof), then the Administrator shall give notice thereof to the Seller. Thereafter, until the Administrator or such Purchaser Agent notifies the Seller that the circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist, (a) no Portion of Capital shall be funded at the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR and (b) the Discount for any outstanding Portions of Capital then funded at the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR shall, on the last day of the then current Yield Period (or solely with respect to LMIR, immediately), be converted to the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Base Rate.

 

(b)          If, on or before the first day of any Yield Period (or solely with respect to LMIR, on any day), the Administrator shall have been notified by any Affected Person that such Affected Person has determined (which determination shall be final and conclusive) that any Change in Law or compliance by such Affected Person with any Change in Law shall make it unlawful or impossible for such Affected Person to fund or maintain any Portion of Capital at the Yield Rate and based upon the Euro-Rate or LMIR, the Administrator shall notify the Seller thereof. Upon receipt of such notice, until the Administrator notifies the Seller that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer apply, (a) no Portion of Capital shall be funded at the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR and (b) the Discount for any outstanding Portions of Capital then funded at the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR shall be converted to the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Base Rate either (i) on the last day of the then current Yield Period (or solely with respect to LMIR, immediately) if such Affected Person may lawfully continue to maintain such Portion of Capital at the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR to such day, or (ii) immediately, if such Affected Person may not lawfully continue to maintain such Portion of Capital at the Yield Rate determined by reference to the Euro-Rate or LMIR to such day.

 

Section 1.12          Letters of Credit.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and the satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Exhibit II , the LC Bank shall issue or cause the issuance of Letters of Credit (“ Letters of Credit ”) on behalf of the Seller (and, if applicable, on behalf of, or for the account of, an Originator); provided , however , that, for the avoidance of doubt, the LC Bank’s obligation to issue a Letter of Credit shall be subject in all respects to the limitations set forth in the last sentence of the first paragraph of Section 1.1(a) . Discount shall accrue on all amounts drawn under Letters of Credit for each day on and after the applicable Drawing Date so long as such drawn amounts shall have not been reimbursed to the LC Bank pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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Section 1.13          Issuance of Letters of Credit.

 

(a)          The Seller may request the LC Bank, upon two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice submitted on or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, to issue a Letter of Credit by delivering to the Administrator a Letter of Credit Application (the “ Letter of Credit Application ”), substantially in the form of Annex F hereto and a Purchase Notice, in the form of Annex B hereto, in each case completed to the satisfaction of the Administrator and the LC Bank, and such other certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Administrator may reasonably request. The Seller also has the right to give instructions and make agreements with respect to any Letter of Credit Application and the disposition of documents, and to agree with the Administrator upon any amendment, extension or renewal of any Letter of Credit.

 

(b)          Each Letter of Credit shall, among other things, (i) provide for the payment of sight drafts or other written demands for payment when presented for honor thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof and when accompanied by the documents described therein and (ii) have an expiry date not later than the date that is twelve (12) months after such Letter of Credit’s date of issuance, extension or renewal, as the case may be, and in no event later than the date that is twelve (12) months after the Facility Termination Date. The terms of each Letter of Credit may include customary “evergreen” provisions providing that such Letter of Credit’s expiry date shall automatically be extended for additional periods not to exceed twelve (12) months unless, not less than thirty (30) days (or such longer period as may be specified in such Letter of Credit) (the “ Notice Date ”) prior to the applicable expiry date, the LC Bank delivers written notice to the beneficiary thereof declining such extension; provided , however , that if (x) any such extension would cause the expiry date of such Letter of Credit to occur after the date that is twelve (12) months after the Facility Termination Date or (y) the LC Bank determines that any condition precedent (including, without limitation, those set forth in S ection 1.1(a) or Exhibit II ) to issuing such Letter of Credit hereunder are not satisfied (other than any such condition requiring the Seller to submit an Issuance Notice or Letter of Credit Application in respect thereof), then the LC Bank, in the case of clause (x) above, may (or at the written direction of any LC Participant, shall) or, in the case of clause (y) above, shall, use reasonable efforts in accordance with (and to the extent permitted by) the terms of such Letter of Credit to prevent the extension of such expiry date (including notifying the Seller and the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit in writing prior to the Notice Date that such expiry date will not be so extended). Each Letter of Credit shall be subject either to the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (2007 Revision), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600, and any amendments or revisions thereof adhered to by the LC Bank or the International Standby Practices (ISP98-International Chamber of Commerce Publication Number 590), and any amendments or revisions thereof adhered to by the LC Bank, as determined by the LC Bank.

 

(c)          Immediately upon the issuance by the LC Bank of any Letter of Credit (or any amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof), the LC Bank shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each LC Participant, and each LC Participant shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from the LC Bank, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation, to the extent of such LC Participant’s Pro Rata Share, in such Letter of Credit, each drawing made thereunder and the obligations of the Seller hereunder with respect thereto, and any security therefor or guaranty pertaining thereto. Upon any change in the Commitments or Pro Rata Shares of the LC Participants pursuant to this Agreement, it is hereby agreed that, with respect to all outstanding Letters of Credit and unreimbursed drawings thereunder, there shall be an automatic adjustment to the participations pursuant to this Section 1.13(c) to reflect the new Pro Rata Shares of the assignor and assignee LC Participant or of all LC Participants with Commitments, as the case may be. In the event that the LC Bank makes any payment under any Letter of Credit and the Seller shall not have reimbursed such amount in full to the LC Bank pursuant to Section 1.15(a) , each LC Participant shall be obligated to make Participation Advances with respect to such Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 1.15(b) .

 

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Section 1.14          Requirements For Issuance of Letters of Credit.

 

The Seller shall authorize and direct the LC Bank to name the Seller or any Originator as the “Applicant” or “Account Party” of each Letter of Credit.

 

Section 1.15          Disbursements, Reimbursement.

 

(a)          In the event of any request for a drawing under a Letter of Credit by the beneficiary or transferee thereof, the LC Bank will promptly notify the Administrator and the Seller of such request. Provided that it shall have received such notice, the Seller shall reimburse (such obligation to reimburse the LC Bank shall sometimes be referred to as a “ Reimbursement Obligation ”) the LC Bank prior to 12:00 p.m., New York City time on the first Business Day after the date that an amount is paid by the LC Bank under any Letter of Credit (each such date, a “ Drawing Date ”) in an amount equal to the amount so paid by the LC Bank. In the event the Seller fails to reimburse the LC Bank for the full amount of any drawing under any Letter of Credit by 12:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Drawing Date (including because the conditions precedent to a Purchase requested by the Seller pursuant to Section 1.2 shall not have been satisfied), the LC Bank will promptly notify each LC Participant thereof. Any notice given by the LC Bank pursuant to this Section may be oral if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

(b)          Each LC Participant shall upon any notice pursuant to clause (a) above make available to the LC Bank an amount in immediately available funds equal to its Pro Rata Share of the amount of the drawing (a “ Participation Advance ”), whereupon the LC Participants shall each be deemed to have made a Purchase in that amount. If any LC Participant so notified fails to make available to the LC Bank the amount of such LC Participant’s Pro Rata Share of such amount by no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time on the Drawing Date, then interest shall accrue on such LC Participant’s obligation to make such payment, from the Drawing Date to the date on which such LC Participant makes such payment (i) at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate during the first three days following the Drawing Date and (ii) at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate on and after the fourth day following the Drawing Date. The LC Bank will promptly give notice of the occurrence of the Drawing Date, but failure of the LC Bank to give any such notice on the Drawing Date or in sufficient time to enable any LC Participant to effect such payment on such date shall not relieve such LC Participant from its obligation under this clause (b). Each LC Participant’s Commitment shall continue until the last to occur of any of the following events: (A) the LC Bank ceases to be obligated to issue or cause to be issued Letters of Credit hereunder; (B) no Letter of Credit issued hereunder remains outstanding and uncancelled or (C) all Persons (other than the Seller) have been fully reimbursed for all payments made under or relating to Letters of Credit.

 

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Section 1.16          Repayment of Participation Advances.

 

(a)          Upon (and only upon) receipt by the LC Bank for its account of immediately available funds from or for the account of the Seller (i) in reimbursement of any payment made by the LC Bank under a Letter of Credit with respect to which any LC Participant has made a Participation Advance to the LC Bank or (ii) in payment of Discount on the Purchases made or deemed to have been made in connection with any such draw, the LC Bank (or the Administrator on its behalf) will pay to each LC Participant, ratably (based on the outstanding drawn amounts funded by each such LC Participant in respect of such Letter of Credit), in the same funds as those received by the LC Bank; it being understood , that the LC Bank shall retain a ratable amount of such funds that were not the subject of any payment in respect of such Letter of Credit by any LC Participant.

 

(b)          If the LC Bank is required at any time to return to the Seller, or to a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian, or any official in any Insolvency Proceeding, any portion of the payments made by the Seller to the LC Bank pursuant to this Agreement in reimbursement of a payment made under the Letter of Credit or interest or fee thereon, each LC Participant shall, on demand of the LC Bank, forthwith return to the LC Bank the amount of its Pro Rata Share of any amounts so returned by the LC Bank plus interest at the Federal Funds Rate, from the date the payment was first made to such LC Participant through, but not including, the date the payment is returned by such LC Participant.

 

(c)          If any Letters of Credit are outstanding and undrawn on the Facility Termination Date, the LC Collateral Account shall be funded from Collections (or, in the Seller’s sole discretion, by other funds available to the Seller) in an amount equal to the aggregate undrawn face amount of such Letters of Credit plus all related fees to accrue through the stated expiration dates thereof (such fees to accrue, as reasonably estimated by the LC Bank, the “ LC Fee Expectation ”).

 

Section 1.17          Documentation.

 

The Seller agrees to be bound by the terms of the Letter of Credit Application and by the LC Bank’s interpretations of any Letter of Credit issued for the Seller and by the LC Bank’s written regulations and customary practices relating to letters of credit, though the LC Bank’s interpretation of such regulations and practices may be different from the Seller’s own. In the event of a conflict between the Letter of Credit Application and this Agreement, this Agreement shall govern. The LC Bank shall not be liable for any error, negligence and/or mistakes, whether of omission or commission, in following the Seller’s instructions or those contained in the Letters of Credit or any modifications, amendments or supplements thereto except to the extent resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the LC Bank. In addition to any other fees or expenses owing under the Fee Letter or any other Transaction Document or otherwise pursuant to any Letter of Credit Application, the Seller shall pay to the LC Bank for its own account any customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the LC Bank relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees shall be due and payable upon demand and shall be nonrefundable.

 

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Section 1.18          Determination to Honor Drawing Request.

 

(a)          In determining whether to honor any request for drawing under any Letter of Credit by the beneficiary thereof, the LC Bank shall be responsible only to determine that the documents and certificates required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been delivered and that they comply on their face with the requirements of such Letter of Credit and that any other drawing condition appearing on the face of such Letter of Credit has been satisfied in the manner so set forth.

 

Section 1.19          Nature of Participation and Reimbursement Obligations.

 

Each LC Participant’s obligation in accordance with this Agreement to make Participation Advances as a result of a drawing under a Letter of Credit, and the obligations of the Seller to reimburse the LC Bank upon a draw under a Letter of Credit, shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Article I under all circumstances, including the following circumstances:

 

(a)          any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such LC Participant may have against the LC Bank, the Administrator, the Purchasers, the Purchaser Agents, the Seller or any other Person for any reason whatsoever;

 

(b)          the failure of the Seller or any other Person to comply with the conditions set forth in this Agreement for the making of a purchase, reinvestments, requests for Letters of Credit or otherwise, it being acknowledged that such conditions are not required for the making of Participation Advances hereunder;

 

(c)          any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which Seller or any Originator on behalf of which a Letter of Credit has been issued may have against the LC Bank, the Administrator, any Purchaser, or any other Person for any reason whatsoever;

 

(d)          any claim of breach of warranty that might be made by the Seller, the LC Bank or any LC Participant against the beneficiary of a Letter of Credit, or the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right which the Seller, the LC Bank or any LC Participant may have at any time against a beneficiary, any successor beneficiary or any transferee of any Letter of Credit or the proceeds thereof (or any Persons for whom any such transferee may be acting), the LC Bank, any LC Participant, the Purchasers or Purchaser Agents or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transaction (including any underlying transaction between the Seller or any Subsidiaries of the Seller or any Affiliates of the Seller and the beneficiary for which any Letter of Credit was procured);

 

(e)          the lack of power or authority of any signer of, or lack of validity, sufficiency, accuracy, enforceability or genuineness of, any draft, demand, instrument, certificate or other document presented under any Letter of Credit, or any such draft, demand, instrument, certificate or other document proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid, defective or insufficient in any respect (other than any defect or insufficiency appearing on the face of such document) or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, even if the Administrator or the LC Bank has been notified thereof;

 

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(f)           payment by the LC Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a demand, draft or certificate or other document which does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit other than as a result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the LC Bank;

 

(g)          the solvency of, or any acts or omissions by, any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit, or any other Person having a role in any transaction or obligation relating to a Letter of Credit, or the existence, nature, quality, quantity, condition, value or other characteristic of any property or services relating to a Letter of Credit;

 

(h)          any failure by the LC Bank or any of the LC Bank’s Affiliates to issue any Letter of Credit in the form requested by the Seller, unless the LC Bank has received written notice from the Seller of such failure within three Business Days after the LC Bank shall have furnished the Seller a copy of such Letter of Credit and such error is material and no drawing has been made thereon prior to receipt of such notice;

 

(i)           any Material Adverse Effect on the Seller, any Originator or any Affiliates thereof;

 

(j)           any breach of this Agreement or any Transaction Document by any party thereto;

 

(k)          the occurrence or continuance of an Insolvency Proceeding with respect to the Seller, any Originator or any Affiliate thereof;

 

(l)           the fact that a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(m)         the fact that this Agreement or the obligations of Seller or Servicer hereunder shall have been terminated; and

 

(n)          any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.

 

Section 1.20          Indemnity.

 

In addition to other amounts payable hereunder, the Seller hereby agrees to protect, indemnify, pay and save harmless the Administrator, the LC Bank, each LC Participant and any of the LC Bank’s Affiliates that have issued a Letter of Credit from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, damages, taxes, penalties, interest, judgments, losses, costs, charges and expenses (including Attorney Costs) which the Administrator, the LC Bank, any LC Participant or any of their respective Affiliates may incur or be subject to as a consequence, direct or indirect, of the issuance of any Letter of Credit, other than as a result of (a) the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party to be indemnified as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (b) the wrongful dishonor by the LC Bank of a proper demand for payment made under any Letter of Credit, except if such dishonor resulted from any act or omission, whether rightful or wrongful, of any present or future de jure or de facto Governmental Authority (all such acts or omissions herein called “Governmental Acts”).

 

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Section 1.21          Liability for Acts and Omissions.

 

As between the Seller, on the one hand, and the Administrator, the LC Bank, the LC Participants, the Purchasers and the Purchaser Agents, on the other, the Seller assumes all risks of the acts and omissions of, or misuse of any Letter of Credit by, the respective beneficiaries of such Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the respective foregoing, none of the Administrator, the LC Bank, the LC Participants, the Purchasers or the Purchaser Agents shall be responsible for: (i) the form, validity, sufficiency, accuracy, genuineness or legal effect of any document submitted by any party in connection with the application for an issuance of any such Letter of Credit, even if it should in fact prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate, fraudulent or forged; (ii) the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any such Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason; (iii) the failure of the beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit, or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred, to comply fully with any conditions required in order to draw upon such Letter of Credit or any other claim of the Seller against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit, or any such transferee, or any dispute between or among the Seller and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any such transferee; (iv) errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or delivery of any messages, by mail, e-mail, cable, telegraph, telex or otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (v) errors in interpretation of technical terms; (vi) any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under any such Letter of Credit or of the proceeds thereof; (vii) the misapplication by the beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit of the proceeds of any drawing under such Letter of Credit; or (viii) any consequences arising from causes beyond the control of the Administrator, the LC Bank, the LC Participants, the Purchasers and the Purchaser Agents, including any Governmental Acts, and none of the above shall affect or impair, or prevent the vesting of, any of the LC Bank’s rights or powers hereunder. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall relieve the LC Bank from liability for its gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with actions or omissions described in such clauses (i) through (viii) of such sentence. In no event shall the Administrator, the LC Bank, the LC Participants, the Purchasers or the Purchaser Agents or their respective Affiliates, be liable to the Seller or any other Person for any indirect, consequential, incidental, punitive, exemplary or special damages or expenses (including without limitation Attorney Costs), or for any damages resulting from any change in the value of any property relating to a Letter of Credit.

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator, the LC Bank, the LC Participants, the Purchasers and the Purchaser Agents and each of its Affiliates (i) may rely on any written communication believed in good faith by such Person to have been authorized or given by or on behalf of the applicant for a Letter of Credit; (ii) may honor any presentation if the documents presented appear on their face to comply with the terms and conditions of the relevant Letter of Credit; (iii) may honor a previously dishonored presentation under a Letter of Credit, whether such dishonor was pursuant to a court order, to settle or compromise any claim of wrongful dishonor, or otherwise, and shall be entitled to reimbursement to the same extent as if such presentation had initially been honored, together with any interest paid by the LC Bank or its Affiliates; (iv) may honor any drawing that is payable upon presentation of a statement advising negotiation or payment, upon receipt of such statement (even if such statement indicates that a draft or other document is being delivered separately), and shall not be liable for any failure of any such draft or other document to arrive, or to conform in any way with the relevant Letter of Credit; (v) may pay any paying or negotiating bank claiming that it rightfully honored under the laws or practices of the place where such bank is located; and (vi) may settle or adjust any claim or demand made on the Administrator, the LC Bank, the LC Participants, the Purchasers or the Purchaser Agents or their respective Affiliates, in any way related to any order issued at the applicant’s request to an air carrier, a letter of guarantee or of indemnity issued to a carrier or any similar document (each an “Order”) and may honor any drawing in connection with any Letter of Credit that is the subject of such Order, notwithstanding that any drafts or other documents presented in connection with such Letter of Credit fail to conform in any way with such Letter of Credit.

 

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In furtherance and extension and not in limitation of the specific provisions set forth above, any action taken or omitted by the LC Bank under or in connection with any Letter of Credit issued by it or any documents and certificates delivered thereunder, if taken or omitted in good faith and without gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, shall not put the LC Bank under any resulting liability to the Seller, any LC Participant or any other Person.

 

Section 1.22          Extension of Termination Date . For each of the first three years after the Restatement Date, the Seller may request the extension of the Facility Termination Date for an additional three hundred and sixty-four (364) days from the Facility Termination Date then in effect by providing written notice to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent; provided such request is made not more than 120 days prior to, and not less than 90 days prior to, the then current Facility Termination Date. In the event that the Purchasers are all agreeable to such extension, the Administrator shall so notify the Seller in writing ( it being understood that the Purchasers may accept or decline such a request in their sole discretion and on such terms as they may elect) not less than 30 days prior to the then current Facility Termination Date and the Seller, the Servicer, the Administrator, the Purchaser Agents and the Purchasers shall enter into such documents as the Purchasers may deem necessary or appropriate to reflect such extension, and all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Purchasers, the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents in connection therewith (including reasonable Attorney Costs) shall be paid by the Seller. In the event any Purchaser declines the request for such extension, such Purchaser (or the applicable Purchaser Agent on its behalf) shall so notify the Administrator and the Administrator shall so notify the Seller of such determination; provided , however , that the failure of the Administrator to notify the Seller of the determination to decline such extension shall not affect the understanding and agreement that the applicable Purchasers shall be deemed to have refused to grant the requested extension in the event the Administrator fails to affirmatively notify the Seller, in writing, of their agreement to accept the requested extension.

 

ARTICLE II

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; COVENANTS;
TERMINATION EVENTS

 

Section 2.1            Representations and Warranties; Covenants . Each of the Seller and the Servicer hereby makes the representations and warranties, and hereby agrees to perform and observe the covenants, applicable to it set forth in Exhibits III and IV , respectively.

 

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Section 2.2            Termination Events . If any of the Termination Events set forth in Exhibit V shall occur, the Administrator may (with the consent of the Majority Purchaser Agents) or shall (at the direction of the Majority Purchaser Agents), by notice to the Seller, declare the Facility Termination Date to have occurred (in which case the Facility Termination Date shall be deemed to have occurred); provided , that automatically upon the occurrence of any event (without any requirement for the passage of time or the giving of notice) described in paragraph (f) of Exhibit V , the Facility Termination Date shall occur. Upon any such declaration, occurrence or deemed occurrence of the Facility Termination Date, the Administrator, each Purchaser Agent and each Purchaser shall have, in addition to the rights and remedies that they may have under this Agreement, all other rights and remedies provided after default under the UCC and under other applicable law, which rights and remedies shall be cumulative.

 

ARTICLE III

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 3.1            Indemnities by the Seller . Without limiting any other rights any such Person may have hereunder or under applicable law, the Seller hereby indemnifies and holds harmless, on an after-tax basis, the Administrator, each Purchaser Agent, each Liquidity Provider, each Program Support Provider and each Purchaser and their respective officers, directors, agents and employees (each an “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any and all damages, losses, claims, liabilities, penalties, Taxes, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs) (all of the foregoing collectively, the “ Indemnified Amounts ”) at any time imposed on or incurred by any Indemnified Party arising out of or otherwise relating to any Transaction Document, the transactions contemplated thereby or the acquisition of any portion of the Purchased Interest, or any action taken or omitted by any of the Indemnified Parties (including any action taken by the Administrator as attorney-in-fact for the Seller or any Originator hereunder or under any other Transaction Document), whether arising by reason of the acts to be performed by the Seller hereunder or otherwise, excluding only Indemnified Amounts to the extent (a) a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holds that such Indemnified Amounts resulted from gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Indemnified Party seeking indemnification, (b) due to the credit risk of the Obligor and for which reimbursement would constitute recourse to any Originator, the Seller or the Servicer for uncollectible Receivables or (c) such Indemnified Amounts include Taxes imposed or based on, or measured by, the gross or net income or receipts of such Indemnified Party by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Indemnified Party is organized (or any political subdivision thereof); provided , however , that nothing contained in this sentence shall limit the liability of the Seller or the Servicer or limit the recourse of any Indemnified Party to the Seller or the Servicer for any amounts otherwise specifically provided to be paid by the Seller or the Servicer hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing indemnification, but subject to the limitations set forth in clauses (a) , (b) and (c) of the previous sentence, the Seller shall indemnify each Indemnified Party for Amounts (including losses in respect of uncollectible Receivables, regardless, for purposes of these specific matters, whether reimbursement therefor would constitute recourse to the Seller or the Servicer) relating to or resulting from:

 

(i)           any representation or warranty made by the Seller (or any employee or agent of the Seller) under or in connection with this Agreement, any Information Package or any other information or report delivered by or on behalf of the Seller pursuant hereto, which shall have been false or incorrect in any respect when made or deemed made;

 

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(ii)          the failure by the Seller to comply with any applicable law, rule or regulation related to any Receivable, or the nonconformity of any Receivable with any such applicable law, rule or regulation;

 

(iii)         the failure of the Seller to vest and maintain vested in the Administrator, for the benefit of the Purchasers, a perfected ownership or security interest in the Purchased Interest and the property conveyed hereunder, free and clear of any Adverse Claim;

 

(iv)         any commingling of funds to which the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser is entitled hereunder with any other funds;

 

(v)          any failure of a Lock-Box Bank to comply with the terms of the applicable Lock-Box Agreement;

 

(vi)         any dispute, claim, offset or defense (other than discharge in bankruptcy of the Obligor) of the Obligor to the payment of any Receivable, or any other claim resulting from the sale or lease of goods or the rendering of services related to such Receivable or the furnishing or failure to furnish any such goods or services or other similar claim or defense not arising from the financial inability of any Obligor to pay undisputed indebtedness;

 

(vii)        any failure of the Seller, to perform its duties or obligations in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party;

 

(viii)       any action taken by the Administrator as attorney-in-fact for the Seller or any Originator pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document;

 

(ix)          the use of proceeds of purchase or reinvestment or the issuance of any Letter of Credit on behalf of Seller (and, if applicable, on behalf of, or for the account of, any Originator); or

 

(x)           any environmental liability claim, products liability claim or personal injury or property damage suit or other similar or related claim or action of whatever sort, arising out of or in connection with any Receivable or any other suit, claim or action of whatever sort relating to any of the Transaction Documents.

 

Section 3.2            Indemnities by the Servicer . Without limiting any other rights that any Indemnified Party may have hereunder or under applicable law, the Servicer hereby agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Party from and against any and all Indemnified Amounts arising out of or resulting from (whether directly or indirectly): (a) the failure of any information contained in any Information Package to be true and correct, or the failure of any other information provided to such Indemnified Party by, or on behalf of, the Servicer to be true and correct, (b) the failure of any representation, warranty or statement made or deemed made by the Servicer (or any of its officers) under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party to have been true and correct as of the date made or deemed made in all respects when made, (c) the failure by the Servicer to comply with any applicable law, rule or regulation with respect to any Pool Receivable or the related Contract, (d) any dispute, claim, offset or defense of the Obligor to the payment of any Receivable in, or purporting to be in, the Receivables Pool resulting from or related to the collection activities with respect to such Receivable or (e) any failure of the Servicer to perform its duties or obligations in accordance with the provisions hereof or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party.

 

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ARTICLE IV

ADMINISTRATION AND COLLECTIONS

 

Section 4.1            Appointment of the Servicer .

 

(a)          The servicing, administering and collection of the Pool Receivables shall be conducted by the Person so designated from time to time as the Servicer in accordance with this Section 4.1 . Until the Administrator gives notice to Cooper Tire (in accordance with this Section 4.1 ) of the designation of a new Servicer, Cooper Tire is hereby designated as, and hereby agrees to perform the duties and obligations of, the Servicer pursuant to the terms hereof. Upon the occurrence of a Termination Event, the Administrator may (with the consent of the Majority Purchaser Agents) or shall (at the direction of the Majority Purchaser Agents) designate as Servicer any Person (including itself) to succeed Cooper Tire or any successor Servicer, on the condition in each case that any such Person so designated shall agree to perform the duties and obligations of the Servicer pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

(b)          Upon the designation of a successor Servicer as set forth in clause (a) , Cooper Tire agrees that it will terminate its activities as Servicer hereunder in a manner that the Administrator determines will facilitate the transition of the performance of such activities to the new Servicer, and Cooper Tire shall cooperate with and assist such new Servicer. Such cooperation shall include access to and transfer of related records (including all Contracts) and use by the new Servicer of all licenses, hardware or software necessary or desirable to collect the Pool Receivables and the Related Security.

 

(c)          Cooper Tire acknowledges that, in making their decision to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Administrator and each member in each Purchaser Group have relied on Cooper Tire’s agreement to act as Servicer hereunder. Accordingly, Cooper Tire agrees that it will not voluntarily resign as Servicer.

 

(d)          The Servicer may delegate its duties and obligations hereunder to any subservicer (each a “ Sub-Servicer ”); provided , that, in each such delegation: (i) such Sub-Servicer shall agree in writing to perform the duties and obligations of the Servicer pursuant to the terms hereof, (ii) the Servicer shall remain liable for the performance of the duties and obligations so delegated, (iii) the Seller, the Administrator and each Purchaser Group shall have the right to look solely to the Servicer for performance, and (iv) the terms of any agreement with any Sub-Servicer shall provide that the Administrator may terminate such agreement upon the termination of the Servicer hereunder by giving notice of its desire to terminate such agreement to the Servicer (and the Servicer shall provide appropriate notice to each such Sub-Servicer); provided , however , that if any such delegation is to any Person other than an Originator or an Affiliate thereof, the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents shall have consented in writing in advance to such delegation.

 

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Section 4.2            Duties of the Servicer .

 

(a)          The Servicer shall take or cause to be taken all such action as may be necessary or advisable to administer and collect each Pool Receivable from time to time, all in accordance with this Agreement and all applicable laws, rules and regulations, with reasonable care and diligence, and in accordance with the Credit and Collection Policies. The Servicer shall set aside for the accounts of the Seller and each Purchaser Group the amount of Collections to which each such Purchaser Group is entitled in accordance with Article I hereof. The Servicer may correct errors in Receivables and records of Receivables, including correcting to conform to applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to the applicable Contract, and, in accordance with the applicable Credit and Collection Policy, take such action, including modifications, waivers or restructurings of Pool Receivables and the related Contracts, as the Servicer may reasonably determine to be appropriate to maximize Collections thereof or reflect adjustments permitted under the Credit and Collection Policy; provided , however , that: (i) corrections, modifications, waivers and restructurings shall not alter the status of such Pool Receivable as a Delinquent Receivable or a Defaulted Receivable or limit the rights of any Purchaser, Purchaser Agent or the Administrator under this Agreement and (ii) if a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event has occurred and is continuing and Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof is serving as the Servicer, Cooper Tire or such Affiliate may make such extension or adjustment only upon the prior approval of the Administrator. The Seller shall deliver to the Servicer and the Servicer shall hold for the benefit of the Seller and the Administrator (individually and for the benefit of each Purchaser Group, in accordance with their respective interests, all records and documents (including computer tapes or disks) with respect to each Pool Receivable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Administrator may direct the Servicer (whether the Servicer is Cooper Tire or any other Person) to commence or settle any legal action to enforce collection of any Pool Receivable or to foreclose upon or repossess any Related Security.

 

(b)          The Servicer shall, as soon as practicable following actual receipt of collected funds, turn over to the Seller the collections of any indebtedness that is not a Pool Receivable, less, if Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof is not the Servicer, all reasonable and appropriate out-of-pocket costs and expenses of such Servicer of servicing, collecting and administering such collections. The Servicer, if other than Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof, shall, as soon as practicable upon demand, deliver to the Seller all records in its possession that evidence or relate to any indebtedness that is not a Pool Receivable, and copies of records in its possession that evidence or relate to any indebtedness that is a Pool Receivable.

 

(c)          The Servicer’s obligations hereunder shall terminate on the Final Payout Date. After such termination, if Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof was not the Servicer on the date of such termination, the Servicer shall promptly deliver to the Seller all books, records and related materials that the Seller previously provided to the Servicer, or that have been obtained by the Servicer, in connection with this Agreement.

 

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Section 4.3            Lock-Box Account Arrangements . Prior to the Restatement Date, the Seller shall have entered into Lock-Box Agreements with all of the Lock-Box Banks and delivered original counterparts of each to the Administrator. Upon the occurrence of a Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event, the Administrator may (with the consent of the Majority Purchaser Agents) or shall (upon the direction of the Majority Purchaser Agents) at any time thereafter give notice to each Lock-Box Bank that the Administrator is exercising its rights under the Lock-Box Agreements to do any or all of the following: (a) to have the exclusive ownership and control of the Lock-Box Accounts transferred to the Administrator (for the benefit of the Purchasers) and to exercise exclusive dominion and control over the funds deposited therein, (b) to have the proceeds that are sent to the respective Lock-Box Accounts redirected pursuant to the Administrator’s instructions rather than deposited in the applicable Lock-Box Account, and (c) to take any or all other actions permitted under the applicable Lock-Box Agreement. The Seller hereby agrees that if the Administrator at any time takes any action set forth in the preceding sentence, the Administrator shall have exclusive control (for the benefit of the Purchasers) of the proceeds (including Collections) of all Pool Receivables and the Seller hereby further agrees to take any other action that the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent may reasonably request to transfer such control. Any proceeds of Pool Receivables received by the Seller or the Servicer thereafter shall be sent immediately to, or as otherwise instructed by, the Administrator. The parties hereto hereby acknowledge that if at any time the Administrator takes control of any Lock-Box Account, the Administrator shall not have any rights to the funds therein in excess of the unpaid amounts due to the Administrator, any member of any Purchaser Group, any Indemnified Party or Affected Person or any other Person hereunder, and the Administrator shall distribute or cause to be distributed such funds in accordance with Section 4.2(b) and Article I (in each case as if such funds were held by the Servicer thereunder).

 

Section 4.4            Enforcement Rights .

 

(a)          At any time following the occurrence of a Termination Event:

 

(i)           the Administrator may direct the Obligors that payment of all amounts payable under any Pool Receivable is to be made directly to the Administrator or its designee,

 

(ii)          the Administrator may instruct the Seller or the Servicer to give notice of the Purchaser Groups’ interest in Pool Receivables to each Obligor, which notice shall direct that payments be made directly to the Administrator or its designee (on behalf of such Purchaser Groups), and the Seller or the Servicer, as the case may be, shall give such notice at the expense of the Seller or the Servicer, as the case may be; provided , that if the Seller or the Servicer, as the case may be, fails to so notify each Obligor, the Administrator (at the Seller’s or the Servicer’s, as the case may be, expense) may so notify the Obligors, and

 

(iii)         the Administrator may request the Servicer to, and upon such request the Servicer shall: (A) assemble all of the records necessary or desirable to collect the Pool Receivables and the Related Security, and transfer or license to a successor Servicer the use of all software necessary or desirable to collect the Pool Receivables and the Related Security, and make the same available to the Administrator or its designee (for the benefit of the Purchasers) at a place selected by the Administrator, and (B) segregate all cash, checks and other instruments received by it from time to time constituting Collections in a manner acceptable to the Administrator and, promptly upon receipt, remit all such cash, checks and instruments, duly endorsed or with duly executed instruments of transfer, to the Administrator or its designee.

 

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(b)          The Seller hereby authorizes the Administrator (on behalf of each Purchaser Group), and irrevocably appoints the Administrator as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution and with full authority in the place and stead of the Seller, which appointment is coupled with an interest, to take any and all steps in the name of the Seller and on behalf of the Seller necessary or desirable, in the determination of the Administrator, after the occurrence of a Termination Event, to collect any and all amounts or portions thereof due under any and all Pool Assets, including endorsing the name of the Seller on checks and other instruments representing Collections and enforcing such Pool Assets. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this subsection, none of the powers conferred upon such attorney-in-fact pursuant to the preceding sentence shall subject such attorney-in-fact to any liability if any action taken by it shall prove to be inadequate or invalid, nor shall they confer any obligations upon such attorney-in-fact in any manner whatsoever.

 

Section 4.5            Responsibilities of the Seller .

 

(a)          Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Seller shall: (i) perform all of its obligations, if any, under the Contracts related to the Pool Receivables to the same extent as if interests in such Pool Receivables had not been transferred hereunder, and the exercise by the Administrator, the Purchaser Agents or the Purchasers of their respective rights hereunder shall not relieve the Seller from such obligations, and (ii) pay when due any taxes, including any sales taxes payable in connection with the Pool Receivables and their creation and satisfaction. None of the Administrator, the Purchaser Agents or any of the Purchasers shall have any obligation or liability with respect to any Pool Asset, nor shall any of them be obligated to perform any of the obligations of the Seller, Servicer, Cooper Tire or the Originators thereunder.

 

(b)          Cooper Tire hereby irrevocably agrees that if at any time it shall cease to be the Servicer hereunder, it shall act (if the then-current Servicer so requests) as the data-processing agent of the Servicer and, in such capacity, Cooper Tire shall conduct the data-processing functions of the administration of the Receivables and the Collections thereon in substantially the same way that Cooper Tire conducted such data-processing functions while it acted as the Servicer.

 

Section 4.6            Servicing Fee . (a) Subject to clause (b) , the Servicer shall be paid a fee (the “ Servicing Fee ”) equal to 1.00% per annum (the “ Servicing Fee Rate ”) of the daily average aggregate Outstanding Balance of the Pool Receivables. The Purchasers’ Share of such fee shall be paid through the distributions contemplated by Section 1.4(d) , and the Seller’s Share of such fee shall be paid directly by the Seller.

 

(b)          If the Servicer ceases to be Cooper Tire or an Affiliate thereof, the servicing fee shall be the greater of: (i) the amount calculated pursuant to clause (a) , and (ii) an alternative amount specified by the successor Servicer not to exceed 110% of the aggregate reasonable costs and expenses incurred by such successor Servicer in connection with the performance of its obligations as Servicer.

 

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ARTICLE V

THE AGENTS

 

Section 5.1            Appointment and Authorization . (a) Each Purchaser and Purchaser Agent hereby irrevocably designates and appoints PNC Bank, National Association, as the “Administrator” hereunder and authorizes the Administrator to take such actions and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrator hereby and to exercise such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Administrator shall have no duties or responsibilities except those expressly set forth in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The duties of the Administrator shall be mechanical and administrative in nature. At no time shall the Administrator have any duty or responsibility to any Person to investigate or confirm the correctness or accuracy of any information or documents delivered to it in its role as Administrator hereunder or any obligation in respect of the failure of any Person (other than the Administrator) to perform any obligation hereunder or under any other Transaction Document. The Administrator shall not have, by reason of this Agreement, a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Purchaser Agent, Purchaser, the Seller, the Servicer or any Originator. Nothing in this Agreement or any of the Transaction Documents, express or implied, is intended to or shall be construed to impose upon the Administrator any obligations in respect of this Agreement or any of the Transaction Documents except as expressly set forth herein or therein. The Administrator shall not have any duty or responsibility, either initially or on a continuing basis, to provide any Purchaser or Purchaser Agent with any credit or other information with respect to the Seller, any Originator, Cooper Tire or their Affiliates, whether coming into its possession before the Restatement Date or at any time or times thereafter.

 

(b)          Each Purchaser hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the respective institution identified as the Purchaser Agent for such Purchaser’s Purchaser Group on the signature pages hereto or in the Assumption Agreement or Transfer Supplement pursuant to which such Purchaser becomes a party hereto, and each authorizes such Purchaser Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to such Purchaser Agent by the terms of this Agreement, if any, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, no Purchaser Agent shall have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Purchaser or other Purchaser Agent or the Administrator, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities on the part of such Purchaser Agent shall be read into this Agreement or otherwise exist against such Purchaser Agent.

 

(c)          Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, the provisions of this Article V are solely for the benefit of the Purchaser Agents, the Administrator and the Purchasers, and none of the Seller or Servicer shall have any rights as a third-party beneficiary or otherwise under any of the provisions of this Article V , except that this Article V shall not affect any obligations which any Purchaser Agent, the Administrator or any Purchaser may have to the Seller or the Servicer under the other provisions of this Agreement. Furthermore, no Purchaser shall have any rights as a third-party beneficiary or otherwise under any of the provisions hereof in respect of a Purchaser Agent which is not the Purchaser Agent for such Purchaser.

 

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(d)          In performing its functions and duties hereunder, the Administrator shall act solely as the agent of the Purchasers and the Purchaser Agents and does not assume nor shall be deemed to have assumed any obligation or relationship of trust or agency with or for the Seller or Servicer or any of their successors and assigns. In performing its functions and duties hereunder, each Purchaser Agent shall act solely as the agent of its respective Purchaser and does not assume nor shall be deemed to have assumed any obligation or relationship of trust or agency with or for the Seller, the Servicer, any other Purchaser, any other Purchaser Agent or the Administrator, or any of their respective successors and assigns.

 

Section 5.2            Delegation of Duties . The Administrator may execute any of its duties through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrator shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with reasonable care.

 

Section 5.3            Exculpatory Provisions . None of the Purchaser Agents, the Administrator or any of their respective directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or omitted (i) with the consent or at the direction of the Majority Purchaser Agents (or in the case of any Purchaser Agent, the Purchasers within its Purchaser Group that have a majority of the aggregate Commitments of such Purchaser Group) or (ii) in the absence of such Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrator shall not be responsible to any Purchaser, Purchaser Agent or other Person for (i) any recitals, representations, warranties or other statements made by the Seller, the Servicer, any Originator or any of their Affiliates, (ii) the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of any Transaction Document, (iii) any failure of the Seller, the Servicer, any Originator or any of their Affiliates to perform any obligation hereunder or under the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party (or under any Contract), or (iv) the satisfaction of any condition specified in Exhibit II . The Administrator shall not have any obligation to any Purchaser or Purchaser Agent to ascertain or inquire about the observance or performance of any agreement contained in any Transaction Document or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Seller, the Servicer, any Originator or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

Section 5.4            Reliance by Agents . (a) Each Purchaser Agent and the Administrator shall in all cases be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any document or other writing or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Seller), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrator. Each Purchaser Agent and the Administrator shall in all cases be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Transaction Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Majority Purchaser Agents (or in the case of any Purchaser Agent, the Purchasers within its Purchaser Group that have a majority of the aggregate Commitment of such Purchaser Group), and assurance of its indemnification, as it deems appropriate.

 

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(b)          The Administrator shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement in accordance with a request of the Majority Purchaser Agents or the Purchaser Agents, and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all Purchasers, the Administrator and Purchaser Agents.

 

(c)          The Purchasers within each Purchaser Group with a majority of the Commitments of such Purchaser Group shall be entitled to request or direct the related Purchaser Agent to take action, or refrain from taking action, under this Agreement on behalf of such Purchasers. Such Purchaser Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement in accordance with a request of such Majority Purchaser Agents, and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all of such Purchaser Agent’s Purchasers.

 

(d)          Unless otherwise advised in writing by a Purchaser Agent or by any Purchaser on whose behalf such Purchaser Agent is purportedly acting, each party to this Agreement may assume that (i) such Purchaser Agent is acting for the benefit of each of the Purchasers in respect of which such Purchaser Agent is identified as being the “Purchaser Agent” in the definition of “Purchaser Agent” hereto, as well as for the benefit of each assignee or other transferee from any such Person, and (ii) each action taken by such Purchaser Agent has been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action on the part of the Purchasers on whose behalf it is purportedly acting. Each Purchaser Agent and its Purchaser(s) shall agree amongst themselves as to the circumstances and procedures for removal, resignation and replacement of such Purchaser Agent.

 

Section 5.5            Notice of Termination Events . Neither any Purchaser Agent nor the Administrator shall be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event unless the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents have received notice from any Purchaser, the Servicer or the Seller stating that a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event has occurred hereunder and describing such Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event. In the event that the Administrator receives such a notice, it shall promptly give notice thereof to each Purchaser Agent whereupon each such Purchaser Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to its related Purchasers. In the event that a Purchaser Agent receives such a notice (other than from the Administrator), it shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrator. The Administrator shall take such action concerning a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event as may be directed by the Majority Purchaser Agents (unless such action otherwise requires the consent of all Purchasers, the LC Bank), but until the Administrator receives such directions, the Administrator may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, as the Administrator deems advisable and in the best interests of the Purchasers and the Purchaser Agents.

 

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Section 5.6            Non-Reliance on Administrator, Purchaser Agents and Other Purchasers . Each Purchaser expressly acknowledges that none of the Administrator, the Purchaser Agents nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates has made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Administrator, or any Purchaser Agent hereafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or any Originator, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrator or such Purchaser Agent, as applicable. Each Purchaser represents and warrants to the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents that, independently and without reliance upon the Administrator, Purchaser Agents or any other Purchaser and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, it has made and will continue to make its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, prospects, financial and other conditions and creditworthiness of the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or the Originators, and the Receivables and its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to take, or omit, action under any Transaction Document. Except for items specifically required to be delivered hereunder, the Administrator shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Purchaser Agent with any information concerning the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or the Originators or any of their Affiliates that comes into the possession of the Administrator or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates.

 

Section 5.7            Administrators and Affiliates . Each of the Purchasers and the Administrator and any of their respective Affiliates may extend credit to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, debt, equity or other business with the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or any Originator or any of their Affiliates. With respect to the acquisition of the Eligible Receivables pursuant to this Agreement, each of the Purchaser Agents and the Administrator shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any Purchaser and may exercise the same as though it were not such an agent, and the terms “Purchaser” and “Purchasers” shall include, to the extent applicable, each of the Purchaser Agents and the Administrator in their individual capacities.

 

Section 5.8            Indemnification . Each LC Participant and Related Committed Purchaser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrator (but solely in its capacity as Administrator) and the LC Bank and their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents (to the extent not reimbursed by the Seller, the Servicer or any Originator and without limiting the obligation of the Seller, the Servicer, or any Originator to do so), ratably (based on its Commitment) from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, judgments, settlements, costs, expenses and disbursements of any kind whatsoever (including in connection with any investigative or threatened proceeding, whether or not the Administrator, the LC Bank or such Person shall be designated a party thereto) that may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Administrator, the LC Bank or such Person as a result of, or related to, any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or the execution, delivery or performance of the Transaction Documents or any other document furnished in connection therewith (but excluding any such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, judgments, settlements, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrator, the LC Bank or such Person as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each LC Participant agrees to reimburse the Administrator and the LC Bank, ratably according to its Pro Rata Shares, promptly upon demand, for any out of pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) incurred by the Administrator or the LC Bank in connection with the administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of, its rights and responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.9            Successor Administrator . The Administrator may, upon at least five (5) days’ notice to the Seller, each Purchaser and Purchaser Agent, resign as Administrator. Such resignation shall not become effective until a successor Administrator is appointed by the Majority Purchaser Agents and has accepted such appointment. Upon such acceptance of its appointment as Administrator hereunder by a successor Administrator, such successor Administrator shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights and duties of the retiring Administrator, and the retiring Administrator shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under the Transaction Documents. After any retiring Administrator’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of Sections 3.1 and 3.2 and this Article V shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was the Administrator.

 

ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 6.1            Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or consent to any departure by the Seller or the Servicer therefrom, shall be effective unless in a writing signed by the Administrator, the LC Bank and Majority Purchaser Agents, and, in the case of any amendment, by the other parties thereto; and then such amendment, waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided , however , that, to the extent required by the securitization program of any Conduit Purchaser, no such material amendment shall be effective until the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect thereto (the Administrator hereby agrees to provide executed copies of any material amendment to or waiver of any provision of this Agreement to the Rating Agencies); provided , further that no such amendment or waiver shall, without the consent of each affected Purchaser, (A) extend the date of any payment or deposit of Collections by the Seller or the Servicer, (B) reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of Discount, (C) reduce any fees payable to the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser pursuant to the applicable Purchaser Group Fee Letter, (D) change the amount of Capital of any Purchaser, any Purchaser’s pro rata share of the Purchased Interest or any Related Committed Purchaser’s or LC Participant’s Commitment, (E) amend, modify or waive any provision of the definition of “Majority Purchaser Agents” or this Section 6.1 , (F) consent to or permit the assignment or transfer by the Seller of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, (G) change the definition of “Eligible Receivable,” “Loss Reserve,” “Loss Reserve Percentage,” “Dilution Reserve,” “Dilution Reserve Percentage”, “Specifically Reserved Dilution Amount” or “Termination Event”, or (H) amend or modify any defined term (or any defined term used directly or indirectly in such defined term) used in clauses (A) through (G) above in a manner that would circumvent the intention of the restrictions set forth in such clauses. No failure on the part of the Purchasers, the Purchaser Agents or the Administrator to exercise, and no delay in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

 

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Section 6.2            Notices, Etc. All notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall, unless otherwise stated herein, be in writing (including e-mail communication) and shall be personally delivered or sent by e-mail, or by overnight mail, to the intended party at the mailing address or e-mail address of such party set forth under its name on the signature pages hereof (or in any other document or agreement pursuant to which it is or became a party hereto), or at such other address or e-mail address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other parties hereto. All such notices and communications shall be effective (i) if delivered by overnight mail, when received, and (ii) if transmitted by or e-mail, when sent, receipt confirmed by telephone or electronic means.

 

Section 6.3            Successors and Assigns; Participations; Assignments .

 

(a)           Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Except as otherwise provided in Section 4.1(d), neither the Seller nor the Servicer may assign or transfer any of its rights or delegate any of its duties hereunder or under any Transaction Document without the prior consent of the Administrator, the LC Bank and each Purchaser Agent.

 

(b)           Participations . Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, any Purchaser may sell to one or more Persons (each a “ Participant ”) participating interests in the interests of such Purchaser hereunder; provided , however , that no Purchaser shall grant any participation under which the Participant shall have rights to approve any amendment to or waiver of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. Such Purchaser shall remain solely responsible for performing its obligations hereunder, and the Seller, each Purchaser Agent and the Administrator shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Purchaser in connection with such Purchaser’s rights and obligations hereunder. A Purchaser shall not agree with a Participant to restrict such Purchaser’s right to agree to any amendment hereto, except amendments that require the consent of all Purchasers. Any such Participant shall not have any rights hereunder or under the Transaction Documents. Each Related Committed Purchaser that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Seller, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Capital or other obligations under this Agreement (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Related Committed Purchaser shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Capital, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any this Agreement) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Capital, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Related Committed Purchaser shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrator (in its capacity as Administrator) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

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(c)           Assignments by Certain Related Committed Purchasers . Any Related Committed Purchaser may assign to one or more Persons (each a “ Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser ”), reasonably acceptable to the Administrator, the LC Bank and the related Purchaser Agent in its sole discretion, any portion of its Commitment (which shall be inclusive of its Commitment as an LC Participant) pursuant to a supplement hereto, substantially in the form of Annex D with any changes as have been approved by the parties thereto (each, a “ Transfer Supplement ”), executed by each such Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser, such selling Related Committed Purchaser, such related Purchaser Agent and the Administrator. Any such assignment by Related Committed Purchaser cannot be for an amount less than $10,000,000. Upon (i) the execution of the Transfer Supplement, (ii) delivery of an executed copy thereof to the Seller, such related Purchaser Agent and the Administrator and (iii) payment by the Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser to the selling Related Committed Purchaser of the agreed purchase price, if any, such selling Related Committed Purchaser shall be released from its obligations hereunder to the extent of such assignment and such Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser shall for all purposes be a Related Committed Purchaser party hereto and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Related Committed Purchaser hereunder to the same extent as if it were an original party hereto. The amount of the Commitment of the selling Related Committed Purchaser allocable to such Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser shall be equal to the amount of the Commitment of the selling Related Committed Purchaser transferred regardless of the purchase price, if any, paid therefor. The Transfer Supplement shall be an amendment hereof only to the extent necessary to reflect the addition of such Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser as a “Related Committed Purchaser” and a related “LC Participant” and any resulting adjustment of the selling Related Committed Purchaser’s Commitment.

 

(d)           Assignments to Liquidity Providers and other Program Support Providers . Any Conduit Purchaser may at any time grant to one or more of its Liquidity Providers or other Program Support Providers, participating interests in its portion of the Purchased Interest. In the event of any such grant by such Conduit Purchaser of a participating interest to a Liquidity Provider or other Program Support Provider, such Conduit Purchaser shall remain responsible for the performance of its obligations hereunder. The Seller agrees that each Liquidity Provider and Program Support Provider of any Conduit Purchaser hereunder shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 1.7 .

 

(e)           Other Assignment by Conduit Purchasers . Each party hereto agrees and consents (i) to any Conduit Purchaser’s assignment, participation, grant of security interests in or other transfers of any portion of, or any of its beneficial interest in, the Purchased Interest (or portion thereof), including without limitation to any collateral agent in connection with its commercial paper program and (ii) to the complete assignment by any Conduit Purchaser of all of its rights and obligations hereunder to any other Person, and upon such assignment such Conduit Purchaser shall be released from all obligations and duties, if any, hereunder; provided , however , that such Conduit Purchaser may not, without the prior consent of its Related Committed Purchasers, make any such transfer of its rights hereunder unless the assignee (i) is principally engaged in the purchase of assets similar to the assets being purchased hereunder, (ii) has as its Purchaser Agent the Purchaser Agent of the assigning Conduit Purchaser and (iii) issues commercial paper or other Notes with credit ratings substantially comparable to the ratings of the assigning Conduit Purchaser. Any assigning Conduit Purchaser shall deliver to any assignee a Transfer Supplement with any changes as have been approved by the parties thereto, duly executed by such Conduit Purchaser, assigning any portion of its interest in the Purchased Interest to its assignee. Such Conduit Purchaser shall promptly (i) notify each of the other parties hereto of such assignment and (ii) take all further action that the assignee reasonably requests in order to evidence the assignee’s right, title and interest in such interest in the Purchased Interest and to enable the assignee to exercise or enforce any rights of such Conduit Purchaser hereunder. Upon the assignment of any portion of its interest in the Purchased Interest, the assignee shall have all of the rights hereunder with respect to such interest (except that the Discount therefor shall thereafter accrue at the rate, determined with respect to the assigning Conduit Purchaser unless the Seller, the related Purchaser Agent and the assignee shall have agreed upon a different Discount).

 

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(f)            Certain Pledges . Without limiting the right of any Purchaser to sell or grant interests, security interests or participations to any Person as otherwise described in this Section 6.3 , (i) any Purchaser may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure its obligations as a Purchaser hereunder, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank without notice to or the consent of any Person; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Purchaser from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Purchaser as a party hereto and (ii) any Purchaser may at any time pledge or grant a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to a security trustee in connection with the funding by such Person of Purchases without notice to or the consent of any Person; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Purchaser from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Purchaser as a party hereto.

 

Section 6.4            Costs, Expenses and Taxes . (a) By way of clarification, and not of limitation, of Sections 1.7 or  3.1 , the Seller shall pay to the Administrator, each Purchaser Agent and/or any Purchaser on demand all costs and expenses in connection with (i) the preparation, execution, delivery and administration (including amendments or waivers of any provision) of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, (ii) the sale of the Purchased Interest (or any portion thereof), (iii) the perfection (and continuation) of the Administrator’s rights in the Receivables, Collections and other Pool Assets, (iv) the enforcement by the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any member of any Purchaser Group of the obligations of the Seller, the Servicer or the Originators under the Transaction Documents or of any Obligor under a Receivable and (v) the maintenance by the Administrator of the Lock-Box Accounts (and any related lock-box or post office box), including fees, costs and expenses of legal counsel for the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents relating to any of the foregoing or to advising the Administrator or any member of any Purchaser Group (including, any related Liquidity Provider or any other related Program Support Provider) about its rights and remedies under any Transaction Document or any other document, agreement or instrument related thereto and all costs and expenses (including counsel fees and expenses) of the Administrator and any Purchaser Agent in connection with the enforcement or administration of the Transaction Documents or any other document, agreement or instrument related thereto. The Seller shall reimburse the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent for the cost of such Person’s auditors (which may be employees of such Person) auditing the books, records and procedures of the Seller or the Servicer. The Seller shall reimburse each Conduit Purchaser for any amounts such Conduit Purchaser must pay to any related Liquidity Provider or other related Program Support Provider pursuant to any Funding Agreement on account of any Tax. The Seller shall reimburse each Conduit Purchaser on demand for all out of pocket costs and expenses incurred by such Conduit Purchaser in connection with the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

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(b)          In addition, the Seller shall pay on demand any and all stamp and other taxes and fees payable in connection with the execution, delivery, filing and recording of this Agreement or the other documents or agreements to be delivered hereunder, and agrees to save each Indemnified Party and Affected Person harmless from and against any liabilities with respect to or resulting from any delay in paying or omission to pay such taxes and fees.

 

Section 6.5            No Proceedings; Limitation on Payments . (a) Each of the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer, the Administrator, the Purchaser Agents, the Purchasers, each assignee of the Purchased Interest or any interest therein, and each Person that enters into a commitment to purchase the Purchased Interest or interests therein, hereby covenants and agrees that it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, any Conduit Purchaser any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceeding, or other proceeding under any federal or state bankruptcy or similar law, for one year and one day after the latest maturing Note issued by such Conduit Purchaser is paid in full. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding any provisions contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no Conduit Purchaser shall or shall be obligated to, pay any amount, if any, payable by it pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document unless (i) such Conduit Purchaser has received funds which may be used to make such payment and which funds are not required to repay the Notes when due and (ii) after giving effect to such payment, either (x) such Conduit Purchaser could issue Notes to refinance all outstanding Notes (assuming such outstanding Notes matured at such time) in accordance with the program documents governing such Conduit Purchaser’s securitization program or (y) all Notes are paid in full. Any amount which such Conduit Purchaser does not pay pursuant to the operation of the preceding sentence shall not constitute a claim (as defined in §101 of the Bankruptcy Code) against or company obligation of such Conduit Purchaser for any such insufficiency unless and until such Conduit Purchaser satisfies the provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) above. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

Section 6.6            GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION .

 

(a)          THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER AND GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (INCLUDING FOR SUCH PURPOSE SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK) EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT THE VALIDITY OR PERFECTION OF A SECURITY INTEREST OR REMEDIES HEREUNDER, IN RESPECT OF ANY PARTICULAR COLLATERAL ARE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF A JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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(b)          ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK; AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY DOCUMENT RELATED HERETO. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY SUMMONS, COMPLAINT OR OTHER PROCESS, WHICH SERVICE MAY BE MADE BY ANY OTHER MEANS PERMITTED BY NEW YORK LAW.

 

Section 6.7            Confidentiality . Unless otherwise required by applicable law, each of the Seller and the Servicer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents (and all drafts thereof) in communications with third parties and otherwise; provided , that this Agreement may be disclosed (a) to third parties to the extent such disclosure is made pursuant to a written agreement of confidentiality in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent, (b) to the Seller’s and Servicer’s legal counsel and auditors if they agree to hold it confidential and (c) as may be necessary or desirable for financial reports, reports required by state and federal securities laws and by any other law. The Purchaser Agents and the Purchasers agree to maintain the confidentiality of non-public financial and other business and proprietary information regarding the Seller, the Servicer and the Originators; provided , that such information may be disclosed (i) to third parties to the extent such disclosure is made pursuant to a written agreement of confidentiality in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Servicer, (ii) to legal counsel and auditors of the Purchasers, the Purchaser Agents or the Administrator if they agree to hold it confidential, (iii) to any nationally recognized statistical rating organization or if applicable to the rating agencies rating the Notes of any Conduit Purchaser, (iv) to any Program Support Provider or potential Program Support Provider (if they agree to hold it confidential), (v) to any placement agency placing the Notes, (vi) to any regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Administrator, the Purchaser Agents, any Purchaser, any Program Support Provider or any Liquidity Provider, and (vii) with prompt notice to the Servicer in advance if practicable and permitted by law, to others as otherwise required by law.

 

Section 6.8            Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which, when so executed, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

Section 6.9            Survival of Termination . The provisions of Sections 1.7 , 1.8 , 1 .9 , 1.10 , 3.1 , 3.2 , 6.4 , 6.5 , 6.6 , 6.7 , 6.10 and 6.15 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

Section 6.10          WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO A TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR OTHER LITIGATION OF ANY TYPE BROUGHT BY ANY OF THE PARTIES AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY OR PARTIES, WHETHER WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS OR OTHERWISE. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE TRIED BY A COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO FURTHER AGREES THAT ITS RESPECTIVE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IS WAIVED BY OPERATION OF THIS SECTION AS TO ANY ACTION, COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHER PROCEEDING THAT SEEKS, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, TO CHALLENGE THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY PROVISION HEREOF. THIS WAIVER SHALL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

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Section 6.11          Sharing of Recoveries . Each Purchaser agrees that if it receives any recovery, through set-off, judicial action or otherwise, on any amount payable or recoverable hereunder in a greater proportion than should have been received hereunder or otherwise inconsistent with the provisions hereof, then the recipient of such recovery shall purchase for cash an interest in amounts owing to the other Purchasers (as return of Capital or otherwise), without representation or warranty except for the representation and warranty that such interest is being sold by each such other Purchaser free and clear of any Adverse Claim created or granted by such other Purchaser, in the amount necessary to create proportional participation by the Purchaser in such recovery. If all or any portion of such amount is thereafter recovered from the recipient, such purchase shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, but without interest.

 

Section 6.12          Right of Setoff . Each Purchaser is hereby authorized (in addition to any other rights it may have) to setoff, appropriate and apply (without presentment, demand, protest or other notice which are hereby expressly waived) any deposits and any other indebtedness held or owing by such Purchaser (including by any branches or agencies of such Purchaser) to, or for the account of, the Seller against amounts owing by the Seller hereunder (even if contingent or unmatured).

 

Section 6.13          Entire Agreement . This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents embody the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings of such Persons, verbal or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

Section 6.14          Headings . The captions and headings of this Agreement and any Exhibit, Schedule or Annex hereto are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation hereof or thereof.

 

Section 6.15          Purchaser Groups’ Liabilities . The obligations of each Purchaser Agent and each Purchaser under the Transaction Documents are solely the corporate obligations of such Person. Except with respect to any claim arising out of the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser, no claim may be made by the Seller or the Servicer or any other Person against the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser or their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, attorneys or agents for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages in respect of any claim for breach of contract or any other theory of liability arising out of or related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or any act, omission or event occurring in connection therewith; and each of Seller and Servicer hereby waives, releases, and agrees not to sue upon any claim for any such damages, whether or not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in its favor.

 

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Section 6.16          USA Patriot Act . Each of the Administrator and each of the Purchasers hereby notifies the Seller and the Servicer that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001) (the “ PATRIOT Act ”), the Administrator and the Purchasers may be required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Seller, the Servicer and Cooper Tire, which information includes the name, address, tax identification number and other information regarding the Seller, the Servicer and Cooper Tire that will allow the Administrator and the Purchasers to identify the Seller, the Servicer and Cooper Tire in accordance with the PATRIOT Act. This notice is given in accordance with the requirements of the PATRIOT Act. Each of the Seller and the Servicer agrees to provide the Administrator and the Purchasers, from time to time, with all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the PATRIOT Act.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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

 

  COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC, as Seller
     
  By: /s/ Gerald C. Bialek
  Name: Gerald C. Bialek
  Title: President and Treasurer

 

  Address: Cooper Receivables LLC
    c/o Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    701 Lima Avenue
    Findlay, Ohio 45840
    Attention: Vice President and Treasurer
    Fax: (419) 424-7320
    Email: Cooper_Legal@coopertire.com
     
    With a copy:
    Cooper Receivables LLC
    c/o Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    701 Lima Avenue
    Findlay, Ohio 45840
    Attention: Vice President and Treasurer
    Fax: (419) 429-6785
    Email: Treasury@coopertire.com

 

  S- 1 Receivables Purchase Agreement
(Cooper Tire)

 

 

  COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, as Servicer
     
  By: /s/ Ginger M. Jones
  Name: Ginger M. Jones
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

  Address: Cooper Receivables LLC
    c/o Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    701 Lima Avenue
    Findlay, Ohio 45840
    Attention: Vice President and Treasurer
    Fax: (419) 424-7320
    Email: Cooper_Legal@coopertire.com
     
    With a copy:
    Cooper Receivables LLC
    c/o Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    701 Lima Avenue
    Findlay, Ohio 45840
    Attention: Vice President and Treasurer
    Fax: (419) 429-6785
    Email: Treasury@coopertire.com

 

  S- 2 Receivables Purchase Agreement
(Cooper Tire)

 

 

  THE PURCHASER GROUPS:
   
  PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Purchaser Agent and Related Committed Purchaser
     
  By: /s/ Michael Brown
  Name: Michael Brown
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

  Address: PNC Bank, National Association
    Three PNC Plaza
    225 Fifth Avenue
    Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2707
     
    Attn:  Robyn Reeher
    Tel:  412-768-3090
    Fax:  412-762-9184
    Email:  robyn.reeher@pnc.com

 

  S- 3 Receivables Purchase Agreement
(Cooper Tire)

 

 

  PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as the LC Bank and as an LC Participant
     
  By: /s/ Michael Brown
  Name: Michael Brown
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

  Address: PNC Bank, National Association
    Three PNC Plaza
    225 Fifth Avenue
    Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2707
     
    Attn:  Robyn Reeher
    Tel:  412-768-3090
    Fax:  412-762-9184
    Email:  robyn.reeher@pnc.com

 

  PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrator
     
  By: /s/ Michael Brown
  Name: Michael Brown
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

  Address:   Address:  PNC Bank, National Association
    Three PNC Plaza
    225 Fifth Avenue
    Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2707
     
    Attn:  Robyn Reeher
    Tel:  412-768-3090
    Fax:  412-762-9184
    Email:  robyn.reeher@pnc.com

 

  S- 4 Receivables Purchase Agreement
(Cooper Tire)

 

 

EXHIBIT I

DEFINITIONS

 

As used in this Agreement (including its Exhibits, Schedules and Annexes), the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined). Unless otherwise indicated, all Section, Annex, Exhibit and Schedule references in this Exhibit are to Sections of and Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules to this Agreement.

 

Adjusted Canadian Dollar Receivables Balance ” means, as of any date of determination, to the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate Outstanding Balance of Receivables payable in Canadian Dollars.

 

Adjusted LC Participation Amount ” means, at any time, the greater of (i) LC Participation Amount less the amount of cash collateral held in the LC Collateral Account at such time and (ii) zero ($0).

 

Administrator ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Adverse Claim ” means a lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance, or any other type of preferential arrangement; it being understood that any thereof in favor of the Administrator (for the benefit of the Purchasers ) shall not constitute an Adverse Claim.

 

Affected Person ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.7 of this Agreement.

 

Affiliate ” means, as to any Person: (a) any Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person, or (b) who is a director or officer: (i) of such Person or (ii) of any Person described in clause (a) , except that, in the case of each Conduit Purchaser, Affiliate shall mean the holder of its capital stock or membership interest, as the case may be. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall mean the power, direct or indirect: (x) to vote 25% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person, or (y) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, in either case whether by ownership of securities, contract, proxy or otherwise.

 

Aggregate Capital ” means, at any time, the aggregate outstanding Capital of all Purchasers at such time.

 

Aggregate Discount ” at any time, means the sum of the aggregate for each Purchaser of the accrued and unpaid Discount with respect to each such Purchaser’s Capital at such time.

 

Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

  I- 1  

 

 

Alternate Rate ” for any Yield Period for any Portion of Capital funded by any Purchaser other than through the issuance of Notes, means an interest rate per annum equal to (i) solely with respect to PNC, as a Purchaser, either: (a) with respect to any day during such Yield Period, LMIR for such day or (b) if LMIR is unavailable pursuant to Section 1.11, the Base Rate for such Yield Period or (ii) with respect to any Purchaser other than PNC, the greater of: (a) 4.00% per annum above the Euro-Rate for such Yield Period, or (b) the Base Rate for such Yield Period; provided, that the “Alternate Rate” for any day while a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event exists shall be an interest rate equal to the greater of (i) 2.0% per annum above the Base Rate in effect on such day and (ii) the “Alternate Rate” as calculated in clause (i)(a) or (ii)(a), as applicable, above.

 

Anti-Terrorism Laws ” means any Applicable Law relating to terrorism, trade sanctions programs and embargoes, import/export licensing, money laundering or bribery, and any regulation, order, or directive promulgated, issued or enforced pursuant to such Applicable Laws, all as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

 

Applicable Law ” means, with respect to any Person, (x) all provisions of law, statute, treaty, constitution, ordinance, rule, regulation, requirement, restriction, permit, executive order, certificate, decision, directive or order of any Governmental Authority applicable to such Person or any of its property and (y) all judgments, injunctions, orders, writs, decrees and awards of all courts and arbitrators in proceedings or actions in which such Person is a party or by which any of its property is bound.

 

Assumption Agreement ” means an agreement substantially in the form set forth in Annex C to this Agreement.

 

Attorney Costs ” means and includes all reasonable fees and disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel, the reasonable allocated cost of internal legal services and all reasonable disbursements of internal counsel.

 

Bankruptcy Code ” means the United States Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. § 101, et seq.), as amended from time to time.

 

Base Rate ” means, with respect to any Purchaser, for any day, a fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from time to time, which rate shall be at all times equal to the higher of:

 

(a)          the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by the applicable Purchaser Agent (or applicable Related Committed Purchaser) as its “reference rate”. Such “reference rate” is set by the applicable Purchaser Agent based upon various factors, including the applicable Purchaser Agent’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above or below such announced rate, and

 

(b)          0.50% per annum above the latest Federal Funds Rate.

 

Benefit Plan ” means any employee benefit pension plan as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA in respect of which the Seller, any Originator, Cooper Tire or any ERISA Affiliate is, or at any time during the immediately preceding six years was, an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

  I- 2  

 

 

Business Day ” means any day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which: (a) banks are not authorized or required to close in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, or New York City, New York, and (b) if this definition of “Business Day” is utilized in connection with the Euro-Rate or LMIR, dealings are carried out in the London interbank market.

 

CAD Lock-Box Account ” means that certain account maintained at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Canada), which is subject to a Lock-Box Agreement for the purpose of receiving Collections.

 

Canadian Currency Volatility Reserve ” means the value at risk percentage calculated by PNC Bank, National Association from time to time, and which shall initially be 8.50%, multiplied by an amount equal to the Adjusted Canadian Dollar Receivables Balance.

 

Canadian Dollars ” means the lawful currency of Canada.

 

Capital ” means, with respect to any Purchaser, without duplication, the aggregate amounts (i) paid to, or on behalf of, the Seller in connection with all Funded Purchases made by such Purchaser pursuant to Section 1.2(b) of this Agreement, (ii) paid by such Purchaser, as an LC Participant, to the LC Bank in respect of a Participation Advance made by such Purchaser to LC Bank pursuant to Section 1.15 and (iii) with respect to the Purchaser that is the LC Bank, paid by the LC Bank with respect to all drawings under the Letter of Credit to the extent such drawings have not been reimbursed by the Seller or funded by Participation Advances, in each case, as reduced from time to time by Collections distributed to such Purchaser (or its Purchaser Agent on its behalf) and applied on account of such Capital pursuant to Section 1.4(d) of this Agreement; provided , that if such Capital shall have been reduced by any distribution and thereafter all or a portion of such distribution is rescinded or must otherwise be returned for any reason, such Capital shall be increased by the amount of such rescinded or returned distribution as though it had not been made.

 

Change in Control ” means that Cooper Tire ceases to own, directly or indirectly, (a) 100% of the membership interests of the Seller free and clear of all Adverse Claims or (b) 100% of the voting stock of any other Originator.

 

Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the Restatement Date, 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, (w) the final rule titled Risk-Based Capital Guidelines; Capital Adequacy Guidelines; Capital Maintenance: Regulatory Capital; Impact of Modifications to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; Consolidation of Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Programs; and Other Related Issues , adopted by the United States bank regulatory agencies on December 15, 2009, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) 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 the agreements reached by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in “Basel III: A Global Regulatory Framework for More Resilient Banks and Banking Systems” (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or replaced from time to time), shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

  I- 3  

 

 

Closing Date ” means September 14, 2007.

 

Collections ” means, with respect to any Pool Receivable: (a) all funds that are received by any Originator, Cooper Tire, the Seller or the Servicer in payment of any amounts owed in respect of such Receivable (including purchase price, finance charges, interest and all other charges), or applied to amounts owed in respect of such Receivable (including insurance payments and net proceeds of the sale or other disposition of repossessed goods or other collateral or property of the related Obligor or any other Person directly or indirectly liable for the payment of such Pool Receivable and available to be applied thereon), (b) all Deemed Collections and (c) all other proceeds of such Pool Receivable.

 

Commitment ” means, with respect to any Related Committed Purchaser, LC Participant or LC Bank, as applicable, the maximum aggregate amount which such Purchaser is obligated to pay hereunder on account of all Funded Purchases and all drawings under all Letters of Credit, on a combined basis, as set forth on Schedule V to this Agreement or in the Assumption Agreement or other agreement pursuant to which it became a Purchaser, as such amount may be modified in connection with any subsequent assignment pursuant to Section 6.3(c) or in connection with a change in the Purchase Limit pursuant to Section 1.1(c) . If the context so requires, “Commitment” also refers to a Purchaser’s obligation to make Purchases, make Participation Advances and/or issue Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

Commitment Percentage ” means, for each Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant in a Purchaser Group, the Commitment of such Related Committed Purchaser or related LC Participant, as the case may be, divided by the total of all Commitments of all Related Committed Purchasers or related LC Participants, as the case may be, in such Purchaser Group.

 

Company Note ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Concentration Percentage ” means, at any time: (a) for any Group A Obligor, 20.0%, (b) for any Group B Obligor, 20.0%, (c) for any Group C Obligor, 13.3% and (d) for any Group D Obligor, 8.0%; provided , however , that the Administrator (with the prior written consent of the Majority Purchaser Agents ) may (to the extent the Rating Agency Condition has been satisfied with respect thereto if required by the securitization program of any Conduit Purchaser) approve higher Concentration Percentages for selected Obligors.

 

Concentration Reserve ” means at any time, the product of (a) the sum of (i) the Aggregate Capital plus (ii) the Adjusted LC Participation Amount, multiplied by (b)(i) the Concentration Reserve Percentage divided by (ii) 1, minus the Concentration Reserve Percentage.

 

  I- 4  

 

  

Concentration Reserve Percentage ” means, at any time, the (a) largest of the following: (i) the sum of the five (5) largest Group D Obligor Receivables balances (up to the Concentration Percentage for each Obligor), (ii) the sum of the three (3) largest Group C Obligor Receivables balances (up to the Concentration Percentage for each Obligor), (iii) the sum of the two (2) largest Group B Obligor Receivables balances (up to the Concentration Percentage for each Obligor), and (iv) the largest Group A Obligor Receivables balance (up to the Concentration Percentage for such Obligor), divided by (b) the sum of the outstanding balances of all Eligible Receivables.

 

Conduit Purchasers ” means each commercial paper conduit that is a party to this Agreement, as a purchaser, or that becomes a party to this Agreement, as a purchaser pursuant to an Assumption Agreement or otherwise.

 

Contract ” means, with respect to any Receivable, any and all contracts, instruments, agreements, leases, invoices, notes or other writings pursuant to which such Receivable arises or that evidence such Receivable or under which an Obligor becomes or is obligated to make payment in respect of such Receivable.

 

Cooper Tire ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Covered Entity ” shall mean (a) each of Seller, Servicer, each Originator and each of Cooper Tire’s Subsidiaries and (b) each Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of a Person described in clause (a) above. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall mean the direct or indirect (x) ownership of, or power to vote, 25% or more of the issued and outstanding equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or other Persons performing similar functions for such Person, or (y) power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by ownership of equity interests, contract or otherwise.

 

CP Rate ” means, for any Conduit Purchaser and for any Yield Period for any Portion of Capital (a) the per annum rate equivalent to the weighted average cost (as determined by the applicable Purchaser Agent and which shall include commissions of placement agents and dealers, incremental carrying costs incurred with respect to Notes of such Person maturing on dates other than those on which corresponding funds are received by such Conduit Purchaser, other borrowings by such Conduit Purchaser (other than under any Program Support Agreement) and any other costs associated with the issuance of Notes) of or related to the issuance of Notes that are allocated, in whole or in part, by the applicable Purchaser Agent to fund or maintain such Portion of Capital (and which may be also allocated in part to the funding of other assets of such Conduit Purchaser); provided , however , that if any component of such rate is a discount rate, in calculating the “ CP Rate ” for such Portion of Capital for such Yield Period, the applicable Purchaser Agent shall for such component use the rate resulting from converting such discount rate to an interest bearing equivalent rate per annum ; provided , further , that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to the contrary, the Seller agrees that any amounts payable to the Purchasers in respect of Discount for any Yield Period with respect to any Portion of Capital funded by such Purchaser at the CP Rate shall include an amount equal to the portion of the face amount of the outstanding Notes issued to fund or maintain such Portion of Capital that corresponds to the portion of the proceeds of such Notes that was used to pay the interest component of maturing Notes issued to fund or maintain such Portion of Capital, to the extent that such Purchaser had not received payments of interest in respect of such interest component prior to the maturity date of such maturing Notes (for purposes of the foregoing, the “interest component” of Notes equals the excess of the face amount thereof over the net proceeds received by such Purchaser from the issuance of Notes, except that if such Notes are issued on an interest-bearing basis its “interest component” will equal the amount of interest accruing on such Notes through maturity) or (b) any other rate designated as the “CP Rate” for such Conduit Purchaser in an Assumption Agreement or Transfer Supplement pursuant to which such Person becomes a party as a Conduit Purchaser to this Agreement, or any other writing or agreement provided by such Conduit Purchaser to the Seller, the Servicer and the applicable Purchaser Agent from time to time. The “ CP Rate ” for any day while a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event exists shall be an interest rate equal to the greater of (a) 2.0% per annum above the Base Rate as in effect on such day and (b) the Alternate Rate as calculated in the definition thereof.

 

  I- 5  

 

  

Credit and Collection Policy ” means, as the context may require, those receivables credit and collection policies and practices of each Originator and of Cooper Tire in effect on the date of this Agreement and described in Schedule I to this Agreement, as modified in compliance with this Agreement.

 

Cut-off Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1(a) the Sale Agreement.

 

Days’ Sales Outstanding ” means, for any calendar month, an amount computed as of the last day of such calendar month equal to: (a) the average of the Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables as of the last day of each of the three most recent calendar months ended on the last day of such calendar month divided by (b)(i) the aggregate initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by the Originators during the three calendar months ended on the last day of such calendar month divided by (ii) 90.

 

Debt ” means: (a) indebtedness for borrowed money, (b) obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (c) obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, (d) obligations as lessee under leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, recorded as capital leases, and (e) obligations under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and obligations (contingent or otherwise) to purchase or otherwise acquire, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (a) through (d) .

 

Declining Conduit Purchaser ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4(b)(ii) of this Agreement.

 

Declining Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4(b)(ii) of this Agreement.

 

Deemed Collections ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4(e)(ii) of this Agreement.

 

Default Ratio ” means the ratio (expressed as a percentage and rounded to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) computed as of the last day of each calendar month by dividing: (i) the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables that became Defaulted Receivables during such month (other than Receivables that became Defaulted Receivables as a result of an Event of Bankruptcy with respect to the Obligor thereof during such month) by (ii) the sum of (a) 75% of the initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by all the Originators during the calendar month that is seven months before such month and (b) 25% of the aggregate initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by all the Originators during the calendar month that is nine months before such month.

 

  I- 6  

 

  

Defaulted Receivable ” means a Receivable:

 

(a)          as to which any payment, or part thereof, remains unpaid for more than 60 days from the original due date for such payment, or

 

(b)          without duplication (i) as to which an Event of Bankruptcy shall have occurred with respect to the Obligor thereof or any other Person obligated thereon or owning any Related Security with respect thereto, or (ii) that has been written off the Seller’s books as uncollectible.

 

Delinquency Ratio ” means the ratio (expressed as a percentage and rounded to the nearest 1/100 of 1%, with 5/1000th of 1% rounded upward) computed as of the last day of each calendar month by dividing: (a) the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables that were Delinquent Receivables on such day by (b) the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables on such day.

 

Delinquent Receivable ” means a Receivable as to which any payment, or part thereof, remains unpaid for more than 60 days from the original due date for such payment.

 

Determination Date ” means, with respect to any calendar month, the last Business Day of such calendar month.

 

Dilution Horizon ” means, for any calendar month, the ratio (expressed as a percentage and rounded to the nearest 1/100th of 1%) computed as of the last day of such calendar month of: (a) the aggregate initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by all the Originators during the two most recent calendar months, to (b) the Net Receivables Pool Balance at the last day of such calendar month.

 

Dilution Ratio ” means the ratio (expressed as a percentage and rounded to the nearest 1/100th of 1%, with 5/1000th of 1% rounded upward), computed as of the last day of each calendar month by dividing: (a) the aggregate amount of payments made or owed by the Seller pursuant to Section 1.4(e)(i) of this Agreement (other than amounts related to the Specifically Reserved Dilution Amount) during such calendar month by (b) the aggregate initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by all the Originators during the calendar month that is two months prior to such calendar month.

 

Dilution Reserve ” means, on any day, an amount equal to: (a) the sum of the Aggregate Capital plus the Adjusted LC Participation Amount at the close of business of the Servicer on such day multiplied by (b) (i) the Dilution Reserve Percentage on such day, divided by (ii) 100% minus the Dilution Reserve Percentage on such day.

 

Dilution Reserve Percentage ” means, on any date, the product of (a) the Dilution Horizon multiplied by (b) the sum of (i) 2.5 times the average of the Dilution Ratios for the twelve most recent calendar months and (ii) the Dilution Spike Factor.

 

  I- 7  

 

  

Dilution Spike Factor ” means, for any calendar month, the product of (a) the positive difference, if any, between: (i) the highest Dilution Ratio for any calendar month during the twelve most recent calendar months and (ii) the arithmetic average of the Dilution Ratios for such twelve months and (b) (i) the highest Dilution Ratio for any calendar month during the twelve most recent calendar months, divided by (ii) the arithmetic average of the Dilution Ratios for such twelve months.

 

Discount ” means with respect to any Purchaser:

 

(a)          for any Portion of Capital for any Yield Period with respect to any Purchaser to the extent such Portion of Capital will be funded by such Purchaser during such Yield Period through the issuance of Notes:

 

CPR x C x ED/360 + YPF

 

(b)          for any Portion of Capital for any Yield Period with respect to any Purchaser to the extent such Portion of Capital will not be funded by such Purchaser during such Yield Period through the issuance of Notes:

 

AR x C x ED/Year + YPF

 

where:

 

AR = the Alternate Rate for such Portion of Capital for such Yield Period with respect to such Purchaser,
     
C = the Capital with respect to such Portion of Capital during such Yield Period with respect to such Purchaser,
     
CPR = the CP Rate for the Portion of Capital for such Yield Period with respect to such Purchaser,
     
ED = the actual number of days during such Yield Period,
     
Year = if such Portion of Capital is funded based upon: (i) the Euro-Rate or LMIR, 360 days, and (ii) the Base Rate, 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and
     
YPF = the Yield Protection Fee, if any, for the Portion of Capital for such Yield Period with respect to such Purchaser;

 

provided , that no provision of this Agreement shall require the payment or permit the collection of Discount in excess of the maximum permitted by applicable law; and provided further , that Discount for any Portion of Capital shall not be considered paid by any distribution to the extent that at any time all or a portion of such distribution is rescinded or must otherwise be returned for any reason.

 

Drawing Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.15(a) of the Agreement.

 

  I- 8  

 

  

Eligible Assignee ” means any bank or financial institution acceptable to the LC Bank and the Administrator.

 

Eligible Foreign Obligor ” means an Obligor which is a resident of any country (other than the United States of America) that has a short-term foreign currency rating (or, if such country does not have such a short-term foreign currency rating, a long-term foreign currency rating) of at least “A-1” (or “A”) by Standard & Poor’s and “P-1” (or “A2”) by Moody’s.

 

Eligible Receivable ” means, at any time, a Pool Receivable:

 

(a)          the Obligor of which is (i) a United States resident, a Canadian resident or an Eligible Foreign Obligor ; provided that with respect to any Receivable the Obligor of which is a Canadian resident or an Eligible Foreign Obligor, the Seller shall have taken all actions, at its own expense, and shall have delivered (or caused to be delivered) to the Administrator all further instruments, opinions and documents, that may be necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Administrator, as the Administrator may reasonably request, to perfect, protect or more fully evidence such Receivable and the security interest granted therein and in the Related Security and Collections with respect thereto, or to enable the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser to exercise and enforce their respective rights and remedies under this Agreement, (ii) not subject to any action of the type described in paragraph (f) of Exhibit V to this Agreement and (iii) is neither an Affiliate of Cooper Tire or any Affiliate of Cooper Tire nor a Sanctioned Person.

 

(b)          that is denominated and payable either (i) in U.S. dollars and the Obligor with respect to which has been instructed to remit Collections in respect thereof to a Lock-Box Account in the United States of America or (ii) in Canadian Dollars and the Obligor with respect to which has been instructed to remit Collections in respect thereof to the CAD Lock-Box Account, as the case may be.

 

(c)          that does not have a stated maturity which is more than 360 days after the original invoice date of such Receivable,

 

(d)          that arises under a duly authorized Contract for the sale and delivery of goods and services in the ordinary course of an Originator’s business,

 

(e)          that arises under a duly authorized Contract that is in full force and effect and that is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the related Obligor, enforceable against such Obligor in accordance with its terms,

 

(f)           that conforms in all material respects with all applicable laws, rulings and regulations in effect,

 

(g)          that is not the subject of any asserted dispute, offset, hold back, defense, Adverse Claim or other claim,

 

  I- 9  

 

  

(h)          that satisfies all applicable requirements of the applicable Credit and Collection Policy,

 

(i)           that has not been modified, waived or restructured since its creation, except as permitted pursuant to Section 4.2 of this Agreement,

 

(j)           in which the Seller owns good and marketable title, free and clear of any Adverse Claims, and that is freely assignable by the Seller (including without any consent of the related Obligor),

 

(k)          for which the Administrator (for the benefit of each Purchaser) shall have a valid and enforceable undivided percentage ownership or security interest, to the extent of the Purchased Interest, and a valid and enforceable first priority perfected security interest therein and in the Related Security and Collections with respect thereto, in each case free and clear of any Adverse Claim,

 

(l)           that constitutes an account as defined in the UCC, and that is not evidenced by instruments or chattel paper,

 

(m)         that is not a Defaulted Receivable or a Delinquent Receivable,

 

(n)          for which none of the Originator thereof, the Seller and the Servicer has established any offset arrangements with the related Obligor,

 

(o)          for which Defaulted Receivables of the related Obligor do not exceed 3 5% of the Outstanding Balance of all such Obligor’s Receivables, and

 

(p)          that represents amounts earned and payable by the Obligor that are not subject to the performance of additional services by the Originator thereof.

 

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute of similar import, together with the regulations thereunder, in each case as in effect from time to time. References to sections of ERISA also refer to any successor sections.

 

ERISA Affiliate ” means: (a) any corporation that is a member of the same controlled group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) as the Seller, any Originator or Cooper Tire, (b) a trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control (within the meaning of Section 414(c) of the Internal Revenue Code) with the Seller, any Originator or Cooper Tire, or (c) a member of the same affiliated service group (within the meaning of Section 414(m) of the Internal Revenue Code) as the Seller, any Originator, any corporation described in clause (a) or any trade or business described in clause (b) .

 

  I- 10  

 

  

Euro-Rate ” means with respect to any Yield Period, the greater of (a) 0.00% and (b) the interest rate per annum determined by the applicable Purchaser Agent by dividing (the resulting quotient rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of 1% per annum) (i) the rate of interest determined by such Purchaser Agent in accordance with its usual procedures (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) to be the rate per annum for deposits in U.S. dollars as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P. and shown on US0001M Screen as the composite offered rate for London interbank deposits for such period (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by such Purchaser Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at or about 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the Business Day which is two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of such Yield Period for an amount comparable to the Portion of Capital to be funded at the Yield Rate and based upon the Euro-Rate during such Yield Period by (ii) a number equal to 1.00 minus the Euro-Rate Reserve Percentage. The Euro-Rate may also be expressed by the following formula:

 

Euro-Rate =

Composite of London interbank offered rates shown on

Bloomberg Finance L.P. Screen US0001M

or appropriate successor

 

 

1.00 - Euro-Rate Reserve Percentage

 

where “ Euro-Rate Reserve Percentage ” means, the maximum effective percentage in effect on such day as prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the reserve requirements (including without limitation, supplemental, marginal, and emergency reserve requirements) with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities”). The Euro-Rate shall be adjusted with respect to any Portion of Capital funded at the Yield Rate and based upon the Euro-Rate that is outstanding on the effective date of any change in the Euro-Rate Reserve Percentage as of such effective date. The applicable Purchaser Agent shall give prompt notice to the Seller of the Euro-Rate as determined or adjusted in accordance herewith (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error).

 

Event of Bankruptcy ” means an Insolvency Proceeding.

 

Excess Concentration ” means the sum of the amounts by which the Outstanding Balance of Eligible Receivables of each Obligor then in the Receivables Pool exceeds, without duplication, an amount equal to the sum of:

 

(i)           an amount equal to (a) the applicable Concentration Percentage for such Obligor multiplied by (b) the Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool, plus

 

(ii)          the amount by which the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool that are denominated in Canadian Dollars exceeds 10.0% of the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool, plus

 

  I- 11  

 

  

(iii)         the amount by which the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool the Obligor of which is an Eligible Foreign Obligor exceeds 5.0% of the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool, plus

 

(iv)         the amount by which the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool that have a stated maturity which is more than 120 days but less than 361 days after the original invoice date of such Receivable exceeds 35.0% of the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool, plus

 

(v)          the amount by which the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool the Obligor of which is a governmental entity exceeds 2.0% of the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool.

 

Exiting Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4(b)(ii) of this Agreement.

 

Exiting Purchaser ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4(b)(ii) of this Agreement.

 

Facility Termination Date ” means the earliest to occur of: (a) with respect to each Purchaser, February 12, 2021, subject to any extension pursuant to Section 1.22 of this Agreement (it being understood that if any such Purchaser does not extend its Commitment hereunder then the Purchase Limit shall be reduced ratably with respect to the Purchasers in each Purchaser Group by an amount equal to the Commitment of such Exiting Purchaser and the Commitment Percentages and Group Commitments of the Purchasers within each Purchaser Group shall be appropriately adjusted), (b) the date determined pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Agreement, (c) the date the Purchase Limit reduces to zero pursuant to Section 1.1(c) of this Agreement, (d) [Reserved], (e) with respect to each Purchaser Group, the date that the commitment, of all of the Related Committed Purchasers of such Purchaser Group terminate pursuant to Section 1.22 and (f) the date which is 60 days after the date on which the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent has received written notice from the Seller of its election to terminate the Purchase Facility.

 

Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any day, the per annum rate set forth in the weekly statistical release designated as H.15(519), or any successor publication, published by the Federal Reserve Board (including any such successor, “H.15(519)”) for such day opposite the caption “Federal Funds (Effective).” If on any relevant day such rate is not yet published in H.15(519), the rate for such day will be the rate set forth in the daily statistical release designated as the Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotations for U.S. Government Securities, or any successor publication, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (including any such successor, the “Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotations”) for such day under the caption “Federal Funds Effective Rate.” If on any relevant day the appropriate rate is not yet published in either H.15(519) or the Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotations, the rate for such day will be the arithmetic mean as determined by the Administrator of the rates for the last transaction in overnight Federal funds arranged before 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on that day by each of three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in New York City selected by the Administrator.

 

  I- 12  

 

  

Federal Reserve Board ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or any entity succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

Fees ” means the fees payable by the Seller to each member of each Purchaser Group pursuant to the applicable Purchaser Group Fee Letter.

 

Final Payout Date ” means the latest of (i) the Facility Termination Date, (ii) the date on which no Capital of or Discount in respect of the Purchased Interest shall be outstanding, (iii) the LC Participation Amount has been reduced to zero ($0) and no Letters of Credit issued hereunder remain outstanding and undrawn (unless backstopped in a manner agreed to in writing by the LC Bank and the Majority Purchaser Agents in their sole and absolute discretion), (iv) the date all other amounts owing to the Purchaser Agents, the Purchasers, the Administrator and the other Indemnified Parties and Affected Person under this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents have been paid in full (other than indemnification or other contingent obligations not yet due and owing) and (v) all accrued Servicing Fees have been paid in full.

 

Funded Purchase ” shall mean a Purchase that is made pursuant to Section 1.2(b) .

 

GAAP ” means the generally accepted accounting principles and practices in the United States, consistently applied.

 

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

 

Group A Obligor ” means any Obligor with a short-term rating of at least: (a) “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s, or if such Obligor does not have a short-term rating from Standard & Poor’s, a rating of “A+” or better by Standard & Poor’s on its long-term senior unsecured and uncredit-enhanced debt securities, and (b) “P-1” by Moody’s, or if such Obligor does not have a short-term rating from Moody’s, “A1” or better by Moody’s on its long-term senior unsecured and uncredit-enhanced debt securities.

 

Group B Obligor ” means an Obligor, not a Group A Obligor, with a short-term rating of at least: (a) “A-2” by Standard & Poor’s, or if such Obligor does not have a short-term rating from Standard & Poor’s, a rating of “BBB+” to “A” by Standard & Poor’s on its long-term senior unsecured and uncredit-enhanced debt securities, and (b) “P-2” by Moody’s, or if such Obligor does not have a short-term rating from Moody’s, “Baa1” to “A2” by Moody’s on its long-term senior unsecured and uncredit-enhanced debt securities.

 

Group C Obligor ” means an Obligor, not a Group A Obligor or Group B Obligor, with a short-term rating of at least: (a) “A-3” by Standard & Poor’s, or if such Obligor does not have a short-term rating from Standard & Poor’s, a rating of “BBB-” to “BBB” by Standard & Poor’s on its long-term senior unsecured and uncredit-enhanced debt securities, and (b) “P-3” by Moody’s, or if such Obligor does not have a short-term rating from Moody’s, “Baa3” to “Baa2” by Moody’s on its long-term senior unsecured and uncredit-enhanced debt securities.

 

  I- 13  

 

  

Group Capital ” means with respect to any Purchaser Group, an amount equal to the aggregate of all Capital of the Purchasers within such Purchaser Group.

 

Group Commitment ” means with respect to any Purchaser Group the aggregate of the Commitments of each Purchaser within such Purchaser Group, which amount is set forth on Schedule V to this Agreement.

 

Group D Obligor ” means any Obligor that is not a Group A Obligor, Group B Obligor or Group C Obligor.

 

Indemnified Amounts ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 of this Agreement.

 

Indemnified Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 of this Agreement.

 

Independent Director ” has the meaning set forth in paragraph 3(c) of Exhibit IV to this Agreement.

 

Information Package ” means each report, in substantially the form of Annex A to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Servicer to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Insolvency Proceeding ” means: (a) any case, action or proceeding before any court or other Governmental Authority relating to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, receivership, dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors, or (b) any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, composition, marshaling of assets for creditors, or other similar arrangement in respect of its creditors generally or any substantial portion of its creditors, in each case undertaken under U.S. Federal, state or foreign law, including the Bankruptcy Code.

 

Intercreditor Agreement ” means any intercreditor agreement entered into by PNC in its capacity as Administrator under the Agreement.

 

Internal Revenue Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute of similar import, together with the regulations thereunder, in each case as in effect from time to time. References to sections of the Internal Revenue Code also refer to any successor sections.

 

LC Bank ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to the Agreement.

 

LC Collateral Account ” means the account designated as the LC Collateral Account established and maintained by the Administrator (for the benefit of the LC Bank and the LC Participants), or such other account as may be so designated as such by the Administrator.

 

LC Fee Expectation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.16(c) of the Agreement.

 

LC Participant ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to the Agreement.

 

LC Participation Amount ” shall mean, at any time, the then aggregate undrawn face amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit.

 

  I- 14  

 

  

LCR Security ” means any commercial paper or security (other than equity securities issued to Cooper Tire or any Originator that is a consolidated subsidiary of Cooper Tire under GAAP) within the meaning of Paragraph __.32(e)(viii) of the final rules titled Liquidity Coverage Ratio: Liquidity Risk Measurement Standards, 79 Fed. Reg. 197, 61440 et seq. (October 10, 2014).

 

Letter of Credit ” shall mean any stand-by letter of credit issued by the LC Bank for the account of the Seller (or for the account of an Originator, as applicable) pursuant to the Agreement.

 

Letter of Credit Application ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.13(a) of the Agreement.

 

Liquidity Agent ” means each of the banks acting as agent for the various Liquidity Providers under each Liquidity Agreement.

 

Liquidity Agreement ” means any agreement entered into in connection with this Agreement pursuant to which a Liquidity Provider agrees to make purchases or advances to, or purchase assets from, any Conduit Purchaser in order to provide liquidity for such Conduit Purchaser’s Purchases.

 

Liquidity Provider ” means each bank or other financial institution that provides liquidity support to any Conduit Purchaser pursuant to the terms of a Liquidity Agreement.

 

Lock-Box Account ” means each account listed on Schedule II to this Agreement and maintained at a bank or other financial institution acting as a Lock-Box Bank pursuant to a Lock-Box Agreement for the purpose of receiving Collections.

 

LMIR ” means for any day during any Yield Period, the greater of (a) 0.00% and (b) the one-month eurodollar rate for U.S. dollar deposits as reported on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page or any other page that may replace such page from time to time for the purpose of displaying offered rates of leading banks for London interbank deposits in United States dollars, as of 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such day, or if such day is not a Business Day, then the immediately preceding Business Day (or if not so reported, then as determined by the Administrator from another recognized source for interbank quotation), in each case, changing when and as such rate changes.

 

Lock-Box Agreement ” means an agreement, among the Seller, the Servicer, a Lock-Box Bank and the Administrator, governing the terms of the related Lock-Box Accounts, in each case acceptable to the Administrator.

 

Lock-Box Bank ” means any of the banks or other financial institutions holding one or more Lock-Box Accounts.

 

Loss Reserve ” means, on any date, an amount equal to (a) the sum of the Aggregate Capital plus the Adjusted LC Participation Amount at the close of business of the Servicer on such date multiplied by (b)(i) the Loss Reserve Percentage on such date divided by (ii) 1, minus the Loss Reserve Percentage on such date.

 

  I- 15  

 

  

Loss Reserve Percentage ” means, on any date, an amount equal to (a) the product of (i) 2.5 times the highest average of the Default Ratios for any three consecutive calendar months during the twelve most recent calendar months, multiplied by (ii) the sum of (A) the aggregate initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by all Originators during the four most recent calendar months and (B) on any day that Days’ Sales Outstanding is greater than 30.0, the product of (1) (x) Days’ Sales Outstanding on such date minus 30.0, divided by (y) 30.0, multiplied by (2) the aggregate initial Outstanding Balance of all Pool Receivables generated by all Originators during the fifth most recent calendar month, divided by (b) an amount equal to the Net Receivables Pool Balance as determined without giving effect to clause (i) of the definition of Excess Concentration.

 

Majority Purchaser Agents ” means, at any time, the Purchaser Agents which in their related Purchaser Group have Related Committed Purchasers whose Commitments aggregate more than 50% of the aggregate of the Commitments of all Related Committed Purchasers in all Purchaser Groups; provided , however , that so long as any one Related Committed Purchaser’s Commitment is greater than 50% of the aggregate Commitments and there is more than one Purchaser Group, then “Majority Purchaser Agents” shall mean a minimum of two Purchaser Agents which in their related Purchaser Group have Related Committed Purchasers whose Commitments aggregate more than 50% of the aggregate Commitment of all Related Committed Purchasers in all Purchaser Groups.

 

Material Adverse Effect ” means, relative to any Person with respect to any event or circumstance, a material adverse effect on:

 

(a)          the assets, operations, business or financial condition of an Originator, Cooper Tire, the Seller or the Servicer,

 

(b)          the ability of any of an Originator, Cooper Tire, the Seller or Servicer to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party,

 

(c)          the validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents, or the validity, enforceability or collectibility of the Pool Receivables, or

 

(d)          the status, perfection, enforceability or priority of the Administrator’s, any Purchaser’s or the Seller’s interest in the Pool Assets.

 

Minimum Dilution Reserve ” means at any time, the product of (a) the Aggregate Capital plus the Adjusted LC Participation Amount at the close of business of the Servicer on such date multiplied by (b)(i) the Minimum Dilution Reserve Percentage divided by (ii) 1 minus the Minimum Dilution Reserve Percentage.

 

Minimum Dilution Reserve Percentage ” means, at any time, the product of (a) the 12-month rolling average of the Dilution Ratio at such time multiplied by (b) the Dilution Horizon.

 

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

 

  I- 16  

 

  

Net Receivables Pool Balance ” means, at any time: (a) the Outstanding Balance of Eligible Receivables then in the Receivables Pool minus (b) the Excess Concentration.

 

Notes ” means short-term promissory notes issued, or to be issued, by any Conduit Purchaser to fund its investments in accounts receivable or other financial assets.

 

Obligor ” means, with respect to any Receivable, the Person obligated to make payments pursuant to the Contract relating to such Receivable.

 

Order ’ has the meaning set forth in Section 1.21 of the Agreement.

 

Original Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preliminary statements of the Agreement.

 

Original Agreement Outstanding Amounts ” has the meaning set forth in the preliminary statements of the Agreement.

 

Originator ” means each Person from time to time party to the Sale Agreement as an Originator.

 

Outstanding Balance ” of any Receivable at any time means the then outstanding principal balance thereof; provided , that any amounts denominated and payable in Canadian Dollars shall be deemed to be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of such amount at the time of determination thereof.

 

Participant ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(b) of this Agreement.

 

Pep Boys Receivables ” means accounts receivable that arise out of the sale of goods and services by Cooper Tire to The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe and Jack (Company) and all proceeds and other rights with respect to such accounts receivable, including any rights under any acknowledgment or confirmation by the related obligor with respect to such accounts receivable.

 

Performance Guaranty ” means the Performance Guaranty, dated as of August 30, 2006, by Cooper Tire, as performance guarantor, in favor of the Administrator for the benefit of the Purchasers and Purchaser Agents, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Person ” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency thereof.

 

PNC ” means PNC Bank, National Association.

 

Pool Assets ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(d) of this Agreement.

 

Pool Receivable ” means a Receivable in the Receivables Pool.

 

  I- 17  

 

  

Portion of Capital ” means, with respect to any Purchaser and its related Capital, the portion of such Capital being funded or maintained by such Purchaser by reference to a particular interest rate basis.

 

Pro Rata Share ” shall mean, as to any LC Participant or LC Bank, a fraction, the numerator of which equals the Commitment of such LC Participant or LC Bank at such time and the denominator of which equals the aggregate of the Commitments of all LC Participants in such LC Participant’s related Purchaser Group and the LC Bank at such time.

 

Program Support Agreement ” means and includes any Liquidity Agreement and any other agreement entered into by any Program Support Provider providing for: (a) the issuance of one or more letters of credit for the account of any Conduit Purchaser, (b) the issuance of one or more surety bonds for which the such Conduit Purchaser is obligated to reimburse the applicable Program Support Provider for any drawings thereunder, (c) the sale by such Conduit Purchaser to any Program Support Provider of the Purchased Interest (or portions thereof) maintained by such Conduit Purchaser and/or (d) the making of loans and/or other extensions of credit to any Conduit Purchaser in connection with such Conduit Purchaser’s securitization program contemplated in this Agreement, together with any letter of credit, surety bond or other instrument issued thereunder.

 

Program Support Provider ” means and includes with respect to each Conduit Purchaser any Liquidity Provider and any other Person (other than any customer of such Conduit Purchaser) now or hereafter extending credit or having a commitment to extend credit to or for the account of, or to make purchases from, such Conduit Purchaser pursuant to any Program Support Agreement.

 

Purchase ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1(a) of this Agreement.

 

Purchase and Sale Indemnified Amounts ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Purchase and Sale Indemnified Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Purchase and Sale Termination Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Purchase and Sale Termination Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Purchase Date ” means the date of which a Purchase or a reinvestment is made pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Purchase Facility ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Purchase Limit ” means $150,000,000, as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 1.1(c) of this Agreement or otherwise in connection with any Exiting Purchaser. References to the unused portion of the Purchase Limit shall mean, at any time, the Purchase Limit minus the sum of the then outstanding Aggregate Capital plus the LC Participation Amount.

 

  I- 18  

 

  

Purchase Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(a) to this Agreement.

 

Purchased Interest ” means, at any time, the undivided percentage ownership interest in: (a) each and every Pool Receivable now existing or hereafter arising, (b) all Related Security with respect to such Pool Receivables and (c) all Collections with respect to, and other proceeds of, such Pool Receivables and Related Security. Such undivided percentage interest shall be computed as:

 

Aggregate Capital + Adjusted LC Participation Amount + Total Reserves  

Net Receivables Pool Balance

 

The Purchased Interest shall be determined from time to time pursuant to Section 1.3 of this Agreement.

 

Purchaser ” means each Conduit Purchaser, each Related Committed Purchaser, each LC Participant and/or the LC Bank, as applicable.

 

Purchaser Agent ” means each Person acting as agent on behalf of a Purchaser Group and designated as a Purchaser Agent for such Purchaser Group on the signature pages to this Agreement or any other Person who becomes a party to this Agreement as a Purchaser Agent pursuant to an Assumption Agreement or a Transfer Supplement.

 

Purchaser Group ” means, (i) for any Conduit Purchaser, such Conduit Purchaser, its Related Committed Purchaser, its related Purchaser Agent and its related LC Participants and (ii) for PNC, PNC, as a Purchaser Agent, a Related Committed Purchaser, an LC Participant and the LC Bank.

 

Purchaser Group Fee Letter ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.5 of this Agreement.

 

Purchasers’ Share ” of any amount, at any time, means such amount multiplied by the Purchased Interest at such time.

 

Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(c) of this Agreement.

 

Ratable Share ” means, for each Purchaser Group, such Purchaser Group’s aggregate Commitments divided by the aggregate Commitments of all Purchaser Groups.

 

Rating Agency Condition ” means, when applicable, with respect to any material event or occurrence, receipt by the Administrator (or the applicable Purchaser Agent) of written confirmation from each of Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s (and/or each other rating agency then rating the Notes of the applicable Conduit Purchaser) that such event or occurrence shall not cause the rating on the then outstanding Notes of any applicable Purchaser to be downgraded or withdrawn.

 

  I- 19  

 

  

Receivable ” means any indebtedness and other obligations owed to any Originator or the Seller or any right of the Seller or any Originator to payment from or on behalf of an Obligor or any right to reimbursement for funds paid or advanced by the Seller or any Originator on behalf of an Obligor, whether constituting an account, chattel paper, payment intangible, instrument or general intangible, however arising (whether or not earned by performance), and includes, without limitation, the obligation to pay any finance charges, fees and other charges with respect thereto; provided , that , the term Receivable shall not include Pep Boys Receivables. Indebtedness and other obligations arising from any one transaction, including, without limitation, indebtedness and other obligations represented by an individual invoice or agreement, shall constitute a Receivable separate from a Receivable consisting of the indebtedness and other obligations arising from any other transaction.

 

Receivables Pool ” means, at any time, all of the then outstanding Receivables purchased by the Seller pursuant to the Sale Agreement prior to the Facility Termination Date.

 

Reimbursement Obligation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.15(a) of the Agreement.

 

Related Committed Purchaser ” means each Person listed as such (and its respective Commitment) as set forth on the signature pages of this Agreement or in any Assumption Agreement or Transfer Supplement.

 

Related Rights ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of the Sale Agreement.

 

Related Security ” means, with respect to any Receivable:

 

(a)          all of the Seller’s and the Originator thereof’s interest in any goods (including returned goods), and documentation of title evidencing the shipment or storage of any goods (including returned goods), the sale of which gave rise to such Receivable,

 

(b)          all instruments and chattel paper that may evidence such Receivable,

 

(c)          all other security interests or liens and property subject thereto from time to time purporting to secure payment of such Receivable, whether pursuant to the Contract related to such Receivable or otherwise, together with all UCC financing statements or similar filings relating thereto,

 

(d)          solely to the extent applicable to such Receivable, all of the Seller’s and the Originator thereof’s rights, interests and claims under the Contracts relating to such Receivable, and all guaranties, indemnities, insurance and other agreements (including the related Contract) or arrangements of whatever character from time to time supporting or securing payment of such Receivable or otherwise relating to such Receivable, whether pursuant to the Contract related to such Receivable or otherwise, and

 

(e)          all of the Seller’s rights, interests and claims under the Sale Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.

 

  I- 20  

 

  

Reportable Compliance Event ” shall mean that any Covered Entity becomes a Sanctioned Person, or is charged by indictment, criminal complaint or similar charging instrument, arraigned, or custodially detained in connection with any Anti-Terrorism Law or any predicate crime to any Anti-Terrorism Law, or has knowledge of facts or circumstances to the effect that it is reasonably likely that any aspect of its operations is in actual or probable violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law.

 

Restatement Date ” means the date hereof.

 

Restricted Payments ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(n) of Exhibit IV to the Agreement.

 

Sale Agreement ” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of August 30, 2006 among the Seller and the Originators, as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Sanctioned Country ” means a country subject to a sanctions program maintained under any Anti-Terrorism Law.

 

Sanctioned Person ” means any individual person, group, regime, entity or thing listed or otherwise recognized as a specially designated, prohibited, sanctioned or debarred person, group, regime, entity or thing, or subject to any limitations or prohibitions (including but not limited to the blocking of property or rejection of transactions), under any Anti-Terrorism Law.

 

Seller ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Seller’s Share ” of any amount means the greater of: (a) $0 and (b) such amount minus the product of (i) such amount multiplied by (ii) the Purchased Interest.

 

Servicer ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Servicing Fee ” shall mean the fee referred to in Section 4.6 of this Agreement.

 

Servicing Fee Rate ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6 of this Agreement.

 

Settlement Date ” means the 25 th day of each calendar month (or if such day is not a Business Day, the next occurring Business Day); provided , however , that on and after the occurrence and continuation of any Termination Event, the Settlement Date shall be the date selected as such by the Administrator (with the consent or at the direction of the Majority Purchaser Agents) from time to time ( it being understood that the Administrator (with the consent or at the direction of the Majority Purchaser Agents) may select such Settlement Date to occur as frequently as daily) or, in the absence of any such selection, the date which would be the Settlement Date pursuant to this definition.

 

  I- 21  

 

  

Specifically Reserved Dilution Amount ” means, (a) for the months of February, May, August and November, the amounts recorded on the books and records of Cooper Tire under general ledger numbers 10210600, 10210000, 10210200, 10210300 and 10210610 (or such other accounts that cover cash discounts allowance, anticipated cash discounts allowance, volume rebate and marketing and merchandising accruals and any other similar account or accounts as designated by Cooper Tire from time to time), and (b) for any other month, the amounts recorded on the books and records of Cooper Tire under general ledger number 10210600 (or such similar account or accounts as designated by Cooper Tire from time to time).

 

Solvent ” means, with respect to any Person at any time, a condition under which:

 

(i)           the fair value and present fair saleable value of such Person’s total assets is, on the date of determination, greater than such Person’s total liabilities (including contingent and unliquidated liabilities) at such time;

 

(ii)          the fair value and present fair saleable value of such Person’s assets is greater than the amount that will be required to pay such Person’s probable liability on its existing debts as they become absolute and matured (“ debts ,” for this purpose, includes all legal liabilities, whether matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, absolute, fixed, or contingent);

 

(iii)         such Person is and shall continue to be able to pay all of its liabilities as such liabilities mature; and

 

(iv)         such Person does not have unreasonably small capital with which to engage in its current and in its anticipated business.

 

For purposes of this definition:

 

(A)         the amount of a Person’s contingent or unliquidated liabilities at any time shall be that amount which, in light of all the facts and circumstances then existing, represents the amount which can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability;

 

(B)         the “fair value” of an asset shall be the amount which may be realized within a reasonable time either through collection or sale of such asset at its regular market value;

 

(C)         the “regular market value” of an asset shall be the amount which a capable and diligent business person could obtain for such asset from an interested buyer who is willing to Purchase such asset under ordinary selling conditions; and

 

(D)         the “present fair saleable value” of an asset means the amount which can be obtained if such asset is sold with reasonable promptness in an arm’s-length transaction in an existing and not theoretical market.

 

Standard & Poor’s ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business, and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

 

Sub-Servicer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(d) of this Agreement.

 

  I- 22  

 

  

Subsidiary ” means, as to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which shares of stock of each class or other interests having ordinary voting power (other than stock or other interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other managers of such entity are at the time owned, or management of which is otherwise controlled: (a) by such Person, (b) by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (c) by such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

Tangible Net Worth ” means, with respect to any Person, the tangible net worth of such Person as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Taxes ” means, with respect to any Person, all taxes, charges, fees, levies or other assessments (including income, gross receipts, profits, withholding, excise, property, sales, use, license, occupation and franchise taxes and including any related interest, penalties or other additions) imposed by any jurisdiction or taxing authority (whether foreign or domestic) under the laws of which such Person is organized.

 

Termination Day ” means: (a) each day on which the conditions set forth in Section 2 of Exhibit II to this Agreement are not satisfied or (b) each day that occurs on or after the Facility Termination Date.

 

Termination Event ” has the meaning specified in Exhibit V to this Agreement.

 

Total Reserves ” means, at any time the sum of: (a) the Yield Reserve, plus (b) the Specifically Reserved Dilution Amount, plus (c) the Canadian Currency Volatility Reserve, plus (d) the greater of (i) the sum of the Loss Reserve plus the Dilution Reserve and (ii) the sum of the Minimum Dilution Reserve plus the Concentration Reserve.

 

Transaction Documents ” means this Agreement, the Lock-Box Agreements, each Purchaser Group Fee Letter, the Sale Agreement, the Performance Guaranty, any Intercreditor Agreement and all other certificates, instruments, reports, notices, agreements and documents executed or delivered under or in connection with this Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

Transfer Supplement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(c) of this Agreement.

 

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the applicable jurisdiction.

 

Unmatured Purchase and Sale Termination Event ” means any event which, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would become a Purchase and Sale Termination Event.

 

Unmatured Termination Event ” means an event that, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a Termination Event.

 

  I- 23  

 

  

U.S. Dollar Equivalent ” means, on any day with respect to a specified amount denominated in Canadian Dollars, the U.S. dollar equivalent of such specified amount of Canadian Dollars determined using the Bloomberg (BGN) closing rate in the New York market for the value of a U.S. Dollar in Canadian Dollars on such day as published on a Bloomberg L.P. terminal (or any successor or alternative service or source reporting market-based currency exchange rates reasonably selected by Cooper Tire in its reasonable business judgment with the written consent of the Administrator (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld)) as of (i) subject to clause (ii) below, for purposes of determining the amount of any Receivable or portion thereof, the Business Day immediately preceding the date such Receivable was invoiced or billed or (ii) for purposes of determining the Adjusted Canadian Dollar Receivables Balance or for any other purposes, the Determination Date.

 

Yield Period ” means, with respect to any Portion of Capital, (i) initially the period commencing on (and including) the date of the initial purchase or funding of such Portion of Capital and ending on (and including) the last day of the calendar month of such purchase or funding, and (ii) thereafter, each calendar month; provided , that in the case of any Yield Period for any Portion of Capital which commences before the Facility Termination Date and would otherwise end on a date occurring after the Facility Termination Date, such Yield Period shall end on such Facility Termination Date and the duration of each Yield Period which commences on or after the Facility Termination Date shall be of such duration as shall be selected by the Administrator (with the consent or at the direction of the applicable Purchaser Agent).

 

Yield Protection Fee ” means, for any Yield Period, with respect to any Portion of Capital, to the extent that (i) any payments are made by the Seller to the related Purchaser in respect of such Capital hereunder prior to the applicable maturity date of any Notes or other instruments or obligations used or incurred by such Purchaser to fund or maintain such Portion of Capital or (ii) any failure by the Seller to borrow, continue or prepay any Portion of Capital on the date specified in any Purchase Notice delivered pursuant to Section 1.2 of this Agreement, the amount, if any, by which: (a) the additional Discount related to such Portion of Capital that would have accrued through the maturity date of such Notes or other instruments on the portion thereof for which payments were received from the Seller (or with respect to which the Seller failed to borrow such amounts), exceeds (b) the income, if any, received by such Purchaser from investing the proceeds so received in respect of such Portion of Capital, as determined by the applicable Purchaser Agent, which determination shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

Yield Reserve ” means, on any date, an amount equal to (a) the sum of the Aggregate Capital plus the Adjusted LC Participation Amount at the close of business of the Servicer on such date multiplied by (b)(i) the Yield Reserve Percentage on such date divided by (ii) 1, minus the Yield Reserve Percentage on such date.

 

Yield Reserve Percentage ” means, at any time the sum of (a) all accrued and unpaid Discount at such time, plus (b) the following amount:

 

  {( BR + SFR ) x 1.5(DSO) x Aggregate Capital}
       360

 

where:

 

  I- 24  

 

  

BR = the Base Rate in effect at such time,
     
DSO = the Days’ Sales Outstanding, and
     
SFR = Servicing Fee Rate.

 

Other Terms . (a) All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. All terms used in Article 9 of the UCC in the State of New York, and not specifically defined herein, are used herein as defined in such Article 9. Unless the context otherwise requires, “or” means “and/or,” and “including” (and with correlative meaning “include” and “includes”) means including without limiting the generality of any description preceding such term, and (b) any reference in any Transaction Document to any monetary amount (other than an amount denominated in U.S. dollars) shall mean the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of such monetary amount at the time of determination thereof.

 

  I- 25  

 

 

EXHIBIT II

CONDITIONS OF PURCHASES

 

1.            Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of Amendment and Restatement of Original Agreement . This Agreement shall become effective as of the Restatement Date when (a) the Administrator shall have received each of the documents, agreements (in fully executed form), opinions of counsel, lien search results, UCC filings, certificates and other deliverables listed on the closing memorandum attached as Annex G hereto, in each case, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrator and (b) all fees and expenses payable by the Seller on the Restatement Date to the Purchasers have been paid in full in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents.

 

2.            Conditions Precedent to All Funded Purchases and Issuance of Letters of Credit . Each Funded Purchase, including the initial Funded Purchase and issuance of any Letters of Credit shall be subject to the further conditions precedent that:

 

(a)          in the case of each Funded Purchase and the issuance of any Letters of Credit, the Servicer shall have delivered to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent on or before such purchase or issuance, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent, a completed pro forma Information Package to reflect the level of the Aggregate Capital, the LC Participation Amount and related reserves and the calculation of the Purchased Interest after such subsequent purchase or issuance, as the case may be, and a completed Purchase Notice in the form of Annex B (in the case of such purchase) and a completed Letter of Credit Application in the form of Annex F (in the case of such issuance); and

 

(b)          on the date of such Funded Purchase or issuance, as the case may be, the following statements shall be true (and acceptance of the proceeds of such Funded Purchase or issuance shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Seller that such statements are then true):

 

(i)           the representations and warranties contained in Exhibit III to this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Funded Purchase or issuance, as the case may be, as though made on and as of such date except for representations and warranties which apply as to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such earlier date);

 

(ii)          no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Funded Purchase or issuance, as the case may be, that constitutes a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event;

 

(iii)         the sum of the Aggregate Capital plus the LC Participation Amount, after giving effect to any such Funded Purchase or issuance, as the case may be, shall not be greater than the Purchase Limit, and the Purchased Interest shall not exceed 100%; and

 

(iv)          the Facility Termination Date has not occurred.

 

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EXHIBIT III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

1.            Representations and Warranties of the Seller . The Seller represents and warrants to the Administrator, each Purchaser Agent and each Purchaser as of the date of execution of this Agreement that:

 

(a)           Existence and Power . The Seller is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware, and has all organizational power and all governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry on its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted, except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)           Company and Governmental Authorization, Contravention . The execution, delivery and performance by the Seller of this Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party are within the Seller’s organizational powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, require no action by or in respect of, or filing with (other than the filing of UCC financing statements and continuation statements), any governmental body, agency or official, and, do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or regulation or of the operating agreement of the Seller or of any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Seller or result in the creation or imposition of any lien (other than liens in favor of the Administrator) on assets of the Seller.

 

(c)           Binding Effect of Agreement . This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Seller enforceable against the Seller in accordance with its respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity, regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

(d)           Accuracy of Information . All information heretofore furnished by the Seller to the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document is, and all such information hereafter furnished by the Seller to the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent in writing pursuant to this Agreement or any Transaction Document will be, true and accurate in all material respects on the date such information is stated or certified.

 

(e)           Actions, Suits . T here are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the best of the Seller’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Seller or any of its Affiliates or their respective properties, in or before any court, arbitrator or other body.

 

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(f)            Accuracy of Exhibits; Lock-Box Arrangements . The names and addresses of all the Lock-Box Banks together with the account numbers of the Lock-Box Accounts at such Lock-Box Banks, are specified in Schedule II to this Agreement (or at such other Lock-Box Banks and/or with such other Lock-Box Accounts as have been notified to the Administrator), and all Lock-Box Accounts are subject to Lock-Box Agreements. All information on each Exhibit, Schedule or Annex to this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents (as updated by the Seller from time to time) is true and complete. The Seller has delivered a copy of all Lock-Box Agreements to the Administrator. The Seller has not granted any interest in any Lock-Box Account (or any related lock-box or post office box) to any Person other than the Administrator and, upon delivery to a Lock-Box Bank of the related Lock-Box Agreement, the Administrator will have exclusive ownership and control of the Lock-Box Account at such Lock-Box Bank.

 

(g)           No Material Adverse Effect . Since the date of formation of Seller as set forth in its certificate of formation, there has been no Material Adverse Effect.

 

(h)           Names and Location . The Seller has not used any company names, trade names or assumed names other than its name set forth on the signature pages of this Agreement. The Seller is “located” (as such term is defined in the applicable UCC) in Delaware. The office where the Seller keeps its records concerning the Receivables is at the address set forth below its signature to this Agreement.

 

(i)            Margin Stock . The Seller is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulations T, U and X, as issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no proceeds of any Purchase will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock.

 

(j)            Eligible Receivables . Each Pool Receivable included as an Eligible Receivable in the calculation of the Net Receivables Pool Balance is an Eligible Receivable.

 

(k)           Credit and Collection Policy . The Seller has complied in all material respects with the Credit and Collection Policy of each Originator with regard to each Receivable originated by such Originator.

 

(l)            Investment Company Act; Not a Covered Fund . The Seller is not an “investment company,” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Seller is not a “covered fund” under Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations implemented thereunder (the “ Volcker Rule ”). In determining that the Seller is not a “covered fund” under the Volcker Rule, the Seller is entitled to rely on the exemption from the definition of “investment company” set forth in Section 3(c)(5)(A) or (B) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(m)         No Covered Entity is a Sanctioned Person . No Covered Entity, either in its own right or through any third party, (i) has any of its assets in a Sanctioned Country or in the possession, custody or control of a Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; (ii) does business in or with, or derives any of its income from investments in or transactions with, any Sanctioned Country or Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; or (iii) engages in any dealings or transactions prohibited by any Anti-Terrorism Law.

 

(n)           Liquidity Coverage Ratio . The Seller has not issued any LCR Securities, and the Seller is a consolidated subsidiary of Cooper Tire under GAAP.

 

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(o)           Linked Accounts . There are no “Linked Accounts” (as defined in the Lock-Box Agreement with Bank of America, National Association) with respect to any Lock- Box Account maintained at Bank of America, National Association.

 

(p)           Taxes . The Seller has (i) timely filed all tax returns (federal, state and local) required to be filed by it and (ii) paid, or caused to be paid, all taxes, assessments and other governmental charges, if any, in each case, other than (A) taxes, assessments and other governmental charges being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (B) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q)           Tax Status . The Seller (i) is, and shall at all relevant times continue to be, a “disregarded entity” within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulation § 301.7701-3 for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is wholly owned by a “United States person” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) and (ii) is not and will not at any relevant time become an association (or publicly traded partnership) taxable as an association for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

2.            Representations and Warranties of the Servicer . The Servicer represents and warrants to the Administrator, each Purchaser Agent and each Purchaser as of the date of execution of this Agreement that:

 

(a)           Existence and Power . The Servicer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of organization, and has all company power and all governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry on its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted, except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect..

 

(b)           Company and Governmental Authorization, Contravention . The execution, delivery and performance by the Servicer of this Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party are within the Servicer’s organizational powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational action, require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official other than filings and disclosures made under securities laws, and do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or regulation or of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Servicer or of any judgment, injunction, order or decree or agreement or other instrument binding upon the Servicer or result in the creation or imposition of any lien on assets of the Servicer or any of its Subsidiaries, except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           Binding Effect of Agreement . This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Servicer enforceable against the Servicer in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity, regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

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(d)           Accuracy of Information . All information heretofore furnished by the Servicer to the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document is, and all such information hereafter furnished by the Servicer to the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent in writing pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document will be, true and accurate in all material respects on the date such information is stated or certified.

 

(e)           Actions, Suits . Except as set forth in Schedule IV , there are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the best of the Servicer’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Servicer or any of its Affiliates or their respective properties, in or before any court, arbitrator or other body, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Servicer (or such Affiliate) to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party.

 

(f)            No Material Adverse Effect . Since the date of the financial statements described in Section 2(i) below, there has been no Material Adverse Effect.

 

(g)           Credit and Collection Policy . The Servicer has complied in all material respects with the Credit and Collection Policy of each Originator with regard to each Receivable originated by such Originator.

 

(h)           Investment Company Act . The Servicer is not an “investment company,” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(i)            Financial Information . The balance sheets of Cooper Tire and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2016, and the related statements of income and retained earnings for the fiscal year then ended, copies of which have been furnished to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of Cooper Tire and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at such date and the results of the operations of Cooper Tire and its Subsidiaries for the period ended on such date, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

 

(j)            No Covered Entity is a Sanctioned Person . No Covered Entity, either in its own right or through any third party, (i) has any of its assets in a Sanctioned Country or in the possession, custody or control of a Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; (ii) does business in or with, or derives any of its income from investments in or transactions with, any Sanctioned Country or Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; or (iii) engages in any dealings or transactions prohibited by any Anti-Terrorism Law.

 

(k)           Linked Accounts . There are no “Linked Accounts” (as defined in the Lock-Box Agreement with Bank of America, National Association) with respect to any Lock-Box Account maintained at Bank of America, National Association.

 

(l)            Taxes . The Servicer has (i) timely filed all tax returns (federal, state and local) required to be filed by it and (ii) paid, or caused to be paid, all taxes, assessments and other governmental charges, if any, in each case, other than (A) taxes, assessments and other governmental charges being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (B) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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3.            Representations, Warranties and Agreements Relating to the Security Interest . The Seller hereby makes the following representations, warranties and agreements with respect to the Receivables and Related Security:

 

(a)           The Receivables .

 

(i)            Creation . This Agreement creates a valid and continuing security interest (as defined in the applicable UCC) in the Receivables included in the Receivables Pool in favor of the Administrator (for the benefit of the Purchasers), which security interest is prior to all other Adverse Claims, and is enforceable as such as against creditors of and purchasers from the Seller.

 

(ii)           Nature of Receivables . The Receivables included in the Receivables Pool constitute either “accounts”, “general intangibles” or “tangible chattel paper” within the meaning of the applicable UCC.

 

(iii)          Ownership of Receivables . The Seller owns and has good and marketable title to the Receivables included in the Receivables Pool and Related Security free and clear of any Adverse Claim.

 

(iv)          Perfection and Related Security . The Seller has caused the filing of all appropriate financing statements in the proper filing office in the appropriate jurisdictions under applicable law in order to perfect the sale of the Receivables and Related Security from such Originator to the Seller pursuant to the Sale Agreement, and the sale and security interest therein from the Seller to the Administrator under this Agreement, to the extent that such collateral constitutes “accounts,” “general intangibles,” or “tangible chattel paper.”

 

(v)           Tangible Chattel Paper . With respect to any Receivables included in the Receivables Pool that constitute “tangible chattel paper”, if any, the Seller (or the Servicer on its behalf) has in its possession the original copies of such tangible chattel paper that constitute or evidence such Receivables, and the Seller has caused (and will cause the applicable Originator to cause), within ten days after the Restatement Date, the filing of financing statements described in clause (iv) , above, each of which will contain a statement that: “A purchase of, or security interest in, any collateral described in this financing statement will violate the rights of the Administrator.” The Receivables to the extent they are evidenced by “tangible chattel paper” do not have any marks or notations indicating that they have been pledged, assigned or otherwise conveyed to any Person other than the Seller or the Administrator.

 

(b)           The Collection Account .

 

(i)            Nature of Account . Each Lock-Box Account constitutes a “deposit account” within the meaning of the applicable UCC.

 

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(ii)           Ownership . The Seller owns and has good and marketable title to the Lock-Box Accounts and Collection Account free and clear of any Adverse Claim.

 

(iii)          Perfection . The Seller has delivered to the Administrator a fully executed Lock-Box Agreement relating to each Lock-Box Account, pursuant to which each applicable Lock-Box Bank, respectively, has agreed, following the occurrence and continuation of a Termination Event, to comply with all instructions originated by the Administrator (on behalf of the Purchasers) directing the disposition of funds in such Lock-Box Account without further consent by the Seller or the Servicer.

 

(c)           Priority .

 

(i)           Other than the transfer of the Receivables to the Seller and the Administrator under the Sale Agreement and this Agreement, respectively, and/or the security interest granted to the Seller and the Administrator pursuant to the Sale Agreement and this Agreement, respectively, neither the Seller nor any Originator has pledged, assigned, sold, granted a security interest in, or otherwise conveyed any of the Receivables transferred or purported to be transferred under the Transaction Documents, the Lock-Box Accounts or any subaccount thereof, except for any such pledge, grant or other conveyance which has been released or terminated. Neither the Seller nor any Originator has authorized the filing of, or is aware of any financing statements against either the Seller or such Originator that include a description of Receivables transferred or purported to be transferred under the Transaction Documents, the Lock-Box Accounts or any subaccount thereof, other than any financing statement (i) relating to the sale thereof by such Originator to the Seller under the Sale Agreement, (ii) relating to the security interest granted to the Administrator under this Agreement, or (iii) that has been released or terminated.

 

(ii)          The Seller is not aware of any judgment, ERISA or tax lien filings against either the Seller, the Servicer or any Originator.

 

(iii)         The Lock-Box Accounts are not in the name of any person other than the Seller or the Administrator. Neither the Seller nor the Servicer has consented to any bank maintaining such account to comply with instructions of any person other than the Administrator.

 

(d)           Survival of Supplemental Representations . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, the representations contained in this Section shall be continuing, and remain in full force and effect until such time as the Purchased Interest and all other obligations under this Agreement have been finally and fully paid and performed.

 

(e)           No Waiver . To the extent required pursuant to the securitization program of any Conduit Purchaser, the parties to this Agreement: (i) shall not, without obtaining a confirmation of the then-current rating of the Notes, waive any of the representations set forth in this Section ; (ii) shall provide the Ratings Agencies with prompt written notice of any breach of any representations set forth in this Section , and shall not, without obtaining a confirmation of the then-current rating of the Notes (as determined after any adjustment or withdrawal of the ratings following notice of such breach) waive a breach of any of the representations set forth in this Section.

 

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(f)            Servicer to Maintain Perfection and Priority . In order to evidence the interests of the Administrator under this Agreement, the Servicer shall, from time to time take such action, or execute and deliver such instruments as may be necessary (including, without limitation, such actions as are reasonably requested by the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent) to maintain and perfect, as a first-priority interest, the Administrator’s security interest in the Receivables, Related Security and Collections. The Servicer shall, from time to time and within the time limits established by law, prepare and present to the Administrator for the Administrator’s authorization and approval, all financing statements, amendments, continuations or initial financing statements in lieu of a continuation statement, or other filings necessary to continue, maintain and perfect the Administrator’s security interest as a first-priority interest. The Administrator’s approval of such filings shall authorize the Servicer to file such financing statements under the UCC without the signature of the Seller, any Originator or the Administrator where allowed by applicable law. Notwithstanding anything else in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, the Servicer shall not have any authority to file a termination, partial termination, release, partial release, or any amendment that deletes the name of a debtor or excludes collateral of any such financing statements, without the prior written consent of the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent.

 

4.            Reaffirmation of Representations and Warranties . On the date of each Purchase and/or reinvestment hereunder, and on the date each Information Package or other report is delivered to the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser hereunder, the Seller and the Servicer, by accepting the proceeds of such Purchase or reinvestment and/or the provision of such information or report, shall each be deemed to have certified that (i) all representations and warranties of the Seller and the Servicer, as applicable, described in this Exhibit III , as from time to time amended in accordance with the terms hereof, are correct on and as of such day as though made on and as of such day, except for representations and warranties which apply as to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such date), and (ii) no event has occurred or is continuing, or would result from any such Purchase, which constitutes a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event.

 

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EXHIBIT IV

COVENANTS

 

1.            Covenants of the Seller . At all times from the date hereof until the Final Payout Date:

 

(a)           Financial Reporting . The Seller will maintain a system of accounting established and administered in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the appropriate jurisdiction, and the Seller (or the Servicer on its behalf) shall furnish to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent:

 

(i)            Annual Reporting . Promptly upon completion and in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Seller, annual unaudited financial statements of the Seller certified by a designated financial or other officer of the Seller.

 

(ii)           Information Packages . As soon as available and in any event not later than two Business Days prior to the Settlement Date, an Information Package as of the most recently completed calendar month.

 

(iii)          Other Information . Such other information (including non-financial information) as the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(b)           Notices . The Seller will notify the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent in writing of any of the following events promptly upon (but in no event later than three Business Days after) a financial or other officer learning of the occurrence thereof, with such notice describing the same, and if applicable, the steps being taken by the Person(s) affected with respect thereto:

 

(i)            Notice of Termination Events or Unmatured Termination Events . A statement of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Seller setting forth details of any Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event and the action which the Seller proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

(ii)           Representations and Warranties . The failure of any representation or warranty to be true (when made or at any time thereafter) with respect to the Receivables included in the Receivables Pool.

 

(iii)          Litigation . The institution of any litigation, arbitration proceeding or governmental proceeding which may have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(iv)          Adverse Claim . (A) Any Person shall obtain an Adverse Claim upon the Pool Receivables or Collections with respect thereto, (B) any Person other than the Seller, the Servicer or the Administrator shall obtain any rights or direct any action with respect to any Lock-Box Account (or related lock-box or post office box) or (C) any Obligor shall receive any change in payment instructions with respect to Pool Receivable(s) from a Person other than the Servicer or the Administrator.

 

  IV- 1  

 

  

(v)           ERISA and Other Claims . Promptly after the filing or receiving thereof, copies of all reports and notices that the Seller or any ERISA Affiliate files under ERISA with the Internal Revenue Service, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or the U.S. Department of Labor or that the Seller or any Affiliate receives from any of the foregoing or from any multiemployer plan (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) to which the Seller or any of its Affiliates is or was, within the preceding five years, a contributing employer, in each case in respect of any Reportable Event (as defined in ERISA) that could, in the aggregate, result in the imposition of liability on the Seller and/or any such Affiliate.

 

(c)           Conduct of Business . The Seller will carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted and will do all things necessary to remain duly organized, validly existing and in good standing as a domestic organization in its jurisdiction of organization and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted if the failure to have such authority could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)           Compliance with Laws . The Seller will comply with all laws, rules, regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which it may be subject if the failure to comply could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)           Furnishing of Information and Inspection of Receivables . The Seller will furnish to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent from time to time such information with respect to the Pool Receivables as the Administrator or such Purchaser Agent may reasonably request. The Seller will, at the Seller’s expense, at any time and from time to time during regular business hours with prior written notice (i) permit the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent, or their respective agents or representatives, (A) to examine and make copies of and abstracts from all books and records relating to the Pool Receivables or other Pool Assets and (B) to visit the offices and properties of the Seller for the purpose of examining such books and records, and to discuss matters relating to the Pool Receivables, other Pool Assets or the Seller’s performance hereunder or under the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party with any of the officers, directors, employees or independent public accountants of the Seller (provided that representatives of the Seller are present during such discussions) having knowledge of such matters and (ii) without limiting the provisions of clause (i) above, from time to time during regular business hours, at the Seller’s expense, upon reasonable prior written notice from the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents, permit certified public accountants or other auditors acceptable to the Administrator to conduct a review of its books and records with respect to the Pool Receivables.

 

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(f)            Payments on Receivables, Accounts . The Seller will, and will cause each Originator to, at all times instruct all Obligors to deliver payments on the Pool Receivables to a Lock-Box Account. If any such payments or other Collections are received by the Seller or an Originator, it shall hold such payments in trust for the benefit of the Administrator and the Purchasers and promptly (but in any event within two Business Days after receipt) remit such funds into a Lock-Box Account. The Seller will cause each Lock-Box Bank to comply with the terms of each applicable Lock-Box Agreement. The Seller will not permit the funds other than Collections on Pool Receivables and other Pool Assets to be deposited into any Lock-Box Account. If such funds are nevertheless deposited into any Lock-Box Account, the Seller will promptly identify such funds for segregation. The Seller will not, and will not permit the Servicer, any Originator or other Person to, commingle Collections or other funds to which the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser is entitled with any other funds. The Seller shall only add, and shall only permit an Originator to add, a Lock-Box Bank (or the related lock-box or post office box), or Lock-Box Account to those listed on Schedule II to this Agreement, if the Administrator has received notice of such addition, a copy of any new Lock-Box Agreement and an executed and acknowledged copy of a Lock-Box Agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Administrator from any such new Lock-Box Bank. The Seller shall only terminate a Lock-Box Bank or close a Lock-Box Account (or the related lock-box or post office box), upon 30 days’ advance notice to the Administrator.

 

(g)           Sales, Liens, etc. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Seller will not sell, assign (by operation of law or otherwise) or otherwise dispose of, or create or suffer to exist any Adverse Claim upon (including, without limitation, the filing of any financing statement) or with respect to, any Pool Receivable or other Pool Asset, or assign any right to receive income in respect thereof.

 

(h)           Extension or Amendment of Pool Receivables . Except as otherwise permitted in Section 4.2 of this Agreement, the Seller will not extend, amend or otherwise modify the terms of any Pool Receivable, or amend, modify or waive any term or condition of any Contract related thereto, without the prior written consent of the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents. The Seller shall at its expense, timely and fully perform and comply with all material provisions, covenants and other promises required to be observed by it under the Contracts related to the Pool Receivables, and timely and fully comply in all material respects with the Credit and Collection Policy with regard to each Receivable and the related Contract.

 

(i)            Change in Business . The Seller will not (i) make any change in the character of its business, which change would impair the collectibility of any Pool Receivable or (ii) make any change in any Credit and Collection Policy that could reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the collectibility of the Pool Receivables, the enforceability of any related Contract or its ability to perform its obligations under the related Contract or the Transaction Documents, in the case of either (i) or (ii) above, without the prior written consent of the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent. The Seller shall not make any change in any Credit and Collection Policy without giving prior written notice thereof to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent.

 

  IV- 3  

 

  

(j)            Fundamental Changes . The Seller shall not, without the prior written consent of the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents, permit itself (i) to merge or consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to, any Person or (ii) to be owned by any Person other than Cooper Tire and thereby cause Cooper Tire’s percentage of ownership or control of the Seller to be reduced. The Seller shall provide the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent with at least 30 days’ prior written notice before making any change in the Seller’s name, location or making any other change in the Seller’s identity or corporate structure that could impair or otherwise render any UCC financing statement filed in connection with this Agreement “seriously misleading” as such term (or similar term) is used in the applicable UCC; each notice to the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents pursuant to this sentence shall set forth the applicable change and the proposed effective date thereof. The Seller will also maintain and implement (or cause the Servicer to maintain and implement) administrative and operating procedures (including an ability to recreate records evidencing Pool Receivables and related Contracts in the event of the destruction of the originals thereof), and keep and maintain (or cause the Servicer to keep and maintain) all documents, books, records, computer tapes and disks and other information reasonably necessary or advisable for the collection of all Pool Receivables (including records adequate to permit the daily identification of each Pool Receivable and all Collections of and adjustments to each existing Pool Receivable).

 

(k)           Change in Payment Instructions to Obligors . The Seller shall not (and shall cause the Originators not to) add to, replace or terminate any of the Lock-Box Accounts (or any related lock-box or post office box) listed in Schedule II hereto or make any change in its (or their) instructions to the Obligors regarding payments to be made to the Lock-Box Accounts (or any related lock-box or post office box), unless the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent shall have received (x) prior written notice of such addition, termination or change and (y) signed and acknowledged Lock-Box Agreements with respect to such new Lock-Box Accounts (or any related lock-box or post office box).

 

(l)            Ownership Interest, Etc. The Seller shall (and shall cause the Servicer to), at its expense, take all action necessary or desirable to establish and maintain a valid and enforceable undivided percentage ownership or security interest, to the extent of the Purchased Interest, in the Pool Receivables, the Related Security and Collections with respect thereto, and a first priority perfected security interest in the Pool Assets, in each case free and clear of any Adverse Claim, in favor of the Administrator (on behalf of the Purchasers), including taking such action to perfect, protect or more fully evidence the interest of the Administrator (on behalf of the Purchasers) as the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent, may reasonably request.

 

(m)          Certain Agreements . Without the prior written consent of the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents, the Seller will not amend, modify, waive, revoke or terminate any Transaction Document to which it is a party or any provision of the Seller’s organizational documents which requires the consent of the “Independent Member” (as defined in the Seller’s operating agreement).

 

(n)           Restricted Payments . (i) Except pursuant to clause (ii) below, the Seller will not: (A) purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock, (B) declare or pay any dividend or set aside any funds for any such purpose, (C) prepay, purchase or redeem any Debt, (D) lend or advance any funds or (E) repay any loans or advances to, for or from any of its Affiliates (the amounts described in clauses (A) through (E) being referred to as “ Restricted Payments ”).

 

(i)           Subject to the limitations set forth in clause (iii) below, the Seller may make Restricted Payments so long as such Restricted Payments are made only in one or more of the following ways: (A) the Seller may make cash payments (including prepayments) on the Company Notes in accordance with their respective terms, and (B) if no amounts are then outstanding under any Company Note, the Seller may declare and pay dividends.

 

  IV- 4  

 

  

(ii)          The Seller may make Restricted Payments only out of the funds, if any, it receives pursuant to Sections 1.4(b)(ii) and (iv) and 1.4(c) of this Agreement. Furthermore, the Seller shall not pay, make or declare: (A) any dividend if, after giving effect thereto, the Tangible Net Worth of the Seller would be less than $10,000,000, or (B) any Restricted Payment (including any dividend) if, after giving effect thereto, any Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(o)           Other Business . The Seller will not: (i) engage in any business other than the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, (ii) create, incur or permit to exist any Debt of any kind (or cause or permit to be issued for its account any letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances) other than pursuant to this Agreement or the Company Notes, or (iii) form any Subsidiary or make any investments in any other Person; provided , however , that the Seller shall be permitted to incur minimal obligations to the extent necessary for the day-to-day operations of the Seller (such as expenses for stationery, audits, maintenance of legal status, etc.).

 

(p)           Use of Seller’s Share of Collections . The Seller shall apply the Seller’s Share of Collections to make payments in the following order of priority: (i) the payment of its expenses (including all obligations payable to the Purchasers, the Purchaser Agents and the Administrator under this Agreement and under the Purchaser Group Fee Letters), (ii) the payment of accrued and unpaid interest on the Company Note and (iii) other legal and valid corporate purposes.

 

(q)           Tangible Net Worth . The Seller will not permit its Tangible Net Worth, at any time, to be less than $10,000,000 .

 

(r)           Anti-Money Laundering/International Trade Law Compliance . The Seller will not become a Sanctioned Person. No Covered Entity, either in its own right or through any third party, will (i) have any of its assets in a Sanctioned Country or in the possession, custody or control of a Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; (ii) do business in or with, or derive any of its income from investments in or transactions with, any Sanctioned Country or Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; (iii) engage in any dealings or transactions prohibited by any Anti-Terrorism Law or (iv) use the proceeds of any Purchase to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in, or, make any payments to, a Sanctioned Country or Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law. The funds used to repay each Purchase will not be derived from any unlawful activity. The Seller shall comply with all Anti-Terrorism Laws. The Seller shall promptly notify the Administrator in writing upon the occurrence of a Reportable Compliance Event. The Seller has not used and will not use the proceeds of any Purchase to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in or make any payments to, a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Country.

 

(s)           Linked Accounts . The Seller shall not permit any “Linked Account” (as defined in the Lock-Box Agreement with Bank of America, National Association) to exist with respect to any Lock-Box Account maintained at Bank of America, National Association.

 

  IV- 5  

 

  

(t)           Seller’s Tax Status . The Seller will remain a “disregarded entity” within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulation § 301.7701-3 for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is wholly owned by a “United States person” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code). No action will be taken that would cause the Seller to (i) be treated other than as a “disregarded entity” within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulation § 301.7701-3 for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is wholly owned by a “United States person” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) or (ii) become an association taxable as a corporation or a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

2.            Covenants of the Servicer . At all times from the date hereof until the Final Payout Date:

 

(a)           Financial Reporting . The Servicer will maintain a system of accounting established and administered in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the appropriate jurisdiction, and the Servicer shall furnish to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent:

 

(i)            Annual Reporting . Promptly upon completion and in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of Cooper Tire, annual audited financial statements of Cooper Tire and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by an accounting firm of nationally recognized standing or otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrator and each such Purchaser Agent, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including consolidated balance sheets as of the end of such period, consolidated statements of income, related profit and loss and reconciliation of surplus statements, and a statement of changes in financial position.

 

(ii)           Quarterly Reporting . Promptly upon completion and in no event later than 60 days after the close of each financial quarter of Cooper Tire, unaudited financial statements of Cooper Tire certified by a designated financial officer of Cooper Tire prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including consolidated balance sheets of Cooper Tire as of the end of such period and related profit and loss and reconciliation of surplus statements.

 

(iii)          Compliance Certificates . Together with the annual report required above, a compliance certificate in form and substance acceptable to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent signed by its chief accounting officer or treasurer solely in their capacities as officers of the Servicer stating that no Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event exists, or if any Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event exists, stating the nature and status thereof.

 

(iv)          Information Packages . As soon as available and in any event not later than two Business Days prior to the Settlement Date, an Information Package as of the most recently completed calendar month.

 

(v)           “Compliance Certificate” under Credit Agreement . As and when each “Compliance Certificate” is delivered under the revolving credit agreement described in clause (m) of Exhibit V to this Agreement, an executed copy of such certificate.

 

  IV- 6  

 

  

(vi)          Other Information . Such other information (including non-financial information) as the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(b)           Notices . The Servicer will notify the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent in writing of any of the following events promptly upon (but in no event later than three Business Days after) a financial or other officer learning of the occurrence thereof, with such notice describing the same, and if applicable, the steps being taken by the Person(s) affected with respect thereto:

 

(i)            Notice of Termination Events or Unmatured Termination Events . A statement of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Servicer setting forth details of any Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event and the action which the Servicer proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

(ii)           Representations and Warranties . The failure of any representation or warranty to be true (when made or at any time thereafter) with respect to the Pool Receivables.

 

(iii)          Litigation . The institution of any litigation, arbitration proceeding or governmental proceeding which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(iv)          Adverse Claim . (A) Any Person shall obtain an Adverse Claim upon the Pool Receivables or Collections with respect thereto, (B) any Person other than the Seller, the Servicer or the Administrator shall obtain any rights or direct any action with respect to any Lock Box Account (or related lock-box or post office box) or (C) any Obligor shall receive any change in payment instructions with respect to Pool Receivable(s) from a Person other than the Servicer or the Administrator.

 

(c)           Conduct of Business . The Servicer will carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted and will do all things necessary to remain duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing as a domestic corporation in its jurisdiction of incorporation and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted if the failure to have such authority could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)           Compliance with Laws . The Servicer will comply with all laws, rules, regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which it may be subject if the failure to comply could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  IV- 7  

 

  

(e)           Furnishing of Information and Inspection of Receivables . The Servicer will furnish to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent from time to time such information with respect to the Pool Receivables as the Administrator or such Purchaser Agent may reasonably request. The Servicer will, at the Servicer’s expense, at any time and from time to time during regular business hours with prior written notice (i) permit the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent, or their respective agents or representatives, (A) to examine and make copies of and abstracts from all books and records relating to the Pool Receivables or other Pool Assets and (B) to visit the offices and properties of the Servicer for the purpose of examining such books and records, and to discuss matters relating to the Pool Receivables, other Pool Assets or the Servicer’s performance hereunder or under the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party with any of the officers, directors, employees or independent public accountants of the Servicer (provided that representatives of the Servicer are present during such discussions) having knowledge of such matters and (ii) without limiting the provisions of clause (i) above, during regular business hours, at the Servicer’s expense, upon reasonable prior written notice from the Administrator, permit certified public accountants or other auditors acceptable to the Administrator and the Purchaser Agents to conduct, a review of its books and records with respect to the Pool Receivables.

 

(f)            Payments on Receivables, Accounts . The Servicer will at all times instruct all Obligors to deliver payments on the Pool Receivables to a Lock-Box Account. If any such payments or other Collections are received by the Servicer, it shall hold such payments in trust for the benefit of the Administrator and the Purchasers and promptly (but in any event within two Business Days after receipt) remit such funds into a Lock-Box Account. The Servicer will cause each Lock-Box Bank to comply with the terms of each applicable Lock-Box Agreement. The Servicer will not permit the funds other than Collections on Pool Receivables and other Pool Assets to be deposited into any Lock-Box Account. If such funds are nevertheless deposited into any Lock-Box Account, the Servicer will promptly identify such funds for segregation. The Servicer will not commingle Collections or other funds to which the Administrator, any Purchaser Agent or any Purchaser is entitled with any other funds. The Servicer shall only add, a Lock-Box Bank (or the related lock-box or post office box), or Lock-Box Account to those listed on Schedule II to this Agreement, if the Administrator has received notice of such addition, a copy of any new Lock-Box Agreement and an executed and acknowledged copy of a Lock-Box Agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Administrator from any such new Lock-Box Bank. The Servicer shall only terminate a Lock-Box Bank or close a Lock-Box Account (or the related lock-box or post office box), upon 30 days’ advance notice to the Administrator.

 

(g)           Extension or Amendment of Pool Receivables . Except as otherwise permitted in Section 4.2 of this Agreement, the Servicer will not extend, amend or otherwise modify the terms of any Pool Receivable, or amend, modify or waive any term or condition of any Contract related thereto, without the prior written consent of the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents. The Servicer shall at its expense, timely and fully perform and comply with all material provisions, covenants and other promises required to be observed by it under the Contracts related to the Pool Receivables, and timely and fully comply in all material respects with the Credit and Collection Policy with regard to each Pool Receivable and the related Contract.

 

(h)           Change in Business . The Servicer will not (i) make any change in the character of its business, which change would impair the collectibility of any Pool Receivable or (ii) make any change in any Credit and Collection Policy that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the collectibility of the Pool Receivables, the enforceability of any related Contract or its ability to perform its obligations under the related Contract or the Transaction Documents, in the case of either (i) or (ii) above, without the prior written consent of the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent. The Servicer shall not make any change in any Credit and Collection Policy without giving prior written notice thereof to the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent.

 

  IV- 8  

 

  

(i)            Records . The Servicer will maintain and implement administrative and operating procedures (including an ability to recreate records evidencing Pool Receivables and related Contracts in the event of the destruction of the originals thereof), and keep and maintain all documents, books, records, computer tapes and disks and other information reasonably necessary or advisable for the collection of all Pool Receivables (including records adequate to permit the daily identification of each Pool Receivable and all Collections of and adjustments to each existing Pool Receivable).

 

(j)            Change in Payment Instructions to Obligors . The Servicer shall not add to, replace or terminate any of the Lock-Box Accounts (or any related lock-box or post office box) listed in Schedule II hereto or make any change in its instructions to the Obligors regarding payments to be made to the Lock-Box Accounts (or any related lock-box or post office box), unless the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent shall have received (x) prior written notice of such addition, termination or change and (y) signed and acknowledged Lock-Box Agreements with respect to such new Lock-Box Accounts (or any related lock-box or post office box).

 

(k)           Ownership Interest, Etc. The Servicer shall, at its expense, take all action necessary or desirable to establish and maintain a valid and enforceable undivided percentage ownership or security interest, to the extent of the Purchased Interest, in the Pool Receivables, the Related Security and Collections with respect thereto, and a first priority perfected security interest in the Pool Assets, in each case free and clear of any Adverse Claim in favor of the Administrator (on behalf of the Purchasers), including taking such action to perfect, protect or more fully evidence the interest of the Administrator (on behalf of the Purchasers) as the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent, may reasonably request.

 

(l)            Anti-Money Laundering/International Trade Law Compliance . The Servicer will not become a Sanctioned Person. No Covered Entity, either in its own right or through any third party, will (i) have any of its assets in a Sanctioned Country or in the possession, custody or control of a Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; (ii) do business in or with, or derive any of its income from investments in or transactions with, any Sanctioned Country or Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law; (iii) engage in any dealings or transactions prohibited by any Anti-Terrorism Law or (iv) use the proceeds of any Purchase to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in, or, make any payments to, a Sanctioned Country or Sanctioned Person in violation of any Anti-Terrorism Law. The funds used to repay each Purchase will not be derived from any unlawful activity. The Servicer shall comply with all Anti-Terrorism Laws. The Servicer shall promptly notify the Administrator in writing upon the occurrence of a Reportable Compliance Event.

 

(m)          Linked Accounts . The Servicer shall not permit any “Linked Account” (as defined in the Lock-Box Agreement with Bank of America, National Association) to exist with respect to any Lock-Box Account maintained at Bank of America, National Association.

 

(n)           Seller’s Tax Status . The Servicer shall not take or cause any action to be taken that could result in the Seller (i) being treated other than as a “disregarded entity” within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulation § 301.7701-3 for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) becoming an association taxable as a corporation or a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

  IV- 9  

 

  

3.            Separate Existence . Each of the Seller and the Servicer hereby acknowledges that the Purchasers and the Administrator are entering into the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents in reliance upon the Seller’s identity as a legal entity separate from Cooper Tire, the Originators and their respective Affiliates. Therefore, from and after the date hereof, each of the Seller and the Servicer shall take all steps specifically required by this Agreement or reasonably required by the Administrator or any Purchaser Agent to continue the Seller’s identity as a separate legal entity and to make it apparent to third Persons that the Seller is an entity with assets and liabilities distinct from those of Cooper Tire, any Originator and any other Person, and is not a division of Cooper Tire, any Originator or any other Person. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and in addition to and consistent with the other covenants set forth herein, each of the Seller and the Servicer shall take such actions as shall be required in order that:

 

(a)          The Seller will be a limited liability company whose primary activities are restricted in its operating agreement to: (i) purchasing or otherwise acquiring from the Originators, owning, holding, granting security interests or selling interests in Pool Assets, (ii) entering into agreements for the selling and servicing of the Receivables Pool, and (iii) conducting such other activities as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its primary activities;

 

(b)          The Seller shall not engage in any business or activity, or incur any indebtedness or liability (including, without limitation, any assumption or guaranty of any obligation of Cooper Tire, any Originator or any Affiliate thereof), other than as expressly permitted by the Transaction Documents;

 

(c)          (i) Not less than one member of the Seller’s Board of Directors (the “ Independent Director ”) shall be a natural person (A) who is not at the time of initial appointment and has not been at any time during the five (5) years preceding such appointment: (1) an equityholder, director (other than the Independent Director), officer, employee, member, manager, attorney or partner of Cooper Tire, Seller or any of their Affiliates; (2) a customer of, supplier to or other person who derives more than 1% of its purchases or revenues from its activities with Cooper Tire, Seller or any of their Affiliates; (3) a person or other entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with any such equity holder, partner, member, manager customer, supplier or other person; or (4) a member of the immediate family of any such equity holder, director, officer, employee, member, manager, partner, customer, supplier or other person and (B) who has (1) prior experience as an independent director for a corporation or an independent manager of a limited liability company whose charter documents required the unanimous consent of all independent director or independent managers thereof before such corporation could consent to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it or could file a petition seeking relief under any applicable federal or state law relating to bankruptcy and (2) at least three years of employment experience with one or more entities that provide, in the ordinary course of their respective businesses, advisory, management or placement services to issuers of securitization or structured finance instruments, agreements or securities. Under this clause (c) , the term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management, policies or activities of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. (ii) The operating agreement of the Seller shall provide that: (A) the Seller’s Board of Directors shall not approve, or take any other action to cause the filing of, a voluntary bankruptcy petition with respect to the Seller unless the Independent Director shall approve the taking of such action in writing before the taking of such action, and (B) such provision cannot be amended without the prior written consent of the Independent Director;

 

  IV- 10  

 

  

(d)          The Independent Director shall not at any time serve as a trustee in bankruptcy for the Seller, Cooper Tire, any Originator or any of their respective Affiliates;

 

(e)          The Seller shall conduct its affairs strictly in accordance with its organizational documents and observe all necessary, appropriate and customary company formalities, including, but not limited to, holding all regular and special members’ and board of managers’ meetings appropriate to authorize all limited liability company action, keeping separate and accurate minutes of its meetings, passing all resolutions or consents necessary to authorize actions taken or to be taken, and maintaining accurate and separate books, records and accounts, including, but not limited to, payroll and intercompany transaction accounts;

 

(f)           Any employee, consultant or agent of the Seller will be compensated from the Seller’s funds for services provided to the Seller, and to the extent that Seller shares the same officers or other employees as Cooper Tire or any Originator (or any other Affiliate thereof), the salaries and expenses relating to providing benefits to such officers and other employees shall be fairly allocated among such entities, and each such entity shall bear its fair share of the salary and benefit costs associated with such common officers and employees. The Seller will not engage any agents other than its attorneys, auditors and other professionals, and a servicer and any other agent contemplated by the Transaction Documents for the Receivables Pool, which servicer will be fully compensated for its services by payment of the Servicing Fee, and a manager, which manager will be fully compensated from the Seller’s funds;

 

(g)          The Seller will contract with the Servicer to perform for the Seller all operations required on a daily basis to service the Receivables Pool. The Seller will pay the Servicer the Servicing Fee pursuant hereto. Except as otherwise permitted by this Agreement, the Seller will not incur any material indirect or overhead expenses for items shared with Cooper Tire or any Originator (or any other Affiliate thereof) that are not reflected in the Servicing Fee. To the extent, if any, that the Seller (or any Affiliate thereof) shares items of expenses not reflected in the Servicing Fee or the manager’s fee, such as legal, auditing and other professional services, such expenses will be allocated to the extent practical on the basis of actual use or the value of services rendered, and otherwise on a basis reasonably related to the actual use or the value of services rendered; it being understood that Cooper Tire, in its capacity as Servicer, shall pay all expenses relating to the preparation, negotiation, execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents, including legal, agency and other fees;

 

(h)          The Seller’s operating expenses will not be paid by Cooper Tire or any Originator or any Affiliate thereof;

 

(i)           The Seller will have its own separate stationery;

 

(j)           The Seller’s books and records will be maintained separately from those of Cooper Tire, each Originator and any other Affiliate thereof and in a manner such that it will not be difficult or costly to segregate, ascertain or otherwise identify the assets and liabilities of Seller;

 

  IV- 11  

 

  

(k)          All financial statements of Cooper Tire or any Originator or any Affiliate thereof that are consolidated to include Seller will disclose that (i) the Seller’s sole business consists of the purchase or acceptance through capital contributions of the Receivables and Related Rights from the Originators and the subsequent retransfer of or granting of a security interest in such Receivables and Related Rights to certain purchasers party to this Agreement, (ii) the Seller is a separate legal entity with its own separate creditors who will be entitled, upon its liquidation, to be satisfied out of the Seller’s assets prior to any assets or value in the Seller becoming available to the Seller’s equity holders and (iii) the assets of the Seller are not available to pay creditors of Cooper Tire or the Originators or any other Affiliates of Cooper Tire or the Originators;

 

(l)           The Seller’s assets will be maintained in a manner that facilitates their identification and segregation from those of Cooper Tire, the Originators or any Affiliates thereof;

 

(m)         The Seller will strictly observe corporate formalities in its dealings with Cooper Tire, the Originators or any Affiliates thereof, and funds or other assets of the Seller will not be commingled with those of Cooper Tire, the Originators or any Affiliates thereof except as permitted by this Agreement in connection with servicing the Pool Receivables. The Seller shall not maintain joint bank accounts or other depository accounts to which Cooper Tire or any Affiliate thereof (other than Cooper Tire in its capacity as the Servicer) has independent access. The Seller is not named, and has not entered into any agreement to be named, directly or indirectly, as a direct or contingent beneficiary or loss payee on any insurance policy with respect to any loss relating to the property of Cooper Tire, the Originators or any Subsidiaries or other Affiliates thereof. The Seller will pay to the appropriate Affiliate the marginal increase or, in the absence of such increase, the market amount of its portion of the premium payable with respect to any insurance policy that covers the Seller and such Affiliate;

 

(n)          The Seller will maintain arm’s-length relationships with Cooper Tire, the Originators (and any Affiliates thereof). Any Person that renders or otherwise furnishes services to the Seller will be compensated by the Seller at market rates for such services it renders or otherwise furnishes to the Seller. Neither the Seller on the one hand, nor Cooper Tire or any Originator, on the other hand, will be or will hold itself out to be responsible for the debts of the other or the decisions or actions respecting the daily business and affairs of the other. The Seller, Cooper Tire and the Originators will immediately correct any known misrepresentation with respect to the foregoing, and they will not operate or purport to operate as an integrated single economic unit with respect to each other or in their dealing with any other entity;

 

(o)          The Seller shall have a separate area from Cooper Tire and each Originator for its business (which may be located at the same address as such entities) and to the extent that any other such entity has offices in the same location, there shall be a fair and appropriate allocation of overhead costs between them, and each shall bear its fair share of such expenses; and

 

(p)          To the extent not already covered in paragraphs (a) through (o) above, Seller shall comply and/or act in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.4 of the Sale Agreement.

 

  IV- 12  

 

 

EXHIBIT V 

TERMINATION EVENTS

 

Each of the following shall be a “Termination Event”:

 

(a)          (i)          the Seller, Cooper Tire, any Originator or the Servicer shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and, except as otherwise provided herein, such failure, solely to the extent capable of cure, shall continue for 30 days after the earlier of any such Person’s knowledge or notice thereof or (ii) the Seller or the Servicer shall fail to make when due any payment or deposit to be made by it under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and such failure shall remain unremedied for two Business Days after the earlier of the Seller, Cooper Tire, any Originator or the Servicer having knowledge or notice of such failure;

 

(b)          Cooper Tire (or any Affiliate thereof) shall fail to transfer to any successor Servicer, when required, any rights pursuant to this Agreement that Cooper Tire (or such Affiliate) then has as Servicer;

 

(c)          any representation or warranty made or deemed made by the Seller, the Servicer or any Originator (or any of their respective officers) under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or any information or report delivered by the Seller, the Servicer or any Originator pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, shall prove to have been incorrect or untrue in any material respect when made or deemed made or delivered;

 

(d)          the Seller or the Servicer shall fail to deliver any Information Package when due pursuant to this Agreement, and such failure shall remain unremedied for two Business Days after the earlier of such Person’s knowledge or notice thereof;

 

(e)          this Agreement or any purchase or reinvestment pursuant to this Agreement shall for any reason: (i) cease to create, or the Purchased Interest shall for any reason cease to be, a valid and enforceable first priority perfected undivided percentage ownership or security interest to the extent of the Purchased Interest in each Pool Receivable, the Related Security and Collections with respect thereto, free and clear of any Adverse Claim, or (ii) cease to create with respect to the Pool Assets, or the interest of the Administrator (for the benefit of the Purchasers) with respect to such Pool Assets shall cease to be, a valid and enforceable first priority perfected security interest, free and clear of any Adverse Claim;

 

(f)           the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or any Originator shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or any Originator seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or the Seller, Cooper Tire, the Servicer or any Originator shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this paragraph;

 

  V- 1  

 

  

(g)          (i) the (A) Default Ratio shall exceed 2.0%, (B) Delinquency Ratio shall exceed 4.5%, (ii) the average for three consecutive calendar months of: (A) the Default Ratio shall exceed 1.5%, (B) the Delinquency Ratio shall exceed 3.5%, or (C) the Dilution Ratio shall exceed 10.0% or (iii) Days’ Sales Outstanding exceeds 68 days;

 

(h)          a Change in Control shall occur;

 

(i)           the Purchased Interest shall exceed 100% for two (2) Business Days after the earlier of the Seller’s or Servicer’s knowledge or notice thereof;

 

(j)           (i) the Seller or Cooper Tire shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on any of its Debt that is outstanding in a principal amount of at least $50,000,000 in the aggregate when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement, mortgage, indenture or instrument relating to such Debt (whether or not such failure shall have been waived under the related agreement); (ii) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement, mortgage, indenture or instrument relating to any such Debt (as referred to in clause (i) of this subsection (j) ) and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement, mortgage, indenture or instrument (whether or not such failure shall have been waived under the related agreement), if the effect of such event or condition is to give the applicable debtholders the right (whether acted upon or not) to accelerate the maturity of such Debt (as referred to in clause (i) of this subsection (j) ), or (iii) any such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment), redeemed, purchased or defeased, or an offer to repay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required to be made, in each case before the stated maturity thereof;

 

(k)          except as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, either the Internal Revenue Service or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation shall have filed one or more notices of lien asserting a claim or claims pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code, or ERISA, as applicable, against the assets of Seller, any Originator, Cooper Tire or any ERISA Affiliate and such lien shall have been filed and not released within 10 days; or

 

(l)           Cooper Tire shall fail to perform any of its obligations under the Performance Guaranty.

 

  V- 2  

 

 

SCHEDULE I

CREDIT AND COLLECTION POLICY

 

  Schedule I- 1  

 

 

SCHEDULE II

LOCK-BOX BANKS AND LOCK-BOX ACCOUNTS

 

 

Schedule II- 1

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

TRADE NAMES

 

Cooper Tires

 

Schedule III- 1

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS

 

None

 

Schedule IV- 1

 

 

SCHEDULE V

 

PURCHASER GROUPS AND MAXIMUM COMMITMENTS

 

Purchaser Group of PNC Bank, National Association

 

Party   Capacity   Maximum
Commitment
    Pro Rata Share  
PNC Bank, National Association   Related Committed Purchaser   $ 150,000,000       N/A  
PNC Bank, National Association   LC Participant and LC Bank   $ 150,000,000       100 %
PNC Bank, National Association   Purchaser Agent     N/A       N/A  

 

Schedule V- 1

 

 

ANNEX A

 

FORM OF INFORMATION PACKAGE

 

 

  Annex A- 1  

 

 

 

  Annex A- 2  

 

 

ANNEX B

 

FORM OF PURCHASE NOTICE

 

Dated as of [________ __, 20__]

 

PNC Bank, National Association

Three PNC Plaza

225 Fifth Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2707

 

[Each Purchaser Agent]

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is hereby made to the Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified through the date hereof, the “ Receivables Purchase Agreement ”), among Cooper Receivables LLC, as Seller, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, as Servicer, the various Purchasers and Purchaser Agents from time to time party thereto, the LC Participants from time to time party thereto, and PNC Bank, National Association, as Administrator and as LC Bank. Capitalized terms used in this Purchase Notice and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Receivables Purchase Agreement.

 

[This letter constitutes a Purchase Notice pursuant to Section 1.2(a) of the Receivables Purchase Agreement. Seller desires to sell an undivided variable interest in a pool of receivables on ___________, [20__], for a purchase price of $____________. 1 Subsequent to this Purchase, and after giving effect to the increase in the Aggregate Capital, the Purchased Interest will be $___________.]

 

[This letter constitutes a notice pursuant to Section 1.13(a) of the Receivables Purchase Agreement. The Seller desires that the LC Bank [issue][transfer] Letters of Credit [currently issued under the [___________]] on __________, [20__], with a face amount of $____________ (see attached schedule for Letters of Credit to be transferred). Subsequent to this transfer, the LC Participation Amount will be $_______ and the aggregate outstanding Capital will be $____________.]

 

Seller hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof, and as of the date of Purchase, as follows:

 

 

1 Such amount shall not be less than $300,000 (or such lesser amount as agreed to by the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents) and shall be in integral multiples of $100,000 with respect to each Purchaser Group.

 

Annex B- 1

 

 

(i) the representations and warranties contained in Exhibit III of the Receivables Purchase Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such purchase as though made on and as of such date (except for representations and warranties which apply as to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

(ii) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such purchase, that constitutes a Termination Event or Unmatured Termination Event;

 

(iii) the sum of the Aggregate Capital plus the LC Participation Amount, after giving effect to any such purchase or reinvestment shall not be greater than the Purchase Limit, and the Purchased Interest will not exceed 100%; and

 

(iv) the Facility Termination Date has not occurred.

 

Annex B- 2

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Purchase Notice to be executed by its duly authorized officer as of the date first above written.

 

  COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC
   
  By:  
  Name Printed:                             
  Title:  

 

Annex B- 3

 

 

ANNEX C

 

FORM OF ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of [__________ __, 20__]

 

THIS ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT (this “ AGREEMENT ”), dated as of [______ __, ____], is among COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC (the “Seller”), [________], as purchaser (the “[_____] Conduit Purchaser”), [________], as the related committed purchaser (the “[______] Related Committed Purchaser”), [________], as related lc participant (the “[_____] LC Participant” and together with the Conduit Purchaser and the Related Committed Purchaser, the “[_____] Purchasers”), and [________], as agent for the [_____] Purchasers (the “[______] Purchaser Agent” and together with the [_____] Purchasers, the “[_______] Purchaser Group”).

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Seller and various others are parties to that certain Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement dated as of February 15, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified through the date hereof, the “Receivables Purchase Agreement”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein have the respective meaning assigned to such terms in the Receivables Purchase Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1. This letter constitutes an Assumption Agreement pursuant to Section 1.2(f) of the Receivables Purchase Agreement. The Seller desires [the [_____] Purchasers] [the [______] Related Committed Purchaser][______] related LC Participant] to [become Purchasers under] [increase its existing Commitment under] the Receivables Purchase Agreement and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Receivables Purchase Agreement, the [________] Purchasers agree to [become Purchasers thereunder] [increase its Commitment in an amount equal to the amount set forth as the “Commitment” under the signature of such [______] Related Committed Purchaser hereto] [increase its Commitment in an amount equal to the amount set forth as the “Commitment” under the signature of such [______] related LC Participant hereto].

 

Seller hereby represents and warrants to the [________] Purchasers as of the date hereof, as follows:

 

(i) the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Exhibit III of the Receivables Purchase Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as the date of such purchase or reinvestment as though made on and as of such date (except for representations and warranties which apply as to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

Annex C- 1

 

 

(ii) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such purchase or reinvestment, that constitutes a Termination Event or an Unmatured Termination Event; and

 

(iii) the Facility Termination Date has not occurred.

 

SECTION 2. Upon execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Seller and each member of the [______] Purchaser Group, satisfaction of the other conditions to assignment specified in Section 1.2(f) of the Receivables Purchase Agreement (including the written consent of the Administrator and each Purchaser Agent) and receipt by the Administrator and Seller of counterparts of this Agreement (whether by facsimile or otherwise) executed by each of the parties hereto, [the [_____] Purchasers shall become a party to, and have the rights and obligations of Purchasers under, the Receivables Purchase Agreement][the [______] Related Committed Purchaser shall increase its Commitment in the amount set forth as the “Commitment” under the signature of the [______] Related Committed Purchaser hereto][the [______] related LC Participant shall increase its Commitment in the amount set forth as the “Commitment” under the signature of the [______] related LC Participant hereto].

 

SECTION 3. Each party hereto hereby covenants and agrees that it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, any Conduit Purchaser, any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceeding, or other proceeding under any federal or state bankruptcy or similar law, for one year and one day after the latest maturing Note issued by such Conduit Purchaser is paid in full. The covenant contained in this paragraph shall survive any termination of the Receivables Purchase Agreement.

 

SECTION 4. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER AND GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (INCLUDING FOR SUCH PURPOSE SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK) EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT THE VALIDITY OR PERFECTION OF A SECURITY INTEREST OR REMEDIES HEREUNDER, IN RESPECT OF ANY PARTICULAR COLLATERAL ARE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF A JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. This Agreement may not be amended, supplemented or waived except pursuant to a writing signed by the party to be charged. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and by the different parties on different counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(continued on following page)

 

Annex C- 2

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement by their duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

 

  [___________], as a Conduit Purchaser

 

  By:  
  Name Printed:   
  Title:  

 

  [Address]
  [___________], as a Related Committed Purchaser

 

  By:  
  Name Printed:  
  Title:  

 

  [Address]
  [Commitment]
   
  [___________], as a related LC Participant

 

  By:  
  Name Printed:  
  Title:  

 

  [Address]
  [Commitment]
  [_____________], as Purchaser Agent for [_________]

 

  By:  
  Name Printed:  
  Title:  

 

  [Address]

 

Annex C- 3

 

 

COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC, as Seller

 

By:    
Name Printed:    
Title:    

 

Consented and Agreed:

 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrator

 

By:    
Name Printed:    
Title:    

 

Address: PNC Bank, National Association
  Three PNC Plaza
  255 Fifth Avenue
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2707

 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as LC Bank

 

By:    
Name Printed:    
Title:    

 

Address: PNC Bank, National Association
  Three PNC Plaza
  255 Fifth Avenue
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2707

 

[THE PURCHASER AGENTS]

 

By:    
Name Printed:    
Title:    

 

[Address]

 

Annex C- 4

 

 

ANNEX D

 

FORM OF TRANSFER SUPPLEMENT

 

Dated as of [_______ __, 20__]

 

Section 1 .

 

Commitment assigned: $_________
Assignor’s remaining Commitment: $_________
Capital allocable to Commitment assigned: $_________
Assignor’s remaining Capital: $_________
Discount (if any) allocable to  
Capital assigned: $_________
Discount(if any) allocable to Assignor’s remaining Capital: $_________

 

Section 2 .

 

Effective Date of this Transfer Supplement:   [__________]

 

Upon execution and delivery of this Transfer Supplement by transferee and transferor and the satisfaction of the other conditions to assignment specified in Section 6.3(c) of the Receivables Purchase Agreement (as defined below), from and after the effective date specified above, the transferee shall become a party to, and have the rights and obligations of a Committed Purchaser under, the Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified through the date hereof, the “Receivables Purchase Agreement”), among Cooper Receivables LLC, as Seller, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, LLC, as initial Servicer, the various Purchasers and Purchaser Groups from time to time party thereto, the various LC Participants from time to time party thereto, and PNC Bank, National Association, as Administrator and as LC Bank.

 

Annex D- 1

 

 

ASSIGNOR: [_________], as a Related Committed Purchaser

 

  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

ASSIGNEE: [_________], as a Purchasing Related Committed Purchaser

 

  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

[Address]

 

Accepted as of date first above

written:

 

[___________], as Purchaser Agent for

the [______] Purchaser Group

 

By:    
  Name:    
  Title:    

 

[Accepted as of the date first above written]: 2

 

COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC

 

By:    
Name:    
Title:    

 

[Address]

 

 

2 Consent only required prior to the occurrence of a Termination Event (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).

 

Annex D- 2

 

 

ANNEX E

 

FORM OF PAYDOWN NOTICE

 

Dated as of [_____________ __, 20__]

 

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

701 Lima Avenue

Findlay, OH 45840

Attention: Philip G. Weaver

 

PNC Bank, National Association

Three PNC Plaza

255 Fifth Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2707

Attention: Robyn Reeher

 

[Each other Purchaser Agent]

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is hereby made to the Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified through the date hereof, the “ Receivables Purchase Agreement ”), among Cooper Receivables LLC, as Seller, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, as Servicer, the various Purchasers and Purchaser Agents from time to time party thereto, the LC Participants from time to time party thereto and PNC Bank, National Association, as Administrator and as LC Bank. Capitalized terms used in this paydown notice and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Receivables Purchase Agreement.

 

This letter constitutes a paydown notice pursuant to Section 1.4(f)(i) of the Receivables Purchase Agreement. The Seller desires to reduce the Aggregate Capital on ____________, _____ 3 by the application of $___________ in cash to pay Aggregate Capital and Discount to accrue (until such cash can be used to pay commercial paper notes) with respect to such Aggregate Capital, together with all costs related to such reduction of Aggregate Capital. Subsequent to this paydown, the aggregate outstanding Capital will be $___________.

 

 

3        Notice must be given not later than 2:00 p.m. New York City time on the date that is one Business Day prior to the date of such reduction for any amount of reduction of the Aggregate Capital (or any amount as agreed to by the Administrator and the Majority Purchaser Agents).

 

Annex E- 1

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this paydown notice to be executed by its duly authorized officer as of the date first above written.

 

  COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC
     
  By:                             
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

Annex E- 2

 

 

ANNEX F

 

FORM OF LETTER OF CREDIT APPLICATION

 

 

  Annex F- 1  

 

 

 

  Annex F- 2  

 

 

 

  Annex F- 3  

 

 

ANNEX G

 

CLOSING MEMORANDUM

 

  Annex G- 1  

 

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

C LOSING M EMORANDUM

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

among

 

COOPER RECEIVABLES LLC,

as Seller

 

COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY,

as initial Servicer

 

THE VARIOUS CONDUIT PURCHASERS, RELATED COMMITTED PURCHASERS AND LC PARTICIPANTS,

as Purchasers

 

THE VARIOUS PURCHASER AGENTS ,

as Purchaser Agents

 

and

 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrator and LC Bank

 

For February 15, 2018 Closing

 

  Annex G- 2  

 

 

Abbreviations:

 

Administrator PNC
Cooper Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Cooper Parties Cooper and Seller
JD Jones Day, special counsel to the Cooper Parties
LC Bank PNC
MB Mayer Brown LLP, special counsel to Administrator
Originator Cooper
PNC PNC Bank, National Association
Purchaser PNC
Seller Cooper Receivables LLC
Servicer Cooper

 

  Annex G- 3  

 

 

Document   Responsible Party   Signatures Needed
         
A.   BASIC DOCUMENTS        
1. Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement   MB  

¨ Seller

¨ Servicer

¨ Administrator

¨ Purchasers

¨ LC Bank

           
  Exhibit I Definitions   Incorporated    
  Exhibit II Conditions of Purchases   Incorporated  
  Exhibit III Representations and Warranties   Incorporated  
  Exhibit IV Covenants   Incorporated  
  Exhibit V Terminations Events   Incorporated  
           
  Schedule I Credit and Collection Policy   Cooper  
  Schedule II Lock-Box Banks and Lock-Box Accounts   PNC/Cooper  
  Schedule III Trade Names   Cooper  
  Schedule IV Actions and Proceedings   Cooper  
           
  Annex A Form of Information Package   PNC/Cooper  
  Annex B-1 Form of Purchase Notice   Incorporated  
  Annex B-2 Form of Issuance Notice   Incorporated  
  Annex C Form of Assumption Agreement   Incorporated  
  Annex D Form of Transfer Supplement   Incorporated  
  Annex E Form of Paydown Notice   Incorporated  
  Annex F Form of Letter of Credit Application   PNC  
  Annex G Closing Memorandum   MB  
           
2. Amended and Restated Fee Letter   MB  

¨ Seller

¨ Servicer

¨ Administrator

¨ Purchasers

¨ LC Bank

           
B. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE FILING DOCUMENTATION        

 

  Annex G- 4  

 

 

Document   Responsible Party   Signatures Needed
           
3. UCC lien searches against the Borrower in the State of Delaware   JD   N/A
           
4. UCC lien searches against the Originator in the State in the State of Delaware   JD   N/A
         
C. DOCUMENTATION AS TO AUTHORITY, INCUMBENCY AND OTHER MATTERS WITH RESPECT TO THE ORIGINATOR, THE SELLER AND THE SERVICER        
1.

Secretary’s Certificate of the Originator and the Servicer as to:

 

a.     Resolutions of Board of Directors

b.     Certificate of Incorporation (or other applicable organizational document)

c.     By-laws

d.     Incumbency and signature

  JD   Cooper
2.

Secretary’s Certificate of the Seller as to:

 

a.     Resolutions of Board of Directors

b.     Limited Liability Company Agreement

c.     Certificate of Formation

d.     Incumbency and signature

  JD   Seller
           
3. Good Standing Certificate for Cooper from the State of Delaware   JD   N/A
           
4. Good Standing Certificate for Seller from the State of Delaware   JD   N/A
           
E.   LEGAL OPINIONS        
1. Opinion of counsel to the Cooper Parties re: general corporate matters, enforceability, no-conflicts with organizational documents, material agreements and New York and Federal law and, with respect to Seller, ’40 Act matters   JD   JD
2. Opinion of counsel to the Cooper Parties re: UCC security interest and perfection matters   JD   JD

 

  Annex G- 5